Mossberg: iPod nano scratches like crazy
By Ryan Block 
posted Oct 7th 2005 5:35PM
posted Oct 7th 2005 5:35PM
Not like we've ever really needed Unkie Mossy to tell us the score, but you gotta love his money quote on how his very own nano is "badly scratched" only a month down the line:
I have never tested or owned any portable electronic device that picked up as many scratches as quickly as the iPod nano.
Well, guess that settles that!
What about the PSP?
Tjey looked pretty ratty in the Apple Store when I went by. Scratched a bunch. Otherwise they are beautiful.
Was the nano made of different material than the other ipods, or do scratches just show up better on the black ipods?
The PSP hasn't got a THING on the nano when it comes to scratches.
Lemme take a moment to pimp www.zcover.com a link I saw here last week, BETTER looking than apples crappy tubes and good quality, best of all, IN STOCK.
Seriously kids, buy your nano a rubber....er silicone. :)
and in other news, the sky is up in the sky
"That settles that"? Please tell me you have a day job and don't get paid for this sort of insight. The question is "why" is this happening? Apple says it is the same coating that other iPods use. So, again, why? It matters to the resolution of the issue. As for "Unkie Mossy" [please] settling this one, sorry. I have 2 in black; both live in my pockets and briefcase. Neither looks like "Unkie Mossy's."
HOW TO PREVENT IPOD NANO SCRATCHES? Visit www.theinvisibleskin.com This is a hot item for any Nano owner. I beat the hell out of my Nano, but with this skin on, this baby is impervious. Oh, BTW, there is a PSP skin too from these guys.
who cares? my 2g ipod is about 3 years old, I bitched when it got scratched 3 years ago but it looks fine now. they all kinda blend in.... but still, ipods scratching is older news than 911, get over it.
You know, it's not that bad if you take care of it..
I hate all you fucking "OH NOES MY IPOD SO SCRATCHED ITSELF!!11 APPEL AER TEH SUX. I HOEP THEY REDESISGNE TEH IPOD BECAUSE MY IRIVER ROX0R IT1" Morons.
Try not treating it like crap .. and it might not scratch.
Agreed with the others. This really is old news guys.
I know Yahoo has bought Weblogs but that doesn't mean we have to degrade the standard already.
no way guys, this is truly bad platic. i got so irritated i grabbed clear packing tape and covered the screen up to keep it from the inevitable end of being unreadable. my ipod mini scratched, sure, but nothing like this. before i plugged it in for the first charging the screen had somehow gotten a nasty scratch on it.
otherwise, this puppy is rock solid, but i would have to call it a defect.
Old news? The product has just been released and is still selling in high volumes (where the supply permits). It's basically the #1, hottest, most talked about mp3 player at the moment, so it's far from "old news."
And AOL bought Weblogs, Inc. Not Yahoo.
The link I posted to the last nano story is getting passed around like a spliff at a Grateful Dead concert.
Listen -- If you want me to take pictures or scans of my scratched black nano in various lighting conditions, etc. let me know. I'll report back.
I ordered from http://www.theinvisibleshield.com/ the day I ordered my iPod, put it on as soon as it arrived, and I've had ZERO scratching issues. Wonderful stuff. You really can run your keys across it, and not see a thing. Also reduces finger goo.
HOWEVER I do think that Apple could and should have coated the thing in such a material (or a far more sturdy clear plastic coating) themselves, not left it to me to invest and extra $20 in a cover that they could reduce to a $1/unit line item. This is blatantly meant to make a nano cover a mandatory purchase, there is no excuse for shoddy plastic from Apple. Otherwise, the nano is an amazing piece of tech, enough so that I sold my 30G ipod photo to buy it, and don't regret it. Just do NOT get one without getting either an invisible shield or another cover.
I've seen a few nano's, they scratch just the same as the 1/2g ipods. the 3/4g are a bit better with it. you're over reacting, its not a big deal and it is old news.
According to Wired, Mossberg tends to be a good litmus test for the success and failure or electronic products.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.05/mossberg.html?pg=1&topic=mossberg&topic_set=
Its not like apple sold it to you scratched. You scratched it. get a case or get over it... NEXT topic already, this is getting old.
