Hi,

My N900 had started displaying odd behavior relating to screen-locking.

Firstly, sliding the keyboard no longer has any effect on whether the screen is locked/lit-up anymore. Only the the "hold" toggle switch will do this now.

Secondly, even when it is locked, the screen will randomly unlock itself within a few seconds, and then things on the phone will start flashing manically -- the screen will flash on and off, the title bar at the top of the screen flashes black, the keyboard lights flash on and off too. While actually using the phone it behaves normally.

This happens when the phone is completely stationary, or in my pocket or my bag. It means that it can accidentally activate a lot of stuff and move icons around my desktop due to being unlocked so often.

My best guess is that the hardware that detects when the keyboard has been slid out is malfunctioning, and is constantly telling the phone the keyboard is going in and out.

A: Is there a way to disable this sensor so that the phone won't unlock itself until I use the "hold" toggle switch?
B: Does this sound like something that can be easily repaired?

The phone hasn't received any knocks at all, but has been in my pocket during some fairly heavy rain, but I doubt it got that wet...

Thanks very much

do you have magnets nearby?

The phone isn't being exposed to anything it previously wasn't -- including no magnets that could interfere with electronics

Thanks...