[r8rs4lf]

I'm new here and just received my first iPod (Nano) yesterday, nice product so far, I'm still figuring out everything.

I'm just wondering if any of you are experiencing the same scratching as me. It seems like just a little touch to anything scratches either the front or the rear of the Nano. I'm not really too concerned about the scratches all together because I figure it will get scratched anyways, but damn it seems very touchy! I'm mostly concerned about the screen itself. Any other ideas until I get a case for it?

Late- Alex

[budster101]

It's just like the regular iPod. Get a case first before heavy use.

[Big Mac]

Yup. I have practiced great self-discipline in not opening up any new iPod until its accompanying protective case is beside it. Neither my 3G (which wasn't even technically new) or my mom's mini came out until their cases were ready. I learned from my original 2G 10GB that they scratch very easily.

[r8rs4lf]

Guess I'll have to go get a case then!

Late- Alex

[Screwball]

I own a U2 Special Edition iPod.These gadgets get scratched.You have to come to terms with it...However these scratches are only visible in broad daylight.It's not annoying whatsoever...i love the looks like i loved it the day i received it.

[lavar78]

As someone who has owned a number of iPods, I can tell you that the first thing to do is use a PDA screen protector on the screen. That should be the minimum level of protection.

[Josh Reid]

Keeping the nano scratch-free until cases come out is fairly easy this time around. Simply leave the plastic sticker on the front (not to be confused with the loosely wrapped 'do not steal music' covering that all iPods come with..the nanos come with a second additional clear protective sticker), and tightly wrap plastic saran wrap on the metal back. If you pull it tightly, it will stick well and only need changed maybe every week or so.

[pete]

I was just at Tekserve to look at the new nanos. Beatiful little things in every way and really amazingly thin and light. BUT, they looked like crap because they were all scratched up already. I was there on last Friday afternoon and they didn't have them on display so they've gotten like this in 3-4 days. It's off-putting, especially compared to the mini which are fairly scratch resistant. I don't understand why Apple is unable to design something that can handle the kind of use they are intended for. I guess the mini was pretty close....too bad they discontinued the alu enclosure.

Other than the scratches, they're amazing!

[budster101]

Great way to sell a case with their new purchase no?

[inkhead]

Why does anyone care about the scratches? it's an mp3 player, you use it to play music. Stop babying it so damn much. I hate it when people add cases on and make a tiny product, slowly bigger, and bigger. (my opinion) The iPod is a music tool, use it to it's fullest, and stop wasting all the time keep it so nice and shiny.

It's like the guy with the Ferrari in the garage, that's driven and only babied, never really "used" . What a waste...

[pete]

the reason I care about scratches is that after just a few weeks of use the screen starts reflecting light in a annoying way because of all the scratches. The reason I care is that Apple SHOULD be able to create an ipod that doesn't scratch as easily. These things are pretty expensive! And, after all, isn't it nicer to have a scratchless one than a scratched up one? The mini was almost there, so why not stick to that material?

Unfortunately, Apple has a tendency to create beautiful products that look awful quickly - the ipods, powerbook titanium, first generation powerbook G3s and their rubber layer that would scrape off....etc etc.Since they're already spending so much time and money developing these beautiful products and selling them based on their design, then why on earth can't they pay a little more attention to the materials too?

[r8rs4lf]

Originally Posted by inkhead

Why does anyone care about the scratches? it's an mp3 player, you use it to play music. Stop babying it so damn much. I hate it when people add cases on and make a tiny product, slowly bigger, and bigger. (my opinion) The iPod is a music tool, use it to it's fullest, and stop wasting all the time keep it so nice and shiny.

It's like the guy with the Ferrari in the garage, that's driven and only babied, never really "used" . What a waste...

I don't care so much about scratches anywhere on the Nano, but I definately don't want them on the screen! Who wants to look at pictures through alot of scratches. Also, no one is babying it so relax. I already have the mindset that scratches will occur, I'm trying to prevent scratches on the screen.

Late- Alex

[adamjh]

Originally Posted by inkhead

Why does anyone care about the scratches? it's an mp3 player, you use it to play music. Stop babying it so damn much. I hate it when people add cases on and make a tiny product, slowly bigger, and bigger. (my opinion) The iPod is a music tool, use it to it's fullest, and stop wasting all the time keep it so nice and shiny.

It's like the guy with the Ferrari in the garage, that's driven and only babied, never really "used" . What a waste...

Ever heard of resale value?? A clean, shiny iPod will likely get you more money that a scratched-up iPod.