Does anyone have a ZCover review up yet? I am very interested in ordering one instead of waiting for my local shops to get cases in stock. But I don't like ordering aything off the net cold. I don't even know if these guys are for real.
Anyone got links to Nano ZCover reviews yet?
Gotta say I agree with the invisible shield poster above -- I bought one for $20, and it's by FAR the best clear-skin/coat I've ever purchased, but I really, really, shouldn't have to pay 10% of the purchase price to get the item to work properly...
yes nano scratch like crazy, it s unacceptable :-(
but i bought a protect Decalgirl, dont buy it it s really a wate of money, really hugly, invisible shell seams better.
the iBook and my 20 gig iPod are the same way.
Why does everybody keep whining about scratches. What's the difficulty in going downtown and buy a case?
I have a zcover for my Cowon X5. Does the job, and does it well. Of course it adds a fair amount to the thickness, but what do you expect. Apple is ruining their whole marketing sheme here. They advertise it being so small and you can just throw it in your pocket and go. But if you do that, you end up with scratches, and so you have to buy a cover, making it thicker, totally ruining their whole point of the Nano being small.
If they were smart they'd spend some of the truckloads of profit they're making on these things to research some better coatings. It can't be all that complicated or expensive. They could even do what Cowon does, using aluminum with a practically scratch-proof coating. It's almost like powder coat on a car. Of course, everyone needs to figure out a coating for their screens, the only part that I'm actually worried about scratching
Perhaps the nano scratches the same as other iPods, but there are three new factors some of you don't seem to get:
1) The grand majority of iPod nano units sold were black (and this trend will only continue).
2) The nano was purposely advertised as a portable, tiny device which could fit anywhere (Steve Jobs even pulled it from his pocket bare) with flash memory impervious to damage from sharp movements during exercise and other activities.
3) The majority of nano sales thus far came when accessories were scarce, meaning there are many of them with absolutely no protection.
There is just a feeling and overall image that the nano doesn't need the same amount of care as a regular HDD iPod.
Get a cover?
You shouldn't have to get a cover to have a decent looking item last for a while. Adding extra bulk to an item you bought to be small is genius too :P. Even my candybar cell phone that rolls around in my change pocket and has had alot of other stuff happen to it looks way better than that. My shuffle is more torn up than it, and i've had that cell phone for alot longer. Not to mention my shuffle spends all it's time in my shirt pocket with nothing in there to damage it. They really should do something about it. Invisible shield is nice, but you shouldn't need to buy it.
I love all you people saying "this is getting old".
Sorry I pointed that gun at your head and made you click this link. :(
Won't happen again.
Meanwhile all us people that bought a nano then shelled out $20-$30 more because its a scratchy POS have a right to bitch about it.
I love #14 too....thats just genius, pure genius.
Your right, I scratched it, I was horribly abusive and wiped it with a MICROFIBER cloth.
I totally had that one coming.
Gotta love the internet.
I generally concur with CoreytheGent, although there might be a flaw in the different (smaller) manufacturing process, despite using the same material. I've compared the white and black nanos at the Apple Store and the scratches on the black ones are much more visible. This is the same problem with buying a black car- it looks pretty but it shows more dirt and wear. The Nano can also go places where no iPod has gone before, including new places where it can be scratched. Also, because of the size, it moves around more than a larger ipod in the same space. And yes, they did release the Nano immediately, before any cases could be developed.
Looks to me like the camera lens is scratched.
Things get scratched, women get pregnant, Americans get fat and people take shits. This is how things in the world work. Was the nano not supposed to scratch? Sure you pay a ton for it but how else do you expect for Apple to stay in business? You are not paying for something with scratch proof diamond adamantium plating you crazy fucks.
I've found a cheap and easy fix for the scratches (for the dopes like me that didn't get a case for their Nano/PSP before they tried to play shuffleboard with it). You need 1) Meguiar's Plastx Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polish. You can get this in the Automotive section of most hardware stores, or anyplace you can find auto care products. I got mine for about 8 bucks (IIRC) from Canadian Tire. The other thing you need is MicroTex microfibre cloth. They're yellow-orange cloths of 80% polyester and 20% polyamide, and when you ask for them, be sure not to get the wrong ones, or you could damage your unit even further. They make microfibre cloths of different textures for different purposes, so make sure you get the ones that are almost of a chamois texture, with the yellow-orange color, intended for polishing. They're about 14" by 13" and come in packs of three for something like 7 bucks (again, IIRC). Again, I got mine from Canadian Tire, in the household cleaning section.
