Aura Will Kobo Aura canvas Sleepcover scratch screen?

[bmaupin]

Question:
For anyone who has a Kobo Aura 6", one of the canvas Sleepcovers ("aqua" or "grey"), and no screen protector, has the Sleepcover scratched the screen?

Background:
I'm very picky when it comes to taking care of things, and I put screen protectors on all of my mobile devices. When I got my Kobo Aura about 6 months ago, one of the first things I did was put a screen protector on it.

After a while the glare began to bug me, and it occurred to me that I had put a glossy screen protector on an ereader, which didn't seem to make much sense. So I bought a matte screen protector. I just installed it yesterday, and it feels like the text is a little blurrier and causing more eye strain than the glare from the glossy screen protector. It's bad enough that I'm debating putting a glossy screen protector back on.

So I've been doing lots of searching and reading on these forums, and it sounds like most people suggest not using a screen protector at all. That sounds great on paper, but this thing is my baby! I do keep it in a Sleepcover case, and I don't put it in my pocket or anything. But the seam on the inside opposite cover of the Sleepcover definitely touches the screen when it's closed and rubs a faint vertical line onto the screen protector after a while.

I'm hoping that the Kobo screen itself would be more durable than the flimsy screen protector, but I really love this thing and I don't want to take any risks of scratching it. I'm not worried about the aesthetics as much as I am about the extra eye strain caused by scratches.

I've attached a picture of the seam that's rubbing, as well as a picture of where the seam has already rubbed the screen protector that I just put on yesterday.

Edit: I was looking closer at the marks on the screen protector, and I was able to polish them off. Maybe they were caused by dirt/oil on the cover transferred to the screen. But I've also only had this screen protector for a day, so I'm still unsure if the cover could scratch it or not.

[Ksquared]

I do not have a sleep cover or screen protector on my Aura. I have had it for about 2 months. Usually, it is on a table when I am not reading, but when I travel I put it in my jeans pocket (fairly loose, but empty) when I go out to dinner. I have had 2 significant trips, and I don't see any scratches. I am considering a cover, mostly to protect from bending that can crack the substrate.

I would think a sleep cover would not induce any scratches since it is not moving against the screen.

[dickloraine]

The material to scratch must be harder than the material scratched. For example you would need a diamond to scratch glas. The screen of the aura is some plastic. No way some cloth makes any scratches.

[meeera]

I never use a screen protector but always use a case (substrate breakage is more likely than screen surface damage). However I wouldn't want a seam rubbing against the surface. I'd personally return that cover and get one that doesn't have a seam there. I consider that a design flaw.

[bmaupin]

Originally Posted by Ksquared

I would think a sleep cover would not induce any scratches since it is not moving against the screen.

The way the cover is designed, it actually can move against the screen a small amount from side to side.

Originally Posted by dickloraine

The material to scratch must be harder than the material scratched. For example you would need a diamond to scratch glas. The screen of the aura is some plastic. No way some cloth makes any scratches.

If the Kobo screen were glass I'd be much less worried. But the screen is plastic, and the cover isn't all that "soft." It's some kind of canvas material, my guess would be manmade fabric. Probably softer than the plastic screen, but not by much.

But you do make a really good point, and perhaps my concerns are unfounded. My first clue to this is when I realized I was able to polish away the marks left by the cover. Maybe they're just caused by dirt and oil being transferred to the screen.

Originally Posted by meeera

I never use a screen protector but always use a case (substrate breakage is more likely than screen surface damage). However I wouldn't want a seam rubbing against the surface. I'd personally return that cover and get one that doesn't have a seam there. I consider that a design flaw.

I got the cover shortly after I got the Kobo, so I've had it about 6 months now. I doubt I could return it. And aside from the seam issue, I really like it. It feels nice in my hand and the sleep function works really well.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by meeera

I never use a screen protector but always use a case (substrate breakage is more likely than screen surface damage). However I wouldn't want a seam rubbing against the surface. I'd personally return that cover and get one that doesn't have a seam there. I consider that a design flaw.

I had the non canvas version of that cover and the inside of the cover doesn't touch the screen, its angled so that only the front edge of the inside cover touches the black surround of the case. The side is higher fractionally that the kobo aura so the front cover slants down and hits the far right edge of the device.

I can't see anything wrong with that cover and cannot see how the seam would touch the screen.

[dickloraine]

What it could be also is that it dents or bends it. That could happen to plastic too, depending on how elastic it is. But I doubt that it is elastic enough that a seem could mould it. In fact, not beeing elastic is a problem for screens, since it leads to breaks. Normally, the harder a material is, the more inflexible it is.

