Grafitti area gets scratched over time?

[russr]

I went to clean my Clie SJ-30 screen today and after I throughly cleaned it, I noticed that it was flawless with the exception of the grafitti area where I type letters and numbers.  That area had scratches from my stock stylus from typing letters over and over again...do you guys notice that too?  

clean the screen throughly and then go into a well lit room and angle the Clie for the light to fall right on the grafitti area.

[lino-man]

My 610 has had a screen protector on it from the first day I owned it. I have used it at times for extensive notetaking and find that it also has scratches on it in the grafitti area, in spite of protecting it.

[russr]

Interesting...you never use it w/o the screen protector and you still have scratches? I wonder what causes this? Is it the stock stylus not being rounded enough?

[lino-man]

Yes, i was surprised too. It can't truly be called a scratch, but more of a wear pattern I guess. It may be that I get a bit intense when notetaking and press down a little to firm. As it is my third PDA I made sure that the tip was not unusually sharp or anything. Just glad I use the screen protectors, can you imagine what I'd have without them?

[Histy]

This is why I always use the Scotch Post-it Tape trick on the graffiti area. It addition to the protection, it makes it feel more like I'm writing on paper.

BTW, I don't use a screen protector (and somehow manage to avoid scratches).

[Fizzban]

maybe you should try using newpen. that way you can use the graffiti anywhere on the screen and not always wear out one spot. it's free.

the post it is a good idea

[russr]

i do use newpen, but now i'm debating whether or not to use since i don't wanna wear out my scren as well.

[alanf]

Russr - You will indeed get scratches in the graffiti area (if you actually use graffiti - some folks apparently don't). The problem is that no matter how careful you are, invisible bits of grit get caught between plastic stylus and plastic screen, and something has to give. Histy's scotch tape trick is the way to go. It needs to be the kind labelled "removable." Last time I bought it, it was Scotch #811, in a blue box. It makes the writing surface feel more like paper. I have been using it for six years, and each time I eBay my Palm to upgrade, I can honestly advertise that the screen has no scratches!

If you use the whole screen for writing/drawing on a regular basis, you'll probably have to use a screen protector. I don't write on the main screen, and I've never scratched it. (Knock on wood.)

[russr]

Alanf, thanks for the info...I just didn't want to use scotch tape and then over time find that it left a big gluey residue on the graffitti area. I'll look into getting the removable scotch tape though.

Where exactly do you place the tape? Just over the actual graffitti area or over the "home" and all those buttons near the area as well? ANd how do you remove the tape w/o scratching the screen?

[Histy]

I put the tape across the entire area at the bottom (covering the "home" and other buttons).

Since I (like alanf) have only used the "Removable" Scotch tape in the blue box, I have never had a problem taking it off with my fingernail.

I change the tape every month or two, and haven't seen a residue problem (at least, not one that I couldn't handle using a fresh piece of tape as a "lint brush").

[mrfloyd]

Instead of a full screen protector I've been using Tappad overlays which only covers the graffitti area. The Tappad has printing on it in the number area which along with the provided software turns the number area into a keypad.

All in all I've been happy with the product. It did take Tappad much longer than expected to send me the overlays but that could have just been a fluke.

[alanf]

Again, like Histy - I cover the whole bottom area, and I've never had a problem with residue. It just lifts off with a fingernail. Sometimes the cheapskate solutions are the best ones!

[buckethead]

speaking of maintaining the screen, how do u guys clean those irritating dust/residue/whatever stuck around the screen display?

[russr]

btw, my grafitti area is so badly scratched now, I can feel the difference when I write grafitti in that area. It has a rough feeling to it and makes writing grafitti harder because it's like you're writing with grains of sand between the stylus and silk screen.

i'm definitely gonna get that tape.

[alanf]

Buckethead - every once in a while I clean my display with a Q-tip with rubbing alcohol on it. I haven't cleaned the Clie yet (only 2 weeks old!) I can see there are a lot of smudges on the screen - seems to be a different overlay material than my Prism - but when it's on I don't notice them at all.

[DigitalDeath]

Sounds like loose dirt under the protector

[Berto2112]

Well, I got my BoxWave (http://www.boxwave.com/products/cleartouch/index.cfm?type=CLIE) screen protector yesterday and I'm happy with it. Reduces glare (which isn't really an issue on my SJ-20) without that "waffle effect" that some people have and it doesn't reduce visual quality (at least I haven't noticed anything). The only thing that I noticed was that in the couple of attempts it took me to get it on just right, dust stuck to the back amazingly fast. The back sticks through that static magnetism (don't know the official term, you know, how transparencies stick together....) so if you don't put it on real fast you'll get dust on it. I simply washed it, put it back in the paper sleeve the sheet came in, let it dry, and reapplied it fast. It stays on great and since it has a matte finish for glare reduction, it feels good under the stylus. All in all, pretty good.

