Which Version of the Complete System?

The Japanese Language Tools system is available on several different platforms. What are the differences between them and which one is right for you? Here's a quick summary of each; for more information you can see the reviews and spec sheets I've linked to, and of course you can find more online.

Hewlett-Packard iPAQ hx4700: Review, Spec Sheet.

(no longer unavailable)

As supplies of like-new refurbished hx4700s have largely dried up, I'm no longer offering the hx4700 system. I'll leave this information up for reference, though.

The hx4700 has been refurbished by HP Japan to like-new condition, and indeed it looks and performs (and lasts) like brand new. Indeed, all of the parts subject to wear and tear (with one exception; see below) have been replaced with new parts, including most importantly the touchscreen, outer body, and battery. This allows me to sell a PDA with top-of-the-line features in same-as-new condition for much less than the system would cost with an equivalent new PDA. As for reliability, I've sold over 50 of these, many have been in customers' hands for over a year now, and not a single one has had a hardware problem.

Notes: This PDA runs on the Japanese version of the Windows Mobile 2003SE operating system. While the OS is in Japanese, remember that on a computer most of your interaction is with programs, not the OS. The EB Pocket Pro program used in the dictionary system has an entirely English interface. Most of the parts of the OS you do need to access are either labelled in English, in katakana transliterations of English (e.g., "File Explorer" is "ファイルエクスプローラ") or obvious icons. There are fewer than a dozen words with kanji you'll encounter in normal use, and you'll soon come to recognize them by context even if you don't bother to learn the actual kanji. In short, the Japanese OS is far less difficult to manage than most users expect. The body is largely made of magnesium (a strong, light metal). The battery life will carry an average user through 2 days of average use (total 5-6 hours, depending on use and settings). Downsides. The larger and brickier shape is less comfortable to hold or stuff in a pocket than the lithe Axim X51V, though it's smaller than the iPAQ 212. Because of the memory set-up, if battery runs down completely, the iPAQ will hard reset, losing all data in the main memory--fortunately, because of the excellent battery life and very smart systems, this will probably never happen to you, and even if it does you can restore everything from your last backup quickly and easily, even without a computer (this sounds like a big deal, but it really isn't). Because of the memory set-up, user should make sure to install large new programs and save large data files to the memory card to keep the main memory as free as possible (not hard to do)--and because of how the OS works, installing software to the memory card (as recommended) involves one more step than on the Axim or new iPAQ, though it's still quite simple.

This is the PDA I recommend for most users. In all the important specifications, the X51V is still at the top of the class, even when looking at the newest 2011 models. Because of the way the touchscreen works, it's far better for inputting kanji than those of most current devices; devices with "multitouch" screens like the iPhone are especially bad for this. The X51V has been refurbished by Dell USA to working like-new condition, and indeed it performs, lasts, and largely looks like brand new. All of the working parts subject to wear and tear have been replaced with new parts, including most importantly the touchscreen, main battery, and internal backup battery. The body of the Axim is replaced if the it shows more than very minor wear. Everything else is thoroughly tested and replaced if it doesn't perform like new. This allows me to sell a PDA with top-of-the-line features in same-as-new condition for much less than the system would cost with an equivalent new PDA, smartphone, or tablet. These refurbished Axims have proven rock solid. My favorite point about the X51V, compared to the two iPAQs, standard electronic dictionaries, and tablet computers? Ergonomics. It's a bit smaller, with rounded corners and edges. The result is that, even in a metal case (highly recommended), it's much more comfortable to hold and to slip into a pocket (the iPAQ hx4700 would be uncomfortable in a pocket, and perhaps even impossible when you put it in a case, as you really should; the iPaq 212, even naked, is too big for a pocket). Being able to carry it comfortably in my pocket means it's there when I need it--a PDA that isn't is no good to me at all. Battery life is more than sufficient for a full day of normal use (~3-4 hours total on-time on normal settings with dictionary lookups, study with a flashcard program, some time online via Wi-Fi, wasting some time on games, etc.; about 9-10 hours just listening to music with the screen off). Double-size batteries are available for the Axim, though I think it's more practical to simply carry a tiny, matchbook-sized spare if you really think you'll need more power (though, to be honest, most customers who buy a spare battery never end up needing it).

