Fingerprints on Back of New Paperwhite

[CAFlanny]

I've had my PW5 for a few weeks now and I've noticed the back seems to retain the oils from holding it, even after wiping with a cleaning cloth. The print at the bottom of the device appears to be wearing off as well. Is anyone else having this problem? I don't recall this happening with my PW4, but I also had a cover on it and only took it out occasionally.

[Paperbackstash]

I've seen a lot of complaints about this with the new paperwhite on Reddit. Did Amazon do something different to the back of this release to cause this, I'm wondering?

[Canis_lupus]

I use DecalGirl to deal with fingerprints.

[tomsem]

Is any of this different than with the PW4? I really don’t care what the back looks like, it isn’t something I have to look at.

[Drybonz]

It does attract a lot of fingerprints... I just put mine in a case/cover.

[Dr. Drib]

Too bad one can't just pop off the back of a Kobo Aura One and use the back of the new Kindle for a wonderful bird bath for my two parakeets. *

* And without losing the full functionality of Kindle devices.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by CAFlanny

I've had my PW5 for a few weeks now and I've noticed the back seems to retain the oils from holding it, even after wiping with a cleaning cloth. The print at the bottom of the device appears to be wearing off as well. Is anyone else having this problem? I don't recall this happening with my PW4, but I also had a cover on it and only took it out occasionally.

That's a non-issue as a cover would prevent this and make it nicer to hold.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's a non-issue as a cover would prevent this and make it nicer to hold.

Arguably it’s more important to keep fingerprints off of the display side of the device; a cover does nothing about that.

There are these winter touchscreen gloves that would solve this problem, and they also have tend to have anti slip surfaces so the device is easier to hold without it slipping out of your hand and into some snow bank.

A more lightweight, machine washable version of these would solve the fingerprints issue entirely and potentially make it easier to hold the device in question. Not to mention the possibilities for making e-reading more fashionable.

[Drybonz]

Honestly, the front gets pretty fingerprint-y too... but you could easily just stick a screen protector on it. Most of them have the anti-fingerprint surface now. Or you could just wipe it off occasionally.

[CAFlanny]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's a non-issue as a cover would prevent this and make it nicer to hold.

I do plan on getting a cover eventually. I'm just waiting on them to come out with an origami cover that I like.

[Paperbackstash]

I have seen a lot more fingerprint complaints about this one compared to the 4 and 3. What is the difference?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I have seen a lot more fingerprint complaints about this one compared to the 4 and 3. What is the difference?

Possibly Amazon is using glossy plastic.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Possibly Amazon is using glossy plastic.

One review on Reddit said as much: they described PW4 as having ‘paper like’ texture, but that PW5 was ‘smooth’ and more subject to picking up reflection.

While I wouldn’t say my PW4 feels ‘paper like’ it does scatter light reflected off of it, so it does seem there is a change with PW5 with the front surface.

By all accounts I’ve seen, PW5 display is significantly sharper than PW4’s, perhaps in part because they did away with the texturing. I always felt PW4 display suffered because of the scattering.