Neowin.net - iPod Nano Owners in Screen Scratch Trauma

iPod Nano Owners in Screen Scratch Trauma

Posted by shadowmatt on 23 September 2005 - 19:00 · 75 comments & 8251 views

People slavering to get Apple's "impossibly small" iPod Nano into their sticky hands may want to pause a moment: those ahead of them in the queue have discovered that it's also unbelievably easy to scratch the screen, nixing its photo-displaying abilities. Apple's discussion forums are already host to a 188-post thread on the topic, where people have spotted that the plastic used for the screen and front of the product is as sensitive as a Kate Moss sponsor.

Trouble is that a few scratches will quickly make the color screen all but useless for viewing album art and photos stored on the machine. In which case you might as well have bought the cheaper, screen less iPod shuffle, hmm? When the point was put to the head of Apple's iPod division, Jon Rubenstein - who in the past oversaw the development of the Titanium PowerBook - the one that killed off Wi-Fi reception, because metal cages do that - he replied: "Nah, you don't really think that? It's made of the hardest polycarbonate... You keep it in a pocket with your keys?"

News source: The Register

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(2 replies) #1 Posted by Lasker on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:02: easy to scratch and easy to lose it

#2 Posted by Jaxkesa on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:09: This is the one thing putting me off getting one of these

#3 Posted by Porp on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:11: Ahhh, why do people buy iPods?

(2 replies) #4 Posted by Fark on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:11: NEWS FLASH: Owners who take care of Nano find no scratches after 2 weeks of near constant useage.

(4 replies) #5 Posted by xpgeek on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:17: "sensitive as a Kate Moss sponsor."

hahahaha

For anyone not getting that joke, she was fired from a modeling contract because the componys firm anti drug stance didn't take too kindly to her being caught in a photo snorting blow.

(2 replies) #6 Posted by Memento_Mori on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:19: lol the first night my friend got his he kept it in his pocket when he went golfing, now theres a huge scratch across the screen

#7 Posted by amrinders87 on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:26: Apple just cant get it right. First iTunes 5.0 had tons of bugs and now the iPod...

#8 Posted by soothsayer on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:27: If and when I get a nano....I will have a protective case for it, one that covers the body, and has a screen protector as well. I do not know how someone could use it without a case. iPods have a history of getting scratches very easily....sometimes you just have to look at them funny and they will scratch themselves

#9 Posted by nic on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:33: Can't you just get some screen protection like ClearWrite from Fellows or something?

I've been using those for my Pocket PC now for 2 years now. I don't notice it on the screen at all, and my screen is still scratch free.

All plastic screens are going to get scratched if you just throw the device in your pocket. Dirt scratches, dust scratches, your keys will mess it up royally. This should be common sense to people, shouldn't it?

(1 reply) #10 Posted by Deathray on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:36: I hope the people who have a iPod nano get the protective cases soon. Don't think they're released yet, but it definetely seems to be needed.

#11 Posted by BBinder on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:41: yeah any tiny damage to an ipod will void your warranty on the product as i have seen on TV Watchdog thats a uk show for you non brits

(1 reply) #12 Posted by joeydoo on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:43: You see the thing about polycarbonate is that if you have a big sheet of it and hit it with a sledge hammer, the hammer will bounce off. If however you take a cocktail stick to it, you can gouge out a ravine. How weird. I think this apple bloke might have to be informed that anything shiny and hard will be scratch-able.

#13 Posted by MaxMonster on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:53: More overpriced hardware from the apple music company.

#14 Posted by RADicaLMMS on 23 Sep 2005 - 19:55: Breaking News

iPod Nano causes Sale of protective covers to skyrocket!

#15 Posted by monofonik on 23 Sep 2005 - 20:08: iPods scratching easily? Wow, are you serious? Dude, I'm on my third and they've all scratched easily. It's called buying a case for it.