My favorite non-dictionary use: the Axim is my GPS navi unit when hiking and driving. Unlike phone-based GPS navigation systems that are becoming popular, this one works wherever you go (the phone-based units pull their maps from the cellular network--which means that, outside the 3G signal areas, they simply don't work, and even in covered areas you spend a lot of time waiting for maps to load as you drive). And the maps on the Axim are far more detailed out in rural and wild areas.

Big note: The Dell Axim X51V as it was originally released was a great piece of hardware crippled by the horrible Windows Mobile 5 operating system. JLT has upgraded the OS to WM6, and now the Axim really flies. It's as fast and stable as anything on the market. WM6 also allows the Axim to use SDHC cards in the SD card slot, increasing the memory capacity in that slot to 32 GB. Like all the others, it can also take up a 128 GB CF card, too, for a total capacity of 160 GB (though the biggest reasonably priced CF card as of early 2011 is 64 GB, for a system total of 96 GB; I expect the new 128 GB cards to come down in price later in the year). WM6 also simplifies software installation and memory handling, and includes much better versions of the Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) than WM2003SE on the Axim X30 and iPAQ hx4700. There are hundreds of thousands of programs available for the Windows Mobile OS--you can do anything from align a telescope to control your TV, from talk on Skype to practice Lithuanian verb declensions.

Besides upgrading the Axim to WM6, I've also customized the OS to offer full Japanese support, using the same systems used in the native Japanese version of WM. Japanese input and display look and work exactly like they do on native-Japanese PDAs (and better than they do on most native-Japanese phones). This means that they're part of the OS, so they're fully integrated and usable in every program and they work beautifully. So you get both the superb Japanese support you'd find in a native Japanese device and the ease of use of an English language operating system--the best of both worlds.

As a bonus, the 16 GB card included standard with the system has more than enough space for me to include the full text of both the English and Japanese versions of Wikipedia, so you can access that even without an internet connection. (Those are free and not my work--just some of many cool things you can find for the Axim).

Included Accessories: 16 GB SDHC card; USB SDHC card reader; JLT documentation, Dell Owner's Manual, and backups on DVD; generic screen protector; soft slip case; stylus; battery, power supply; deluxe sync/charge cable; 30 day money back guarantee; 1 year hardware warranty; 3 years support.

As supplies of like-new refurbished X50Vs have largely dried up, I'm no longer offering the X50V system. I'll leave this information up for reference, though.

The PDA itself is externally identical to the X51V, above, but has less memory (the same as the hx4700), and the memory is set up differently (also the same as the hx4700). This means that the user needs to pay some attention when installing new software and copying data (music, videos, maps, whatever) to the PDA to put them on the memory card. It's not hard, though (it's a bit easier with the English version). The Japanese and English versions have very different operating systems, so they're almost like different PDAs. The Japanese version has the same WM2003SE OS as the iPAQ hx4700, above, so all my comments about the hx4700's OS and memory set-up apply to it, as well. The English version has a custom WM6 OS, much like the one on the X51V, and most of the time in use it works pretty much the same way as the X51V. The OS even allows it to use up to 32 GB cards in the SDHC slot, just like the X51V. However, if used intensively, the English X50V can have occasional slowdowns in performance (if you're mostly using the dictionaries and basic built-in programs, though, you may never notice a slowdown--it's mostly power users who will be effected). To minimize these, it's important to keep the main memory as free as possible by keeping as many programs and as much data as possible on a memory card rather than in the main memory of the device. Again, people using just the dictionaries and the basic built-in programs (calendar, contacts, MS office apps, mp3 player) really won't be affected much, and even for power users, the slowdowns are a minor annoyance, not a crippling fault (it seems to be games that are most affected--most other programs use the processor and memory intermittently, allowing the Axim to catch up to itself while you're just looking at the screen and eliminating the need for big slowdowns).

