Apple is going to have to do something about the scratching

do you have the white or black?

Hi Richard,
Is the scratch issue on the front or the back of the nano? is it possible to avoid scratching the front if I dont take off the thin protective film that comes on it ?

my black nano will arrive tomorrow. Though I was initially excited about getting black, the thought of all the scratches is making me think about returning and getting a white nano. If I can avoid getting scratches on the front by leaving on the film layer though, I will just keep the black.

I have the same problem on my nano, just put the nano nearby something for a moment, already got a scratch on the surface, they really have to think about some other stronger material for the future product.

Richard,
The iPod and the Nano cases are manufactured of the same material, and its durability has been well-documented. The scratches don't appear spontaneously and, if you mishandle the Nano, scratching the case, there's nothing Apple can do for you. Before I used my (non-Nano) iPod, I bought a case. Voila - the case is in pristine condition.

Carl;

I'm not sure they are using the same material on the Nano as the previous iPods and there are no cases currently available specifically for the Nano. I did not "mishandle" the black Nano and it still ended up with scratches.

That said, I'm not all that worried about it, it still plays great, and my Shuffle has even more scratches on it.

Mine's had a few days use and isn't marked yet.

I covered the back in PDA film though.

I suggest people look at the Martin Fields screen protectors. I've not received mine yet but it appears to fit over the whole of the front of the nano. Not sure if it goes over the wheel too. I suppose it would still work as well with a thin covering of plastic.

I've used the Martin Fields screen protector on my old ipod and on my mobile phone and they're crystal clear and very glossy so it COULD look great.

I'll reserve judgement until I get it though.

If you iPod nano has a scratch then something has been in contact with it to cause the scratch, they won't appear on their own.

So what have you been touching your iPod with, what has been in contact with it?

My nano has been in use by me for nearly a week. It has been sat in an empty pocket while in use, and handled by me and others. It has no scratches at all.

Are you sure they are not just smears? Try giving the iPod a wipe with a soft cloth.

If the ipod has marks then you need to think what could be causing them rather than saying it is an Apple problem.
While I can see that the surface it likey to get marked, it will only do so IF somthing comes into contact with it.

Ian

Mine came in contact with the plastic from a travel pack of kleenex...

I am not certain apple is responsible for that... freedom of choice ? and if one is really worried ,why not create a way to cut down on the scratches? i did, but, i knew when i purchased it in black this would be a reality... any color will get banged up w/ use so why not just try to enjoy it for its purpose and try to recall where each scratch came from? i'll bet you will either care less about them or have fond memories to add to your ". ipod experience" there are plenty of ipod covers and more to come for nano, check out those. and let us know if you do find the way to keep nano in black w/out scratches. enjoy!
'

That would mark it no problem.

The iPod surface is a high gloss plastic finish and the kleenex packet is also plastic, but you will find that even though it feels soft it will in fact be rough at a microscopic level. Therefore you will get marks from what seem to be safe materials that come in contact with the iPod.

Even cleaning the iPod with a soft cotton cloth with mark the iPod, what you will see are micro scratches caused by the roughness of the micro particles in the cotton. In effect you will start to see a 'hazing' in the plastic, just like you see on a black car after it has been polished.

The black models will show this far more than the white.

I also think users are being a lot more senstive to this issue with the nano because it is so small and therefore a mark seems huge. We are also more sensitive as the nano is such a sleek and sexy piece of kit.

It should be noted that the current standard iPod (White or Black U2) don't have a clear coating above the colour coat like the nano. This means the marks on the nano are more visible as they seem to float above the background colour.

I think it is just something we will have to live with.

Ian

Agreed, the coating is different. I ran out of Ice Creme taking scratches out of my sisters mini and other friends iPods, I'm awaiting a new shipment and will try it. I'm used to the scratching on my other iPods, but this one is much more sensitive (the plastic from the kleenex doesn't harm the screen or plastic on my 3G) and the black does indeed make it much more visible. Kind of like a black car showing dirt more easily.

I'll let you know the results from using Ice Creme, iKlear had no impact on it at all.

I bought 2 black nanos the day they came out. The black one IS beautiful but it does show up fingerprints and scratches WAY more than the white one does. That said, after my friend opened his and I saw how easily fingerprints showed up, I decided not to open mine and went back to the Apple store. I saw both the white and black on display and the black one looked totally scratched up and with that I got on line and did the exchange. I AM really anal about that kind of thing so I'm keeping the clear film on the front until a good case comes out. I would love to see something similar to what they released for the Shuffle -- I want the rich, tasty goodness of the nano to show through a nice clear plastic cover.

Richard-

Are you absolutely certain of this?

The iPod and the Nano cases are manufactured of the same material

Having owned several different iPods over the years, the white Nano that I bought this past weekend scratches far more easily than any of the previous iPods I've owned.

I also think users are being a lot more senstive to this issue with the nano because it is so small and therefore a mark seems huge

Having owned prior iPods, and handled them in much the same way, I can say with certainty that the black Nano I have scratches MUCH more easily.