Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family
Who cares if iPods scratch easily?
No one
would argue that iPods are scratch resistant. They seem to be scratch magnets, but does it really matter? Chris at
decaffeinated thinks not, in fact he thinks that
the iPod's propensity for getting scuffed up only adds to the experience.His reasoning is this: the iPod is now a fashion accessory, so that means it has to be beautiful, which it is. Beautiful things tend to be delicate, and since the iPod is scratched so easily it is therefore delicate.
This only adds to the mystique, says Chris, and most people (like, people who don't read blogs about any computer companies, let alone about Apple) aren't pitching a fit about the scratches.
So, what do you think? Does the relative delicate nature of the iPod only enhance its desirability?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Josh said 12:12AM on 3-26-2006
When I first got my 4G iPod, I was worried about scratching it too much, so I went out and bought a relatively inexpensive case for it. But then the thought occured to me, part of the coolness of the iPod is the awesome design of it, and I'm gonna go and cover it with an ugly-as-hell case? I threw the case away and my iPod has gone nakey ever since. And yeah, after two and a half years, it's got some scratchage, but even then it's only really noticible if you're looking for it, otherwise I don't even pay it any mind. I'm happy with it as is.
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Andy Lee said 12:13AM on 3-26-2006
I don't buy it. It feels to me like an exercise in devil's advocacy. If it didn't sound so serious, I might have guessed it was an attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor: "It's not a bug, it's a feature."
It may just be that I haven't been culturally trained to equate fragility with elegance. Given a choice, I would definitely prefer my Oakley sunglasses and Mercedes Benz to be scratch-resistant. To me, beautiful + strong = more beautiful. Imagine an iPod that was made to be practically unscratchable. We'd be talking about how it's like a precious diamond.
Of course, I'm assuming that toughening the object wouldn't significantly alter the aesthetics. I wouldn't put plastic slipcovers on a Louis XIV chair, for example.
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surfmonkey said 12:33AM on 3-26-2006
What do I think? I think you Mac people are so delusional that you're able to take any flaw and somehow turn it into an endearing quality in your head.
That's what I think.
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jesse v. said 12:47AM on 3-26-2006
i think a lot of people forget: ITS ABOUT THE MUSIC!
i don't mean that in a harsh way, but seriously, my 5G stays in my pocket until i reach my destination where i turn it off and it stays in my pocket. the iPod may be the latest accessory, but its still an mp3 player. it's gonna get used and it should be used and with that use its gonna get scratched. i haven't noticed any severe scratching with my 5G (and i've dropped in on concrete :/) so in my opinion i don't think people should complain about iPod scratching.
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Adam Maras said 12:56AM on 3-26-2006
Haha... tell that to my dropped-a-million-times, scuffed-up, dented, scratched mini 1g. Which, by the way, works beautifully.
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passerby said 1:14AM on 3-26-2006
everything scratches, even a Humvee scratches ... i guess a diamond doesn't scratch, but tell me what shiny new thing doesn't scratch? Its like some people pay way too much attention to their iPods.
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telescreen said 1:25AM on 3-26-2006
Well I think thats the reason why I love my iPod mini so much. With its matt metallic finish its very durable, it simply doesn't show any minor scratches, and most importantly you can't see any fingerprints all over the case!
I think it was a good decision to go with this matt finish and I guess I'm a little disappointed apple didnt continue using it.
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Andy Lee said 1:34AM on 3-26-2006
It *was* only about the music. I never bothered with any sort of protection for my first generation iPod. It got scuffed over time, but I didn't mind. The same scratches on my sleek 5G iPod would upset me, because I use that screen to watch videos. I bet if most people had the equivalent scratches on their 40" TV screen they'd be horrified.
But I think the point of the decaffeinated article is not another rehash of the question of whether the scratches are tolerable, or whether they are a deterrent to sales. The article claims the fragility of the screen actually *increases* perceived value. So far I don't see anybody here agreeing with that claim, but the night is young...