I just got a Nano, and I love it. However, it already has a few tiny scratches and I wish Apple would use a more scratch-resistant material if possible.

[budster101]

Get a case for it. Early adopters will suffer as always. I'm waiting for the cases to come out and then buying one for my wife. That's Life. (Sinatra)

[vdrummer]

Get Fellowes Writeright - it's sticky clear film for screen protection of PDAs. Cheap, durable, doesn't add any bulk, removes easily - perfect protection.

I put this on the back my 60Gb iPod Photo last november, and it was still stuck on the back until I pulled it off yesterday to compare with a fresh Nano - the finish on the 60Gb is near-perfect, and that Pod's had a lot of miles.

WriteRight

[inkhead]

You can buy screen protectors that I do understand, or if you want my tip, take screen polish or polish (there are kinds made for this sorta thing) and use it, maybe somebody can recommend one to put on the screen. the polish should keep the scratches away from the device

[budster101]

The screen protector for the mini works perfectly.
I can't remember the name but it comes in a flat black envelope package. They're great I hear. If I can remember the name I'll edit this.

[davidwells]

I've had my black nano for less than 24 hours and it now looks like this:
(Caution: largish JPG's)
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches1.jpg
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches2.jpg

I'm 37 and not that irresponsible. I carried it in the "nano" pocket of my jeans, just like Steve showed us and Dang it! it scratched like I let my dog chew on it all day.

I guess a white one would show less, but this is frustrating--FWIW I'll still by a case as soon as I can to prevent further maulings.

Apart from that, this is a great little device. Can't wait for a TV/Video cable for showing off photos.

---
Frustrated Member of Early Adopter's Anonymous

[Helmling]

Man...what the f--- was in your pocket?

[vinster]

You can remove some scratches by lightly applying metal polish to the screen surface with a cotton ball, letting it dry slightly, and buffing with a clean cotton ball. Repeat if heavily scratched.

[budster101]

There is special polish for screens... yeah and what was in your pocket? They do have those rivets you know. Just wrap it in a tissue then put it in there until you get a case. Just common sense.

[vdrummer]

Originally Posted by davidwells

I've had my black nano for less than 24 hours and it now looks like this:
(Caution: largish JPG's)
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches1.jpg
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches2.jpg

I'm 37 and not that irresponsible. I carried it in the "nano" pocket of my jeans, just like Steve showed us and Dang it! it scratched like I let my dog chew on it all day.

I guess a white one would show less, but this is frustrating--FWIW I'll still by a case as soon as I can to prevent further maulings.

Apart from that, this is a great little device. Can't wait for a TV/Video cable for showing off photos.

The exact same thing happened to my first iPod. With next one I bought (Nov 04), I put the PDA screen protector on it straight out of the box, and it's still in very near-perfect condition. I bought the Fellowes protector film at an office supply store for around $6. See my photo above.

Also, I don't think the Nano can do video output like the regular iPods.

[davidwells]

Originally Posted by vdrummer

The exact same thing happened to my first iPod. With next one I bought (Nov 04), I put the PDA screen protector on it straight out of the box, and it's still in very near-perfect condition. I bought the Fellowes protector film at an office supply store for around $6.

I think the scratches really show up w/ the black-colored pods. Thanks for the wise advice--next time, I'm covering it in film.
Thanks for the advice!

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by davidwells

I've had my black nano for less than 24 hours and it now looks like this:
(Caution: largish JPG's)
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches1.jpg
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches2.jpg

I'm 37 and not that irresponsible. I carried it in the "nano" pocket of my jeans, just like Steve showed us and Dang it! it scratched like I let my dog chew on it all day.

I guess a white one would show less, but this is frustrating--FWIW I'll still by a case as soon as I can to prevent further maulings.

Apart from that, this is a great little device. Can't wait for a TV/Video cable for showing off photos.

---
Frustrated Member of Early Adopter's Anonymous

Yep. Exact same thing with mine. In my pocket for ONE day (nothing else in my pocket) and it came out looking like that. These scratch WAY too easily IMO. Being in a cloth pocket (cotton) for 4 hours should not cause that kind of scratching. Still love it though...

[pete]

Does the plastic protection that comes on the nano out of the box cover most of it or is it just the front?

cheers,
P

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by davidwells

I've had my black nano for less than 24 hours and it now looks like this:
(Caution: largish JPG's)
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches1.jpg
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches2.jpg

I'm 37 and not that irresponsible. I carried it in the "nano" pocket of my jeans, just like Steve showed us and Dang it! it scratched like I let my dog chew on it all day.