#16 Posted by waz on 23 Sep 2005 - 20:25: My TiBook has fine Wifi reception....? Anywho, my iPod also scratches easily, I have a few marks on the screen. Saying it makes it unusable is pretty extreme, every device I've used without a case has scratches, phones, PDAs, laptops, watches, rings etc.

Shouldn't a simple sleeve (or nano sized sock) solve this problem?

#17 Posted by noping on 23 Sep 2005 - 20:39: Ya its really bad.

I had a 4gen 20gig, got the first scratch within 2 min. Took it back after a week.

The only reason got ipod becuase it was sexy and good integration with itunes. Other then that the battery sucks the Sound Quality sucks big time compare to competition..

A stratch is very bad on the eye and not pleasent at all. Apple should do a better job in Quality + Sound Quality + battery life, before it become the ultimate MP3 Player.

(2 replies) #18 Posted by XanDaMan on 23 Sep 2005 - 22:17: A link to an MTV article.

Out of the millions of news sources you choose MTV.

/despairs

#19 Posted by N_B on 23 Sep 2005 - 22:48: I've had my old mp3 player for years, used it at work, in pockets with keys, coins and whatnot. No scratches whatsoever..

I think I might reconsider getting that nano..

(1 reply) #20 Posted by raid517 on 24 Sep 2005 - 00:27: All f*cking iPods are the same - it really pisses me off. I was really, really, really careful with my Iphoto - but after only two weeks it was still full of lots of little scratches. The only way to prevent this was to buy a stupid looking rubber condom type cover that totally spoiled the pretty look of the Ipod.

This is a known problem and should be addressed - there's a whole industry that has grown up selling scratch removal kits and covers for Ipods to stop them getting scratched in the first place. It just shouldn't be allowed to continue.

Apple's choice of materials truly sucks.

GJ

Last edited by 13486 on 24 Sep 2005 - 01:04

#21 Posted by DJ Specs on 24 Sep 2005 - 00:37: Because they use substandard plastic to save money. Typical.

(3 replies) #22 Posted by nwBen on 24 Sep 2005 - 01:54: I have a nice black Nano. Sure, there are a few scratches, but nothing major. I keep it in my pocket with my phone - NEVER would I put my phone in my pocket with my keys, let alone my Nano.

People just have to know that some things will scratch easy when they make contact with other stuff.

Also, for anyone who CAN'T take care of their Nano, as I type this, there is a Google ad at the bottom of this page for www.ipodcases.biz - maybe you should give them some thought?

#23 Posted by briangw on 24 Sep 2005 - 02:13: well, that's what you get when it costs $100 to make!

(1 reply) #24 Posted by esaleris on 24 Sep 2005 - 03:04: I have an iPod Nano. I am returning it, restocking fee and all, tomorrow.

I have never taken my iPod Nano out of the house, because they don't sell the f'n tubes for it. I was going to spend the money and actually protect the sucker, because when I saw it, it was pretty clear to me that the whole front side was a screen, and I wanted to protect it.

I have barely used it, but kept it in open air, which was my mistake. The Apple stores are a joke about the accessories, which I have waited 2 weeks for. Today, I noticed a slight accumulation of dust on the front surface. I used canned air to blow all the air off, and then used a soft lens cleaner cloth to wipe away the remaining dust. Note that these cloths are the ones meant for scientific equipment, like microscopes.

Despite my efforts, there are minute scratches across the screen that you can see at an angle. If it's this easy to scratch, I don't want it.

#25 Posted by altecxp on 24 Sep 2005 - 03:37: my 4g ipod was in my pocket w. a plastic bic pen cap, i have never seen plastic damage plastic so much.

#26 Posted by -Strider- on 24 Sep 2005 - 03:55: What are you guys talkin about, there are some beautiful Nano Foofpods available

#27 Posted by Quillz on 24 Sep 2005 - 03:58: While it sucks to see the nano scratches so easily, it's not like the iPod in general has been bullet-proof. Basically, just take care of it, and all will be well. And if it should scratch... Big deal. Can't it still play music?

