iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma

[MacBytes]

Category: Apple Hardware
Link: iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma

Posted on MacBytes.com
Approved by Mudbug

[RHutch]

I have only seen one, and I don't know how the person took care of it, but it was pretty scratched up. I was thinking about getting one, but I think I will wait a while until this issue is sorted out.

[nagromme]

The best solution is to buy a player that doesn't look as nice as a nano. Then you won't care if you accidentally scratch it.

Second best: a sleeve or case.

Third best: just be careful

PS. "a few scratches will quickly make the colour screen all but useless"... overreact much?

Glossy plastic WILL show scratches easily. Just ask my eMac (and iPod--except my Podsleevz has done the trick). But I still like the look!

I've heard several places now that the nano plastic is different from the regular iPod. Could be all rumor, but could be true--I'd be curious whether it is, or whether black just shows scratches more. (Comments from U2 'Pod owners?) But ANY plastic will scratch. That doesn't make the screen "useless", it's just annoying when the thing STARTED so shiny and nice

PS, for cheap screen protection go to Radio Shack and get their store brand digital camera (NOT PDA) screen protectors. 5 sheets for around $5. They stick well but remove cleanly, and they work. Just about invisible.

Each sheet is pretty big, and you cut what you need from it. LOTS of use from 5 sheets. I've never changed the initial piece I put on my iPod a year ago (inside the sleeve).

[eva01]

Just so you know your Third best way is nearly impossible, i baby my 60GB iPod and it has a case and still has a scratch on the top. They get scratched no matter what

[Lacero]

I've had my mini for over a year and a half and it has no scratches. A few nicks on the edges from it getting bumped, but otherwise, the screen and the brushed aluminum body is perfectly smooth. When I saw that the nano had the same body material as the regular iPods at its intro, I just rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe they went back to the old 2001 design from the original iPods.

Apple fumbled on the material. The mini was perfect in this respect.

[broken_keyboard]

The guy on the Apple thread said it was scratched with a fingernail!
What on earth did they make it out of? Something softer than fingernail?

http://discussions.info.apple.com/we...pD.0@.68b94d61

[sjk]

I've never used one but the invisibleSHIELD looks like it might be one of the better (and pricey) products for keeping a nano from getting scratched while retaining its look. Or just go with nagromme's "cheap" suggestion.

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by broken_keyboard

The guy on the Apple thread said it was scratched with a fingernail!
What on earth did they make it out of? Something softer than fingernail?

It's the same stuff they use to make sports and safety glasses. It's wicked easy to scratch, really hard to shatter. At the very least you'd think they'd add a coating like the eyeglass dealers offer, it would be better than nothing.

[iGary]

No offense to anyone else here, but I am glad I held out and didn't get one.

They are appearing amazingly small, and amazingly delicate.

[RichP]

Guys,
I ordered a black one the day it came out, and it LITERALLY scratches if you lightly drag your finger across it. Within a few days, the thing is so scratched the color screen is hazy and blurry. Note, I kept it in a cotton pocket, with NOTHING else in it. Honestly, you cant touch the damn thing without destroying it. Note the chrome back on mine still looks about as new.

Also, I have a 60GB ipod photo, and, while the plastic scratches, it does not scratch anywhere to the degree or severity of Nano, and my ipod photo has seen much more useage and "abuse" (I am pretty careful with all electronics) and looks better than the nano.

Usually things like the ipod have a hardcoat to the plastic; obviously its absent on the nano.

Its honestly a POS in terms of surface quality, and I would not recommend it to anyone until apple does something about it.

EDIT: I decided to take a few pictures; note the second is without a flash.

[nagromme]

Originally Posted by Lacero

I've had my mini for over a year and a half and it has no scratches.

Ditto for my AlBook--anodized aluminum is great!

I really like the white-under-clear plastic look of some Apple products, though--like eMacs, previous iBooks, and iPods--enough to not want everything to be Al, despite inevitable scratching.

Which reminds me... my AlBook occasionally SEEMS to scratch, but it's just a mark that rubs off. That could be true of some of the scratches people make (with a fingernail lightly dragging?) on a nano. Something to test--but wipe with something non-abrasive of course!

Also--the nano isn't the first clear plastic iPod since 2001--they've all had a clear plastic shield over white (or black) inside. Is the plastic in the nano and the 2001 iPod different from the plastic used in all other white iPods? Is that what you mean? I'd be curious to know, since I'm interested in a nano long-term (once capacities increase).

[Ashapalan]

Originally Posted by iGary

No offense to anyone else here, but I am glad I held out and didn't get one.

They are appearing amazingly small, and amazingly delicate.

me too...

[maddav]

I got a black 4GB one, and it's covered in scratches, though I like the glossy original look, I'm not too bothered about scratches.

[SummerBreeze]

That's weird, because the iPod Photo I got six months ago looks nice and pretty, with only a few scratches. I do keep it in a case most of the time, but I have done more to it than just a fingernail across the screen. I wonder what happened that they couldnt protect the nano in the same way.

[LaMerVipere]

I bought a new 60GB iPod on Thursday. But I went into the store contemplating whether I should get that or a 4GB black iPod nano.

