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Dell became the second Pocket PC vendor, after Hewlett-Packard (HP), to introduce a VGA handheld in the United States today. The new high-end Axim X50v is part of a new series that includes two other handhelds.

All Axim X50 (see top image) models integrate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking, as well as Secure Digital and CompactFlash Type II expansion slots. As the first Pocket PCs to bundle Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 for Mobile with Digital Rights Management (DRM) 10, users can access audio (i.e. MusicMatch) and video (i.e. CinemaNow) subscription services.

The new Axims measure the same 4.65 x 2.85 x .65 inches and similar basic form factors. They all bundle a cradle with a extra slot for a spare battery. The Pocket PCs' regular battery is a 1100 mAH type, but there is an additional, more powerful, 2200 mAH battery available as an option.

Axim X50v
Axim X50v ($499) is the number two Pocket PC vendor's new top-of-the-line handheld. In addition to the features and form factor it shares with the other two models in the series, the Axim X50v has the aforementioned VGA (640 x 480 pixel) resolution display, which should let you view whole Web pages and large portions of spreadsheets, for example. The screen measures a largish 3.7 inches.

A 624 MHz Intel PXA270 XScale processor powers the Axim X50v, while an Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator delivers DVD quality video playback. There is 62MB of RAM available with 91MB of ROM you can use like an SD memory card.

Axim X50s
The two other models in the X50 series feature a lower resolution QVGA (240 x 320 pixel) screen that measures 3.5 inches. The $399 model has a 520 MHz XScale processor with 63MB of RAM and 94MB of ROM storage available to the user. Another Pocket PC sells for $299. It has a 416 MHz XScale processor, 63MB of RAM available to the user, and only 30MB of ROM storage.

Of course, both models feature dual wireless (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) and dual expansion slots (SD and CompactFlash) like the Axim X50v. You can order all three Pocket PCs from Dell now, but they won't ship for a few weeks.

We'll post our review of the Axim X50 in the coming weeks.