White iPhone Discolouration Actually Caused By Crappy Cases, Maybe

heat

@Minimum91: I get mine replaced on my applecare plan every half year or so... its nice not worrying about scratches

@daPrinz: have you not read what people have said? sure, they're careful with their stuff, but accidents happen. and just buy a new one? i'm pretty sure most people wouldn't want to spend an extra $200 for something they didn't plan on, and it'll probably be between $400-$600 seeing as your phone will most likely still be under contract, correct?

I just bought a psp and while it is pretty slick and semi-thin, i bought one of those giant logitech cases. sure, it'll never fit in my pocket or look all that great, but i know that if i drop my psp, the case will at least protect it. i'd rather pay $15 for a new case than $170 for a new PSP.

just my two cents.

Michael Tirona

@OMG! Ponies!: I don't have an iphone...but I put my phone in whatever pocket is convenient at the time. I'm left handed.

So was Michelangelo and Einstein suckas! I'm up there with the greats!
...

Holy shirt! a talking squirrel! 「Tayler」

@ttech10:
My car does get damaged too. Still I don't wrap it around with some ugly rubber parts.
It's a gadget not a living something. Just pay a little attention and if it gets too banged up, buy another one.
Just my 2 cents.

daPrinz

@OMG! Ponies!:
i treat my first gen iPhone the same way. I don't do anything really special, but i treat all phones well and each of my phones has been in pristine condition when it came time to upgrade.

i'm planning on picking up a 3GS any day now, when i have the time that is...

Invisible shield and a thin rubber case over that and it's a VERY protected, adding LITTLE weight. BUT it does COST alot. 29.99 and then the standard cheapie, but for a 3GS, I want this sucker protected!

@ludwigk: It may look better, but it's in the case. So at present, you phone looks worse, is heavier, and bulkier. What are you going to do with your original iPhone now? Sell it for a huge profit? The headline can be, "2 year old phone, like-new condition!" whoop de effing doo! :)

@Claytons: -1 for being a racist snob

@OMG! Ponies!: Agreed. iPhone condoms ruin the fun. Life is too short.

@ttech10: Yeah. I love my iPhone (and the iPod Touch I had before it) but I'm clumsy and I know it. I'd rather have a slightly bulkier phone that will protected when I drop it than a sleeker phone that has a much higher chance of breaking. Because I *will* drop it.

selianth

@Minimum91:

the iphone is NOT a good looking phone.

i mean it TAPERS, enough said.

it looks good from the FRONT because it is just a screen, nothing to screw up there.

EncNone

@OMG! Ponies!:

Nerd! ;)

Left-handed - but I don't keep the iPhone in a designated pocket. However, when wearing shirt & tie, I often use the shirt pocket.

SportBilly

@[gizmodo.com]). There are a lot that look horrible however.

@Minimum91: I've got the plastic film from Bodyguardz, and you can't even tell that my phone has a case. It comes off very neatly too, for resale purposes.

The only downside is that the corners start to peel up after a few months, but even then, it isn't really noticeable unless someone is staring at the back of your phone from close up.

winshape

My wife and I have the white HTC Touch from Verizon, and mine is naked. She keeps hers in a pink hardshell case, and upon removing the case the phone is covered in pink rub marks. Funny how mine looks better even though it's not in a case.

OMG! Butter!

@Minimum91:
@electricarchie:
Take a look at the iPhone cases they have on eBay.
There is a huge selection of affordable, good looking iPhone cases. Many for under $20, some for under $5!

aR-Tard

@OMG! Ponies!: Oh hey, maybe you're ambidextrous.

They use some kind of chemical that emits a pink/purple wavelength.

If you have a black 3GS if you look at it at special angles you can see a tinge of purple.

@Willzyx: Well I'm righty and generally I just pull my phone out and use my right hand to do everything, so I keep it in my right pocket.

As cool as a white Iphone is, I don't know why anyone would buy one considering how absolutely filthy the average persons hands are, and besides aren't you just most likely going to buy a case anyway? The color of the case is pretty much irrelevant.

Matt0505

@Minimum91: I've been going back and forth with myself over this same issue. The phone looks so damn nice. But the scratches on my last phone not only brought the resale value down, but after a year didn't look very good.
So in the mean time I've been halfheartedly looking for a case. But its almost been like a picky mother saying nobody is good enough for her kid type of thing.

CaptCaveman

I do have mine in a case, the Incase Slider Case. It cost me nearly $40 at the Apple Store, but I wasn't willing to let my white 3GS go too long outside of a case.

I've dropped my 3GS about three times, and it's been thrown across a room (Coworker threw something at me, and it ended up hitting the iPhone really hard, causing it to fly across the room). So far, not a scratch on it.

I don't mind the back getting minor scratches, but I do worry about dropping the phone and getting dings/cracking the screen.

