X50v Touchscreen not very sensitive and slow startup times

[xlpro]

I just got the X50v and the first thing I noticed was that it was hard to input data using the onscreen keyboard, as well as just tapping around in general. It it not anywhere as sensitive on the screen as my dell x30 is and others I have owned. I played with an ipaq at circut city today and it was really fast on the input and quite sensitive too. I am disapointed with this as I have to tap more than once quite often when navigating around the screen. I can fly on my x30 but the x50v I have to tap a lot harder and alot slower in general and on the popup keyboard on the screen.

Also it takes 3-4 seconds to turn on and off, and this varies often. The little wait icon comes on up to 5 seconds to turn off and up to 4 seconds to turn on. I just tried it and it took 5 seconds to turn off, but came on in about 1/2 second. It varies. My x30 is instant on and off. Anyone having these issues.

[MPSmith]

I just got the X50v and the first thing I noticed was that it was hard to input data using the onscreen keyboard, as well as just tapping around in general. It it not anywhere as sensitive on the screen as my dell x30 is and others I have owned. I played with an ipaq at circut city today and it was really fast on the input and quite sensitive too. I am disapointed with this as I have to tap more than once quite often when navigating around the screen. I can fly on my x30 but the x50v I have to tap a lot harder and alot slower in general and on the popup keyboard on the screen.

Also it takes 3-4 seconds to turn on and off, and this varies often. The little wait icon comes on up to 5 seconds to turn off and up to 4 seconds to turn on. I just tried it and it took 5 seconds to turn off, but came on in about 1/2 second. It varies. My x30 is instant on and off. Anyone having these issues.

First of all - WELCOME TO PPCT!!! :jester: :mrgreen:

Ok, now to your problem. I've had a BUNCH of PPC's and the screen of my X50v is as sensitive as any I've ever had. You might want to get a new one JUST for that reason.

Mine takes less than 1/2 second to turn off and on. No varying at all. I don't know why that would be happening to you. It could be that some software you've put on it is not compatible with your OS. Remember you have a very new OS and some software might not run correctly. Have you backed it up, hard reset and THEN seen if you have the same issues? That's what I would do. Then reinstall the software one at time.

[dudelove]

Hi,

I just got my Dell X50v a few days ago and I'm impressed by the VGA resolution.

I'm also NOT impressed with the screen sensitivity. It plain sucks compared to my ASUS A620, although the ASUS does have an screen tapping accuracy problem.

I'm also noticing the 3-5 second power off time that typically occurs when I'm powering down while playing mp3s with WM Player.

Overall, I'm satisfied, but really waiting for new software to be developed for the 2700 chip; Perhaps I should have waited and got a better deal, but what the hell.

[xlpro]

Thanks for the response, I will back it up and try that but I don't think that will help. I have done a hard reset and it is fast at startup time but is slow to shut down. Right now is shuts down almost immediatly, I just did a soft reset and it shuts down fast and starts up fast now, but overall is inconsistent. The screen senstitivy does indeed suck so I may opt to get a new one and try that route. I have been playing mp3s and love it, you can cruse the net and it plays flawlessly, it's a great pda, the best I've owned so far except for the screen problem. I would love it if I could get that solved. I called Dell Tech support and it took 45 minutes to get in and they were no help.

Thanks for the welcome MPSmith!

[kozak]

Mine turns off in about 1 to 2 seconds, but it takes longer if you have WiFi enabled. It turns off the WiFi radio before powering off, so that is the reason for the slow power offs for me.

[xlpro]

I just turned off wifi and you are correct, it does turn off quickly.
thanks
how is the touch sensitvity of your screen? i really have to hit it harder than every other pda i've owned. also cannot type fast at all on the pop- up keyboard, nothing like the x30, t5 etc.

[kozak]

Well, I have an iPaq h2215 and the sensitivity seems just the same as the X50v. On my older h1910, the sensitivity is much better. I recomend getting the Write Shields, the matte ones, not the glossy finish ones. They have a better tactile feel then the screen and make it easier to write on. After a few days, you don't notice the sensitivity issue at all.

[famousdavis]

On my older h1910, the sensitivity is much better.

I agree. My 1910 is somewhat easier to tap and get the expected response. That said, I haven't found my X50v to be difficult to use. Doesn't this beg for a new method of evaluating hardware? A touch-sensitive test that tests the sensitivity of screen taps all over the screen surface....

