After all the comments here and at Amazon about the bruised-looking screens, I decided to give the PW a pass, and got a used Touch on eBay. Then I saw that Best Buy had them in stock, and I decided to go out and look at them in person. The first demonstrator they had was bricked which always gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. I finally found somebody who showed me a different one AND said that after paying for it, I could try it in the store, and either exchange it or get a refund if I didn't like it. The one I got has a pretty even white screen and the lights work well for me. So far, I really like the screen, but I'm going to wait to vote for a while.
I don't know if they've gone on to a second (or third) manufacturing method or not, but I have no regrets about waiting, and it was well worth the extra cost (tax) to be able to see what I was getting before I got it.