accessories for my axim

warning! long, long-winded post ahead.

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remember i blog on the purchase of a dell axim x51v PDA? (picture left) well it had been 5 months now since i have been using it. i learned a lot of stuffs e.g. do some setttings, using active-sync, how to install programs and so on via my favourite forum mypda café (MPC). members there are very helpful esp when i chat to them one to one.

from the many free download websites that MPC members recommended i had downloaded lots of softwares and programs. i esp like the bible software. now i don’t have to carry heavy and thick bible along. i know many people said pocket e-sword is the most popular, and good too, bible software, but i did not download it. i use olive tree bible software instead, and found it to be just as good.

oh i downloaded my favourite game – lode runner. in this post of mine in bahasa, i wrote about how crazy i was over lode runner years ago… now well… im not crazy over it but i still enjoys playing it very much.

i had been using my PDA a lot esp for appointments reminder and notes. i hardly play games though i did downloaded several games. this is because… where got time to play games? hah. i have the games on PDA is for when i am out-station or somewhere away from home, feeling bored. what i uses most is word program – use it for typing, esp. when i’m in the car traveling to and fro to work daily (i’m not the driver of course). i usually type emails or blog posts of course! like this one. the earlier 3 paragraphs i typed with my PDA while traveling in the car to/fro work.

after i had my PDA for some time, i began to look for accessories. there are very few shops in penang that sells dell axim accessories. i know dell factory itself in malaysia do sell them but i had been advised by MPC members to buy accessories from overseas because they are of better quality. so i went on an online shopping for the accessories.
my first lookout was for a case to carry the PDA around. found that many leather (or even on leather) cases were quite expensive… or not suitable for me. most of the cases are like wallet type, with pockets for keeping credit cards, bank cards, ID cards, whatever cards – that i certainly don’t need. i don’t mind a wallet case but i don’t like all the extra pockets for the various cards which i can keep in my own purse. the PDA wallet will be for PDA and stuffs related to PDA only. i like one with a pocket for extra battery (instead of SD or CD card) but can’t seem to find one like that.

i saw a posting from box wave introducing their products in MPC and went to their website to surf. i found that i like their products since they look good and not so expensive as those branded ones. however having not heard of box wave i wonder is it a good and reliable brand name so i turned to one particular very helpful MPC member and he told me box wave is a reliable and reputable name, thus without hesitation i shop around online at box wave for some accessories.

they do have some nice PDA cases but i found them not suitable. i finally settled on a ‘flexi-skin’ (at US$29.95), which is just nice for me as i only need a ‘skin’ to protect my PDA, not a wallet kind of case.

then i also look around for a travel charger and found one that came with a package, bundled with a mini sync. (at US$24.99i don’t really need a mini sync but since i can use it as a cable for the wall charger might as well take the bundle.

so i place my order – that was on 14 oct. had to pay US$15 for delivery charges thus the total came to US$70.44.

oh i do not have a credit card (me poor with miserable salary, how to have one?) but i borrowed the card from a friend who is kind enough to allow me to use it, trusting me saying “if other people ask i won’t let, you are a church friend, ok lah.” well when i saw the bill, the total in malaysian currency comes to RM264.90.

i like the flexi skin since it is well… as it said very elastic… smooth and rubbery to the touch. also the other accessories to the skin is removable e.g. the flip cover can be remove if i don’t want it. there is a belt clip holder at the back too which can be remove; not only that but the screw for the holder can be remove too. i removed them since i rarely use the clip holder. btw, the picture you see here, has the flexi skin on (the white part all round it except the top) with its flip cover opened.

one thing i don’t like is that i have to remove it when i want to dock the PDA on the cradle for sync purpose. the skin on both sides so of prevent the connection to be complete when docking, thus i have to take it off.

oh before i ordered these accessories from box wave, i purchased a screen protector from a MPC member (who is an agent). martin fields overlay plus (MFOP) brand, which is said to be one of the best name in screen protector. i read about all the good review not only in MPC but other tech forums too, like the gadgeter. the cost? RM47 per piece and i had to pay poslaju charges of RM5, which comes to RM52. i had some problem installing it though there is clear instruction on the pack and also on the website. why, the website even have instruction on video. i had to take it off and on a few times when i found dirt or bubbles underneath. that’s one good thing about the MFOP screen protector – the sticky part can be taken off and on and yet it remain sticky… and do it is washable too.

well i had been using this MFOP SP for more than a month and found it to be very good indeed just as what the review said it is. yes it is very clear and indeed it looks ‘invisible’. for those who are thinking of getting a screen protector for your PDA or handphone, i highly recommend you MFOP.

so it seems that up-to-date i had spent RM316.90 accessories for my dell axim x51v. will i be spending again for other accessories? most certainly! what to do… have to take good care of my ‘baby’. haha. but the only problem is i have to borrow credit card use again. this friend who let me use his card for the box wave order i had told him that would be the one and only time i borrowed from him, so dare not ask him again. in a way, not having a credit card is good for me as it prevent me from online shopping hopping and spend, spend, spend.

i only have a debit card and most companies do not accept debit card. well i did pay with my debit card online for 2 overseas transaction. long ago when i paid for haloscan premium membership for my blogger blog, and early this year when i pay blogasian for web-hosting.

there are still a lot of things for me to discover and learn from my axim PDA. thank god there are many forums on the net to learn from. there is a site specially for axim users too. i am glad i bought the axim as i am beginning to enjoy using it very much, esp. when i’m away from home. one setback is the battery usage. it eats up power very fast! thank god when i bought the axim, it comes with a spare battery, which means if i go travelling with my axim, i can carry along the spare battery (in case there’s no place for me to charge the battery).