Apple Computer Inc. now faces a lawsuit over defective iPod Nanos which have screens that are extremely easy to scratch. The Nano was released last month along with the Motorola ROKR phone (iTunes-compatible phone) and immediately got excellent reviews. However over time, Nano owners noticed that the screen on the ultra small MP3 player was easily scratched during normal usage. The lawsuit alleges that Apple knew of the flaw but decided to go ahead with the release anyway.
A judge will now decide whether the lawsuit can be grouped with similar claims to win class action status. The lawsuit claims Apple's iPod Nano scratches "excessively during normal usage." It accuses Apple of making consumers believe the Nano was durable when the company already knew different. It blames the scratching defect on the film of plastic resin that covers it to protect it from damage.
Older iPod models had thicker and stronger resin according to the suit. "Rather than admit the design flaw when consumers began to express widespread complaints ... Apple concealed the defect and advised class members that they would need to purchase additional equipment to prevent the screen from scratching excessively," the complaint continues.
Apple did admit to one problem concerning the iPod Nano. A certain batch (less than one tenth of 1%) of the iPods had screens that could be cracked easily and in some cases, broken. The company offered to replace those devices. Jason Tomczak, the plaintiff named in the California lawsuit, had earlier trouble with an iPod Nano battery too, for which he received a replacement. However, both screens scratched so bad that he couldn't view them anymore.
He, and others with similar complaints, want the $25 fee they paid to return the Nano back along with the full original cost of the devices and several other damages. The suit also claims that Apple deleted posts on its website that relate to the scratching problem.
Source:
Reuters
Older iPod models had thicker and stronger resin according to the suit. "Rather than admit the design flaw when consumers began to express widespread complaints ... Apple concealed the defect and advised class members that they would need to purchase additional equipment to prevent the screen from scratching excessively," the complaint continues.
Apple did admit to one problem concerning the iPod Nano. A certain batch (less than one tenth of 1%) of the iPods had screens that could be cracked easily and in some cases, broken. The company offered to replace those devices. Jason Tomczak, the plaintiff named in the California lawsuit, had earlier trouble with an iPod Nano battery too, for which he received a replacement. However, both screens scratched so bad that he couldn't view them anymore.
He, and others with similar complaints, want the $25 fee they paid to return the Nano back along with the full original cost of the devices and several other damages. The suit also claims that Apple deleted posts on its website that relate to the scratching problem.
Source:
Reuters
I'm kindof a dummy myself - I bought a Sony mp3 player (no moving parts, runs off a single mini-AAA battery), but I HATE the clunky Sony "Sonic Stage" software you have to install in order to transfer the songs over to the device. The software really is a bloated mess and very awkward to use. (The player itself is so small though, I could probably stuff it up my left nostril). :) This is probably not a good thing, as.. (a) - it tends to impede my breathing, and (b) - the player's buttons are SO tiny, it takes supreme effort to push the right ones. (Several of the tiny buttons are deeply recessed, and each button serves several separate functions depending on what "Mode" you are currently in). In other words, this player is a real awkward bitch to operate in real life.
And although a 1/2 gig memory card IS a pretty good deal at just $18, you have to remember that a blank 700MB cd costs something like .40c these days, AND you don't need to plug in a USB cable or install any clunky song-transferring-software.
The trouble with ALL these devices are that they are built just too damn shoddily! They are CHEEPLY CONSTRUCTED & FLIMSY! Built-in obsolescence is ever-around-the-corner, as is their impending demise. (Destruction). Do NOT slip an iPod Nano into your back pocket (an easy-enough thing to do considering their small size), and then sit down on a hard wooden chair.
CRUNCH! Bye-bye one iPod. In the real-world, ALL these devices take a physical pounding, and few of them (any?) are up to the task. If Apple were to expend half as much energy in trying to make these players as _rugged_ as possible, rather than concentrating so much on all the hi-tech 'gosh-wow' features, we'd all be better off! Damn! These players are not cheap, and their life-expectancy is about as short as an African tse-tse fly!
:-)
