Interesting find: Touchscreen disabled if laid down!

**takeo** · 09-10-2011, 01:37 PM

I used to use the iPhone and other touch-phones and pad laid down on the table and touch... for surfing etc.

I thought it was me, but the BB 9900 seems to disable the touchscreen if laid on the table. Currently running .353 and it doesn't react to any touch input if put on the table but immediately works flawlessly if picked up.

I think its reasonable and interesting so I wanted to share this find.

**greggebhardt** · 09-10-2011, 01:43 PM

Mine works no matter what.

**mssca** · 09-10-2011, 01:45 PM

Mine works no matter how I place it. There is a proximity sensor in the new Bold 9900 and you may have a hardware or software defect on your proximity sensor. I would check this out for sure.

**DannyJK** · 09-10-2011, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by mss-ca

Mine works no matter how I place it. There is a proximity sensor in the new Bold 9900 and you may have a hardware or software defect on your proximity sensor. I would check this out for sure.

I dont think the proximity sensor would have anything to do with what hes experiencing. Hes saying if he lays the phone down on something, im assuming face up, the phone doesnt respond to input.

The proximity sensor is on the front of the phone and only activates when something comes within about an inch of the sensor during a call. When activated, the sensor only turns off the screen and refuses all input towards the screen. The hard buttons will still work even though the screen is off, you just wont be able to see what its doing.

So because the proximity sensor only turns the screen off and refuses touch input when the screen is off AND only during a call, I dont see how the proximity sensor could be the culprit as the proximity sensor has no clue when the phone is upright or laying on its back.

Just my 2 cents!

**rafiks** · 09-10-2011, 02:02 PM

mine works when laid down. Must be defective just like mss-ca said.

**OniPod** · 09-10-2011, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Takeo

I used to use the iPhone and other touch-phones and pad laid down on the table and touch... for surfing etc.

I thought it was me, but the BB 9900 seems to disable the touchscreen if laid on the table. Currently running .353 and it doesn't react to any touch input if put on the table but immediately works flawlessly if picked up.

I think its reasonable and interesting so I wanted to share this find.

Cool, now when you next lay your phone on a surface(face up) stand up and tilt your head directly over your phone so that your depth perception is not interfering, and touch the screen, I will bet it works.

**BGK** · 09-10-2011, 02:08 PM

Hmm, tried this too and the touch screen on my 9900 works wherever it is.

**DannyJK** · 09-10-2011, 02:18 PM

Are you laying it on anything magnetic? My phone doesnt do anything when its laying on something magnetic. But theres a sensor built into the phone to sense magnets so when you put your phone into a case that has a magnet in it you wont be dialing your wife by accident, thereby allowing her to hear you and your mistress doing the funky bacon.

The lesson here... dont cheat on your wife.... unless you ABSOLUTELY have to.

**gingertonic** · 09-10-2011, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Takeo

I used to use the iPhone and other touch-phones and pad laid down on the table and touch... for surfing etc.

I thought it was me, but the BB 9900 seems to disable the touchscreen if laid on the table. Currently running .353 and it doesn't react to any touch input if put on the table but immediately works flawlessly if picked up.

I think its reasonable and interesting so I wanted to share this find.

Nope.jpeg

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**TheScionicMan** · 09-10-2011, 02:20 PM

My touchscreen doesn't respond when I set it face down...

**OniPod** · 09-10-2011, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by TheScionicMan

My touchscreen doesn't respond when I set it face down...

Hahahaha...that's strange!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

**Tomo1971** · 09-10-2011, 02:22 PM

My torch did this.... If I remember right, just on our leather couch (WTF?)

9900 doesnt though

**HaTaX** · 09-10-2011, 06:01 PM

It's a conductivity thing, if there are parts of your hand touching the metal side, it should work every time. If you only touch the screen with your finger and no other part of your body is touching the device, you might get some non-responsiveness or erratic behavior.

They're measuring tiny little changes in capacitance on that screen and sometimes a little change causes things to go goofy.

**DeeDudnath** · 09-10-2011, 06:35 PM

lol same with mine well sometimes

**bonaproud** · 09-11-2011, 02:18 PM

yeah i noticed the same thing earlier!!!!when the phone's on my bed, face up, i cant use the touchscreen but once i pick it up, bingo!

**jinxednuance** · 09-11-2011, 02:28 PM

Mine doesn't disable, but it surely isn't as responsive as it is when holding in my hands.

**nomi1978** · 09-11-2011, 03:11 PM

The post before makes sense. Mine doesn't work when its lying flat on the leather couch. But if i touch the metal bezel then the touch screen responds.

**Spawn12** · 09-11-2011, 04:39 PM

Lol mine works on any surface i place it on...either you guys got defective devices or your doing it wrong.

**carrickfergus** · 09-11-2011, 04:50 PM

Mine works lying down.

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**WirelessInsider** · 09-11-2011, 05:06 PM

Pssh, big deal. My touchscreen stopped working while I was doing a review on it, 10 minutes out of the box!

But no, it doesn't do that anymore. The touchscreen on my 9900 works at any angle. I'd send that phone in for a repair.

**rrrebo** · 09-11-2011, 06:02 PM

My touchscreen works when lying on a flat surface, with or without a screen protector, in and out of a Commuter case (which covers the steel band), with 1 finger or 2. Something's afoot at the Circle K for those having this issue.

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**jhamilton3#CB** · 09-11-2011, 07:53 PM

Mine seems to work fine when its laying flat on a surface..

Hopefully I don't get this issue.. #crossingmyfingers

**takeo** · 09-12-2011, 03:53 AM

OK, so I read thru all replies here and I call it 50/50 -

But I noticed one thing which is true:

If I put in on the table and touch the screen only (as I did before writing this post in the first place), it does not respond at all.

As soon as I touch the bezel (it doesn't matter which palm I use) while touching the screen, it works fine.

So I guess those people who tell that it works, touch it while "grabbing" the phone entirely or at least partially.

**carrickfergus** · 09-12-2011, 06:11 AM

No, mine works just by touching the screen and nothing else.

**sam_b77** · 09-12-2011, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Takeo

OK, so I read thru all replies here and I call it 50/50 -

But I noticed one thing which is true:

If I put in on the table and touch the screen only (as I did before writing this post in the first place), it does not respond at all.

As soon as I touch the bezel (it doesn't matter which palm I use) while touching the screen, it works fine.

So I guess those people who tell that it works, touch it while "grabbing" the phone entirely or at least partially.

50/50 from the post? Hardly. I would say 90/10.
I put mine on the table and only used my finger to touch the screen. Worked just fine.
The I touched other parts of the phone and it still worked fine.
Depends on which table you are putting the phone on.
I'm putting it on a wooden table.
I noticed the other day when I connected my 9900 on charging and put it on top of my playbook, my Playbook went bonkers.
I would guess that there is a current or conductive feedback from the NFC enabled back cover.