Help Texting problem

[axlenatore]

I am a relatively new owner of a sony ericsson xperia x10 (in its third month of use). I have a problem that is getting more and more frequent and is now at the stage where it is near impossible for me to send a text. When i touch the screen to type it sometimes believe im holding down on the screen and will bring up the alternate options for the letter and then add one with a dot on the top etc. This is problem used to be fixed just by locking then unlocking the phone and starting again, but it come to the stage where I am too scared to use the backspace as it deletes my whole message as it believes im holding down the backspace. This means a message which should take me 20 seconds is sometimes taking me 5 minutes to write and in the end has mistakes in the spelling which annoys the recipient to no ends.

Any advice?
I havent dropped the phone and dont have many applications/widgets running already in the hope that would fix it.

EDIT: I only use the phone for basic phone purposes ie texting and calling, its the phone which came with my plan. As a result I dont have data roaming, gps, or background data on since I dont use those features. Id love to use all the extra features but with the lag im currently suffering it doesnt seem like it would help.

 

[beau420]

I am a relatively new owner of a sony ericsson xperia x10 (in its third month of use). I have a problem that is getting more and more frequent and is now at the stage where it is near impossible for me to send a text. When i touch the screen to type it sometimes believe im holding down on the screen and will bring up the alternate options for the letter and then add one with a dot on the top etc. This is problem used to be fixed just by locking then unlocking the phone and starting again, but it come to the stage where I am too scared to use the backspace as it deletes my whole message as it believes im holding down the backspace. This means a message which should take me 20 seconds is sometimes taking me 5 minutes to write and in the end has mistakes in the spelling which annoys the recipient to no ends.

Any advice?
I havent dropped the phone and dont have many applications/widgets running already in the hope that would fix it.

EDIT: I only use the phone for basic phone purposes ie texting and calling, its the phone which came with my plan. As a result I dont have data roaming, gps, or background data on since I dont use those features. Id love to use all the extra features but with the lag im currently suffering it doesnt seem like it would help.

My phone did that hold down thing way back when I was on Android 1.6 and I think immediately after I upgraded to 2.1.

What version do you have loaded?

Are you using some sort of screen protector?

I assume you have the default keyboard loaded. I am using the Android keyboard, but last time I had that problem I believe I switched to the HTC keyboard -

http://androidforums.com/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10/195479-how-install-htc-keyboard-step-step.html

Does it do this in every app you try and type in? Maybe download a Notes app and test it out.

There are several different keyboards you can download too that might help.

But really....what version are you running? An update might fix it.

 

[axlenatore]

I'll try another keyboard and see how that works thanks, as I am just using the default at the moment. I'm currently running 2.1 without a screen protector. Since I mainly text when I type that's all where I have noticed it really, I have had a few issues with lag when unlocking the phone such as taking a while to open/ not opening messages so I have to lock and unlock the phone which normally works. Other lag issues include not opening the keyboard to allow me to response to texts when I touch the screen to.

 

[beau420]

I'll try another keyboard and see how that works thanks, as I am just using the default at the moment. I'm currently running 2.1 without a screen protector. Since I mainly text when I type that's all where I have noticed it really, I have had a few issues with lag when unlocking the phone such as taking a while to open/ not opening messages so I have to lock and unlock the phone which normally works. Other lag issues include not opening the keyboard to allow me to response to texts when I touch the screen to.

One other thing that might do it. Screen orientation. If you have a launcher like ADW that doesn't just rotate when you open a web browser or keyboard....but rotates the wallpaper and icons....that can mess with the keyboard.

Hopefully isn't the screen protector.

Maybe try an app like this - AnySoftKeyboard | AppBrain Android Market

 

[axlenatore]

Maybe try an app like this - AnySoftKeyboard | AppBrain Android Market

Seems to have fixed it thanks.

Do you have any advice to fix general lag issues?

 

[beau420]

Seems to have fixed it thanks.

Do you have any advice to fix general lag issues?

Long read...but you can skim it.

How to Speed Up Your Old or Sluggish Android Device

Basically, uninstall apps you don't use, more screens and icons and widgets you have, slower it goes.

Use a different launcher...I prefer Launcher Pro.

Glad you got that keyboard working

 

[KTP]

you tend to find timescape slows the phone down a bit so if you dont use that then i would root your phone then uninstall timescape and all the other apps you dont use.
should help speed it up, or even go a custom rom but with 2.3 out fairly soon it may be worth waiting for that

 

[axlenatore]

you tend to find timescape slows the phone down a bit so if you dont use that then i would root your phone then uninstall timescape and all the other apps you dont use.
should help speed it up, or even go a custom rom but with 2.3 out fairly soon it may be worth waiting for that

Even without timescape, no widgets bar the digital clock and minimum apps im still having some lag issues

 

[werthers]

Seems to have fixed it thanks.

Do you have any advice to fix general lag issues?