Included Accessories (Japanese version): 4 GB SD card; extra-large 2250 mAH battery with custom battery cover; custom black aluminum case; JLT documentation, Dell Owner's Manual, and backups on DVD; generic screen protector; stylus; power supply; sync/charge cable; 30 day money back guarantee; 1 year hardware warranty; 3 years support.

Included Accessories (Japanese version): 16 GB SDHC card; extra-large 2250 mAH battery with custom battery cover; custom black aluminum case; JLT documentation, Dell Owner's Manual, and backups on DVD; generic screen protector; stylus; power supply; sync/charge cable; 30 day money back guarantee; 1 year hardware warranty; 3 years support.

The main point is that, while built on a more basic PDA, as a dictionary the X30 system works just like the other JLT Complete Systems: it uses the same dictionaries and dictionary program and has the same Japanese input systems (Japanese OS version) or very similar ones (English OS version with ATOK input software). The average user will also have no problem using the built-in organizer features (calendar and appointment book, task list, alarm clock, phone book), voice recorder, and portable MS Office apps to read and do simple editing of MS Office documents (Word docs, Excel spreadsheets). It's also easy to load up a few hundred songs and a few movies for entertainment on the go, and to install additional programs, many free, like different word processors, calculators (a pretty good free one is already installed), simple games, station-to-station route guides for just about every subway system in the world (free program, one-click installer included on the system), and many other things. The X30 also has Bluetooth and Wi-fi and most of the same capabilities as the X51V, but because of the older WM2003SE OS and some hardware limitations, it may be harder to use some of these features unless you've got a good bit of computer savvy (Wi-Fi works right off the bat for about two-thirds of users, but if it doesn't you need to know a bit about networks to be able to change the settings for your network to make it accessible to the X30). Also, the 2.5 GB of free space on the memory card when you get the system (vs. 14 GB for the standard X51V, 155 GB with the maximum memory installed in the X51V) means that extremely memory-intensive things like GPS maps and large audio and video libraries aren't possible. While there are tens of thousands of programs for the X30 (any program that will run on WM2003SE, and most made for later versions of the OS), some Windows Mobile programs work only on later versions of the OS. In short, for the average user, the X30 will probably be more of a dictionary-only system (plus a few basic things like the appointment book, alarm clock, calculator, games, and non-net programs), rather than a multipurpose device like the X51V.

The only noticeable difference for dictionary use is that the screen has lower resolution than the other JLT systems (240 x 320 vs. 480 x 640 for the X51V, etc.), which means characters have to be bigger to be legible because it's not as sharp. The screen is also slightly smaller than those on the other JLT systems (3.5", vs. 3.7" for the X51V and X50V). However, it's still pretty good--much better than displays on standard denshi jisho. Click here to see a comparison of the X30 and X51V screens (actual screenshots). View at full size on your monitor to get the best idea of the relative sharpness, but to really see the real sizes and sharpenesses of the screens, print it out on A4 or letter size paper.

Another difference that has a minor impact on dictionary function is that the standard X30 comes with a 312 MHz processor instead of the 624 MHz on the Axim X51V and other JLT systems (though a few X30s with a 624 MHz processors are available for a few more 円). Dictionary searches thus take about 1.5X as long (processor speed isn't the only issue, which is why it isn't twice as long), but for most searches this is imperceptible--whether a search takes 100 ms or 150 ms, it still seems instant to human eyes and brains. Rarely, searches with many results can take a few seconds--but this isn't common enough for the slower speed of the 324 MHz X30 to be much of a drawback. Of course, if you get the X30 with 624 MHz processor, it's just as fast as the X51V.

The X30 with the Japanese operating system. The OS being Japanese doesn't make much difference if you're just using the dictionary, because you don't need to interact much with the OS for that. As in the other systems, the interface for the dictionary program is in English. If you're only going to use the Axim for the dictionaries, then it makes sense to save a bit of money and get the Japanese OS version. If you might use it for other things, the English version will be easier to use.