BTW, I got one of those transparent stick-on protectors for the front and back of my 5G iPod. So far it's resisted scratches, and it doesn't detract at all from the aesthetics. Tough + beautiful.
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Tim Shundo said 1:34AM on 3-26-2006
I have my 5G. The only time I care about scratches is when they are on the screen area. If you look at my iPod, the will always look brand new (thanks to iCleaner), and yet the rest of the iPod is as scuffed up and a grandma's butt. I keep the screen are clean because I am always watching videos, and when there is a scratch in the screen area, it screws up the viewing. I end up concentrating on the scratch instead of watching the video because it is so noticable to me (and those dead pixels aren't helping either, all 8 of them).
So yeah. For me, it's not about keeping the thing 100% scratch free, but rather just clean for viewing pleasure.
And like the first poster said; the iPod is a fashion statement now. Why cover it up with a big ugly case. The same goes for all of those people that keep the plastic factory-sealed plastic on their cell-phones and gadgets and stuff. you may be keeping it scratch free, but what's the point of it looking scratch free if you are covering it with that ugly plastic?!
And furthermore, if you have a cell phone, open it up. Is there any metalic part of the phone? Is the metalic part blue? Thats blue is a protective plastic. TAKE IT OFF!
:)
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Chris Clark said 1:36AM on 3-26-2006
I really think it comes down to the classic "a person is smart, but people as a whole are stupid" thing. And that's what fashion is all about, after all. The first girl to wear a pair ugg boots with a ra-ra skirt looked stupid, and everybody told her she looked stupid, but when enough people (and celebrities) endorsed the stupidity, it became acceptable. Nowadays if you criticize a woman for donning such a Britney-esque outfit, *you're* the one who's out of touch.
Each of us individually acknowledges that it would be nice if our iPods, our sunglasses, our cars, and our watches were resistant to damage. We'd probably pay a price premium for it, too (how much does under-body coating on cars cost these days, anyway?). But as a whole, we aren't punishing Apple for making a delicate device because they've changed the game. They've changed our expectations, and now if you're opposed to scratch-prone electronics *you're* the one who's out of touch. A full 180.
It isn't so much an exercise in devil's advocacy as a salute to a company so clever that they've made us believe that worse is better.
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sozo said 2:35AM on 3-26-2006
hey, people are paying $200 for ragged out jeans..worn and used is cool.
I have three iPods, and at least two of them, have a comfortable worn look about them..and that's cool.
spanking new, who wants that..faded, scratched, used and well loved!
I see Ipodders with silicon wraps, leather coverings, and the works-
I'll take mine nude and naked, but filled with hot and great content any day.
sozo ready for my 4th iPod! naked and sexy!
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pdxflint said 2:46AM on 3-26-2006
I don't think if something gets scratched or dinged up a bit it's necessarily 'fragile' or 'delicate.' My trusty old Canon EOS A2 and 630 camera bodies have seen a lot of action, and have been banged around and have wear on most edges, but they still work reliably. To me, my iPod is about music, and I want it to work in whatever environment I'm in. Battle scars don't bother me one bit, since I'm not selling it or my old cameras, since market value is unfortunately based on "mint" condition comparisons (unused??) which ain't gonna be the case with anything I've used for a while. Hell, you should see my watch... but the TAG still keeps on ticking - all that matters to me... just like my trusty iPod...
I do wish the mini was still available, though. I'd get a couple of them if they were.
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Peter Payne said 4:52AM on 3-26-2006
My wedding ring has scratches all over after ten years. I don't fret about this since it's my ring, and presumably won't ever be needed by anyone else. If I ever lose it, I can probably find it based on the scratches, too.
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kc! said 5:21AM on 3-26-2006
Your music is a personal expression. And every single scratch or mark on your iPod represents a personal experience you had with that device as well. It took me a while to come to this conclusion when I first got my 20gb 2G iPod, but after I let go of the "it must look pristene" attitude, it was quite libarating. My iPod is truly unique to me because my personal use is reflected in every mark, fingerprint and scratch on the case (above and beyond my choice of music on the inside). Now I look at those who gussy up their iPods with bulky, ugly cases with disdain and sadness.