[drop]

I don't see a screen sensitivity issue with X50v. And I have a light touch. Even tapping or writing though a relatively thick screen protector, such as WriteShield, I don't notice the screen being slow to response to tapping or writing. Calligrapher is my input method. With all the writing, pencommander, quick correct, etc., I have say X50v's screen is pretty decent.

For those who have screen issue, a call to Dell may be in order.

[ChemNerd]

I have noticed that I do have to tap a little harder than I'm used to on the Dell. But you get used to it. If you think something is honestly wrong with yours I suggest exchanging it.

[Kati Compton]

I wouldn't consider my X50v's screen any less responsive than my X5.

[Dirk]

Any other X50v owner who is experiencing this screen sensitivity problem ? I was considering to buy the X50v, but this would be a knock-out criteria for me.

2 months ago I ordered a Dell X30, and the unit I received had also problems with the touch screen sensitivity (which drove me nuts). In the center of the screen the sensitivity was ok, but around the edges it was really poor, and it became annoying having to tap hard and sometimes multiple times. I sent the unit back for a replacement, hoping that this was a faulty one. The more I was upset when I had to find out that the new replacement had exactly the same defect. I talked to Dell Technical service, and they could not guarantee that another replacement would be any different. I ended up returning the X30 for a refund (and I was deeply disappointed because otherwise I liked this model very much).

Now seeing that people also report touch screen sensitivity problems with the new X50v I tend to believe that this might be a common problem of the new Dell PDAs, or at least that there is quite a chance to get a unit which suffers such a defect. I currently have a "cheap" $150 Viewsonic V36 PDA, and its screen sensitivity is absolutely fine, every inch of the screen responds to the lightest tap. Maybe I'm spoiled, but if I pay so much more for a new PDA, I don't see any reason why this should be different ...


Dirk

[ChemNerd]

Like I said, I felt I have to press in a little more than I used to on other devices and I also noticed that once in a while on some of the edges it didn't respond as well as I'd have liked.

For the most part this wasn't a problem though, it's something very minor to me. And as always you have 21 days to return it for whatever reason. So no harm in giving it a shot other than your money being tied up.

[TMann]

Another insensitive touchscreen here, too. Both my 4155 and my Tungsten T3 are much easier to type on. I use the Fitaly keyboard and with the Dell I find that many letters are getting dropped. If I slow down and type more deliberately, than my accuracy goes up.

It really is too bad that there is no objective way of testing for touchscreen sensitivity. How else can I tell if the screen on my device is defective or if it is within the "normal" range?

TMann

[Kati Compton]

Interestingly, my husband (who taps "harder") thought my screen was unresponsive, but with my slower, gentler taps, it's just fine.

[TMann]

Interestingly, my husband (who taps "harder") thought my screen was unresponsive, but with my slower, gentler taps, it's just fine.

I don't know if it's a matter of tapping "harder" as much as it is tapping "slower."

For example, if I have a Word docuument open and I tap "lightly" on the keyboard, I will get a response. However, if I quickly tap in the same place five times in a row, ie. on the "a" key, I will only get a response 2 out of the five times. It's as if the screen has a bit of lag time before a second tap can be registered.

This may not be a big deal to some people who don't do a lot of text entry into their PPC's, but for those of us who write a lot of memos and e-mails, it will be a major annoyance. It is particularly bad for those of us who use the built-in keyboard, or use Fitaly, since we are used to tapping on multiple keys in quick succession. Bummer...

So now I'm stuck in the same quandary as an earlier poster. Do I return this x50v and hope that a replacement will be better? Or do I simply give up on Dell and go back to using an HP 4155? <long sigh>

TMann

[cani_rat]

I have had issues with the screen on my X50v since I was first able to use it last Friday. I think my issue is more with the screen alignment though, especially at the top of the screen. At first, I thought it was SE_VGA or OzVGA, I tired both. But even after a hard reset and no additional apps installed I still had issues with the screen alignment. When I run the Screen Alignment tool, it seriously takes 15 or more times through the process before the Screen Alignment tool closes! I have a replacement on the way as of today. This is my first Pocket PC so if the next one has any similar problems its back to Palm for me!

Has anyone using Spb Pocket Plus seen any issues with it possibly causing problems with the screen on the X50v?

[xlpro]

I had an x30 before I got my x50 and still had it the day I got the x50. I compared them side by side and the x30's screen worked perfectly. I could type on the keypad as fast as I wanted to and it would always pick up every keystroke. I then typed on the x50 side by side and there is no comparision, the x30 far outperforms the x50v. The x30's screen is fast and light to the touch. You can fly as fast as you want on the screen keyboard.

