Hacking TIP: How to make your DS touch screen smoother

[zero383]

Hello everyone,

I'd thought I share a mod (if you can call it a mod) that I do on all my touch screen devices. It works on the bare DS screen or on a screen protector. The purpose of this is to make your touch screen smoother alowing your stylus to glide across with very little resistance. It will also provide some protection from scratches.

I initially used Rain-X but I discovered something better. I found that Rain-X builds up over time after a few coats and eventually makes the screen gummy or stickier. I was waxing my car one day and I thought I try some of it on my DS screen and it works great! It lasts several times longer than Rain-X and doesn't "build-up" when doing more than one coat. I've used it on screen protectors and on the actual screen with no problems.

It's a kinda pricey and you'll only use a tiny bit of it but hey, if you have a car you can use it for that. It's one of best consumer wax/sealants available. I'm pretty sure any other car wax will have similar results but I'd stick to the synthetics because natural waxes have oils that can stain the screen.


THINGS YOU NEED:
Meguiar's Tech Wax 2.0
Q-Tip
Soft Cleaning Cloth

*** DISCLAIMER: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK ***


STEP 1

Clean your screen with soft cleaning cloth (a damp cloth works best) and make sure it's dry.


STEP 2

Dab a bit of the wax on the Q-tip and gently apply it in a circular motion on the screen. Wait around 20 min for it to dry thoroughly.


STEP 3

Using a soft cloth (cotton, microfiber, eyeglass cloth, etc) gently buff the screen. DO NOT USE paper towels. Those are made of wood fibers which can scratch screens.


DONE! ENJOY!


You'll notice that your stylus will glide much easier and the screen will be less prone to scratches because of the lower resistance coefficient.

 

[Brian117]

I've also heard of using Toothpaste. Which worked somewhat,

But I never thought of this.

I should try it.

Thanks!

EDIT: Now our DS's will be water proof. SWEET.

 

[boogerlad]

thanks! This is really helpful. How does it affect clarity?

 

[zero383]

I've also heard of using Toothpaste. Which worked somewhat,

But I never thought of this.

I should try it.

Thanks!

EDIT: Now our DS's will be water proof. SWEET.

Wouldn't it be a bitch to buff out toothpaste though? lol, it's all sticky and gooey. I guess it'll smell minty fresh

 

[zero383]

thanks! This is really helpful. How does it affect clarity?

Does not affect clarity at all. The liquid is crystal clear. Just remember to buff it all out once it dries to a haze. Kinda like waxing a car.

 

[Brian117]

Wouldn't it be a bitch to buff out toothpaste though? lol, it's all sticky and gooey. I guess it'll smell minty fresh

Actually it's not that hard. You just got to be careful about getting it under the edges. Then that would be a bitch.

But if you just do it in the center of the screen, you should be fine. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then get a tissue and lightly scoop it off in circular motions.

 

[wchill]

Where do you get RainX anyway? This seems interesting enough for me to try it.

 

[zero383]

Where do you get RainX anyway? This seems interesting enough for me to try it.

Any automotive store will have it. Amazon carries it too.

Amazon

 

[wchill]

Oh, I don't go to automobile stores. Crap.
But DAMN IT'S CHEAP!!!

 

[iwakura]

oh snap this sounds awesome!

it works on an iphone too, I assume?

I am totally going to try this out!

 

[jesterscourt]

oh snap this sounds awesome!

it works on an iphone too, I assume?

I am totally going to try this out!

It would make the screen smoother, yes, but as the Iphone uses capacitive tech for the screens, I'm not sure if that might present other problems... Someone that knows more, chime in here.

 

[zero383]

Haha, the shipping is more than the cost of the product at amazon.

Yes it works on iphones too but personally, i'd only use it on devices that use a stylus. You mainly use your fingers for a iphone and it will feel kinda weird and slippery.

 

[iwakura]

thanks for the tip, I'm refraining from using it on my iphone

I just tried it out on my DSi and it is as smooth as silk! Compared to a DSi without this little trick, a stylus will slide much smoother, and it's definitely noticable if you apply a bit more pressure on both screens when sliding!

I feel like I just got a superior screen protector

 

[Kuschel-Drow]

What the hell?
I just looked up Rain X on our German Amazon page and it is like 9 times the price there! O_O

Woah... but there's something else you can use, it's called Displex. At least here in Germany. It removes scratches from both displays and it makes the touchscreen smoother too.

 

[zero383]

thanks for the tip, I'm refraining from using it on my iphone

I just tried it out on my DSi and it is as smooth as silk! Compared to a DSi without this little trick, a stylus will slide much smoother, and it's definitely noticable if you apply a bit more pressure on both screens when sliding!

I feel like I just got a superior screen protector

Glad you like it.

QUOTE(Kuschel-Drow @ May 3 2009, 03:40 AM) What the hell?
I just looked up Rain X on our German Amazon page and it is like 9 times the price there! O_O

Woah... but there's something else you can use, it's called Displex. At least here in Germany. It removes scratches from both displays and it makes the touchscreen smoother too.

Yea, there are other products out there that do the same thing, not just Rain-X. The basic idea is the same: it fills in the tiny gaps on surfaces.

 

[Deleted User]

What the hell?
I just looked up Rain X on our German Amazon page and it is like 9 times the price there! O_O

Woah... but there's something else you can use, it's called Displex. At least here in Germany. It removes scratches from both displays and it makes the touchscreen smoother too.

I'd rather not use Displex on my touchscreen as it specifically states that it shouldn't be used on those. Also, Displex removes tiny particles from the screens surface and tries to fill the scratches with it (proof). However, I used it on a GBC display and it didn't really end that well.

 

[zero383]

I know this thread is over a year old but I've made changes to the original post. I'm using Tech Wax 2.0 now instead of Rain-X.