[bmaupin]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I had the non canvas version of that cover and the inside of the cover doesn't touch the screen, its angled so that only the front edge of the inside cover touches the black surround of the case. The side is higher fractionally that the kobo aura so the front cover slants down and hits the far right edge of the device.

I can't see anything wrong with that cover and cannot see how the seam would touch the screen.

It definitely touches. If the picture from my first post with the marks on the screen doesn't convince you, I've attached a picture of the top of the device. Not the greatest picture, but hopefully it shows where the seam contacts the screen.

If I were in the market for a device now, I'd pick up the Glo HD. Having the screen flush with the bezel on the Aura looks great, but I probably wouldn't be having this problem if the screen were inset a little bit. In addition, before I got the cover it was a pain to hold the Aura because if I held it by the bezel I would keep accidentally touching the screen. Now I just hold the cover, which works well for the most part.

Although I've heard devices with inset screens are harder to clean. I guess there's a tradeoff to everything. But I digress...

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by bmaupin

It definitely touches. If the picture from my first post with the marks on the screen doesn't convince you, I've attached a picture of the top of the device. Not the greatest picture, but hopefully it shows where the seam contacts the screen.

If I were in the market for a device now, I'd pick up the Glo HD. Having the screen flush with the bezel on the Aura looks great, but I probably wouldn't be having this problem if the screen were inset a little bit. In addition, before I got the cover it was a pain to hold the Aura because if I held it by the bezel I would keep accidentally touching the screen. Now I just hold the cover, which works well for the most part.

Although I've heard devices with inset screens are harder to clean. I guess there's a tradeoff to everything. But I digress...

Sorry, I wasn't aware the canvas case was made differently to the other sleepcover case. In your situation I would look for another case with a smooth inside front.

Something like this case

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PU-Leather...bo-aura-non-HD

[peterwardgd]

hi, I have the grey sleepcover on my aura and have had since i got it, and its never scratched the screen. The screen is glass isn't it? The cover feels like a hard cardboard covered in a canvas material. i'd be surprised if the canvas could mark it permanently.

Design wise it isn't the best having that inside flap rest slightly in the screen but actually upon checking mine, it doesn't.

Probably not much help but maybe hunt for a non squashed cover? (of course you shouldn't have to) although they are unnecessarily pricey.

[frostschutz]

Is that the official cover for the aura or was it originally made for a thicker device? That seems like a lot of space in there...

You could probably take out the seam without it falling apart.

[bmaupin]

Originally Posted by peterwardgd

hi, I have the grey sleepcover on my aura and have had since i got it, and its never scratched the screen. The screen is glass isn't it? The cover feels like a hard cardboard covered in a canvas material. i'd be surprised if the canvas could mark it permanently.

Design wise it isn't the best having that inside flap rest slightly in the screen but actually upon checking mine, it doesn't.

Probably not much help but maybe hunt for a non squashed cover? (of course you shouldn't have to) although they are unnecessarily pricey.

The screen's definitely plastic. Although I think there's a substrate material beneath it that's glass.

That's quite interesting that yours looks so different from mine. The spine definitely looks thicker. Maybe they redisigned it because of the seam issue? When did you purchase yours?

I might contact Kobo to see if I can swap for one more like yours. I do like the thin profile of mine, but I'll get over it.

[bmaupin]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

You could probably take out the seam without it falling apart.

That's not a bad idea. I could easily remove the stitches on the seam. The only issue is that the stitches along the top and bottom would keep me from being able to fully open the seam. I'd rather not undo those because then they'd start coming out all around the edges. If I were able to open it though, I could probably iron out the crease. Or maybe I could use a razor blade to cut it just before the crease in the seam and not even bother with the stitches...

I don't really use that pocket anyway. It's too small and close to the screen to really be useful for much of anything.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by bmaupin

That's quite interesting that yours looks so different from mine. The spine definitely looks thicker. Maybe they redisigned it because of the seam issue? When did you purchase yours?

I might contact Kobo to see if I can swap for one more like yours. I do like the thin profile of mine, but I'll get over it.

Your picture is exactly what my kobo sleepcover looked like, that's why I was convinced the seam couldn't touch the screen!

I don't think kobo will do a swap though. They don't cover cases at all I found when mine broke quite early on.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

Is that the official cover for the aura or was it originally made for a thicker device? That seems like a lot of space in there...

You could probably take out the seam without it falling apart.

That's the same as the leather effect cover. I had the Aubergine one.