#28 Posted by rojack on 24 Sep 2005 - 04:09: i applied a wire brush to my DAP and was quite savage with it... perhaps i can blame this on the manufacturer, then whine like a bitch on some forums 'bout how useless it is etc, ...

super-f*ckin'-yawn

(1 reply) #29 Posted by Miran on 24 Sep 2005 - 04:49: I keep my iPod mini in my bag with keys, pen, and wallet and it doesn't have a scratch anywhere. I'm not saying this applies to the Nano, but it is weird that people complain about ipods being easy to scratch when my own seems quite durable.

#30 Posted by imtoomuch on 24 Sep 2005 - 05:30: Apple should know by now that iPods scratch very easily. They have had plenty of time to fix this and get it right. The Mini, whose case didn't scratch, was discontinued. I guess making them scrath proof would cut into their profits too much...

#31 Posted by rdj550 on 24 Sep 2005 - 05:40: my friend has an ipod, and when i told her about the scratches shes like, "well get a case". I was like, well i dont i should have to be forced to buy a case, tey sohuld build something thats gonna be durable. watch companies dont make you buy cases for there watches when you were them exposed to the elements on a daily baisis. ok, the way cell phones are nowadays its like your forced to buy a case also, but that can be worked around when a seller wants you to sign up for another 2 yrs. anyways, its a great product, but i think ill just hold off untill theyres something a little more durable.

#32 Posted by Rolando on 24 Sep 2005 - 06:51: iPods are getting more sensitive with each new model... My friend owns a G3 iPod and it's been dropped several times and still working fine, while I own an iPod Color and it fell from my hand to a table <1 meter below and its hardrive was ruined. For those of you complaining about scratches, I suggest you use Brasso; I've been using it for quite sometime and it removes about %90 of scratches but make sure it doesn't come near the wheel (in case your iPod has a click wheel).

#33 Posted by madnuke on 24 Sep 2005 - 07:22: Its true the screen is like butter this has put me off buying one now after Ive seen other peoples.

#34 Posted by Neomac v6 on 24 Sep 2005 - 08:56: I guess you have to weigh up whether a better-looking and easier-to-use player is worth putting up with the scratches.

(1 reply) #35 Posted by Shannon on 24 Sep 2005 - 11:44: I haven't heard anything good about any of the iPods yet!

Yet people keep buying them like they're the next best thing since sliced bread. I don't get it.

#36 Posted by shadowmatt on 24 Sep 2005 - 13:40: I took mine back, this is a production flaw / design flay. Never seen plastic scratch like that. Just look at a good mobile phone they withstand a lot more.

Please check out the forum topic I started last week in an effort to warn buyers Here

#37 Posted by Erftek on 24 Sep 2005 - 13:45: They should talk to Oakley about making a screen. I've had my Oakley digital watch for almost a year and not one scratch on the lense. And I'm rough on my watches. They definitely need new material choices for the pods.

(2 replies) #38 Posted by Cast Iron Leader on 24 Sep 2005 - 15:19: Amazing - absolutely mind numbingly amazing.

iPod's scratch dead easy especially if you carry them around in your pocket and I did and mine did and I thought 'well that was a bit stupid wasn't it you jerk' so I didn't do it again minus its case and I did and it didn't get scratched. Its one of the worlds easy lessons - pockets were designed to carry things, but if you put delicate things inside them or put two different materials in alongside each other then the weaker one will be damaged by the stronger and even the material pockets are made from can scratch something like plastic.

I see a few comments about watch faces - watch faces don't scratch because they are not made from plastic, apart from cheapo throw aways like some Casio's and Swatch's which scratch easily. Even my fake Rolex, made by some amazing guy on the backstreets of Hong Kong, uses a cheap crystal glass which in the 5 years I've been wearing it everyday into a engineering enviroment still shows no scratches even under a magnifying glass.

