Help Voice Button Grayed Out When In Messaging

[hanginghelmet]

hello everyone. I just purchased this for Virgin Mobile. When I am doing a text message I can't use voice to text. The microphone is grayed out and when I press that button it changes the word suggest to Spanish. Can anyone help here? Also when I go into the keyboard setting there are Skype settings listed but I don't see Skyp installed and it doesnt give me the option to use Skype. Was this supposed to be preinstalled or do I still have to download it? Thanks in advance for all your help

 

[Metroid 09]

In terms of your first problem (the grayed out microphone icon), that particular capability is run by Google. Therefore, you need to have some form of internet access in order to do voice-to-text; the exception being "Voice Commands" which are run by an app on your phone. So, one reason why the icon would be grayed out is because you don't have a WiFi connection (which is entirely possible) AND, at the same time, you don't have Mobile Network Data Access Enabled. That feature can be accessed under mobile network settings (at least in Ice Cream Sandwich).