You apply a small portion of the Plastx polish (either on the cloth or directly onto the area affected), wrap the cloth around your index finger and work the polish in small circles with moderate pressure over the scratched area. Then wipe the excess off the surface and look it over. Repeat the process until the scratches are gone. That's it. This will NOT work on really hardcore scratches, but I had a rather aggressive scuff right across the screen on my PSP and this process restored it to mint condition in about 10 minutes. Of course, you have to be careful not to get excess polish stuffed into the gaps around your PSP's buttons or on Nano's wheel, but otherwise this is a hard one to screw up. The polish isn't the least bit hard to work with, and even smells nice. And once you're done, put your unit in a baggie until you can get that skin or case. Good luck gang!
(PS: Engadget- give me a job already.)
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S BLACK! It shows the fingerprints and scratches better in black. I made a research over a PSP Scratch Stress Test and it came up with this:
http://psp.ign.com/articles/564/564070p1.html
The PSP plastic is layered by a new super-hard chemical coating being developed by Japanese chemists for multiple applications of clear surfaces is discussed, expressing the amazing results so far attained. Utilizing a resilient, transparent polymer coating is the best in it's class to not make the PSP crack under pressure.
This is what APPLE needs, transparent polymer coating on their Apple iPods (not just nanos) due to the fact that their latest profit margin is amazing. They could have given us better protection for our money.
More information on transparent polymer coating at: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996583
It's not like we've never heard this before! Aren't black cars more susceptible to showing dirt and scratches? Is this like a big surprise? The truth is black cars so dirt and scratches more than lighter color cars and that is a fact. So what is so new about this? If you let the Nano roll around in your briefcase or your pocket with keys & change then sure it's going to scratch. You'll just notice it more with Black. Should Apple do something about it.... well maybe, but then again if you buy a black car, and it get's scratched is that the manufacutuer's fault because it shows more than on a white car.
Should Apple make this less scratch resistant, well maybe they should have though about it, but is it their fault entirely, no! They should of however provided a thin case for it so it becomes less prone to scratches with the everyday use. But in reality people need to be more responsible and not let the thing roll around their briefcase as Mossberg did.
I agree with "finished.law.school" post 24.
I dont hear about complaints of scratches, that I'm assuming people are getting, on their cell phones. Why do people expect, shiny, expensive, sometimes delicate, hardware to be indestructible? If you care so much get a case.
Personally, I have headphones with scratches, i like it, makes it feel like I've worn it out. Same with my 3rd gen Ipod. PSP is a different story lol I dont want it scratched so i got a case.
If I've told you kids once, I've told you a thousand times! Keep your 'pods in a different pocket than your keys.
Joe #30: lol exactly .... this reminds me of someone buying a CD and saying "OMG look how scratched it got"
You know what though.. I would still want one.
Frac
----
I'll pay you $20 for a freeipods.com referral:
http://slashdot.org/~Frac/journal/
Go to www.decalgirl.com and buy yourself a skin for the Nano. Scratches won't be such an issue after that.
I don't think people mind the small scratches on the body that are bound to happen with any plastic over time,it's the fact that it's happening so soon & that Apple KNOWS about it.If it happens within such a short time frame then what would it look like in a year?
What's the point of having a screen when you can't see the photos or album art/song titles after awhile?I agree it would be pretty dumb if you put it in with your keys & change,but people are complaining about it just scratching even in a cotton shirt pocket or from just wiping it with microfiber cloth...what's Apple's solution?"Buy a case!"Yea I really want to spend more after just buying one of their products & $39 bucks for "Nano tubes?" Get real, they should include them,they probably cost about .50 cents apiece(or less).
I was an optician for over 20 years & am very familiar with polycarbonate plastic like they use on their LCD screen cover & there IS a scratch coating that they can use(just like the coating on eyeglasses)they just don't bother.They just figure when it gets trashed enough you'll go buy a new one.
