Notice the plastic cover on our laptop:
The laptop looks absolutely brand new under that shoddy plastic cover (which came with the original packing) and which is now old enough to warp itself out after more than a year of use - although, I am still not inclined to remove it completely.
In the past, I have done something similar with plastic covers on many other consumer products - digital cameras, watches, calculators, scientific instruments in my lab, etc.
I don’t know what the motivation is - it’s some sort of a default “frugal” behavior on my part. Maybe it’s the idea that the product will appear “like new” even after a prolonged use - sort of a “save it for later” spirit. Maybe subconsciously, somewhere in my mind I have tied the value of the product to it’s appearance. Maybe keeping the covers on really extends the life of certain delicate products. Maybe it’s just a silly habit. Whatever.
I call it “default” behavior, because it’s not really a deliberate motivation - for example, in case of the laptop, the thought of removing the cover never crossed my mind till yesterday.
Anyways, this brings up a very interesting general issue - till what point should you “save it for later”? I mean, yeah.. you can keep the plastic cover on your brand new sofa forever and preserve it’s original value well over the years, but then you may never really experience the consumerist pleasure of the *newness* of the object (isn’t that one of the reasons why people buy “new” stuff?) - not to mention the irritating crackling noise of the plastic cover.
I wonder if I have been applying this line of thought in other walks of life, without really being aware of it.
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I left the covers and stickers on most of my electroincs also. I don’t know why other than I knew that if I ever got around to removing the plastic cover, my item would look brand new again instead of covered with finger oils and scratches.
I have to note that I don’t have any covers as large as the one in your picture! That I would have removed!
Heh, my laptop of almost four years still has its original plastic film. Yeah, the film is all dirty and flappy, but it feels nicer than the texture of the laptop case itself.
I have a guitar that I bought new. For years I kept the plastic on the pick guard until someone yelled at me and practically tore it off! Mind you the plastic was kinda greenish and all tore up so it didn’t make the guitar look new but there was some psychological reassurance that since the plastic was still there the guitar was still new.
I have the same laptop and so does my girlfiend, she loves to leave plastic covers on everything and gives me a hard time if I remove them. Currently her laptop looks like that and so does her cell phone and ipod. Perhaps it’s to preserve the brand new look but I don’t see what good it does. It WILL eventually have to come off and in the mean time it looks funny. I’m actually the total opposite, I feel a need to peel it off every time I see it. It dulls the shine of the plastic it’s protecting.
I have the same dilemma! I do this all the time and I always wonder why I do it because I end up always using it without the “newness” of the gadget.
I guess it came from my parents since they do the same thing.
Want to know something interesting?
I do the same thing with those paper mats that car mechanics place in your car after working on it. After I get an oil change I sometimes find a brand new paper mat on the driver’s side. I leave it and use it to keep my car clean!
I wish I could get some more of these disposable paper mats for free since they do a wonderful job of keeping my car floor clean.
-Raymond
Did you ever consider using a laptop skin from schtickers.com? They’re pretty cheap at $19.99. Not only can you protect that shiny laptop, it also looks good too! Just stay away from the polka-dots!
I’d never do that. That looks horrible.
I do the same thing with my electronics to preserve the value and condition. I don’t get to experience the “newness”, but does that effect how the product is used? No. And when I try to resell the product, I’m sure people will pay more to experience the “newness” that I don’t care about.
It’s funny as I have the completely opposite way of thinking. I pulled out mine the very first day I bought my laptop, I carry it everywhere and it’s full of small scratches after only 6 months. BUT, I really have the feeling that I use it and it’s not only to leave it on my desk!
My wife left the plastic cover on her car stereo in the Malibu for the 2.5 years before selling it. It was even a marketing point when we sold it.
You can use cling wrap as an alternative if the original plastic is starting to pull off.
Speaking of protective measures for notebook PCs, does anyone have a preferred means of keeping fingertip grease/grime from the keys from touching and befouling the LCD screen surface when the notebook cover is closed against the keyboard?
I seem to recall seeing some kind of paper or foam insert for that, but someone here must know what works best.
I tend to leave the plastic cover on until it falls off by itself. I don’t know why I do that though. Electronic gadgets like cell phones, handheld GPS, etc, do have protective cases available as accessories.
I think that’s overkill. I’d rather buy a good case for the laptop and make sure I don’t mishandle my laptop.
There are better ways to preserve it’s “newness”.
so instead of a worn looking laptop cover, you have worn looking plastic. Don’t get it.
second, sometimes plastic isn’t good. If you have plastic on metal, the plastic adds as a nice little greenhouse and humidity will collect and start pitting metal etc.
This is such a good practice. My husband does it, and I should too, since it preserves the item. What other ways do we cover things? I used to get college textbooks and cover them with brown paper bags a la high school, but it seems that all textbooks are now paperback.
lol,
I laughed so much when I read this, but I know exactly what you’re talking about. I figure when it starts noticeably peeling off, then it’s time to rip it off.
That’s another reason that I can’t own an iPhone. Since it’s a touch screen you gotta take it outta the wrappper. lol
I sometimes leave the plastic on stuff. It depends on the item and whether I care if it gets scratched or not. Once it starts looking bad, however, I usually peel it off.
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