iPod scratches – treading a fine line

It isn’t a tragedy of Nano proportions (oxymoron intended), but VanPod II already has superficial scratches. The one that bugs me the most is the single hairline scratch, shaped like an eyelash, at the top left corner of my display. Yes, why couldn’t it have been anywhere else BUT the display. Strangely, rubbing at it with my fingers, seems to have made it better. Or maybe it’s just obscured by finger grease.
I have no idea how that odd scratch occured, because VanPod II resides almost exclusively inside a pouch which I took home as a wedding favour at my friends’ recent dinner. However, the pouch was meant to carry a normal-sized mobile phone, meaning it was a bit of a tight squeeze fitting in a 60gb iPod. There are now more, very fine vertical lines all over the iPod. So fine, you wouldn’t notice them unless I told you. But I know they’re there, and that makes me sulky.
I am also slightly annoyed with the AppleCentre Orchard salesman who assured me that my old 40gb iPod was the same thickness as the new 60gb photo iPod I was planning to purchase (I thought the 60gb model was thicker, but thought that Apple salesmen would know better). Thus, he said I could re-use my old dock instead of purchasing a new one. That meant that I would also be able to use the new iPod with my Bose SoundDock, which did not come with a 60gb 4th-generation iPod slot (the largest slot provided was the 40gb 3rd-generation one).
Hence, believing that VanPod II could fit, I pushed it into both docks. At first, I didn’t see any scratches around VanPod II’s base (front and back). However, after a few days of usage, somehow it did get scratched. Bah. I should be less forceful when synchronising VanPod II. I have also decided to REMOVE my old iPod dock – VanPod II shall now connect to my Mac directly by cable, resting on its pouch.
[Update: Bose’s Singapore agent, Atlas Hi-Fi, has informed me that I can collect a complimentary 60gb iPod slot, upon presenting my receipt to them. I am very pleased to hear that. Do pass the word around to your friends who also own SoundDocks and are planning to get new iPods. ps: AppleCentre staff, take a few pointers and give this tip to your customers next time, so they don’t force-feed their SoundDocks. ]
And speaking of pouch, it’s time to start looking for a proper-fitting one. Or a protective film. Aw heck, maybe both.
VanPod II needs clothes.
[Update 2: Bose’s complimentary 60gb iPod slot works fine. A bit loose though – but shouldn’t be a problem. View pics of iPod in its new slot. ]