iPod nano Owners In Screen Scratch Trauma 671
wellington map writes "TheRegister reports iPod nano users have discovered that it is unbelievably easy to scratch the screen, which quickly makes the colour screen all but useless for viewing album art and photos stored on the machine. Apple's discussion forums are already host to hundreds of threads on this topic."
correction (Score:1, Informative)
Clothes scratch it?! (Score:2, Informative)
Something shouldn't be considered "mobile" or "portable" if it has to be treated with the care of a Faberge egg.
Polycarbonate scratches easily (Score:5, Informative)
They should have used a more brittle (but harder) acrylic for covering an LCD screen. It's not like it has to be particularly strong.
Toothpaste to the rescue! (Score:5, Informative)
Sounding like an ID10T problem (Score:4, Informative)
What's the secret? Until you get a case (you did order a case, right?) put the display side facing your leg. Hello, that's why one side is metal, for some protection.
If your hairy legs scratch the screen through your pants pocket, then you've got other problems.
This whole thing sounds like people who would carry a TabletPC inside a hard briefcase with their pens, calculators, and change jangling around inside, and then complain that the screen got scratched. Hello, it's an MP3 player, not a Rolex Submariner.
no problems here (Score:3, Informative)
Brasso (Score:5, Informative)
Re:When will people learn? (Score:3, Informative)
The nano is a trash object. It scratches easily when in a pocket with nothing else
this is my nano after one week of use [imageshack.us] and it was in a pocket only with nothing else but some pocket fluff and maybe a candy wrapper.
What to do about it? Apple will not replace it. I don't see why I should have to have a second rate product without getting support. It should be replaced with a scren that doesn't scratch.
You can't even read the screen on it. Or the writing.
Re:Toothpaste to the rescue! (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Seriously! What a mistake. (Score:5, Informative)
Should read:
Apparently this is made of uncoated polycarbonate.
There are coatings which can make polycarbonate scratch resistant.
Re:Toothpaste to the rescue! (Score:5, Informative)
Screen Protector (Score:2, Informative)
Step 2: Cut to size
Step 3: Quit bitching about this solved problem
Enough bitching. Practical advice... try Brasso. (Score:5, Informative)
Try Brasso. It's available in your supermarket and costs $3-$4 for what will amount to a lifetime supply if you're just cleaning your iPod.
I managed to drop my iPod Nano on asphault the day after I got it. The player skidded and bounced on the asphault and had some rather nasty scratches on both sides. Naturally, the player still worked perfectly since it doesn't have any moving parts but it looked like hell. Brasso worked like a charm. Here's what you do...
1. Put a drop or two of Brasso on a soft cloth
2. Use a lot of elbow grease to buff out the scratches. Brasso isn't a magic potion; it's actually a very gentle abrasive. You are effectively resurfacing the iPod so it's going to take a few minutes of work.
3. Ta-da!
Now, since you're effectively resurfacing the iPod, I imagine that there is a finite amount of times you'd want to subject your iPod to this. It will leave your iPod looking great though.
I've tried this on my iPod Nano (front and back) as well as my 3g 20GB iPod. Worked great. I imagine it would work on other models as well with the possible exception of the aluminum iPod Minis since their surface differs from the polycarbonate used on other models. Should work, but I don't know.
Re:I laugh at you! (Score:3, Informative)
In fact, if Sony had made a MD player at the time that played MP3 natively as data files, I'd probably still own a MD player. The size wasn't too bad, didn't skip, and I liked the discs as storage. As it is, I took it back after about two weeks.
Oh, and as far as pack-in earbuds go, the white iPod headphones are actually some of the better ones out there.
Re:Brasso (Score:3, Informative)
It's one of those items that rookie ammo reloaders want to use in their tumbler media because it does such a nice job on candelabras, but the ammonia weakens the brass so it's a no-no for cleaning brass ammunition casings.
I'm not sure what ammonia would do to/for the polycarobonite.
Get an iPod Shuffle (Score:4, Informative)
Simplify, it frees your mind.
Re:Why can't Appleites hold Apple to a high standa (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Designer's Response (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Spray on fix? - Try tape? (Score:4, Informative)
"Jase Roberts
Joined: Sep, 2005
Posts: 1 I keep my cell phone in my jeans pocket, and used to have major problems with scratching (to the point where it was very hard to read). I found that a piece of clear packing tape cut carefully to the size of the screen worked great and didn't leave any residue when I removed it. If you trim it to the size carefully, it'll stay on well. Maybe try sticking an oversize piece on, trace the screen with a Sharpie marker, then remove it and trim it exactly. Costs nothing and provides good protection that you can replace easily when you need to. "
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:When will people learn? (Score:5, Informative)
Something companies have to put up with. A meme gets out that iPod nanos are getting scratched more than white iPods and everyone wants in on a class action suit by rubbing theirs down with sandpaper.
More scratches on an iPod nano sitting in a pocket than on a nano being thrown from a car window at 50mph? I don't think so.
Try Turtle Wax. (Score:3, Informative)
This other problems looks worse... (Score:3, Informative)
I wonder how common that is.
Re:Enough bitching. Practical advice... try Brasso (Score:2, Informative)
I found that one out by experience also. otherwise, works well.
Re:It's easy to fix those scratches. (Score:5, Informative)
Pledge Furniture Polish (Score:1, Informative)
The clear furniture polishes are great scratch removers. My eyeglasses are in their second lifetime as a result. I don't see why little plastic screen covers can't benefit.
Re:Designer's Response (Score:5, Informative)
"I could be wrong, but isn't profit the money a business gets AFTER costs such as these are considered?"
You're correct. When the GP wrote "$100 profit" what he really meant was "$100 bill of materials cost." Here's the article where he got his info [theregister.co.uk].
As counter-intuitive as this will surely sound, a 2:1 ratio of retail price to BOM cost is not great in this industry. I can think of at least five well-known, A-list PC peripheral and CE device companies who have a 3:1 ratio or greater.
Re:Enough bitching. Practical advice... try Brasso (Score:3, Informative)
Re:When will people learn? (Score:3, Informative)
scratch deterent solution - packing tape (Score:3, Informative)
My Rio Karma's screen is also very susceptible to scratching. The solution we (the Karma fans) found was to use a PDA static-film cut in the shape of the screen. I went even cheaper, and just covered the easily-scratched part with clear packing tape. You only need to smooth the air bubbles out when applying, and removal is easy. Just make sure you cut it to shape BEFORE applying. Either way is inexpensive, easy, and non-obtrusive. Protect your ASAP.
Aside: From pics of the iPod Nano, does anyone even care about album-art? It looked like they were smaller than an index-fingernail, 32x32 or so? looked nearly useless.
Mod me down if redundant, but the above two solutions are cheap and easy for people not wanting to deal with a case for their DAP!
Re:Show us! (Score:1, Informative)
Had mine for a couple of weeks. I've found out the hard way that phones don't mix with keys, and the worst this ipod has endured is a pocket with a mobile phone, for perhaps an hour a day. Rest of the time it's on a desk.
Admittedly, this photo is a worst case with the scratches highlighted, but it is starting to interfere even with best viewing conditions.