Help! I dropped my iPod...

[BookstoreEscapee]

...into a cup of soda...:cry:

It was diet, so at least it's not all sticky...:rolleyes:

So I pulled it out and dried it off, and it still played fine (I had it playing in the car; the cup was in the holder that is between the seats, and the iPod was on my leg and slid off into the cup. Why did it not have a lid, you ask? They didn't have any!) but the screen was full of bubbles and there was no display. The light was still working, though. I let it sit upside down on a paper towel (leaning against the wall on my dresser; the soda was still dripping out the top) overnight, but this afternoon I can still see liquid in the screen, there is still no display, and now no light and it's not playing, either (it should have still been paused on the song it was playing when I stopped the car, but when I pressed the button to play, it didn't do anything, so I think it's dead; either that or it's on a menu that I can't see so I have no way of knowing if I'm actually selecting a song). I think I'm screwed. I was hoping that if I let it dry out the display would come back. I don't want to tell my dad until I absolutely have to.

I stopped at the Apple store on my way home and asked if there was any kind of intervention that might save it, but they said there wasn't anything they could do. The guy mentioned a company that might be able to fix it but I don't remember the name now. His only other option for me was their recycling program, which apparently gets me 10% off a new one.

Anyone got any hope for me?

If no hope, what is a good price on an iPod (4-gig Nano). My dad got it for me for Christmas and ordered it online (with my name engraved on the back and everything!) so I don't know what he paid for it. I saw that Target has them for $197.00 June 3-9. The Apple store online is $199.00 with free engraving. (Hmm, doesn't seem like much of a sale there at Target, then...the price on their website is $199.99.) Before I got it I didn't want to spend the money, but now that I've had it for the last 6 months, I don't know what I'll do without it! :cry: My next opportunity for getting it as a gift again isn't until my birthday in October...I can't wait that long!!!

And if I have to buy a new one, do I go for blue again or do I get pink to match my iPod case which is black with pink flowers?

[Rahmota]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I would have to say that you are out one Ipod. Generally electronic devices and fluids of any sort do not get along well. Probably what happened was that the fluid was still wet and conductive enough that the circuits where able to kep playing but when they dried and the water went out of the pop the residuebasically bunged up the circuits, either that or they corroded enough to not be making a good enough contact to be functional. And yah those circuits are that small that they can corrode that quick.

Sorry about that but if it makes you feel any better I've lost a few devices to similar stuff.

My first laptop: Wife spilled a glass of pepsi down the keyboard.
2nd digital camera: Dropped into a glass of milk when hand off was fumbled while passing camera around to look at pictures.
Motorla Talkabout: Dropped in creek during hike.
Amazingly enough almost lost mobile phone when left out in rain but case was sealed enough or it didnt get wet enough to make it quit working. That and it is a Nokia.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I would have to say that you are out one Ipod.

:cry: I was afraid you* were going to say that...

*"you" in the general, CS community sense, of course, not "you, Rahmota" ...:D

Guess I'll be spending 200 bucks in the near future...so about the blue vs. pink question...blue is my favorite color but pink does match the case I have...I'm such a girly girl...I suppose if the prices are comparable I may as well order it online and get it engraved for free...

[BookstoreEscapee]

I just did a little googling of "water in ipod" and found a forum thread from some guy who got his iPod wet, and dried it out. It still doesn't work, so now he's looking for ideas on how to convince Apple that it wasn't his fault, and find out if they can tell that it got wet and will they exchange it on the spot for a new one if he is successful in convincing them it's a hardware problem. The thread includes more than one suggestion of "making a scene at the Apple store" if necessary. Also a mention of cracking the screen so they will exchange it. Clicked on a link that OP included to a "trick" he could try...took me to another thread on the same forum asking for ideas on how to crash an iPod so as to get another one just because they poster wants (no, wait, the exact wording was "need") a new one...

And to think, I automatically jumped right to buying a new one...what was I thinking??!! :doh:


Also realized from my googling that the fact that I let it keep playing instead of unplugging it right away most likely made things worse...

[BlaqueKatt]

check tiger direct (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2539&)-they have refurbished 4gig nanos for 169.00-and also new ones-I got mine off craigslist-used but it was a 30 gig for $200 with a ton of accessories thrown in

[Crazyredhead]

Although it isn't an IPOD, I'm about to chuck this new MP3 player out the window.

[Chanlin]

Most electronic devices of that sort have a PH strip in them to determine the extent of the liquid damage and most companies have a no tolerance policy to avoid scams. IE liquid damage of any kind is always your fault and voids any warranty. I've never owned an iPod so I don't know what Apple's policies are. You might want to read into any warranty card or other warranty information you have to see exactly what if any policy they have on damage and any other fine print.

[Rahmota]

BSE: Thats ok I knew what you meant. Still sorry about that though.

As for how companies can tell theres at least one sometimes more little stickers on the inside that is moisture sensitive. And they change color from pure white to generally blue or pink and the deeper the color depending on how wet it gets. Thats how we could tell when I was a tech for SPCS. Usually it is in the battery compartment and one on the inside of the case.

And yeah SPCS (And cingular as I have read my warrenty) basically anythign that damages the phone that is not directly from the factory is your fault and sucks to be you is a good wa of summin it up. I imagine most electronic devices are the same.

[BookstoreEscapee]

It would never occur to me to try to scam the company into replacing it when I did something so stupid. The sad part is, as I was drinking my soda on the way to the car so it wouldn't be full enough to spill from the normal road turbulence, it occurred to me that I better be careful not to knock the iPod into it, since I usually play it on the way home and I have it sitting in my lap. Slid right off my leg and I didn't even notice until I heard it skip...I'm so annoyed at myself right now but I'm trying to keep a sense of humor about it. On the other hand, I'm afraid to tell my dad...I don't know if he'll really get mad, though he might... but I won't hear the end of it for a while, I'm sure...he definitely won't get me another one...(I suppose I could order a new one, same color with my name on it and not tell him, but he's the one who set it up on the computer and I don't know if I trust myself to not screw it up:rolleyes:)

[BookstoreEscapee]

I was telling my coworkers about my iPod stupidity, and one of the guys said I should just take it to the iPod store and pretend I don't know what happened to it...

:no:

on a related note, i still haven't told my dad.

I asked Greenday "how do I tell my daddy that I killed my iPod" and he said "daddy I killed my iPod?"...sounds so simple, doesn't it?...:p