I guess a white one would show less, but this is frustrating--FWIW I'll still by a case as soon as I can to prevent further maulings.

Apart from that, this is a great little device. Can't wait for a TV/Video cable for showing off photos.

---
Frustrated Member of Early Adopter's Anonymous

Mine too. i got it yesterday, and by last night there was a considerable amount of scratches on it. I even kept the thing in a bag made of lens cloth, hoping to protect it till I got a case. At least now I don't have to obsess over trying to keep it scratch free. It's done and over, so I can just go ahead and use the thing.

Originally Posted by pete

Does the plastic protection that comes on the nano out of the box cover most of it or is it just the front?

cheers,
P

It covers the whole thing. You have to unwrap it to plug it in.

[stesteG5]

...unflap btom plastic to charge, and re-seal SIMPLE...... Just leave it in the dont steal music wrapper (it also has some stuck on front of nano and screen), u can rub the dont steal music off with your t shirt it just rubs off, and the click wheel is fine.... and no-no overheating just one clean nano after nearly a weeks use...

[Mrjinglesusa]

I think the point is that you shouldn't have to go to extremes to keep these scratch free. In a cotton pocket for 4 hours or in a lens cloth bag should NOT scratch these up.

[PeterKG]

I wraped my Nano back up in the plastic cover it came in, and took it back to the Apple store, exchanged it for a 6GB silver Mini, paying the restocking fee. Luckily they did not inspect it while I made the exchange.

After just one week the entire front was scratched up from just normal use. I already had a 4GB Mini, but gave it away when I got the Nano. There is no way I wish to baby the iPod, and the Mini was perfect as it doesn't scratch or show fingerprints and smudges. I love the Nano, but it is not worth it worrying about how delicate the surface is.

My cell phone takes much more abuse and has no scratches. Apple has in my opinion blundered on the materials used for the Nano. So my advise to anyone who wants one is, if you don't care about such things, then buy one, because it's an awesome player. But if you do care, wait until Apple or a third party vendor comes out with a protective case, buy it and slip it in right out of the box.

[pete]

I agree. The mini really is idea in terms of scratch resistance. This is ridiculous and, of course, when customers go in to the store and see the scratched up ipods they're going to think twice because they really do look bad. What I'm wondering is WHY didn't Apple developers see this coming and WHY couldn't they have chose a resiliant material. It's one thing to get a few scratches after using it roughly for a few weeks, but these things seem to be getting scratched by the air around them!


I'm convinced Apple will changed the material quickly before this becomes bad publicity. Once they've done that, I'll get one. My problem is that my girlfriend has given me ipods for my birthday TWO years in a row and then goes on to hijack them herself. This year she didn't even bother, knowing that she'd probably take this one too. So I'm going to have to pay for it myself and then lock it up at night.

[John123]

Originally Posted by pete

I agree. The mini really is idea in terms of scratch resistance. This is ridiculous and, of course, when customers go in to the store and see the scratched up ipods they're going to think twice because they really do look bad. What I'm wondering is WHY didn't Apple developers see this coming and WHY couldn't they have chose a resiliant material. It's one thing to get a few scratches after using it roughly for a few weeks, but these things seem to be getting scratched by the air around them!


I'm convinced Apple will changed the material quickly before this becomes bad publicity. Once they've done that, I'll get one. My problem is that my girlfriend has given me ipods for my birthday TWO years in a row and then goes on to hijack them herself. This year she didn't even bother, knowing that she'd probably take this one too. So I'm going to have to pay for it myself and then lock it up at night.

Sounds like you need a new iPod AND a new girlfriend...

[stesteG5]

Lol

[jdc45]

there are so many case companies out there, they are so cheap on eBay or anywhere else. I have the hard case for my mini from Agent 18 and a silcon from iSkin, they both are well worth the money.

[B Gallagher]

Yeah.. I don't think any cases have really been made for the nano yet, as it's a brand new product. I'm gunna get mine in a little once I can protect it. Sounds like the nanos scratch easier than the regular iPods - right? :O

[dwd3885]

i'll get mine in a few hours and let you know. i think it's just stupid people. the regular ipods scratch, that's life. you're not going to keep it perfect. what's the obsession wiith people keeping it in mint condition anyway? never understood that. it's not a car, it's a music player. just don't beat it up to heck and you'll be alright

[pete]

I think these are much more sensitive than the regular ipods. I don't think anybody is expecting these to stay perfect, but they are expecting that breathing on them does not produce scratches. Sure, scratches don't take away from the sound, but they certainly are annoying when covering the color screen. What's the point of having such a nice screen when you can barely see it through the scratches.

