iPod nano screen scratch controversy
Written on 9/27/2005
The world appears to be in an uproar over iPod nanos and scratches. Since we have two new nanos in the house, I’d like to weigh in with my real-world experience so far.
- Does the iPod nano scratch easily?
- Could Apple have done anything better with the nano launch?
- Anything that a new nano owner can do?
No more so than my 3G 20GB iPod, in my experience. In fact, looking at the nano and the 3G 20GB side by side they appear to have the exact same type of plastic surface. I’ve put the nano into a skater-short pocket and walked around with it, and it didn’t come out with any noticable new scratches. The black nano does appear to show scratches a bit more versus the white ones that I’ve seen in the store. I think people are mainly concerned with scratches on the screen versus the rest of the iPod. But look at my screen in the pic. It’s not scratched! And I’ve touched the nano! It’s crazy to expect no scratches on the rest of the iPod, given that it has the same metal back and plastic front as the same iPods everyone has seen before.
Here’s my 3G iPod close-up, as you can see, the surface is scratched, but it’s barely noticable. This iPod is about two years old and has been used heavily.
I think they should have had the nanotubes covers available when the nano was released. As it is, you can’t get an Apple-branded case when you get the nano, so the people who *really* don’t want a scratch on their nano don’t have any inside-the-store options. As I said in my original iPod nano remarks, if you want your nano unblemished forever, don’t buy it (or at least don’t open it) until you have a case or a cover. (Or consider an iPod mini before they are gone. My wife’s pink mini hasn’t been in a case since we got it and usually lives in her trunk. It has no noticable scratches. The anodized aluminum on the mini doesn’t get scratches, fingerprints, or marks.)
My personal opinion is that all this controversy is a clever underground PR campaign from some jealous competitors. Just a theory, mind you. 
Until the nanotubes come out, there are some other options.
InvisibleShield has been getting a lot of press, although you should read this article for some lower cost options for getting the product.
ScreenGuardz are another brand that covers your nano while still letting all the good looks show through.
If you prefer a full case, it appears that everyone will have one out towards the middle or end of October. I have a set of nanotubes on order and I’ll post my thoughts here when I get a chance to try them out.
If you only care about the screen being protected, and don’t care about normal wear and tear on the back, then you could make your own cover from laminating film or just about any other plastic cover. Read on for what I did.
My DIY iPod nano cover
I had lying around the house a leftover pack of WriteRight screen protectors that I bought wayyyyyyy back when I had a black IBM-branded Palm III. Being a packrat, I had kept them around all this time. I used the WriteRights to protect the screen of my 3G 20GB iPod. In fact, the screen protector was put on the day that I got my 3G, so the screen has never been uncovered. You can find WriteRight’s inexpensively on Froogle. I just purchased another 12-pack for $3.00 through an Amazon.com seller.
For the nano, I could have just covered the screen, but I thought I would experiment with covering the whole nano, since it’s so small and I had a bunch of WriteRight sheets laying around.
So, with a cutting board, a straightedge, a razor, and a little work I cut the sheets to fit and glued them on. One thing about the WriteRight protectors, it takes a day or two after you apply them for the tiny air bubbles to work their way out. Here are some shots of the final product. As you can see, the area around the click wheel doesn’t fit perfectly since the surfaces are separated, but the nano does operate perfectly with the protector over it. In fact, the nano still operates perfectly in my wife’s Apple nano armband, which adds yet another layer over the click wheel.
I could cut out a circle for the clickwheel, but for now I’m leaving it this way to see if with use the slight air bubbles around the click wheel will settle down. Note that this is a “worst case” photo using a close-up under bright light. Under normal conditions you can’t tell there is a cover on the nano, except for those air bubbles around the click wheel. I might cut the cover down to just cover the screen, or I may try just cutting out the circle for the clickwheel and making that a separate piece.
I also covered the back so that I could keep it nice and shiny. Compare the nano back with my 3G 20GB iPod. This actually looks quite nice, and you can keep your nano’s back in the original mirrored condition.
Last thoughts
Personally, I think the nano screen hysteria is a bit much. Walking to the store with one in your pocket will not scratch your screen to the point of it being unreadable! I know because I’ve tried it. On the other hand, I do think some sort of screen protector makes sense, given that the WriteRight option is only a few dollars, the 3rd party options a bit more, or you even have a free homemade option using clear packing tape or whatever you have lying about. The nano is so pretty and such a conversation piece that it’s nice to keep it shiny. I don’t think the nano is fragile or scratched more easily than full-size iPods. I also still love my nano.