The X30 with the English operating system includes the ATOK Japanese input program, which works almost exactly like the Japanese input systems built into the Japanese X30 and the X51V Complete systems. The OS has been slightly customized by JLT to support Japanese fonts and make it compatible with the ATOK Japanese input program (though the difference in price is due solely to the price of the software license for ATOK). ATOK supports both a Japanese/English virtual keyboard and Japanese handwriting entry (you also get the English handwriting entry systems built into the English OS). You can draw an unknown kanji to enter it, just as in all the other JLT systems. Japanese input works the same way as in the other systems, and just as well. Like the Japanese input methods in the other JLT Complete Systems, ATOK's are fully integrated into the OS and work in every program on the Axim.

Hewlett-Packard iPAQ 210 Series: Review, Spec Sheet.
(iPAQ 210/211/212/213/214--these are all the same PDA; the number varies by where and how you buy it)

I don't recommend this PDA because it's not quite as good as the Axim X51V, but, because it's a new PDA and costs me much more, I'd have to charge much more for it. When it was a regular offering, I felt bad thief charging 70,000 yen for something that I don't think is as good as the system I charged 45,000 for, so whenever anyone asked about this I tried to talk them out of it. (iPAQ prices have fallen since them, but it would still be much more expensive than the X51V system, and it still wouldn't be as good.)

It has the same features and performance as the Dell Axim X51V, but with a slightly larger screen (4" vs. 3.7") and about 2/3 longer battery life (though the Axim's battery is already more than sufficient). The body, though, is much larger than the Axims, even a bit larger than the iPAQ hx4700. The additional size means that there's no way this is going to ride in a pocket--you'll have to carry a bag for it or leave it at home. Also, as with most of the new WM6 devices I've tried, the touchscreen response isn't instant, as it is in the Axims and the older iPAQ--you have to hold the cursor down for a fraction of a second--a quick tap won't do. That seems to be by design, but I find it annoying. There's a similar delay when writing on the screen, too, which I find even more annoying--especially when I'm trying to write kanji. Someone who isn't used to the instant response of the Axim or older iPAQ might get used to it without ever noticing it as a problem, though.

The one advantage of the iPAQ 210 etc. is that it's new. I hear occasionally from people who are leery of buying a refurbished PDA and are willing to spend hundreds of dollars more for a new PDA that's no better. While a new PDA comes with a warranty from the manufacturer, the refurbished PDAs I sell have proven stunningly reliable--between that reliability and my service, not one of my over 400 customers would have been better off with a manufacturer's warranty. (In fact, if they get a new PDA, they'll have to deal with the manufacturer's 20 layers of "customer service," whereas someone who's bought one of my refurbished systems just has to send me an email to get a fast, simple response--and if it needs service, even after the JLT warranty is up I'll fix a refurbished system for just the cost of parts and return postage.)

I can understand why someone with different priorities might prefer the 210 (especially someone who won't be paying for it himself), but even then the best one can say is that the 210 has a minor advantage over the Axim in one or two areas. My own opinion is that the iPAQ 210 isn't as good as the Axim (or even the old iPAQ hx4700), so I don't want to sell the more expensive system without providing fair warning. That said, some people will strongly prefer getting a truly new system, even though the refurbished ones look, perform, and last like brand new, too. Thus, I used to offer the iPAQ 212 system.

Due to lack of interest among customers and my own lack of enthusiasm for selling a ¥70,000 system that's no better than the ¥45,000 system, I've stopped offering the system on a 210 series PDA as a regular offering. If you're really set on this model, you'll have to buy it and set it up yourself (setting up my dictionary system on the Japanese model of the iPAQ takes only a few minutes; if you get an English model, you may be able to add Japanese support to it--you can find advice online [sorry, I don't have time to help people set up their own PDAs]). If you want a 210 series PDA and really, really want me to buy and set it all up for you, I can do that on a custom basis. I can also, on a custom basis, set up the dictionary system on your iPAQ 210 series PDA if you send it to me (that'd be much cheaper for you than having me buy it). Please inquire on the order/inquiry form.

Which PDA to Choose?

Dell Axim X51V Dell Axim X30 Dell Axim X50V HP iPAQ hx4700 HP iPAQ 210/211/212/213/214

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