Anyway, hope you feel the same in a few weeks...

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by dwd3885

i'll get mine in a few hours and let you know. i think it's just stupid people. the regular ipods scratch, that's life. you're not going to keep it perfect. what's the obsession wiith people keeping it in mint condition anyway? never understood that. it's not a car, it's a music player. just don't beat it up to heck and you'll be alright

I think it's stupid that people don't think this is an issue. Apple is pulling threads on their forums that were discussing how easily they scratch.

When you pay $249 for a product, you expect it to hold up to minor wear and tear. These get scratched when in a cloth bag and a cotton pants pocket. THAT, is poor material.

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa

I think it's stupid that people don't think this is an issue. Apple is pulling threads on their forums that were discussing how easily they scratch.

When you pay $249 for a product, you expect it to hold up to minor wear and tear. These get scratched when in a cloth bag and a cotton pants pocket. THAT, is poor material.

I have to agree. I'm not obsessive about keeping mine scratch free, hell, i didn't even mind that it got scratched within 6 hours of opening the box. I was a bit surprised at just how scratched it got though.

This is a device with a nice crisp color screen that you can use to view pictures. How are those pictures going to look when after a years worth of scratches on that same screen? I will get a case for it, yes, but I've also been working 80 hour weeks and haven't had time to do so (and the selection is still pretty limited) and I thought, quite reasonably IMO, that the temporary solution had come up with (the lenscloth bag) would be more than adequate. The fact that it wasn't was a bit surprising.

I wouldn't so much say it's "stupid people" as much as people that made a reasonable assumption that the material would be a bit more durable than it is. Don't get me wrong, I'm still impressed with the product, I just think it was a poor choice of material. There are plenty of more durable acrylics out there. I treat my cell phone the way a farmer treats a rented mule: harshly and indifferently, and the case is damn near pristine compared to my 2 day old nano.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Well said. I agree 100%. It's a great product made of substandard material. I know it will get scratched - I'm not worried about that. Just didn't think it would get this scratched after 4 hours in my pocket.

[Lancer409]

i put packing tape (that thick clear stuff you use on boxes) on the back, and left the original sticker on the front. then i trimmed it so the back piece folded over and protected the sides. it's not perfect, as the front sticker that came on it didnt cover the entire front and left a small frame around the edges, but it's better than nothing. also, using a little lighter fluid on paper towel helped to get the glue gunk off of the tape (since it was layered under a layer of sticky tape, it holds a little bit of residue on the top/shiny side. the lighterfluid/paper towell got the gunk off, and now i have a nano that'll hold up for a little while longer =)...

btw .. one of the main reasons why i got white over black (besides the visual preference)... the black is horrible when it comes to dust and scratches...

[davidwells]

I'd like to add that these do not ship with any type of pouch, bag or clip. It's just the clear film that I removed thinking it was "for shipping purposes only." Ibid, a $249 device should not scratch so easily.

PS- heading to the local Apple store for refund or replacement tomorrow. Will report back.

[inkhead]

Please everybody stop getting so worked up, it's a music device, it's about functionality. If you want you can get some sticky paper and cut out a sticker over it, as for me I just stick it in my pocket.

My $500 cellphone didn't come with any sort of screen protector.... THe only thing that really matters from scratches (and even then not that much) is the screen of this thing, get a cellphone screen protector (its' basically advanced window cling that you can see through really well. Like $2.

I don't understand people here, this is the reason my PC using friends hate mac users, stuff like this. It's a music player, use it!, it is not a mantel piece

[lamewing]

Originally Posted by davidwells

I've had my black nano for less than 24 hours and it now looks like this:
(Caution: largish JPG's)
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches1.jpg
http://www.davidwells.com/site/media...scratches2.jpg

I'm 37 and not that irresponsible. I carried it in the "nano" pocket of my jeans, just like Steve showed us and Dang it! it scratched like I let my dog chew on it all day.

I guess a white one would show less, but this is frustrating--FWIW I'll still by a case as soon as I can to prevent further maulings.

Apart from that, this is a great little device. Can't wait for a TV/Video cable for showing off photos.

---
Frustrated Member of Early Adopter's Anonymous

Hey there,
I am also 37 and I THOUGHT I was responsible with the way I handled my black mini, but they do scratch eaisly. Just a day in my jeans pocket and it looks worse than yours. No folks, nothing else was in the pocket. The problem lies in the fact that the nano, like the 1st and 2nd gen iPods, has a thick, clear coating on the face. The black underneath it really does show off the scratches in the clear plastic.