[...] Todd Dailey - Weblog « iPod nano screen scratch controversy [...]
Love my Ipod Nano. So small and easy to carry around. I agree the Nano does scratch but not anymore then the other Ipods that I have bought. If you get a Nano I would strongly suggest InvisibleShield It is the best ever and they replace it if it ever gets a scratch. You Pay more but you will only ever have to pay once.
My solution may be a bit more unconventional, but thus far, has worked great.
My son, now 8 months old, no longer fits into his 0-6 month socks. I grabbed a pair of his old socks out of the attic. A black Old Navy 0-6 month sock is now my Nano case.
Fits great, looks a bit odd, but who cares? My Nano is scratch-free.
saran wrap
For the record, Phil Schiller has said publicly that the nano does indeed use the very same plastic as the larger iPods.
I think that people are just noticing miniscule scratches, because you tend to look at a nano much more closely than the larger models.
-jcr
Does the InvisibleShield really protect the ipod nano? I have considered buying the shield for my nano (that is still in the box because I read everywhere that they scratch fast). Anyways I’ve seen there demo were they take that film and do all this craziness to it. But i think that the key test it pushing it that’s impossible .. .and even if it is I’m to scared to try it with the InvisibleShield on the nano.
I just decided to leave the original protector on that shipped with the nano and it has worked perfectly for me so far. I’ll keep it on until I get a case for my nano.
I love every waking moment I spend with my nano!
Cheers!
There is no way on gods green earth I am going to pay 20 dollars for a piece of TAPE. (invisi-shield). 3M makes a number of tapes and products that protect, and can be replaced. There is a specific optical tape that is used on cars to protect the paint, search for it. I used a similar 3M product that tape seals plates in my lab (long story) but and optical more heavy duty tape. If you use just regular clear packaing tape (3M) use the thickest tape you can find. This tape may have more/better glue, to eliminate minut bubbles. Also when I affixed my tape to my ipod, all the previous scratches dissapeared (without brasso first). Obviously the glue fills the scratches in some optical sense to eliminate them.
…. 20 dollars for a piece of tape. ….. lord have mercy.
BTW, cut the clickwheel out with a razor blade. Score the circle first (without penetrating) then pick off one little edge, after being careful you can finish off the rest.
Good luck
Excellent article. I have been using Brasso successfully on two-way radio displays for years. As well as watch bezels. The wording on the can is funny: “Use for metals, brass, blah blah, blah - Oh, and it’s OK for plastics, too…”
I use Q-Tips for smaller projects - you just don’t want to use too much and have it creep into crevaces where you cannot easily remove it.
Thanks again for an excellent article.
Clint Bradford
Riverside, CA
I bought a nano for my wife the other day and quickly realized that the bandaid armband that is available via Apple would not be enough to protect the little device.
Unfortunately, the so-called nanotubes aren’t yet available - and nothing else is out there, either.
So I went hunting. And came upon a pretty good solution. Visit your local Oakley “O” Store and buy the smallest “bullet case” with a flat-bottom available (about $20). It’s called the Small Soft Vault .
Then, ask the sales clerk for the LARGEST microfiber bag (the one for their M-Frames that don’t have bending earpieces). The bags aren’t forsale, but they should just GIVE you one if you buy the case. Let them look at you funny that you wanted the big bag, but the small case.
Plug in your headphones. Put the nano on the bottom of the case and put the bag in the empty space in the lid to take up the room. Zipper the case shut so that the headphone cable comes out at the end of the zipper area.
Tada. Protected nano for about 20 bucks.
~Jeff
im contemplating buying a nano. would this be a good time…
TheInvisibleShield is 20 bucks, yes. But since I got a $20 educational discount on the nano, I figured everything was okay.
I left my nano inside both plastic wraps that it came in until my invisibleShield came in the mail, so the thing literally never was used without protection. And it works: there are NO scratches. You can hardly tell that the film is on there. The only thing I’d change is to have the scroll wheel have its own circular piece, but that’s nitpicking; my nano has the same amount of scratches as my iPod mini: zero. Worth the $20!
I think I will get a Nano this weekend. I’m still not sure about all the scratching and stuff. I guess I’ll find out
i bought the Nano the first day it was anounced. It wasn’t even a day when the LCD screen became distorted. All the color was gone and the text was hard to decipher. Unfortunately, I was one of the few who purchased one of the “bad batch” of Nanos. I am currently awating for it to arrive, (Apple kindly opted to repar/replace my iPod Nano).