The non user replaceable battery is BS too(BTW it's $59 + shipping when it dies).Would you buy a car that you had to return to the factory to replace the battery?Or a TV that didn't include a AC adapter & had a non replaceable battery that you had to ship back after awhile?
As a potential new Apple customer I'm not impressed.It's too bad because I think the Nano looks good(for 2 seconds)& I like the idea of the color screen,but either I'm going to wait till Gen2 Nano or buy another brand.
It's fine if you're spending Mommy & Daddy's college funds & don't work for a living,but $250 is a lot to spend for something that's going to look like s*** after awhile.Those of you that think it's whining to complain obviously don't have to pay for mortgage/rent,insurance,food,high gas prices & other bills.Apple seems to think everybody is wealthy.
Last time I bought and MP3 player was because it played MP3's... not because it looked good.
I picked up an iPod for the interface and capacity... not because it looked nice.
People worry to much about fasion and not function.
amen
Just to defend Engadget against all these people saying "This is old news." They know that, guys. That's why there is a link in the post to PREVIOUS ENGADGET POSTS ON THIS SUBJECT. The point of the post is that even Walter Mossberg is having trouble with nano scratches, not that scratches occur.
ps. No one else has yet mentioned that Mossberg's original review was widely quoted because he was going on about how indestructible the thing seemed after he dropped it a bunch of times.
I have a ZCover for a Cowon Iaudio X5, the Zcover material is very sleek and sturdy, and it even came with a hard screen protector. The only thing bad with the material is it collects dust and lint slightly.
Pong Generation is correct. I'm also in the optical business.
A decent scratch coat on polycarbonate is a must! This is NOT rocket science. I can buy a coated polycarbonate lens for $3.00 that does not scratch, even when rubbing steel wool across it. It is old technology.
It is even harder to scratch regular plastic. However, a plastic lens with a cheap coating will scratch with one pass of steel wool.
It is DEFINITELY not too much to ask. Some idiot made a huge mistake. It shouldn't take long for apple to fix this problem.
I dont care how shitty Nano is, you fools shouldn't have rushed out immediately and gotten one.
My 3G - 10GB ipod is nearly 2 years old, and still running fine.
Take that, you slim, scratchable commies!
;-)
#35 That what I did for my white Nano along with the screen protector and not a scratch. And I paid about 6 bucks plus shipping. well worth it. only problem was deciding on which decal to get.
It's the same material, I think it is just hte fact it is black and makes it more noticeable, notice all these pics of horribly scratches are not being shown on the white ones.
I won an Xbox 360 today, used my xbox fund to buy all the games. Gonna be a nice winter up here in my igloo...
#38- Your comment on function over fashion is laughable. If you were interested in functionality, the feature-poor iPod series would rank dead last behind similar players at cheaper price points with recording, FM radio and more. People buy these things because they look nice and they're effectively marketed- trivial things like sound quality, freedom of use, value for money and durability don't factor into the buying decisions of a labelwhore. When was the last time you saw an iPod ad where the dancing silhouette stopped dancing to talk about all the great features of the iPod? You didn't, because the dancing silhouette would have very little to say. Of course, now the Apple teatsuckers will counter with "we don't need extra features. We just want it to play MP3s". Sour grapes, I say.
My cell phone that I've had for three years has 0 scratches on it. I've dropped it, thrown it around, even PUT IT IN MY POCKET WITH MY KEYS.
My new iPod Nano has only been sitting on my desk for two weeks. There are scratches all over it, just from the dust on my fingers when I use the scroll wheel. I have tried cleaning it with micro fiber cloth MADE FOR CLEANING OPTICAL LENSES. It scratches when I wipe with it. I am very very very dissapointed and have put the damn thing in a drawer and don't even want to look at it, it makes me sick.
So, all you FUCKS who say shit like, 'ooh, things scratch get over it" and "don't put it in your pocket with your keys, stupid" and other non-helpful, bullshit remarks can all EAT ME you fuckers because you're just talking out of the side of your ass and if you really had one you would see HOW MUCH EASIER IT SCRATCHES THAN ANY OTHER PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE ON THE MARKET.
That was iPod #4, it will be a long, long, looooooooong time before iPod #5, if at all.