[Talula]

Originally posted by Berto2112
Well, I got my BoxWave (http://www.boxwave.com/products/cleartouch/index.cfm?type=CLIE) screen protector yesterday and I'm happy with it. Reduces glare (which isn't really an issue on my SJ-20) without that "waffle effect" that some people have and it doesn't reduce visual quality (at least I haven't noticed anything). The only thing that I noticed was that in the couple of attempts it took me to get it on just right, dust stuck to the back amazingly fast. The back sticks through that static magnetism (don't know the official term, you know, how transparencies stick together....) so if you don't put it on real fast you'll get dust on it. I simply washed it, put it back in the paper sleeve the sheet came in, let it dry, and reapplied it fast. It stays on great and since it has a matte finish for glare reduction, it feels good under the stylus. All in all, pretty good.

I apply my G2s in a some what steamy bathroom where dust and lint would be minimal, as per the manufacturer's recommendation. This really cuts back on the problem you described. You might want to try it.
Talula

[Gazpacho]

Talula,

How about the occasional dust specks that get underneath the applied G2, and getting the screen scratched up when you move the G2 protector around when cleaning it? I've read something like that in the forums and I'd like to hear your opinion on this. It's probably the only thing that keeps me from buying G2 instead of Brando.

[Woodchuck]

Originally posted by russr
Alanf, thanks for the info...I just didn't want to use scotch tape and then over time find that it left a big gluey residue on the graffitti area. I'll look into getting the removable scotch tape though.

Where exactly do you place the tape? Just over the actual graffitti area or over the "home" and all those buttons near the area as well? ANd how do you remove the tape w/o scratching the screen?

russr...you won't get a residue if you use the removeable tape as mentioned. I've used it since 1997 on every Palm device I've owned and it comes off very cleanly. When I buy a new Palm Device, the first thing I do is put the tape on the graffiti area. Get the 3/4" size, cut it to length, the full width of the screen, and it covers the graffiti area and the silkscreen buttons. It works great! You can remove it with your fingernail with no damage to the screen.

[Talula]

Originally posted by Gazpacho
Talula,

How about the occasional dust specks that get underneath the applied G2, and getting the screen scratched up when you move the G2 protector around when cleaning it? I've read something like that in the forums and I'd like to hear your opinion on this. It's probably the only thing that keeps me from buying G2 instead of Brando.

I do get the occasional dust or hair or particle under my G2, can't for the life of me figure out how it gets under there, but it does and I just simply remove it and clean the screen and the G2 and all is well.

Right now I'm using a G2 on my T665c, (I had some old WriteRights laying around so that is what is on my SJ20) and my husband has a G2 on his m515. The fit of the G2 on both of our machines is so tight that it does NOT slide around, AT ALL! So when I do get some dust under it I can't see how it would scratch the screen because the G2 just won't budge on either of our units.

This is my experience, others obviously have different experiences.

Talula

[Jeffry]

I really don't mind the scratches on my graffiti area but if it gets to the screen, I'm pissed.

[lax_dad]

With the G2 or NuShield very close to "clear", and the Brando somewhat "milky", how does the Boxwave look? Is it "clear" or "milky"??

I like the easy application and long life of the Brando, but do not like the "milkiness". I like the clear quality of the G2 but find it near impossible to apply properly. So if the Boxwave is "clear" but easy to apply it may be the answer?

[Gazpacho]

Err... if the NuShield is as clear as the G2, than why don't you use the NuShield? Is it as hard to apply as the G2?

I ordered a Brando because I don't want to destroy my first PDA (SJ30) while trying to shove in the G2 protector, but if I'm fed up with my Brando I might want to try a 'clear' protector.

[Berto2112]

I haven't used any other protectors, but I think the BoxWave is mighty clear. I mean, it's not like a transparency, since it has the anti-glare feature, but it's not like looking through a latex balloon either. I really didn't notice any difference at all until I was looking at something that was high res and really small, and then it wasn't even bothersome. I just noticed that the lines were slightly sharper in that particular application before I put on the protector. I haven't noticed it on any other application since, even AvantGo with it's tiny writing.

Berto

[russr]

damn, I thought the Brando was clear...didn't realize it was milky. It was my number one choice.

How is the nushield one?