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THE iPAQ DIGITIZER/TOUCHSCREEN PROBLEM

(Since first writing this item, I have suffered a long and continuing saga of digitizer problems and replaced units - latest news on the homepage).

A number of early iPaqs (especially those that have passed through my hands!) have had seriously defective digitizers/touchscreens that sent spikey lines in all directions and interfered with the character being entered and/or highlighted random selections or caused a scroll-down.

The iPAQ v1.77 ROM upgrade (downloadable from the iPAQ site) was generally held to have improved the 'spiking' problem (presumably by reducing sensitivity in the input area), but it made little or no difference as far as I could tell.

EXTENDED WARRANTY

As the problem became apparent at an early date, I took out a CarePaq 3-year warranty. For about UK £114 (as at September 2001) I got next-businessday replacement, which has usually been excellent, although iPAQ engineers feign to admit that they know what you are talking about when you report digitizer problems!

QUICK FIXES

I've discovered one quick fix and that is to fit two layers of screen protector. That does reduce sensitivity in the main character input area, but it also reduces sensitivity elsewhere and reduces screen clarity which was my reason for buying the iPaq in the first place. The digitizer problem also appears to go away in very cold weather, but I've not tested this exhaustively and have no plans to emigrate to Alaska.

OTHER WEB REFERENCES TO THE SPIKING PROBLEM

(Perhaps we should form a web ring?)

• http://www.east.isi.edu/~cworth/ipaq.html
  See down the page for 'Touchy touch screen' section and graphic illustration of the problem.
• http://www.cewindows.net/bugs/pocketpc.htm
  The reference on this site appears to have been removed, but this link is being retained for the time being.
• http://discussion.brighthand.com
  References to the digitizer issue appear frequently on the Brighthand discussion boards.

19 June 2001, updated 14 November 2001 and 17 January 2003.