One of the big improvements of the new OS is its support for higher resolution screens (it can handle up to 480 by 640 pixel screens), but that's moot with the Axim's 240 by 320 screen. Other changes that you'll notice include a slider bar for adjusting the text size, a list of recently used programs under the Start menu, and an option under the Clock and Alarms setting to create up to three recurring alarms. Best of all for Web surfers, the improved Pocket Internet Explorer has a new one column layout option, which rearranges Web pages so that they appear in one long column. It makes surfing on the miniature screen much more pleasant, especially when used with the thumb-operated jog dial. (For more on the improvements of Windows Mobile 2003 SE, look for our article next week.)


Pocket Internet Explorer

The high-end Axim is also the first Pocket PC to use the new 624-MHz PXA270 processor from Intel. We were pleased with its speed while running audio and video files in our testing. If you're a power handheld user, it's a must-have.

The Axim's software will be familiar to anyone who's used a Pocket PC, and includes miniature versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, MSN, MSN Messenger, and Windows Media Player, as well as the usual PDA amenities (Notes, Tasks) and a few games. The only notable addition by Dell is the Switcher Bar, a utility buried in the Setting's System tab. Since software under Windows Mobile 2003 doesn't quit as a sane user would expect when he or she taps the X in the app's upper right corner, the Switcher Bar fills the void. It appears in the top bar of any screen and lets you quickly see which applications are still running so that you can switch among them or easily shut them down.

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