My Decalgirl sticker set arrived the other day and I must say that I am pretty disappointed...
There is no screen protector (although they never claimed to have one it seems like an unusual oversight)
The front sticker comes as THREE small pieces that even after 40 minutes of fuggin with it are still crooked. (maybe they should leave them *slightly* attached to each other to allow for better alignment)
Another annoyance is that while the stickers are printed on some sort of cloth, they can and do stretch out if you have to reapply them. (and you likely will) The area around my screen is a sort of trapezoid shape now. If I try to make it a true rectangle shape I end up with folds in the sticker.
SIGH...
These "socks" and other rubberized covers (zcover?) make the ipod "sticky" and make getting them into and out of pockets much more difficult.
I should have bought the less gimmicky invisible shield and called it a day....they seem to be getting rave reviews all over the place...and they cover the screen...
SIGHHHH!!!!
#38 of course.
who do you think bought the nano?
brand new customer? nah,
I bet 90% of the customer are fanatic Ipod owners who wants to own the last apple toy and eventually show off the brand new toy over pc guys.
whatever, mac minorities.
Scratches...
I am a minidisc guy and i had the G1 nh700 unit, and now, the newer RH10, The nh700 was very hard to scratch, in fact i don't remember that it got any.
And I have been two months with the rh10 and there is no mark on it that i cant wipe out with my fingers...
SO, maybe apple may call sony to ask wath kind of polycarbonate are using on their HIMD.
And yes, RH10 are piano black.
I gues that they hide the scratches better because the coloring in on the "inside" of the body panels, so there is enough "clear plastic" between the finish and the surface.
grettings
#38,
if the screen is all scratched, where's the functionality? Didn't they ADD a screen because of complaints on the shuffle?
#49,
Don't you think the returning customer is going to have more of an expectation of quality? Like the previous product that doesn't scratch when you wipe your finger over it?
I didn't buy the Nano to show off, I bought the Nano because it has 4 gigs of flash memory and a screen that shows album art and works with iTunes.
When people say that you have no right to complain because 'things get scratched'. That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
I expect it to get scratched, but not this way. It's like saying that you are fine with everything you buy dying completely one day after the warranty expires.
Its $250, not $2.50. I have a $100 mobile phone that I keep in my pocket with my keys that hasn't scratched in a year.
www.trilancer.blogspot.com
#53/ i agree with you
Ipod fan boys..
just got one the other day, i've read the reviews and i haven't event taken off the plastic until my zcover arrives.
my question is... what about the backside? that chrome got scratched by wrapping the headphones around it. I think i can rub it out with a jeweler's cloth + some polish, but still...
Just wanted to say.. I own a 4gig nano and a psp and they both scratch equally as bad. Why is this happening?
Looks like Apple better pony-up and use the same scratch resistant clear coat they want to put on Blu-Ray discs. Maybe that should drop the price of all that clear coat to make the discs cheaper, volume, volume, volume.
Also the black finish will always show scratches much easier. Do a test. Wear a pair of jeans, find a nice expensive black car with a polished finish in the parking lot, now walk past it while rubbing against it. See...scratches. Now do that with a white car, you won't see the scratches. And run b/c the guy who owns the black Beemer is gonna kick your butt.
I agree with #53, my the clear plastic-ky area of my moto v710 doesnt have a single cratch even though I dont take good care of it, and like #53, I routinely pocket it with keys...
psp as well...
yet my nano gets stratched by even the softest eye-glasses wiper... since then i've been having a buyer's remorse of sort... should have gone with iriver...
i dont understand how some of you apple fanboys can defend this, it's clear there's a problem, accentuated by the 'black' color of the nanos...
like #53 said, it's 250, not 2.50 I expect quality control of SOME sort.
So just cuz Mr. Mossberg said it, it's official?
The fact is, the iPod nano, iPod color, Mac Mini, iMac, and iBook wouldn't look as beautiful as they do if they didn't use the plastic they use. All the other gadgets I've ever had have plastic that's relatively scratch resistant, but leaves much to be desired by way of sleakness and beauty. A few scratches is what you have to put up with for sheer gorgeousness.
Buy some iKlear, a can of Brasso, and stop complaining. It works like a charm.