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Bart Hanson said 6:11AM on 3-26-2006
I've got a Shuffle so there's no screen to scatch I guess, but if there was a screen I'd only worry about Usability. iPods look great scratched or not. Am I also worried about my new RAZR getting scatched? No same as before, as long as it keeps working and I can read the screen. iThink therefore iAm.
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mars said 6:58AM on 3-26-2006
My 3G iPod is scuffed up like you wouldn't believe, but as several previous posts have stated, it just adds to the personality of it. I freaked right out when it got its first scratch, but that was like 3 years ago. You get used to it, and now it doesn't even matter. I just wish my battery wasn't dying.
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an arthistorican said 7:38AM on 3-26-2006
I am an arthistorican - so don't fall asleep.
Through my studies in material-iconography I have to say that there is a certain truth about it. The human being loves things that age and wither with him, like rusting iron fences, a distressed leather jacket, mossy stones on the housewall or worn wooden floors. Indeed these thing life longer than any mobile phone or iPod ever could.
But these examples are all concerning natural materials, and I now would like to ask you, what kind or how many of heavely worn artifical objects you own?
An iPod, whether it's a piece of fashion or not (and it certainly is) is a piece of modern design, and, we have to confess it, design is one of the main aspect (at least for the nonappleworld) to buy it.
It's all about the way you look at it. If you see it as a piece of fashion you certainly won't allow any scratch upon it, for it is an object of representation, like a red-hot sports car, or an Armani dress.
If you instead look at it as a machine, you would either don't care about beauty, or life with normal signs of usage - but that depens on the material, if it's not that natural like wood, stone, Ceramics, Iron... .
The question is, how easely is it scratching! Does the ipod change by normal use, by mooving you fingers upon it, so that you could see what button you hit or where you thouched it most. This would make it more charming because this industial "all like one" object got closer to the human beeing. Indeed you would (in the last of all consequences) see a part or of your own "vanitas", passing in it.
But if it scratches only heavily e.g. by the keys in your pocket and not show any kind of human influences upon the surface, the scratches will mean "damage" to you, making it soon unatractive and more willing to buy a new one. These scrates are not in a certain order that normal usage would apply, but in terrible disorder, meaning it lost all qualities of common asthetics.
Lesson over.... ;)
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nezromatron said 7:40AM on 3-26-2006
BS.. We have put men in space and on the moon, and put litte RC cars on Mars. You mean to tell me we don't have a way to make some plastic not scratch?
Simple economics.. It's too costly to do it on the iPods, and face it, some sales might be to people that are replacing their existing iPods cause they are scratched..
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Thomas said 7:59AM on 3-26-2006
My 3G has many minor scratches, if it's not in the light at the right angle you can't see them and therefore they don't bother me. I'd prefer if it weren't but it's 3 years old and with the use I get from it I can't really expect any better. It can also be argued that something so white and shiny metal and clean in design is gonna show up any blemishes more than something black and dull. To be honest most people don't care - my brother has a mini and doesn't use a computer other than for iTunes and his is pretty banged up - he works as a green-keeper so does a lot of manual labour - and he's ok with that, he had a case but he stopped using it because it hid the fundamental greatness of the iPod and hindered it's use somewhat. Admittedly the mini was probably the most hardy of all iPods due to it's design but still I think most people aren't concerned.
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UncleJerry said 8:15AM on 3-26-2006
I'm with number 2, Andy Lee. I've spent good money on my ipod and want it to stay clean and scratchless. It stays in my pocket, on my desk, or in the cup holder of my car a majority of the time. If that causes scratches, then that just shows that it was made poorly. For the price it shoule be near scratch resistent, especially on the iPods with video. I've got mine in the Johnny Walker case (Thanks TUAW for tip on the free case! http://www.tuaw.com/2005/11/03/free-johnnie-walker-ipod-cover/ ) and a screen protector. Looks as brand new as the day it came out of the box, no thanks to Apple's materials design group.
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