What I want to say is that superficial scrathces and bad LCD screens are two different issues and I think people need to know that some of us aren’t “complaining” about scratches on screens.
I think your research on the iPod Nano is brilliant. And I must say, that as an novice watch collector, that Brasso trick is as old and a well kept secret amongst us watch collectors.
I was very happy to have recieved my NANO, until the first scratch happend right out the box. Knowing what I know now I wish I could start over .
i think alot of you have either been lucky, or are missing the point here….
most people who are complaining about “easily scratched ipod nanos” are not talking about minute surface blemishes. i received my brand new unused 2gb black nano yesterday, direct from apple. it looks lovely…i put it in my jeans pocket, on it’s own, for ONE hour and went for a walk accross town. i pulled it out twice to switch tracks….i get to my office, take it out of my pocket, and the top right hand corner of the unit is cloudy. please note, that the unit itself is cloudy, not the screen (yet). this isn’t, therefore, a problem with the lcd display, it’s a problem with the surface coating of the unit itself. i’m dreading using it again, as this problem can and will only get worse.
having read all the reports about this i have been exceptionally careful when it comes to handling it - i haven’t even *touched* the front of it, except on the wheel, to change tracks. one hour in my pocket - a clean, empty pocket - and a 0.5cm x 0.5cm area of my brand new unit is now a dullish gray. when that becomes 1cm x 1cm it will be over the screen.
minor scratches are expected, and don’t, i think, detract from the “look” of this gorgeous unit - but i’ve had a motorola v3 razr mobile phone for 1 year, and there isn’t any such problem.
it’s a design flaw….and one that a touch of ‘brasso’ won’t fix.
i’ve had this one day. i’m not impressed.
I recently bought 3 nanos. Love it. I left the original packing on my nanos and no worries.
Enjoy. It is a sharp looking piece eh?
hi was jst wonderin wht kind of brasso do u use? the brasso metal polish or the brasso duragilt wadding?
pleazzzzzzz reply!
i use a ruler packet for mine as it clear plastic and the right size, if u live in uk you can get it in woolworths the 30cm green bendy ruler
I found a lovely leather iPod case from a new manufacturer located in Atlanta, Georgia called Kesari. They have a family of cases for the 4G, nano and to be released 5G I think they call their cases: “case-ari”.
They are certainly worth the US $45 I spent on mine. It fits my nano like a glove and has not resulted in any scratching like the leather cases that have stitching which does mark the surfaces. The “case-ari” is lined with a soft black felt.
If anyone is interested in seeing a photo. I will send one.
My wife just bought one of these and she’s the overly careful type, she even ordered the Nano tubes at the same time she ordered the Nano…which unlike the pricey MP3 player they’re destined to protect were evidently not a “day one” priority for Apple in terms of fulfillment. So, she orders the highly marketed little widget…before she went out on the web and stumbled upon the widespread discussion of the less than durable materials used on the Nano, she had two very noticeable scratches on her less than a day old Nano.
Regardless of where you stand as an iPod bigot, shouldn’t a new product be more durable than this? The Apple/iPod zealots defend the “Queen” as it were regardless of the growing negative customer feedback on the new product. Why should new owners of any portable electronic device which allegedly was designed to become an integral part of ones daily life have to go to this much trouble to maintain something that should be highly useable…and yes…durable enough to endure daily use without a ridiculously quick degradation in physical appearance. I’ll concede Apple turns out a heck of a marketing campaign, but when they get honest feedback from their customers they seem to prefer to turn a deaf ear. I like the concept of the design, but I will be waiting to see if they improve the materials issue. Convincing your customers that it is “normal” for an iPod to become scratched seems more than a bit odd. This notion, if anything, is “conspiracy-like” and truely rankles…it also has a cult-like quality which just so happens to alleviate Apple from taking responsibility.
Ray,
Thanks for the comment. Personally, I love my nano for its size and features. I have a plastic covering on it that cost me $2.99 - old WriteRight screen protectors from PDA’s. I have friends who have them and are carrying them around without cases, and they don’t mind the scratches. Some people want to keep their nanos perfect, so for them I wish Apple would have had cases available, both from Apple and from third parties, before the nano was released. I think that would have stopped all this controversy.
If you want your nano to stay scratch free, there are many protectors available now, such as InvisibleShield and ScreenGuardz, or you can go the route I did by using old PDA protectors, or you can get a skin from DecalGirl. The Apple nanoTubes and other third party cases will be out well before the Christmas shopping season.
