no special characters are issued from laptop keyboard

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Device name :Galaxy
Device rooted (yes/no) :yes
Device OS version (1.5/1.6/2.0,...) :1.5

Computer OS and version (Mac,Win,Linux,...) :Fedora 12
Java version (java -version from command line) :1.6
ADB version (adb -version from command line) :1.0.20
AndroidScreencast version :

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1.connect to droid
2.get into messages
3.no special characters are input from laptop keyboard (ex. ?!@#$%), 

- the alpha chars works perfect 
- the numbers works perfect

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?

Please provide any additional information below.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by lar...@gmail.com on 6 Feb 2010 at 8:29

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Is not well documented
I figured out by mistake how to deal with this

for example you want to write ? sign
instead of press shift + </,?> key
you must press shift , release shift and then press </,?> key

hope this will help somebody 

Original comment by lar...@gmail.com on 6 Feb 2010 at 8:32

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I found the press/ release shift key combination (expected really as that's 
what you do 
on the phone keypad).

However I'm still not able to access the @ symbol which as you can expect is a 
bit of a  
PITA.

Otherwise it works brilliantly!

Original comment by markmag...@gmail.com on 17 Feb 2010 at 4:43

[GoogleCodeExporter]

for English keyboard is easy
the shift key work somehow like French caps-look or like sticky shift

for @ sign 
1. press <shift> key
2. in the next moment release <shift> key
3. press <2> key 

you'll have @

Original comment by lar...@gmail.com on 17 Feb 2010 at 5:55

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Not for me. Tried that (although was thinking of american keyboards!) but I get 
"

Original comment by markmag...@gmail.com on 18 Feb 2010 at 7:21

[GoogleCodeExporter]

pay attention on the active settings on phone
if on phone for example you have german key settings and on computer US

and you will provide from computer
1. press <shift> key
2. in the next moment release <shift> key
3. press <2> key 

you'll receive "
instead of @

Original comment by lar...@gmail.com on 19 Feb 2010 at 1:40

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Mine are both set to UK. The @ symbol does not work.
Pressing the shift key, I can see the cursor change, there is nothing when I 
press the 
'/@ key.

All other symbols work fine. I've tested:
!"$%^&*()

Oddly enough £ produces # and # produces nothing (same as @)

Original comment by markmag...@gmail.com on 19 Feb 2010 at 2:08

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Although pressing and releasing shift key is a workaround for special chars, it 
does not let me to type accents like áéíâçÁÉÇ, etc.

Original comment by junalmeida on 18 Oct 2010 at 6:19