Review: Zagg InvisibleSHIELD for iPhone
Picking a product…
The InvisibleSHIELD screen protector advertisements have always caught my eye, so I decided to give it a try on my new (to me) used iPhone. I have used ScreenGuardz screen protectors before, but I don’t recommend them. They look bad (they always have bubbles) and they aren’t very rugged. On the other hand, InvisibleSHIELD looks super tough and the installation process looks challenging. I figured it would be an interesting project, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Zagg sells “Front Coverage” and “Full Body Coverage” varieties. I settled on front coverage because I wanted the additional shock protection of a hard-shell case. (I will review Corecases in my next post.) Besides, the installation process looks super-fussy, even more than I can stand.
Finding a deal…
The best price I could find was from the Zagg online store, using the coupon code “ZAGG20″. That gave me 20% off the retail price, and shipping was only $2.99. That’s a better deal than the online stores that take a dollar off the price and then make it up with a six dollar shipping and handling charge. (Its always worthwhile to check the final price; I’ve found that if an online store makes it hard to see the shipping and handling charges, then they are probably overcharging.)
Once I had the product in hand, I read through the instructions a couple times and waited until I had plenty of time to complete it. Installation was still tricky. The video makes it look easy, but I think their hand model was a ringer.
Getting it done (second time is the charm)…
The biggest thing I learned is that they don’t give you any idea how sticky the adhesive is. I mean really sticky. Really, really sticky. The installation fluid is intended to keep that under control, so I recommend you use plenty of it. (Use as much as you think you should, then use a little more.)
The first time through things were a little too dry. I was able to apply to the screen, but it wasn’t aligned well, so I pealed it off. I should have reapplied the fluid at that point, because my second attempt went poorly. Then I accidentally let the adhesive back touch the table I was working on, and it was all over. It picked up some crud and there was no way it was going to look right. (Did I mention how sticky this thing is?)
I ordered a replacement, and the second time through I used a lot more fluid and things were much more under control. I was able to get the screen aligned pretty easily.
The results…
At first, the screen is pretty tacky; it takes a day or two for the fluid to evaporate. Once it does, the InvisibleSHIELD is still not as smooth as the bare glass of the iphone, but that really isn’t a problem.
I am pleased with the results. I can’t say how well the InvisibleSHIELD will protect my screen because I haven’t had a major incident yet. After a few weeks of normal use, the iPhone screen and the InvisibleSHIELD have remained in good shape, and the screen doesn’t show any marks from riding around in my pocket.
My advice: if you decide to try the InvisibleSHIELD, take your time, use plenty of the installation fluid to keep things slick, and you should have good results. You might also want to read another review by The iPhone FAQ.
Related posts:
0 Responses to “Review: Zagg InvisibleSHIELD for iPhone”