Donovan,
Thanks for the comment. Personally, I’m getting a bit tired of being accused of bein an “Apple loyalist” or “zealot” or “fanboy” just because I don’t mind the scratches. The nano is a tool for playing music. Its really cool feature, to me, is the size, not the shiny plastic. I recently made a day-trip for business down to San Diego, and I was able to put the nano in my dress shirt pocket without any trouble at all. I didn’t even know it was there. That’s the impressive thing to me. As a portable podcast gadget it’s awesome! I got all caught up on my KQED Science Friday shows.
So, if you don’t like the scratches, that’s a valid opinion. And I do think Apple should have put some sort of cheap case in the box. I noticed that Apple *is* doing this with the new video iPods, where before with the 4G iPods there was no case at all. I think Apple learned from the nano mistake.
But, I think you’re being overly judgemental by telling people they are wrong for what they think. If you don’t like any scratches at all on your nano, fine, that’s your opinion. But, that doesn’t mean that everyone else is wrong.
I hear ya on the expensive accessories, though. It seem like the entire mp3 player industry is that way. A case for the $129 Dell Ditty is $20. The Creative Zen Touch doesn’t come with a case either, and the third party ones are $20-$30 as well.
I’m quite happy with my $3 recycled-PDA-screen-cover solution.
i used a roll of packing tape for $2 and just put a couple of layers on my nano to add thickness and bingo. if a company can sell a case for $20 and your a sucker and by it, when you can be creative for free/cheap, well you get what you pay for. and ya know folks, metal is harder than plastic, so naturally it will scratch it, and black will show any scratch really well, i know its upsetting to see, but its like blaming the car dealer for a scratch on your new car, two days later, is it a bummer? yes. is it thier fault? no.
I’ve had the same problem with my new Black Nano - looks like I’ve been skimming across the road.. I’ve had it about 3 weeks. I just got an armband and Skinguard… seems to be working fine..
wow im glad to see you think i dont know what chapstick comes in and im flatterd you thought i was talking to you. the point about the car is very valid, and doubly so on the sunglasses. call rayban and ask them thier scratch policy. they will replace lenses at a fair price, but will take no blame in the damage. even if it was 2 min after you bought them. i have had my nano for almost a week now and i noticed it had gotten scratched on the black part under the screen, and i thought about and found a way to protect it, but i only did the screen i see its gotten a couple of scratches around the wheel since, and its been through a bit punishment, falling, riding around in my backpack, hanging out on my extremely messy desk to name a few but still there are only 3 plainly visable scratches. yall need to stop whining.
I see it just like this. The scratches are battle scars that make it evident you use the device. As long as it’s functional, provides multimedia entertainment and reasonable battery life, some scratches are going to be inevitable. The main issue, i think someone else posted, is the the entire screen is getting jacked up like when you actually crack the crystal display. If you cannot use the ipod due to a problem like that, then you have something serious on your hands. This is not an old nova, its a tiny delicate piece of digital electronica. It’s going to get scratched. You buy an ipod to listen to music on it; not look at it. While it is annoying and inconvenient to get scratches, it seems to be mostly nitpicking.
go to theinvisiblesheild.com and stop complaining. it will be the best $20 you ever spent
anyone know if the nano tubes out yet?
[...] Maldito Apple, de ésta no te salvas, no. Voy contarles cosas feas de Mac así no se deprimen o me tildan de Mac sí, Microsoft no. Para empeorarla más, comenzamos por una polémica que tuvo Apple hace poco: los iPod nano son propensos a las rayones. Que puedo agregar aquí, es un cristalito el iPod nano, es como llevar una copa de cristal en la mano… con el uso (incluso mi iPod viejo) se raya a niveles indescriptibles. Ni bien lo tocas: ¡ay!, marca de dedos al mejor estilo C.S.I. en el iPod, ni bien lo pones sobre la mesa o una caída sin querer y: más rayones. La verdad, paso de los rayones, pero seguro que a más de uno le debe dar una bronca bárbara y otros festejan dicha debilidad. [...]
iPod sound quality and its assortment scare me away. The new issue with nanos doesn’t surprise me as well. I am more happy with my m:robe recently released by OLYMPUS.
i bought my ipod nano just a week ago, and now it has weird gray spots all over the screen. i am very upset about this, because i am ready to buy the tubes, buy they aren´t even in sale. i think apple should worry more for this ipod than for others, because the case thing is pretty big this days.
