invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone 3G
Posted by Notcot on Jun 24, 2010 in Handhelds & PDAs |
Product Description
Your search for an Apple iPhone 3G case, skin, or cover is now over. ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELDTM is an exceptionally clear and virtually indestructible film that will protect your iPhone 3G from unsightly scratches.
- Scratch-Proof, patented film
- Military Grade
- Improves grip
- Lifetime Guarantee
- Invisible protection
First off this product does take time and patience to install, you really should read instructions carefully and ideally watch the installation videos on the Zagg website. It took about an hour to install both the front and back pieces onto my iPhone 3G and then it needed to be set aside overnight but the result is awesome. There were a few small air bubbles on the back of the device but these have almost all gone after 12 hours and according to the Zagg info they should go completely in 2 – 3 days (there’s none on the front at all – much easier to install as it’s flat).
The phone feels grippy now and doesn’t get smears from my head or fingers, there is a slight rippled finish to the shield but that doesn’t seem to effect the screen clarity at all.
I had a Griffin Elan case for my phone before but got fed up with the extra bulk and the screen protector was always smeared.
I’d give this product 5 stars but I’ve taken one off because it isn’t an easy install but once it’s on I can’t fault it at all.
Rating: 4 / 5
i ordered the invisible shield direct from the carphone warehouse with my new iphone. as soon as i took the shiney new iphone out of the box i set about installing the invisible shield. i read the instructions carefully. i then followed the link at the bottom of the instruction sheet to watch the demonstration installation video. i read the instructions again and the started the task. i washed my hands, sprayed my fingers with the application spray. sprayed the adhesive side of the shield. layed it on my phone. aligned it. sprayed the non adhesive side and squeegied it. so far so good. i followed the same steps with the back of the phone. the corners wouldnt stick. i let them dry. used the palming as described in the hints and tips. i struggled for over 2 hours to get the thing to stick. i left it to dry as instructed.
the next morning the corners had come unstuck. it gave the phone a horrible mottled look. the corners wouldnt re stick. and tiny dust particles had got behind the front screen and were plainly visible when the screen was illuminated bright white.
i will admit that i am a bit of a perfectionist. but this protection didnt live up to my expectations. it may work well on surfaces that are flat but as far as the curved back of an iphone goes it doesnt really work to well. some may be able to live with the nearly invisible bits of dust behind the screen. i used to work as a paintwork inspector and have a critical eye, so this was no good for me. i left the shield for a further 72 hours to see if it improved as the installation video promised. it didnt!! so now its been ripped off my phone, discarded in the bin with much disgust. i may as well have thrown my bank notes straight in the bin.
i wouldnt mind so much if i was useless at these things, but i’m lucky enough to be blessed with quite high levels of dexterity. i have applied film to the wings of several model aircraft which in itself is no easy task. i would have thought it would be far simpler to install what is supposed to be a simple shield to a phone at a perfect standard. i was proved wrong.
the shield does work well as it does prevent from scuffs and scratches.But if you have an eye for detail, you may well be unimpressed like me.
Im just about to spend a fiver on the rubber case on amazon. it may make the phone a little more bulky. but at least it wont look like a bodge job. which the invisible shield should not have looked like after 2.5 hours of careful clean install!!
Zagg. you can keep your palming technique, and your video is far from realistic.
Rating: 2 / 5
The shield itself is ok but it does scratch quite easily. However, my real problem with the product is the phoney lifetime warrenty. Should you try to claim a replacement you’ll find the fax number for your receipt doesn’t work! Then when you scan and email it they’ll claim they can’t read it, even though you can on a iPhone! Thus, the product works but temporarily, then they’ll wriggle out their warrenty so overall I would say don’t buy it. It’s massively overpriced and other cheaper products do the same job. One star.
Rating: 1 / 5
I bought the full kit a while ago. The problem with the screen protector is the feel: when you wipe your finger across the screen it doesn’t glide as it would on the bare screen, it feels slightly tacky and can have an adverse affect on your high scores. No question that it protects well, but you end up degrading the phone.
As for the full kit, don’t bother. The small tags that wrap around the edges come unstuck and gather fluff, making it look terrible after a couple of days in a pocket.
Rating: 2 / 5
This is my second Invisible Shield product (my first was on my iPod Classic). The fitting of the product is pretty hard – you need to make sure you get no dirt on any surface at all to get a decent finish, and the application of the back either requires superhuman patience or a pair of scissors when you’ve given up and just want to remove the “sticking out bit”.
The overall effect is pretty good, but not perfect (I defy anyone to come up with a perfect fit for this). However, I know from experience with my iPod that the surface will not deteriorate visibly over time.
Happy, but not ecstatic!
Rating: 3 / 5