@ttech10: Agreed, plus if you keep it in your pocket all the time, even without change or keys your pocket fabric and wallet are going to rub scratches into it. You might also have dust/lint/junk in your pocket too.

@Minimum91: "What's the bloody point of having a good looking slick phone if you are gonna insert it into an ugly, bulky case? "

1. I wasn't aware that people bought the iPhone for it's looks and it had nothing to do with the OS, apps or iPod

2. Some cases look awesome

3. Have fun when your plastic back gets tons of hairline scratches. That'll help the value when you sell it in a year.

Jonathan Moll

@surfer88: I bought the Griffin Wave Case and I swore it made my iPhone look like those old circular Apple mice that came with the iMacs.

Not sure if we're talking about the same case, but that's the case I had.

@ludwigk: Nope, your iphone does not look better than mine. You see, we both have sleek, beautifully designed lamborghinis, but while mine has 1 or 2 visible scratches, you've managed to throw on a bulky, ugly body kit and 28" spinner rims. So it doesn't matter how good your phone looks under the case...because it's under the case.

Blackti3

I don't know about their suggestion to use alcohol to clean the coloration off. Alcohol is not harmless on plastics, as it eats away at the surface, eventually making them appear cloudy. It may not matter as much with the iPhone, but this can lead to losing the candy-like shine if done enough times.

ludwigk

@Blackti3: Well, if I didn't have a screen protector, my 3gs would already be scratched in 3 places. Instead, it took me 2 minutes to scrap that protector and put on a new one (which doesn't peel or have bubbles and in fact reduces glare so I can use the phone in bringht sunlight).
As for the rubber casing, it's a good idea for women who throw the thing in a purse with a bunch of crap in it.

Posavoie

@ValerioB: Yep, the porosity/plasticity, or whatever of the Zagg shields cause them to absorb a bit of color. With things like jeans, however, it kind of depends on the condition of the pants. New, and/or deeply colored jeans are heavily dyed cotton that will naturally fade over their lifetime. Their dyes will rub off on just about anything.

ludwigk

@Blackti3: My iPhone (original) may be in a silicone case and a [not peeling at all] screen protector, but let me tell you: my phone looks better than yours. When I strip it down, it basically looks like it just came out of the box, which noone without a similar level of protection can claim. Well, it helps that I've also never, ever dropped it.

Also, the screen protector makes the surface less oleophilic than the stock grease-magnet surface used on earlier phones, making usage and maintenance more precise. It's not oleophobic (afaik), but its definitely oleo-not-as-bad-as-plain-glass.

ludwigk

@hoffmanbike: couldn't it just be red or pink dye that is wearing off the case?

@IAmNotSam: when I'm not drunk, I'm not concerned about my phone's 'nudity.' More concerned about my own :shame:

Zagg is hands down the best protector for the iPhone. Had one on all three of my 2G's, two 3Gs, and my first 3GS.

Thing is - Zagg not good on WHITE iPhones, it takes on blue jeans color from your pocket and turns your white phone light blue.

ValerioB

Oddly, my iPhone would discolor my case.

@OMG! Ponies!: The holes are what give it character though. You should wear naked jeans to go with your naked iPhone.

[www.nudiejeans.com]

@NurseDave: On a carabiner. Don't carry keys in your pocket unless you want a hole.

@deanbmmv: if you remove the iphone from the conversation, it takes on a completely mind in the gutter convo. I use my right hand, I use my left hand... sorry just had to say it.

I am a righty, keep it in the left pocket, wallet, and keys in the right (nothing in my back pockets).

beekerstudios

@OMG! Ponies!: iPhone left, wallet right. Where the heck are the keys?

NurseDave

Put a Best Skins Ever (or Zagg, but that's more expensive) on the thing and you won't have to worry about discoloration from cases. You can even put the phone into another silicon case for added shock protection.

[www.bestskinsever.com]

@audioPICNIC: Right handed but keep my phone in my left. Mainly cos my keys are in my right pocket because I can answer and use my phone with either hand. but can't for the life of me open a door with my left.

Users should come to terms with the fact that they deserve this for ordering a white phone.

Just a minute, I'll whip up a device so revolutionary that it will protect your iPhone, cut cheese like a Pre, and even make Julienne fries!

@Digital9:

I had the same thing happen with the InCase Slider. Lame.

@ihaveabu:

I hear ya.

@ihaveabu: Yeah, I am doing that this time too. My 3G wasn't too bad but there were a few just common wear and tear marks on the back and when I tried to post pics on Craig's List they were very visible. I bought an ifrogz case for the 3gs so I can make sure it is pretty much perfect whenever the 3gss or whatever comes out.

Geoff

I burned a deeper hole in my pocket by purchasing a $100 ($80+shipping) Vaja case when getting my 3G. [www.ilounge.com] without the clip. I love it and felt it offered the best screen protection without adding too much bulk. Yes, I would have liked to pay less, but I have zero regret.