I bought my nano awhile ago… took it up to my cabin and listened to it while mowing the lawn. Bad idea. When I brought it home, it was full of scratches. Currently, I have it in a very soft David Yurman case. Will Brasso work on a white nano? I’m afraid to try it because of the risk of staining it.
by the way- Happy Halloween!
I just put mine in a condom and tied it shut around the earplug cord and wow no scratches!
Sometimes I use a zip lock freezer bag! I just force the earphone jack through the plastic and there you are…Instant cheap case!
Just kidding…
Seriously, I bought this device for 7 reasons in order of importance:
1. It looks beautiful
2. It looks dreamy
3. It looks like a piece of art.
4. Its black
5. Its shiny
6, It’s a Functional MP3 player
7. Did I mention it looks awesome?
Why would anyone want to cover it up with a whole bunch of accessories and crap? Because it was poorly engineered, that’s why.
I carry my Sony s710 plastic screen cell phone around in my right pocket by itself however; I sometimes forget and throw in my keys in the same pocket.
In my left pants pocket I put my iPod Nano and have never thrown my keys in with it since I am right handed and my car ignition is on my right side of the steering column it has never happened.
The phone is one year old and looks like a million bucks and could almost be sold as new.
Then iPod is 2 weeks old and looks like it’s about 3 years old and would have to be sold as severely used on eBay.
WHY? This doesn’t have to happed…I have ordered 3 cases from vendors and have been waiting 2 weeks for then to ship…No one has them in stock!
Apple designed these as 249.00 disposable devices as far as I’m concerned. I hope Sony or someone else makes a thin device soon I’ll never by an apple product again!
What a poor quality product!
P.S. No apple bigot will convince me otherwise!
Dave,
Pi$$ed off Nano owner
ipod nano screens definetly scratch too easily
for $250 apple should have at least produced something durable
i have barely touched my nano and it already has scracthes across the screen
along with some that distort the color pixelation
this is very frustrating and disappointing
The ease at which the Nano surface scratches is definitely frustrating and for all the people who think it’s “nitpicking” I think the point is simply that - it scratches WAAAAY too easily! Yes, it’s a mp3 player and not supposed to be stared at under a microscope etc etc but come on! I read one comparison from someone along the lines of “if your car gets scratched, you can’t blame the manufacturer” - well, that’s a brilliant sense of the obvious but an ASSININE comparison. To emphasize this point using the same analogy - if you were buy a Ferrari and in the 4 mile distance between the dealership and your house, when you stood in your driveway and gazed upon your sleek / new / latest and greatest / shiny / possession, you notice your entire windshield is now pitted with rock marks and your hood looked like someone took steel-wool to it - Do you just say “oh well, it’s meant to be driven as a pure sports car and it’s going to get scratched as it’s exposed to the elements and there’s nothing I can do about it - maybe I’ll go drop $800 on a nose bra to ‘protect’ it” - yah right. Sure, it drives like the wind and performs like a race-car; and of course it should be appreciated for its performance, but a little bit of wind and a leaf blowing across your hood should NOT ruin it’s appearance.
I have had my nano for less than 24 hours and I made the terrible mistake of rubbing it across my shirt sleeve when I discovered (what else?) a small scratch …. low and behold, it looks like I pushed it across the floor like a hot-wheels car. (Before the peanut gallery says it’s because it was a cheap shirt I was wearing, for the record I will point out it’s a cotton Armani dress-shirt, and I have cleaned my Blackberry 7100R and MotoRazr devices in this exact same manner for ages)
Off to the hardware store to buy some Brasso… wonder if it’ll work on the Ferrari.
T.
Cool, makes me happy, i just got myslef a nano yesterday, it replaces my 3-month old 4g photo, (my mom needed something for jogging, so I took the nano and gave her that) good deal i’d say. I can’t wait to get myself a tube for my nano, im worried even leaving it out. But hey ITS SOOOOO DARN NANO OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ppl who say “minute” scratches are to be expected in the first day annoy me. Ive had my sony ericsson k700i for more than a YEAR now, the only screen scratches it has is from when i threw it in my pocket with my keys and some loose change for more than an hour. Those scratches are minute. It does not have ANY other scratches and looks almost new. Also my psp has not a single scratch, after 2 months of very heavy use and travel and a couple of times i dropped it on hard floors. Not a single “minute” scratch on the entire unit.
ipod nano’s “minute” scratches (and my friend’s nano’s scratches are GIGANTIC, he also pulled it out of his pocket after 3 days and the screen cracked and bled thru the entire screen) is a design flaw, and to say otherwise is asinine.
