Through the looking glass: The Nexus 5 under the microscope

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• Through the looking glass: The Nexus 5 under the microscope

Your phone is filthy and covered with scratches — but it still looks better than your computer monitor

I chanced across my little USB microscope the other day while looking for a printer cable. I never found the printer cable, but I did keep the microscope on my desk because I knew I would find time to play with it err, um, do some work with it. While the folks who make USB microscopes always show interesting pictures of money or plants or something else all nature-ish and educational, I just had to look at phones, because I'm that kind of nerd. And my wife doesn't allow me to have money. Just kidding. Not really.
Anyhoo, after looking at screens for a bit I decided to grab my Nexus 5 and check it all out. I learned a couple things, and I figured it was interesting enough to share.

Your phone is filthy, and covered with scratches

I'm a little obsessive about keeping my phone clean — or what I think is clean. I can't stand smudges and fingerprints, and even carry a microfiber cloth in my wallet to wipe them away. I learned that this may help you think your phone is clean, but gunk and skin and other nasty things from pockets and hands make your phone really really nasty. Like disgustingly nasty. Did I mention it's nasty?

The USB port

1 / 6That's not the worst thing. Your phone is also covered, both front and back, with scratches. You might not be able to see them with your eyes, or feel them with your fingers, but they are there, mocking us for being so protective and diligent. At first I thought it was dirt. But about 20 Q-tips soaked in alcohol later I have decided that I'm forced to use a phone that's scratched up. And filthy