Send the phone back

 

[beau420]

Even without timescape, no widgets bar the digital clock and minimum apps im still having some lag issues

I can't guide you step by step, but everyone that I have even spoken too always likes the x10 much better after they root it and flash it with a custom ROM.

If you feel confident and have some extra time, I highly suggest everyone do it.

Or wait till 2.3 in the next couple months, then go through updating it.

 

[axlenatore]

I can't guide you step by step, but everyone that I have even spoken too always likes the x10 much better after they root it and flash it with a custom ROM.

If you feel confident and have some extra time, I highly suggest everyone do it.

Or wait till 2.3 in the next couple months, then go through updating it.

Ill give that a go when I get some times thanks

 

[axlenatore]

Maybe I have a problem with the phone itself, because the texting problem is still continuing, the frequency with which it occurs has lessened since i installed the new keyboard and removed most of the applications but its still happening

 

[beau420]

Maybe I have a problem with the phone itself, because the texting problem is still continuing, the frequency with which it occurs has lessened since i installed the new keyboard and removed most of the applications but its still happening

What version are you running? I know you said 2.1...but I thought I remember when 2.1 first came out there was a keyboard issue that was fixed in a patch.

Goto the Settings->About Phone page

For Baseband and Build what does it have?

Another thing you could try is changing what app you are texting with. You could try installing something like Handcent...see if it handles texting any better.

That or try another keyboard....but I think it might have something to do with the version...or it least it did for me at some point. For me it would hold down a key for a long time and the only way to stop the letter from repeating was to press another button or space bar quickly, then delete the repeated letters it had typed.

Is it doing something like that or just lagging badly and typing in the word on a weird sporadic delay?

 

[axlenatore]

What version are you running? I know you said 2.1...but I thought I remember when 2.1 first came out there was a keyboard issue that was fixed in a patch.

Goto the Settings->About Phone page

For Baseband and Build what does it have?

Another thing you could try is changing what app you are texting with. You could try installing something like Handcent...see if it handles texting any better.

That or try another keyboard....but I think it might have something to do with the version...or it least it did for me at some point. For me it would hold down a key for a long time and the only way to stop the letter from repeating was to press another button or space bar quickly, then delete the repeated letters it had typed.

Is it doing something like that or just lagging badly and typing in the word on a weird sporadic delay?

Baseband version :2.1.54
Build number :2.1.A.0.435
What it does it either when i open a message and touch to open the keyboard nothing will happen so I lock the phone, wait a minute, unlock it then when I start typing the message sometimes when I touch a letter it believes im holding it down and will bring up the variation of the letter ie dots over an e etc. And if i just wait it will add the variation, or i just click the back button on the phone itself. Sometimes it fine but sometimes when I make a mistake ill touch the screen for backspace and itll will believe im holding it down and delete the whole message. I guess rather than a lag my phone has the hold down problem, but sometimes i will type multiple of a letter i didnt press.

 

[beau420]

Baseband version :2.1.54
Build number :2.1.A.0.435
What it does it either when i open a message and touch to open the keyboard nothing will happen so I lock the phone, wait a minute, unlock it then when I start typing the message sometimes when I touch a letter it believes im holding it down and will bring up the variation of the letter ie dots over an e etc. And if i just wait it will add the variation, or i just click the back button on the phone itself. Sometimes it fine but sometimes when I make a mistake ill touch the screen for backspace and itll will believe im holding it down and delete the whole message. I guess rather than a lag my phone has the hold down problem, but sometimes i will type multiple of a letter i didnt press.

Download the app Task Manager and then run it.

Chose to close all apps....try and text once...then open Task Manager again, and make a list of the apps that are currently running.

What apps are running when you send out a text?

I feel like it isn't a hardware type of problem....sounds like it might be a software thing.

If I was you, I would probably back everything up on the phone and do a reinstall/reflash. But I would probably root it and install a different copy of 2.1.58 on it.

I can't find any of the release notes on upgrades between 2.1.54 and 2.1.58

 

[axlenatore]

All new updates and task manager fixes havent stopped this problem, i spent 15 minutes wrestling with the phone today trying to send a simple text of "whats doing" the phone either wouldnt respond to my touch and unlock, when i touched to open the text box it wouldnt respond or if i got it opened it would type in random letters and then delete all my message if i had made any progress.

Considering buying a cheap unlocked phone with buttons because it would at least be more reliable than this one. I highly recommend people dont buy this phone.

 

[axlenatore]

Sent the phone for repairs as it was under warranty, came back and has the same problem. Will never buy a sony erricson again

 

[beau420]

Sent the phone for repairs as it was under warranty, came back and has the same problem. Will never buy a sony erricson again

Remove any case or screen protector. Even if it doesn't cover the screen. Make sure your hands aren't greasy or sweaty.

If you are still running 2.1, Install Android 2.3

Format if you haven't.

I have seen problems with a few x10s keyboard and everytime I have had that problem I was able to resolve it with either just upgrading or by installing a different keyboard app.