I only saw the nano display models. And, naturally, display models get "abused", but they're usually just held in people's hands, and not thrown into pockets or elsewhere like if you actually owned it yourself.

The display models were literally scratched to bits. The screens were foggy from all the scratching, viewing album art or pictures, even song titles was a pain. I don't think it would be a stretch to call them unusable.

Knowing that the nano was so prone to scratches, Apple shouldn't have put a 4-6 week wait time on the nano tube cases. Especially because that's going to be the only case option for the nano until someone like iSkin comes up with an iSkin nano. And that will probably be longer than a month from now too.

Prior to getting my new iPod, I had a 20GB iPod (4th gen) for about a year, which I sold to my friend. I never had a case for it, would throw it in any pocket or on any surface without protection, and after a year, it didn't have any scratches that would have made it unusable. And the screen was almost entirely scratch-free.

I bought an iSkin for my new iPod because it has a colour screen and I'd like to see that stay relatively pristine. But I feel for all the people who rushed out to get the fabulous new iPod that is a total must-have and who are now screwed and condemned to a scratched and flawed iPod experience for the forseeable future.

[maddav]

Funnily enough, I just got some "Learn to speak french" CDs for my mum, and put them on my old iPod mini for her, I noticed that the screen on the mini had no scratches at all, even though I was VERY brutal with it. (dropped it on the bus a few times, hit my tiled fireplace hearth...) Obviously I can't compare the body of the two iPods, but my old 3G iPod is still alright

[aswitcher]

Shame Apple didn't go with the rumoured "all metal" ipod with the nanon and a real glass screen.

[sjk]

Originally Posted by LaMerVipere

Especially because that's going to be the only case option for the nano until someone like iSkin comes up with an iSkin nano. And that will probably be longer than a month from now too.

invisibleSHELD (link in my previous post) is available now.

[latergator116]

I wonder if Apple even tested this product before they released it?

[840quadra]

Mine still has the protective screen cover on it and I put thick packing tape on the back..

Obviously no scratches on mine. I also did this on my 15gb White ipod and I had that since they came out, no scratches on that either. It still has tape now that I have an iSkin, and when the Nano tubes come out, I am going to keep the film on the nano as well.

The key to keeping the film from falling off, is to cut the tab section on the bottom off, so you don't accidently pull it off when you put your nano in your pocket and take it out.

People need to get over the fact that the nano isn't "Anodized Aluminum" we all know that. Frankly I am glad the nano isn't, there are MUCH better uses for aluminum, and since it costs more then plastic, it makes sence on a cost prospective.

BTW my mini has scratches on the screen, one of the 2 parts that ARE made from plastic!

[840quadra]

Originally Posted by iGary

No offense to anyone else here, but I am glad I held out and didn't get one.

They are appearing amazingly small, and amazingly delicate.

Fragile if you run them over with a Vokswagen Passat, Drop kick them , and Throw them into the air only to land on asphalt.

Because it has less overall mass, it is less likely to get serious damage to common drops people have with other non shuffle ipods. The nano second only to the shuffle as the overall light weight ipod winner.

I am glad I didn't rush and buy a 1gb Shuffle when they came out, and waited for something like the nano!

[RichP]

When I bought the ipod I pictured earlier, I assumed it would get scratched, and the scratches would be noticeable. I have seen U2 Ipods in the store, and the black shows more marks than the white. I also am fully aware that a plastic device is going to be scratchprone. However, noone expected the things to be THIS scratch prone. Putting a nanotube cover on it is going to scratch it. Cleaning it with a damp rag scratches it. The particular blend they used on the nano is clearly different than the other ipods, and it is overly delicate.

Product testing? I wonder if, in Apples quest for secrecy these days, that the things are not even field tested, even in house. Because, if they were, it would become apparent QUICKLY there are issues with the polyblend.

its a shame, because otherwise it is about the coolest looking electronic device to enter the market, save the moto RAZR. (which, by the way, with its hard crystal screens, has NO scratches, even in a pocket with keys on many occassions)

[mklos]

This is exactly why I went with the iPod Mini over the regular iPod. I've had my iPod Mini for 1 yr now and I've dropped it a few times, it gets thrown in my laptop bag and there isn't a scratch on it. The anodized aluminum is extremely durable, unlike the polycarbonate plastic that Apple uses on most of its products. So when the nano was released, I couldn't believe Apple would go back to the polycarbonate plastic over the aluminum.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm getting a little sick and tired of everything Apple made out of polycarbonate white plastic. It may look nice, but its getting old IMHO. Lets see some new materials here....

[andysmith]

The Nanos I've seen in the Apple Store were absolutely scratched to death.
There's no way they could have been 'abused' really - people just touch them, feel them, and play about a bit.

They need to use plastic like Nokia - my 7610's been dropped, rattled around in my breifcase, put in a pocket with keys and coins for nearly a year, and there's not ONE scratch on the screen.

[5300cs]

Whenever I buy an iPod, I head to the nearest computer store on my way home and get a pack of PDA screen protectors. Cut out a square big enough to cover the display and you're all set to go. I've got 3 iPods and no scratches on any of them.

Buy the full body rubber case, too. Keeps 'em like new.