@OMG! Ponies!: I'm a righty and my cell phones (including my current iPhone) have always been relegated to the left front pocket for the simple reason that keys and loose change have occupied my right front pocket real estate since the age of twelve (way before the cellphone era).

Who Shot Who in the What Now?

@Minimum91: I wanted a case on the new one, as I had dropped my old one one too many times and the edges were all beaten up, didn't want that to happen again.

I looked all around the interwebs and settles on the case-mate barely there case. it's well made, and relatively affordable. Got it in white to compliment my already white phone.

Marware silicone skin - FTW.

sharkync

I keep mine in a case (Agent 18) dirt gets in and rubs into the back of the phone. I've gotten more scratches that if i went nude. I still keep it in the case for a little extra drop protection... I drink a lot.

Digital9

@hoffmanbike:
Maybe you don't fully understand what role a catalyst plays. Generally speaking a catalyst doesn't react, but rather is used up and then recreated later in the reaction, thus having no effect on the reaction occurring. They are added to speed up reactions, and I suppose if you found the right one, could be used to slow down a reaction as well.

dwalk52

@OMG! Ponies!: I try to follow the same idea, except I treat mine like it cost $500. (Still used to the old first-gen)

After purchasing a white iPhone, I found a cool case from Griffin that makes my phone look like an old iMac. It's predominantly white with blue accents underneath. I've gotten several compliments on it since the purchase last week.

@audioPICNIC:
I keep mine in the left pocket but I am right handed. Weird, I never though about that.

@audioPICNIC: I'm a righty. But the main reason for the iPhone in the left is because my wallet has always been in the right front pocket. Then again, I always hold the phone to my left ear, mainly so I can write while talking.

Plus, I occasionally do southpaw things like eat with the fork in my left hand.

@ihaveabu: dido

John Eaton

Because you pull your phone out with your left hand then tap on the screen with your right. Think about it--when you're using your phone for anything besides calling, what hand is it usually in? It's likely to stay that way until it's time to go back in your pocket.

Willzyx

@audioPICNIC: Right-handed and my designated pocket is the right-hand pocket.

@Minimum91: My Incipio feather case doesn't make the 3GS bulky at all. I prefer the matte rubbery feel over the glossy plastic too.

Will also keep the resale value up!

Luke Smith

@ttech10: I take my phone all sorts of places. At some of them I get drunk, and when I get drunk I have a tendency to drop things.

IAmNotSam

lol

i actually keep my black 3gs in a case for the sole reason of selling it for mint condition when the next iphone comes out in 2010.

@audioPICNIC: I am right handed but still keep my phone in my left hand pocket...no idea why

@Minimum91: To make sure it's safe and won't easily be damaged?

And don't give that 'well just be careful with it' crap. We are human and all ARE prone to make accidents. No matter how safe you are.

@hoffmanbike: Well, heat CAN be created by just syncing your phone and/or restoring it (or just being left in the heat).

So I'd say those things (nothing related to overheating) could cause enough heat cause a chemical reaction with whatever the case is made of.

Plus, there's the fact that people have removed the stain by rubbing it with alcohol.

I totally don't understand people with phone cases and screen protectors. It's like dressing a hot girl up in baggy overalls and putting saran wrap over her face. And the whole protection thing is a joke...I've dropped my iphone at least 10 times and it still looks great, yet other people have theirs covered in an ugly worn rubber casing, and screen protectors that are peeling off. People w/phone cases are not allowed to critique hardware design.

Blackti3

@OMG! Ponies!: I'm a lefty so I've got a similar pocket situation going on...but just out of curiosity how many people keep their phone in the opposing pocket?

audioPICNIC

Im a fan of naked electronics...but Im also OCD about keeping my gadgets scratch free. Ended up buying a Incipio Feather case for my 3GS. This this rocks, tis super thin. Of course, doesnt provide any real drop protection, but I mainly wanted it to keep from getting the back all scratched up.

KendallKollarbear

Wrapping up your phone does not prevent the transmission of disease

@Minimum91: Agreed. Plus the damn things cost like 40-50 bucks for a decent one. I'm just careful to not put it in my pocket with change or keys and it's fine. I can totally see the cases being behind this... my old crappy plastic clear case left scratches around the 'iPhone' name on the back.

electricarchie

I'm for nekkid iPhones for an actual-factual legit reason:

The oleophobic screen on the 3GS wipes clean on the nice, soft cotton lining of pants pockets.

My left front pocket is reserved for my iPhone and my iPhone alone. Besides, after a year of naked iPhoning, my old 3G was still in fine shape. If you treat your phone like it costs $300, you shouldn't need a case.

this doesn't sound right.

why would a clear case rub off pink?

weird chemical reactions still need a catalyst....heat

hoffmanbike

I'm all for the iPhone Nudity. What's the bloody point of having a good looking slick phone if you are gonna insert it into an ugly, bulky case?

Minimum91