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Apple to Replace Faulty Nano Screen
Sam Wil writes "Apple has acknowledged a flaw in the iPod nano screen that results in cracking, and attributes it to poor vendor quality. The defect affects less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all the nanos that have shipped so far. Apple will replace the screen of affected units for free." From the article: "However, the representative said that the screen-cracking issue is separate from reports that the slim new music player is more easily scratched than prior models. Complaints about both issues surfaced shortly after Apple introduced the flash memory-based Nano earlier this month. 'A few vocal customers are saying their Nano is more susceptible to scratching than prior iPods,' the Apple representative said. Apple said the Nano is made of the same polycarbonate plastic as the fourth-generation iPod and said it does not believe the scratching problem is widespread." You may recall we had a lively discussion about the screen-scratch flaw a short while back.
The screen does scratch very easily. A friend got one and a few hours later, the screen had fine scratches all over it. His 3G iPod had no scratches on it, so he seems to be very careful. There's something different about the Nano than other iPods that must contribute to this.
I'll bet Apple will very quietly introduce some changes to contruction but won't admit to it. The scratches will not be heard from again.
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
The thing is, the nano is thin like a cell phone. I've already snapped two non-clamshell model cell phones in half by sitting on them - taking the screens out with them and losing all my data. Fortunately the cell phone was free and I cared more for the data than the phone itself. I don't think you can say the same thing for the nano.
Thin electronic items just snap. Period. That's why the clam-shell cell phone design became more popular IMHO. It was thicker and didn't snap in half unless you really made an effort.
READY.
PRINT ""+-0
Could it just be scale? A few small scratches on a small screen is the equivelent of larger scratches on a bigger screen.
My 60GB iPod photo screen is terribly scratch-prone. I carried it home in the fleece-lined pocket of my coat, and it got a huge round scratch from the earbud - with the fuzzy cover over the earbud!
Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
..... regardless of how many iPods are affected. The mere mention of this issue caused it's stock value to nosedive 4.4% yesterday. (Surf to HERE for more on this)
Part of the problem is that Apple has become a MP3 player company, and not a computer company. According to most people in the know, they don't turn a profit from their music store and the so-called halo effect of the iPod is of limited value to them. And then there's the Merrill Lynch downgrade to neutral from buy that they got this morning (Click HERE for more) because "although Apple's recent performance has been extraordinary, there are question marks over the effect of the imminent transition to Intel-based hardware."
Not good if you're an Apple investor.
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
All iPods are equally scratchable.
How badly they get scratched depends on how well you take care of it.
If they're ending up terribly, horribly scratched, then you aren't taking care of it. My 3G is roughed up, but isn't horribly scratched cause I keep it in the case it came with whenever I use it.
These are not only good for PDAs, but they make them for digital camera screens, too. Its clear, its plastic, it'll take the dings, and its cheap.
Isn't it obvious?
In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
OOPS - Link included below:
This guy has a pictoral on how he fixed up his nano screen with Brasso. Pretty amazing stuff, if it's legit.
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Want a nano? Find 5 others that want a nano too, and you're all set.
I totally disagree.
Since this bitch session about the Nano is just a typical part of the Apple product life cycle (i.e., happens every time a new model is released), the smart investor increased his position at the end of the day yesterday and watches the profits roll in over the next few weeks as this blows over. I threw an extra 5K on before the bell, and I'm already up 2% on the morning trading.
On this topic, watch what happens during the buildup to Intel Macs next year. The stock will build as news outlets figure out the implications of OS X on Intel. Then some flaw will be found in the first gen Intel Macs. Then it will blow over. You have to know when to buy Apple to make money as an Apple investor. Personally, I'm up over 30% average across all my shares, and more than 150% on certain individual purchases. Those are real estate numbers, my friend. Bring on the complainers!
I am very suspicious that the broken screens and the scratched screens are due to the same problem. And as such are merely polar ends of the real issue.
Could it be, that the manufacturer's "hardener" levels were off. Certain polycarbonate batches receiving too much "hardeners" (resulting in cracked screens) and other batches receiving too little "hardener" resulting is extremely easy scratched screens.
I find it interesting from a chemical engineering stand point that both problems could be directly related to a fluctuation of hardener levels but not a single article or post I've read has mentioned the possibility of such?
- The Saj