Plastic - be it black and especially white is not where its at.
When is Apple going to give us what we really want - brushed
metal casing for all the models. Scratch problem solved.
#60 if that truly were the case, they just went the other direction by removing the mini.
Both iPod's casings are very very durable, but the downside is it scratches easily, and the fact that the black one shows it better doesn't help. My white 3rd gen has a good amount of scratches, but not noticeable unless you look at it at the right angle. I don't know whether that is the case with the black nano or not.
Most of the people who try to downplay the scratches probably don't own a nano, and haven't seen how quickly they scratch. Put it in your pocket for a day, even without anything else in there, and it'll still scratch. If you didn't get a nano case the moment you took it out of the box for usage, you would end up with scratches.
I was under the impression that the nano was pretty durable. Ars Technica ran it over with a car, and still had it functioning to an extent. And Steve pulled it out of his change pocket without a protective case.
There's something wrong when you pay $250 for a music player - especially one advertised as being very sleek and fashionable - and you have to shell out $20 immediately on arrival for a protective case if you don't want it to look as if you took sandpaper to it.
I use a Mac and I like Apple and all, but trying to say that the nano doesn't have a problem with the scratches is pretty apple fanboyish.
I would have rather had an iPod mini w/ color screen...
I still don't think my PSP scratches. I dragged it off my desk at least a half dozen times because of the power cord, (notably just a few days after I got it, the first time) and don't see any scratches or chips at all. I dropped the thing at at least twice it has hit in the center of the screen on the pointy wooden legs of my chair, and I still don't see anything on the screen. The first time I thought it would be dead, because just about anything I had ever used before would have been, be it video camera, MP3 player, CD player, etc. I turned the thing on, and damn, still runs fine.
Whatever sony did, apple should do. I don't care what anyone says, I have a black PSP, and I can't see a scratch on it. Fingerprints are another story, though...
I've got a 4GB black nano, and have not had any scratches so far. The reason being that I haven't taken the plactic off the front yet, as my iSkin is set to arrive this week (apparently). The shiny back though, has lots of fingerprints on it!
From the looks of it the invisible shield looks like saran wrap on the video they have in their website. Is it really invisible? Or does it look like you are seeing through a ziplock
Not sure how many of the postings about that are from real owners or a plug by the company that sels them.
#67: I'm absolutely not a plant from Invisible Shield. I am just a satisfied customer. The sticker is applied much like a decal to a model - you peel it off the backing (2 pieces - front only, and back with side folds) put it in soapy water, and slip it around til you align it right. I know there's an independent review out there with illustrated instructions. You can spend as much time as you need aligning it, just re-wet it. Then it cures in a couple of hours, and you're good to go. The hard part is getting the bubbles out, and getting the sides correct. Also, don't be like me and trap a dog hair forever on the back! :)
Got the invisble shield for my black nano and its the most sound investment i have made.
It was a hassle to put on (took me 2 hours) but now i just throw my ipod anywhere in the bag with keys, lighters etc and it comes out unscathed.
If u are getting a black nano i would suggets buying this without thinking twice.
If you've taken the time to bitch on here about your scratches--I hope you've at least taken the time to send the same to Apple. Here's the link:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html
Picked up my iPod nano two days ago BEFORE reading any reviews on the durability of the case - what a mistake. Luckily, I bought it from Circuit City, so I have 14 days to return or replace it if it gets scratched. After reading this review, I immediately purchased the InvisibleSkin and should receive it tomorrow. So far, the thing's been the lone tenant in my front shirt pocket for two days and no scratches. Hopefully, this will hold out until I receive my InvisibleSkin and battle with the application of the thing.
How can we prevent screeen from scratching?? there is no way, it's easily scratched even wearing Ipod socks.
This is a problem.
I wiped my new black nano using soft tissue paper and it scratched the screen and body, thousands of tiny little scratches all over it. This annoyed me a lot.
I took my Nano on it's first outing yesterday to London, I put it inside an iPod sock but kept the earphones seperate. The screen looks like shit, it really is quite astonishing that it scratches so easily.
No iPod or item of any description has ever scratched so easily.