If Apple will bring out new nano’s with proper materials like my 14month old phone or the psp, i wouldnt hesitate to buy one.
I just bought my nano a few days ago. Ever since, I haven’t touched it. I’m afraid to touch it. I’m afraid that it will fall apart. I’m afraid to put music on it because only God knows what accidentily touching the USB cord to the screen will do. It used to be shiny. Now it look likes it’s two years old. Come on Apple. I can’t believe I’m saying this…Be more like Microsoft! At least their stuff doesn’t scratch up when some dust gets on it. It’s not the dust is razor sharp. And your “accessories?” Don’t get me started on them. It’s like asking $5 for a stick of gum. Yes, the nano is an mp3 player, but why do people buy it instead of buying a mini (other than the mini is not being made any more; they still sell some in stores)? Because of it’s looks!!! And since I bought it because of its looks, I want it to look nice! “Nitpicking?” No. Just a nice product made with with poor materials. Hey Apple, try using your heads next time. It’s small, so the scratches are more noticable. Use better materials or make cases available when its released. Or, what the heck, make them a bonus to go with the outrageous price of the iPod.
Hey - it’s good to read that others are having the same problem as me! I thought I was the only one and I am too fussy! But - hey - the iPod look SOO cool and nice and shiny. I bought the new iPod Video 30GB and it is totally awesome. I love it heaps. But there are already small scratches on it and this upsets me. God, am I going nuts? Can you believe that it is scratched where I put my finger in to remove it from the case!?? Yes - true. It is such as shiny little beast that every tiny mark shows up. Can anyone suggest a way to buff up the tiny scratch marks on the screen? It was scratched after one day of taking it in and out of the cover. We really need a proper polish as I am certain cleaning and polishing iPods is going to be an ongoing thing! Is Brasso too harsh? God - I dont want to make it any worse.
Thanks for reading! Cheers and enjoy your iPOds BUT be extremely careful with them!
I have the same problem Michael… My couple-of-days-old iPod video already has some scratches. I’m considering Todd’s brasso trick, but I have yet to find a good case to put it in. The pouch that came with it collescts dirt/lint very easily.
What’s the point of getting those nano-tubes?
1.) They don’t protect the screen.
2.) I hear by putting/removing them on/off further scratches the Ipod? I guess I’ll have to wait for another skin.
3.) They really don’t go well with my black Nano. (Kinda sucks that they didn’t have a black skin.)
Can anyone direct me to a weblog of a guy who made a Nano protective case from the original pacakgeing (clear plastic sleeve it came in from box)? He has photos and steop by step, and now that my new NANO arrived and is charged, I want to make this case for it, but can’t find his web site again.
this website is awesome.
full face protectors are available with each new case.
the leather is so soft and there are no stiches anywhere.
i pod nanos suck within 2 weeks of me buying it i droprd it in my pants pocket from about 80 cm high and the screen cracked and ipod just said that i have to buy a new screen my self and replace it.
if you want to tell me about your ipod problem then email me @ ipod_nano_suck@hotmail.com
from Gus
sorry i put in the wrong email above this is it
ipod_nano_suck@hotmail.com
just got my ipod 30gb video for my b’day…. was all excited till I removed it from the plastic packaging. apparently you should not do this because the thin plastic packaging scratched the screen! there should be opening/handling instructions on the box. this should not happen with a piece of equipment this expensive, no matter how cool/cute/handy it is… I’m very disappointed and am returning for a refund tomorrow, and until this problem is addressed, will not purchase another ipod.
Being a person who does models of planes / cars / etc I had some products laying around that I use to put a scratch resistant coat on any model I make. It’s perfectly clear when dry so i thought I’d give that a try. I carefully covered the click wheel so I didn’t get any inside there and worked at it for a day or so. When it was dry I polished it and now if I have a problem with “scratches” I know it’s just greasy fingerprints and wiping it off with a kleenex makes it look like new anywhere any time.
For the PERSON who keeps on telling people to stop whining, just don’t look at their reply.
I’m scared of buying a Nano, i am currently researching comparisions between mini and nano. I don’t to get my FIRST iPod poduct to get scratched in a minute. I heard Nano scratches in like a minute and it breaks easily but I’m personally to finacially broke to buy both.
i like milk
Hey, I am thinking about purchasing my first iPod ever. I know most of this scratching of the iPod is nonsense and it probably is the competition who is making all this ridiculous complaints about the screen scratching beyond the point of being able to read it.