The x50v, well if you slow down and tap harder then it's ok ,but I find myself double tapping just to lauch a file quite often.

This is annoying so I called Dell and they are sending me another one overnight. I am impressed with their service! Hopefully the new X50 will be fine and the keyboard light to the touch!

[fishfuzz]

I have a theory that it's actually the keyboard that is part of the problem. I have no screen issues unless I'm using that built-in SIP.

Bejeweled runs flawlessly as do all the rest of the SIPs. When I tap on buttons (that appear in the same area that the keyboard does) they respond at the same speed as my 2215....so I believe something is amiss with software rather than hardware.

[TMann]

I too think that for some people it is primarily a software issue. I was ready to pack up my Dell a couple of nights ago and start looking for another 4155. But after reading a number of posts on various web forums, I realized that a lot of my PDA's sluggishness was due to older software that was not optimized for a VGA PDA, specifically Spb Pocket Plus and Wisbar Advance. Once I downloaded the latest versions of these programs, things speeded up dramatically.

My Dell is now running very smoothly. The digitizer is still slightly less sensitive than my T3, but it's pretty close. I can certainly live with it as it is.

TMann

[Dirk]

Well, I decided to give it a try and ordered a X50v yesterday (it got shipped a few hours after I placed the order :D ).
I will post here about my findings, and if I am going to keep it or not ... :roll:


Dirk

[Jonathon Watkins]

My X50v should be arriving tonight, so I will compare it to my X5 and see....

[joefuture]

I'm eagerly awaiting the reports :) I have an opportunity to buy one for a pretty decent price ($355) through an employee discount and I'm considering selling my iPaq 4355 for the x50v. I love the built-in keyboard of the 4355, so losing it + having onscreen keyboard issues with the x50v might be a double-sting. Curious to hear what y'all think.

[Dirk]

My X50v arrived Tuesday, and all I can say is: I am still blown away. When I finally powered it on and had my first look at a PDA VGA screen, I knew from the start that I would not be able to send it back, whatever sensitivity problems there would be.

The more was I happy to find out that the screen sensitivity is just fine !! :D
I checked all the critical spots where I had severe problems with on the X30 (generally the borders of the screen), but every tap got recognized with just normal pressure. There still IS slightly less sensitivity at the edges of the screen compared to my old Viewsonic V36 which is very sensitiv in any pixel, but you dont really notice it unless you start hand writing or drawing (e.g. in the "Notes" application) right at the edge of the screen - absolutely no big deal for me ...

The on-screen keyboard IS a slight problem, I am sometimes missing some characters I typed in, but it's not too bad. Hope there will be some fix for this, but fortunately there are also alternative keyboards out there...

One side note: I paid $424 for my X50v and was already mad that days later offers for $374 (by using a coupon code) were floating around, but then I noticed that these offers only let you choose a ready configured pack that does not include a cradle. The cradle itself (which was included in my configuration) sells for $50, so the deal is basically the same.

The $424 link is still up on the Dell site (it does not accept the coupon), and includes the cradle and a free 3D gaming pack.

Ok, gotta get back to my X50v now, there's still so much new stuff to explore ... :mrgreen:

Dirk

[Jonathon Watkins]

Ok, gotta get back to my X50v now, there's still so much new stuff to explore ... :mrgreen:

Agreed, there's a lot of fun stuff to play with.

I've not typed lots of text yet, so I can't fully say about the sensitivity. It does seem to be a bit less, but that may be getting used to a different device. I will take notes at church on Sunday and will see how the note taking compares to my trusty X5.

[mcsouth]

I noticed that the screen sensitivity on my Dell x50v seemed poor when I first started using it, especially when compared with my iPaq 1945. However, after a few days of using it, I don't seem to notice any issues - I guess that I've just gotten used to it, or something. I've also noticed the delayed startup and shutdown phenomenom that others have mentioned - there is a pause when starting up or shutting down, and my default is with wireless off. So far, this hasn't been an issue - I've just noticed the difference compared to the iPaq.

[Raynne]

I think it also depends on the PPC you are switching from. Coming from the Asus A716, the screen on my x50v seems incredibly sensitive.

[falser]

Does anyone know if the X30 suffers the same sensitivity problems as the X50? I'm planning on purchasing one very soon. I had a chance to play with an X50 and didn't like the screen or sensitivity very much at all.