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Dell has posted a ROM update for the three device models in its Axim X3O series of Pocket PCs.

Though the company doesn't go into too much depth as to what improvements the update delivers, it does recommends applying it during, as it contains feature enhancements or changes that will help keep a user's Axim X3O current and compatible with other system modules (firmware, BIOS, drivers and software).

What is known about the new ROM update is that it enhances the SDIO (Secure Digital In Out bus driver for all three models, while it improves wireless security with the one's that integrate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Axim X30 Series

While the outer shell of the Axim XO handhelds are similar to the previous generation Axim X3 series, the new devices deviate from the earlier editions in a couple of significant ways.

First off, the new Axims are the first Pocket PCs to be unveiled that feature the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile operating system, Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. They also include Intel's new line of XScale processors.

In addition, two models integrate both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technologies, which none of the earlier models did, not even the top the line Axim X3i. Bluetooth allows for personal area networking with computer systems and Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mobile phones, GPS receivers, keyboards and other handheld computers. Integrated Wi-Fi enables users to connect wirelessly to the Internet via hotspots and local area networks in the office and home via Wi-Fi access points.

The Dell Axim X30 series is run by Intel's PXA270 XScale processors, which offer improved multimedia and power management than earlier XScale CPUs. When purchasing an Axim X30, users can choose between two processor speeds: 312MHz or 624MHz, the fastest processor speed available for a handheld.

The Axims, which weigh a light 4.9 ounces and measure a relatively compact 4.82 x 0.59 x 3 inches, also feature either 64MB or 32MB of RAM as well as 64MB or 32MB of ROM, depending on the configuration purchased. All three configurations include a built-in Secure Digital I/O slot for peripheral and memory expansion, a 3.5-inch transflective TFT color display with a 240x320 (QVGA) resolution, a headphone jack and improved recorder, as well as a scroll dial.

While Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition allows for 640x480 (VGA) displays, Dell chose to stick with the screens at the same resolution Pocket PCs have been offering for years. The Axim XO display can be viewed, however, in portrait or landscape mode thanks to the Windows Moble 2003 Second Edition.

The $199 and the $249 configurations come with a travel sync cable, while the very reasonably priced $349 configuration with a 624 MHz processor, dual wireless and 128MB of memory, comes with a sync/recharge cradle with an extra battery charge slot that accommodates either a spare standard battery (950 mAh) or am optional high-capacity (1800 mAh) battery ($99).