So here is my question. Would you think those Leather Cases on ebay would protect the iPod from all cases of everyday mayhem? Like if I dropped it onto concrete, put it in my pocket and miraculously snapped in half and protects the screen from scratching. They are going around on ebay and are pretty cheap.
Also what about those Silicon cases which are always being imported here from Hong Kong and other places? Would they help at all?
Thanks
I got a 30gb Ipod 5G and I prefer the delivered ipod bag… it’s quite good to prevent scratches and looks nice!
I’ve had my nano for over a month. I put it in my pants pockets all the time. It has a couple of fine scratches so far. Remember, it is not made of stainless steel, people! Take some care will not kill you.
I just got a brand-new Ipod nano for Christmas. From what I’ve read on this site, it is the black ipods that are most susceptible to scratches (either TONS TONS TONS of HUGE SCRATCHES or “normal wear-and-tear scratches,” depending on who you ask). If you have a white Ipod Nano, did it get scratched right out of the box? And does the Brasso trick stain the white?
Thank you in advance for your help.
OK, I got a case for my nano from Case-ari last week and I must highly recommend it for all. Its sleek, the leather is high grade and is extremely convenient. It protects my nano from all types of scratches whether its in my pocket or just lying around the place. The best part about the case is that it is so cheap in comparision to other leather cases. I also bought a screen protector for my nano from Case-ari and its working out perfectly for me. Case-ari customer support is phenomenal. I got my case and screen protector from ebay and their service is excellent. Highly Recommend for all ipod users. Good luck
hey,
I use that puch that my ipod nano came with. Would that help at all?
I mean that pouch
ok I used that puch that came with my nano would that prevent scratches?
yeah
use plastic wrap after you clean it with a cleaning cloth for glasses (microfiber…)
i mean as a wrap if you don’t mind the miniscule scratches you had before
or you could put it on after you use brasso instead of buying those $20 cases that supposedly come with all these bad points including scratching your ipod further
a scratch on your new car is not a fair analogy. if the car was covered in scratches after a week of normal use with no extenuating circumstances, i bet you’d be pissed. and the manufacturer would certainly be at fault, even though it doesn’t interfere with the functionality of the car.
i recieved my black nano as a gift from my girlfriend for christmas. i have akways wanted an ipod and the nano seemed perfect. after recieving it the first thing i did was go out and buy a silicon case. big mistake. just by putting the nano in there it scratched it to heck. since that i am on my second case which seems to not be scratching it but i am still looking for a better solution. i think i am going to go the route of the invisible shield. that seems to be what many are suggesting. just beware of what you get when you purchase a case. some end up doing more harm than good.
how do i delete a song?
“christina Says:
January 12th, 2006 at 9:37 am
a scratch on your new car is not a fair analogy. if the car was covered in scratches after a week of normal use with no extenuating circumstances, i bet you’d be pissed. and the manufacturer would certainly be at fault, even though it doesn’t interfere with the functionality of the car.”
I agree. The product was made to look nice! Due to its size, scratches are more noticable. It DOES scratch easily, just as any other iPod. There are several types of plastic that it is made out of (different companies are used), so some are more susceptible to scratching than others (mine is one of the crappy plastics). The only reason I bought it was due to its beauty. If it’s beauty is corrupted by a bunch of scratches due to PUTTING THE POCKET-SIZED ITEM IN YOUR POCKET, what’s the point? Apple could have done better. These are the facts, people. If you choose to buy one, buy a good case with it. InvisibleShield apparently works very well. As for mine…rest in peace, little buddy.
Rest in peace…
I swear by the invisible shield…
Please get it for any Electronic device!!!
http://www.theinvisibleshield.com
I have found that the best Ipod nano cases are the Tough Skin from Speck Productions. They come in black and clear, and come with a belt clip! You can pick one up for about $35 and nothing gets inside!
The Newer Ipods are getting smaller and smaller or basically just adding alot of features. The new color screen on the Ipod nano drains the battery and just lasts only 6 hours! But On my 2nd generation Ipod the srceen color is just black but lasts for 12 hours. Now that’s doubled the hour life span. So please Apple make the newer ipods have a longer battery life span.
P.s Who in the world is going to watch televison shows or videos on their iPod, besides commuters.
Tristan 14
Miami Beach, Florida
Grade 8
Another thing about the new ipod nanos they can break very easy. Just bending it the screen will just crack, I find this a drag becuase i accidently broke my ipod from this. But I got a refund for it. ANother thing about the cases, especially the clear plastic ones. There too tight on the nano, and is crushing the screen, making indents in the screen, and i just recently bought this item from apple.com. And the marker of the case is Apple itself.