All those of you saying 'You scratched it yourself', well you're all morons who don't own one and therefore have no idea, and if you do own one then I imagine you're the sort of person who doesn't take pride in how your belongings look. We buy iPods because they look great, but if after a week they look like shit, it sorta kills the appeal.
Imagine the iPods snapped in half, but needed you to pick them up first, therefore in effect we did snap our own ipods, but I'm sure you see that it's a defect that causes it to happen so easily.
Apple's quality is not nearly as good as it should be at times.
This is a problem.
I wiped my new black nano using soft tissue paper and it scratched the screen and body, thousands of tiny little scratches all over it. This annoyed me a lot.
I took my Nano on it's first outing yesterday to London, I put it inside an iPod sock but kept the earphones seperate. The screen looks like shit, it really is quite astonishing that it scratches so easily.
No iPod or item of any description has ever scratched so easily.
All those of you saying 'You scratched it yourself', well you're all morons who don't own one and therefore have no idea, and if you do own one then I imagine you're the sort of person who doesn't take pride in how your belongings look. We buy iPods because they look great, but if after a week they look like shit, it sorta kills the appeal.
Imagine the iPods snapped in half, but needed you to pick them up first, therefore in effect we did snap our own ipods, but I'm sure you see that it's a defect that causes it to happen so easily.
Apple's quality is not nearly as good as it should be at times.
the people who's Nano's screens crack... must've REALLLLLLY though on theirs!! Just look at this iPod Nano review... they ran it over TWICE with a german car.... and... the screen broke... but did NOT crack!
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3
the people who's Nano's screens crack... must've REALLLLLLY though on theirs!! Just look at this iPod Nano review... they ran it over TWICE with a german car.... and... the screen broke... but did NOT crack!
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3
I've kept my nano in a ziplock baggie since I got it last week, and lay it flat on my desk when listening to it... no scratches.
Wiped it with a microfiber cloth today because it had some fingerprints on it... scratch city. The microfiber cloth SCRATCHED the hell out of my nano!
I tried applying the invisible shield, but I have fine motor tremor and there is no way I am going to get that baby lined up properly. I guess it's time to get a bulky case...
DO NOT BUY NANO, it sucks and it does SCRATCH LIKE HELL.
Tried to bring it back to store within 5 days because I was totally unsatisfied with it, but due to SCRATCHES I could not return it. Now I am stuck with an expensive piece of shitt. I hate it and don't even want to look at it
DO NOT BUY NANO, it sucks and it does SCRATCH LIKE HELL.
Tried to bring it back to store within 5 days because I was totally unsatisfied with it, but due to SCRATCHES I could not return it. Now I am stuck with an expensive piece of shitt. I hate it and don't even want to look at it
Will you give it to me? I'll pay for the shipping.
DAN, #49 ... that is like SO me, but not using my indoor voice.
Go DAN.
The fanboys can eat us. I expected to get QUALITY SHIT for my cash, and got a premadonna that, while she performs in the sack, looks like she was ridden hard and put away wet after the first test drive.
I think Apple is using substranded quality products .they think acquring 80% share in mp3 market is every thing .But acc to me they should be ready before other come & make the same thing with superior quality cover ,otherwise their sales r going to down & out.thats what market is all about.
(Thats why I bought sony Nw-e507 Instead of nano.)
Despite this comment thread now being stale, someone recommended that dissatisfied owners direct their bitching to the right place: Apple's iPod Feedback page. So instead of having fun shredding anonymous fanboys, maybe this will be more productive.
Here's my feedback to Apple, free for anyone to bastardize or cut-and-paste directly (well, make some edits as indicated) into their webform at http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html :
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Dear Apple -- I am the proud, but increasingly dissatisfied owner of an iPod Nano.
The form factor and overall design and quality of the unit is exemplary, as with the majority of your products -- except for one small detail that threatens to completely impair my usage and enjoyment of the device:
The softness of the plastic fascia material.
I do not care about having "pretty" audio gear. I have cellphones and older DAP devices that are well loved and well worn for it, and visibly so.
I have had my Nano for ... maybe three weeks now and compared to other devices I own, it already looks like I've had it years.
Not a problem except for the fact that the soft plastic also covers the visible areas of the screen.
