Help Touchscreen gone crazy...

[Gquebed]

I haven't had a single problem with my Atrix since the day I bought, seven months ago. Then all of a sudden:

1) While texting random letters or characters get entered (type a "p" but get an "k" or whatever). Hit shift and nothing happens at all or more random letters type in. Try to swap to the number pad and nothing happens.

2) The home screen will wiggle side to side and won't stop until I press the power button to lock the screen.

3) I'll try to choose an App and the wrong one comes up or Icons from other apps just randomly flash on an off in the home screen.

4) Hit the slider to get the home screen and it goes to a random App instead.

5) The screen just freezes while using an app.

None of the above is consistent. I'll use the phone here and there without any problems at all but then all of a sudden one of the above will happen.

The good news is whenever this happens I can just hit the power button and then hit it again to get the slider to open the phone in whatever app I was in.

I have no idea what caused this. It just started happenign the other day. BUT I have dropped the phone once. I dropped it flat a month ago and shattered the screen completely. I had it replaced and never had a problem until now...

Has anyone else experienced the same thing? What do i do?

 

[frogger72]

See if you can exchange or get a warranty replacement, you've got a hardware issue, not uncommon on this phone
Motorola Atrix 4G Screen Issue - YouTube

Atrix touchscreen stuttering - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tRAPDJaHoY

 

[WolfmanRobby]

I've had some very similar issues.

It turned out to be the oil from my skin (I've always had oily skin). Especially if I've been on a long call with the phone to my face instead of using my headset. If I wipe the screen down from time to time with an alcohol wipe (The type made for cleaning screens/glasses...), it doesn't do it.

I still don't know why powering the screen off and on makes the freaky behavior stop. The only thing I could think of is it gives it a bit of a reset. ???

I would pick up a $3 box of glasses cleaner wipes and give that a try for a few days before trying to deal with a replacement.

 

[Gquebed]

I've had some very similar issues.

It turned out to be the oil from my skin

Won't hurt to try I suppose and I will... anything to avoid having to deal with Bell...

But... it seems to be more going on here than just oily skin. I mean... if it was that then wouldn't that have started right away? I just started having these problems all of a sudden, after 7 months of near flawless function...

 

[Gquebed]

See if you can exchange or get a warranty replacement, you've got a hardware issue, not uncommon on this phone

Thanks for those links! That's exactly what is happening to my phone, among other things...

 

[WolfmanRobby]

But... it seems to be more going on here than just oily skin. I mean... if it was that then wouldn't that have started right away? I just started having these problems all of a sudden, after 7 months of near flawless function...

Mine didn't start until after a few months. At first I thought it was my screen protector, so I changed it and it stopped. Then, it started again a couple of months later.

I think it takes a while for a enough of a film to build up.

My fiance and her daughter have this happen much more often, but they wear makeup.

 

[Evil.Bonsai]

My Atrix is a year old and it just started doing this. I had, coincidentally, just installed TWC's My TV app and then this started happening. Thought I'd gotten an STD and did a factory reset; still doing the same thing. It MOSTLY works ok, but occasionally will start stuttering like this. I'm thinking it's the screen digitizer.

 

[charlyee]

Any chance you are holding the Atrix to close to your face and your breath is getting on the screen? Mine started doing it and stopped after I made an effort to hold it a little further away. I am guessing it's the moisture in the breath.

 

[Evil.Bonsai]

Any chance you are holding the Atrix to close to your face and your breath is getting on the screen? Mine started doing it and stopped after I made an effort to hold it a little further away. I am guessing it's the moisture in the breath.

No. It happens when holding it in front when browsing/typing/swiping screens/etc.

I've found the digitizer for about 60 or so. Might just try replacing it, or just holding off a little while and get a new phone.