P.s. Make cases that actucally fit the iPod, you idiots. Monkeys on typewritters can do a better job on the designing the cases. And make them cheaper, becuase they just probably come from sweat shops anyways.
Dont buy vidoes, because they skip.
bought my ipod nano last nov. and the 2nd day of using it has so many scratches so i decided to
buy a case , rue the day, it has more scrathes than ever before.
It took a lot of patience and a lot of trys but I finnaly perfectly put 3M scoth packing tape over my 5th gen. ipod’s screen. It works perfectly!!!!!!!!!! And best of all, it was free!!!!!!!!!!!
They should make ipod nanos with Black and white screens too. Besides longer battery life, scratches won’t show as easily on monochrome screens than on color screens. Having scratches on a color screen and turning the screen on makes little rainbows apear on the screen where the scratches are. And by the way, who would want to look at pictures on a 1.5 inch screen? I’ll tell you who. A person that wants to ruin their eyes. And a 4$ dollar can of brasso won’t fix eyes!
Well, it’s true:
The Ipod Nanos scratch exceptionally easily.
Out of curiosity, I examined my Motorolla cell phone that’s travelled all over the world with me. It’s a cheap model, and I always tossed it around, dropped it, and generally abuse it all to hell. Had it for two years.
My Nano, I’ve treated like a princess for the last 2 months.
The Nano is scratched up worse. I was amazed when the marks started appearing, as I never put it in my pocket with anything.
It is a design defect, and Apple should acknowledge it.
hey i was wonderin does the brasso work on 5th generation ipods if so please write in somethin and also does anybody else batteries run down faster than expected. peace out
The solution to the scratches for me was simple. Just leave on the thin clear plastic protective cover that comes with the nano. DON’T peel it off.
THE SCRATCHES DIDNT COME OFF I DONT KNOW WHY CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?
HOW DID YALL DO IT
I have a 5g black 30gb ipod video and i have tons of hairline scratches on the screen. i just bought an iskin evo3 case which is great but i juss wanna know will brasso work on my black ipod video. i already tried “meguiars plastx clear plastic cleaner & polish” and i had no luck. If anyone has used brasso on there video leave your comments.
I think I’ll be getting a new on anyway. I want to upgrade anyways. I actually wrote about this a bit on my blog. Good to see there is this tutorial though. Below is the bit I wrote about this issue:
“Right now my Nanopod is packed full of great tunes, but it looks like my Nano will need to be replaced due to the horrible condition it’s in. I never did have a cover for it and it has been trashed pretty bad. Still plays my tunes though. Think I’ll give this one to my sister or boyfriend, and get another one.”
i only have a nano, but the bigger ones, 20gb, 40gb, etc. seem to be picking up more scatches because they are considerably bigger, i may be wrong. i didn’t have any trouble with the nano getting scratched until i bought a cover from a friend, it’s one of those rubber ones with the extra little screen protector, it made fairly big scuffs on my ipod. i am still pretty mad about it. i would tell anyone that is looking for advice on what kind of case they should get for their ipod- get a leather flip case (or just a leather). The leather is much more protective of the ipod. One thing i did notice with my first leather flip case- there was a big scuff on the right, upper part, just above the screen. i’m not sure if it was the case or me, but it really never came off. a couple months later, i found a DLO leather flip case for two bucks at a Goodwill store in Warren PA, and it works better than my other one that i bought for twenty.
The color balck on any thing like an iPod shows scratches easier than white
k one thing i hate is that when i touch my ipod it leaves a finger print..
it makes me sooo mad..
and how i always have a case on it and i can see scrates…
errggg
Thanks for the Brasso idea… if mine ever gets that scratched, I’ll try that idea myself.
I personally LOVE that “baggie” idea! hahahaha
I carry mine in my pocket a lot too so this is what I did.
I used some see-thru “Clear Cover” self-adhesive covering made by the Magic Cover Division of Kittrich Corporation in LA, California. It’s used to laminate things like book covers, posters, ID Cards, etc. It comes in transparent rolls you can buy in the same area that you get those drawer liners (contact paper) for your kitchen. It’s not TOTALLY clear like the factory issued covering, but it’s better then getting scratches. I bought it years ago at Dollar General, so I only paid like a buck for it and I’ve got 5 FOOT x 13 1/2 inches of the stuff!!! Plus, it’s repositionable!