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Help Screen Unresponsive! Is my garminfone fubar?

navizero

Lurker
Sep 19, 2011
4
0
I've had my garminfone for a month or two now, and while i realize it's a dead-end product, I'm still happy with it as a first android phone. However, recently the touch screen is not responding at increasing intervals. It could be the lock screen, or the home screens, but suddenly, the screen will not respond to commands. It has now started doing it to call screens as well. A master reset did NOT solve the problem, and if anything accelerated the issue. Any ideas?

Additional Data:
On occasion, on the home screens if you press the screen it'll indicate all the way at the bottom of the screen, even if you press near the top.
Only apps on the phone are facebook, gmail, CNN, and smart keyboard trial.
I don't recall dropping the phone, but my memory isn't perfect.

Thanks in advance for any ideas y'all might have.
 
Well, I was thinking the screen digitizer myself, but removing the battery and restarting the phone seems to temporarily fix the problem. Could this be indicative of a software problem? As it stands, I'll see about getting a new screen if it doesn't exceed the cost of the phone, which it probably will.
 
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I can't say if it common or not. I have had only two Garminfones, so I am hardly an expert. The first one was fine, more or less; the plastic sleeve holding the SIM card in place had too much play. I solved that my inserting a thin strip of plastic between the sleeve and the SIM card to increase pressure on the contacts. The second one had THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM that you are experiencing with your Garminfone. (I donated that one to Cell Phones for Soldiers.)

I just now Googled 'how to replace garminfone digitizer' and got one useful hit. A company based in Madison, WI will replace the screen and digitizer (according to them, Garmin-Asus used an assembly uniting both pieces together) for $99. They have this website:

Garminfone Cracked Glass Screen Repair | Fix Broke Shattered Screen Garminfone | Clean Planet Repair

Once the Garminfone is fixed, you choose the method of shipment back to you - USPS Priority Mail ($10), or USPS Express Mail ($29 - guaranteed overnight by 12 PM). You can add optional insurance for $10. You can add same-day rush repair service for $25.

Sorry - I know this is not very helpful. As you stated previously, it's actually more than I believe the Garminfone is now worth to do this. You will have to decide if these costs are acceptable to you.

I wish I could be of more help.
 
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Final Update:
The touch screen is now completely non-responsive. I'm going to see if I can get it working long enough to do a master wipe again and then it's off the the next great adventure for it. It's just not worth it to me to fix a dead-end phone, especially since it seems the manufacturer isn't honoring the warranty still on their site. I'll probably pick up a new phone when I have a decent paycheck, but alas, I have no real need for this exact model. It was fun while it lasted, and a great learning experience, but it's time to move on.
 
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