When hold 'Camera,' opens Text Message...among other issues

I hold the camera button the side until I heard that 'camera-focus noise.'

Then, my Moto Droid loads a text message (using the default 'Messaging' app) where I had previously shared a picture via text....wtf.

Another time I pressed browser and it opened 'Messaging.'

Does anyone else have issues like this? REALLY annoying.

While I am at it...
-If I want to add something to the home screen, I hold down and select 'Shortcut.' This takes about 3 seconds, which is too long but oh well. Then, I press 'Applications,' and it takes >30 seconds, finally displaying. I am using a 'live wallpaper,' but I seem to remember this issue even before 2.1's release. This SUCKS.

After reading all around, I have begun to think that maybe my phone is defective. I use ATK, so there isn't really anything running that shouldn't be. I would not consider my phone 'fast.' I would say the iPhone is faster (after a quick comparison with a friend's); that is, I click things on the iPhone, and they work immediately. I really want to love my Droid, but I find myself screaming at it more than I am happy with it. (Like just now, I went to unlock it, and the 'Unlock bar' stuck for about 3 seconds...before Unlocking....Other times, I unlock my phone and there are no icons on the home page for about 15 to 30 seconds).

Also, with Pandora, if I have Pandora running and then try to use Google Maps, it says 'Searching for GPS.' If I open Google Maps and then Pandora, the GPS works fine. In the former instance, right when I close Pandora, the GPS is found...BS.

In summary,
-Camera to Messaging Issue
-Time it takes to add a Shortcut (>30 seconds waiting for screen)
-Is my phone defective?
-Unlocking bar freezes for a period
-Home page sometimes displays nothing for 10 to 30 seconds after unlock
-Pandora and Google Map 'Searching for GPS' issue.

Thanks and sorry for the rant. Don't know where else to turn.

 

Using default home, not a home replacement. Using a live background. If it slows the phone down, why do they even include it in an update?

'Check it out...' How do I know if that is a function? Is there anywhere I can see that displayed? The only 'picture'-ish app I have is PicSay.

I'll use the drawer from now on...

Should I just uninstall all apps and start from scratch? Or maybe even reset factory defaults? The latter is probably too annoying.

Also, is it true that Task Killers can decrease performance even if I kill them with their own program? Sometimes my phone slows down and I just force close a bunch of stuff to speed it up...