I would LOVED to have seen Apple use common sense and kept the mini body, add a color screen, add the flash RAM, kept the firewire controller, and have added a larger battery. We would then have a color, flash-based mini with battery life well over 24 hours of constant playing. Oh well, when has Apple ever really cared what their customer base has wanted?

[pete]

If you only want 'functionality' then apple is not the way to go. there are other players with radio, recording etc that offer more functionality. Apple sells its products because they are easy and hasslefree to use AND because they have great design. In fact, Apple sells its products because of their cool, high-quality design. To say that we shouldn't care about the scratches implies that we only bought them for functionality and that the design doesn't really matter. How many people here didn't feel serious design lust when they sawy the nano for the first time? And don't you think Apple intended that in the first place?

I think it goes without saying that we should expect, from an expensive device like this, for it to be able to withstand the kind of daily use it was intended for without lots of protection. My sony ericsson phone T610, for instance, has been abused for a year now and still looks damn good -it took months before it had visible scratches and even now, after countless hits on the floor, it still looks good. I expect the same from the ipod.

[davidwells]

Originally Posted by inkhead

...I don't understand people here, this is the reason my PC using friends hate mac users, stuff like this. It's a music player, use it!, it is not a mantel piece

I bought my nano as a business tool. I am a freelance graphic designer and I know presentation is key. My sole purpose was to have a small, sleek tool for displaying my portfolio. Yes, I've got about 12 tracks of music on the nano "just in case", but a vast majority of the files are images.
My goal was to show colorful (although tiny) images, on an elegant, pocket-sized device. That's why I'm rather upset that the screen has scratched so poorly in less than a week of occasional use.

[lavar78]

Originally Posted by inkhead

I don't understand people here, this is the reason my PC using friends hate mac users, stuff like this. It's a music player, use it!, it is not a mantel piece

I'm someone who likes to upgrade, so it's all about resale value for me. I protect my iPods because the ones that look better generally sell for more.

[TerryJ]

I agree with lavar78 on this point too. I upgrade my iPods pretty frequently and by being meticulous, I always get top dollar for them which allows me to get the 'latest and greatest' for very little difference out of pocket. These are not cheap items and to just say 'it's just a music' player is the same rationale as saying a Porsche or Viper is 'just a car'. C'mon people, are you seriously going to be so cavalier with a premium product? No. You will not think twice about tossing around a cheaper, plastic device simpky because it does not command the visual attention the iPod does. Wherever you go in public, people want to see the iPod that you are using. Not so with the other boxes, no matter their functionality. Their aesthetics firmly place them in the realm of 'average' and most people don't look twice. When you are seen with an iPod, people want to know what all the buzz is about so wouldn't you rather present a clean, well cared for iPod rather than a beat up one? It also says quite a bit about the owner. I mean, again, what would you think about a person who drives a 2005 Corvette covered in scratches/dirt with chips in the windshield and cracks throughout the body. Oh well, it's 'just a car', right?

[davidwells]

Originally Posted by davidwells

PS- heading to the local Apple store for refund or replacement tomorrow. Will report back.

So I just got back from my local Apple store. They were polite, but since the unit functioned fine they were reluctant to exchange it. Plus it was engraved and thay didn't fit their "return template". I pushed just a bit asking if they were a franchise or an official Apple store. Then they checked the part number which matched their inventory number and said, "No problem." Ten seconds later, I had a reciept for the return and walked out. I just wish I didn't have to take it back in the first place. Next iPod I buy, I'm getting a case of some sort for sure.

[Deskbound]

I have just arranged to return my 4gb black nano because of the ease with which the front scratches. This device is a bit of a paradox. It is amazingly well designed ergonomically and is very portable. It is also a thing of technological beauty but as a portable device with such an elegant form-factor and stylish appearance it should NOT require a mandatory case that makes it larger in size and less attractive to use. If the white one has the same problem as the black, I will send that back too. If enough people do this, Apple may start using a more robust plastic cover for this device.

My only advice is do NOT put a nano in a pocket. Do not wipe your nano with anything as abrasive as a soft cotton t-shirt (yep, you read that right) and, finally, do not press the screen area too hard because it flexes and I am reading some reports on the web that suggests this screen is less robust than the other areas of the nano.

Apple must be aware of this problem. I suspect it might become the battery saga MkII.

[lavar78]

Originally Posted by Deskbound

It is also a thing of technological beauty but as a portable device with such an elegant form-factor and stylish appearance it should NOT require a mandatory case that makes it larger in size and less attractive to use.

It doesn't.