In three weeks, the scratches and micro-abrasions have begun to make the display hard to read so much so that I have stopped using the device for fear of my normal usage making it completely unreadable in a short time.
I like my gear. I appreciate your designs ... so I don't wantonly throw the Nano into a pocket with keys, coins, etc. However, my nominal care and handling has not kept the display from becoming significantly scratched in a surprisingly short time.
I am not out for blood here. Either you or your manufacturer erred in the testing of the materials to be used, or in the materials actually used in construction of the device.
I am happy with the performance of the unit in all other aspects, however this one flaw threatens to completely negate these despite using the device in a caring, responsible and conscientious way as prescribed and demonstrated by Apple staff.
Can you please instruct me how to proceed with returning the unit for replacement of the fascia or replacement of the unit for an equivalent that does not suffer such lack of durability?
I would happily do my part in paying the shipping to your facilities should you accept your responsibility and do your part in addressing this issue.
Thanks in advance,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Apple Customer ( iPod Nano & [insert other Apple products here if owned] )
Anytown, USA
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Great entry fogd00d! Love it
Im going to post a comment feedback right now :-)
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http://www.toolblast.com/ipodnano
Free tutorial on how to make a free nano case
Everyone seems to be complaining about the front of the ipod, when really the back scratches aswell. I have a 4g ipod photo that a was a floor model at radio shack and it came with numerous scratches allready on both the front and back . Ive discovered that Brasso is amazing for scratch removal for the front but for the back only icleaner removes them. Brasso just shines the back of the ipod, but it doesnt remove any scratches.
my ipod!@!@!@!@! noooooo so many scratches....is there hope i say YES! just today i read in my local paper that there is a class action law suit agianst Apple for knowing that the resin on the ipod is weak but they still pressed for release. Causeing all of their unhappy costumers
Why is there no clamor for 'bring back the mini' a-la coke classic circa 1985?
How come the silver metal back of my black nano is more scratched than the front?
is there a product that can remove small to medium depth scrtches from teh ipod i need help on this one
When I first saw the Nano I was amazed. It seemed like the (almost) perfect MP3-player: good capacity flash memory, great looks and very small. Only downside (imho) the non-replacable battery.
But after all the stories about the scratching I am having big doubts. To me it is ridiculous that you have to wrap the Nano immediately in plastic right after you bought it. Any portable electronic device will scratch from use (although my Motorola Razr is still unscratched after 7 months of daily use without any protective cover), but the Nano should not be that fragile.
But what to do? Wait for a 2G Nano where this problem is fixed (is it likely that there will be a 2G anytime soon? That would mean that Apple admits problems with the Nano and might mean that they have to take 1G Nano's back).
Or maybe look at alternatives, but are there any with similar features and price? (2/4Gb flash memory, small/stylish). Suggestions, anyone?
Abel
I called Apple.com to purchase a Nano Ipod 4g. They offered free engraving, which I did since it was free (although they didn't tell me that because it was engraved I couldn't return it for a refund!). I received the Ipod and right away noticed a screen problem. The problem was that the lower half would be blank and the top right half would show some words (partial menu options and the like). I returned it within two days of receiving it. I tried getting a refund and found that because it was engraved I couldn't return (talk about feeling tricked because of something free). That alone was enough to make me dislike Apple. But then it took around 5 weeks to get the replacement. And when I got the replace, in two weeks the screen went dead even though music would still play. I sent it back again asking for a refund and still they wouldn't even though the replacement would be personalized!!! Here is some info:
9/23/2005 - Invoice for ordered Nano received
10/7/2005 - Received the Nano
10/9/2005 - Online Replacement request filled out
10/10/2005 - sent Nano to Apple Support
11/16/2005 - Approximately When I got it back
11/28/2005 - Online Replacement request filled out
Present - Still waiting for it back again
I only had the nano for around 15 days over the past 2.5 months. I really don't want anything to do with the Nano anymore. And, I am very surprised Apple won't just refund me for this unacceptable situation.
I would really like to know if anyone else is having this same problem. And if anyone else got suckered into getting the Nano engraved (Which to me was very Unethical for the Apple sales person to do)!
In the end I wish I would never have bought the Ipod Nano for more reasons then what is written above and would gladly take the time to reply about any of the information above.