Apple Customers Complain Of Faulty iPod Nano

[Rudeboy2025]

Apple Computer Inc. is getting complaints from customers that the LCD screen of the recently released iPod Nano, the latest mini-version of the popular digital music player, is easily cracked.

In addition, consumers have complained that the surface of the player scratches with normal use. Complaints have been posted on the Cupertino, Calif., computer maker's own support forum and on a Web site called flawedmusicplayer.com, which was set up by an anonymous user.

Apple officials were not immediately available for comment.

On its own support forum, users complained of having scratches on the diminutive player, despite handling the device gingerly.

"I think Apple is going to have a major problem on their hands when enough of these are sold," wrote a customer identified as Richard Spangler. "They chose a poor material for the Nano ... I have treated mine like a king and it already has a few scratches."

On the anonymous site, customers complained of cracking the Nano screen, despite what they considered normal use.

"I had my iPod Nano for exactly four days before the screen cracked on it ... The iPod was placed in my pocket (alone) and into a backpack over the last four days. The unit was not exposed to what I consider harsh treatment," one customer wrote.

People complaining of the device said they were told the damages were not covered by Apple's warranty. That, however, could not be verified with the company.

Apple announced the thinnest version of the iPod music player nearly three weeks ago. The device, which has earned high marks from reviewers, is 0.27 of an inch think, weighs 1.5 ounces and holds as many as 1,000 songs. Pricing starts at $199.

Source - InformationWeek

[apcmiller]

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. -Slashdot RSS

[Zeus_Hunt]

Although Apple’s PR department is top-notch, this time it didn’t meet the expectations. Apple admitted only a few days after the first information on the iPod nano’s problems that they have indeed a situation and advised owners to return the devices to Apple for replacement.

Apple blamed the display manufacturer for the problem, but didn’t mention its name. The companies which have turned the iPod nano inside out, didn’t find out where the displays come from, but it is assumed that Apple is working with at least two producers.

In conclusion, Apple didn’t succeed to convince anyone that iPod nano’s problem is minor, and this can be easily seen in the 5% decrease recorded by the company’s stocks. Meanwhile, www.flawedmusicplayer.com shutdown, its maker stating that it served its purpose.