You cannot impact any plastic with a sledgehammer and leave that plastic undamaged. We us plastics all the time at my place of work. The hold down clamps on the guillotine have special soft faces so they do not bruise sheet material. All plastic based parts have to have cover films so that they remain undamaged in production. Hit the vast majority of plastics with a hammer, especially one of the polycarbonate's like the lucite Apple use, and it will shatter or at the least be heavily bruised. Touch it with a metal and it will scratch even under the least amount of pressure.

I'm not a Apple fan boy and if I was going to build a iPod then I would use something a lot stronger than the grade of plastic Apple have used in iPod manufacture. They use the same material (lucite) for their iBook range and guess what it scratches dead easy. Philips used a piece of bullet proof grade glass on one of their digital music players with very little effect on the over all cost in production and finalised product terms, so to me it seems madness that a company which prides itself on product innovation doesn't go back to the drawing board.

At the same time I don't feel that sorry for someone who decides to carry something as obviously delicate as a slab of plastic around in their pocket because the maths is easy - it will get damaged because any material placed in contact with a plastic and moved over it will scratch it.

#39 Posted by saiz66 on 24 Sep 2005 - 17:40: My nano got scratched.. i am so tempted to buy a new one

#40 Posted by Fit4130Rider on 24 Sep 2005 - 22:08: After reading all these posts I think the idea of the nano and the whole iPod like is rediculous. Expecially after reading the story that said Apple makes a 50% profit margin on every 2gb nano they make. Seriously, they should cut loose a little and instead get a 48% profit margin with the promise of a tougher screen.

I don't know how he keeps getting away with it.

#41 Posted by Bwizzel-B on 25 Sep 2005 - 05:39: As far as the screens go, I would just put the same kind of screen protector that I have for my PSP: *if* I owned a Nano. The build is really bad on those, way too cheaply made. The best thing all you folks complaining about this can do is return them and buy a better player (Creative and iRiver have several models that have better battery life and are sturdier).

(2 replies) #42 Posted by rusonjitsu on 25 Sep 2005 - 10:09: Sony Ericsson Phones (k700i etc) come with scratchproof screens, things get scratched to hell in my pocket but my k700 screen has none at all, why cant they do that?

oh yeah, money.

#43 Posted by neiltc13 on 25 Sep 2005 - 12:14: I've had my iPod nano in my pocket on its own for one train journey. I took it out to find that the screen is now distorted by the scratches on the front piece of plastic, making for a very bad feeling considering I just spent £179 on the device.

#44 Posted by Dark Elitist on 25 Sep 2005 - 15:39: This is one of the problems with rushing out and buying the latest and greatest. I learned a long time ago that it is often better to stay a generation behind the latest breakthroughs. In doing so, you often end up with more stable, time tested technology instead of new stuff that has tons of bugs or problems.

#45 Posted by Pegus on 26 Sep 2005 - 00:44: hmmmm...... i've got my 4 gig White Nano on order.... supposedly it won't ship for another week... and the 5 pack of cases that i ordered are a further 3 weeks estimated shipping after that!

Perhaps i should cancel my order? This delay is quite ridiculous (been over a week and a half already) - it could be a month before it lands at my door!

And all these issues of cracked LCD, random restarts, and of course the scratches.... hmmmm! If you guys had the chance, would you cancel your order?

#46 Posted by James on 26 Sep 2005 - 00:55: Don't cancel your white nano, the scratches hardly show on the white. If you're worried about the screen, just keep your nano in your coin pocket facing upwards.

#47 Posted by insanekiwi on 26 Sep 2005 - 07:27: hrm, i am happy with my shuffle atm. i will get a mini soon tho.

#48 Posted by insanekiwi on 26 Sep 2005 - 07:28: hrm, i am happy with my shuffle atm. i will get a mini soon tho.

(1 reply) #49 Posted by indiehead on 26 Sep 2005 - 09:58: ha!

they built a titanium powerbook, then found out the titanium actually killed the wifi reception!

oh would i love to have been in on that boardroom meeting

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