After owning my new iphone for about 15 minutes I was already appalled at the appearance of fingerprints on the screen and wanted to further protect the screen and case from day to day wear and tear bouncing around in my bag with my keys, wallet etc. This was the only iphone 3g screen protector product available at the store I stopped at, so I decided to give it a try despite the intimidating price.
Long story short: the product works exactly as advertised. I was a little afraid of trying to install this thing after reading some other reviews and learning that there are video demonstrations. Unlike the above reviewer, I DO NOT have steady hands. I have previously installed similar screen protectors on laptop and pda screens with limited success. I usually find it impossible to get all the bubbles out. However, with this product, the supplied spray really does make it easy to get the protector in the right place on the first try and makes it easier to push the bubbles out. Getting the screen protector on the front of the iphone was very simple. The cover for the back of the iphone was more challenging because of the finicky little tabs. At first there were numerous bubbles remaining in the back cover and I could not get the corner tabs to stick. I decided not to worry about it because I had already ordered another case which would cover this up and the device was at least protected if not terribly aesthetically pleasing.
Fast forward about a week and all of the bubbles really did magically push themselves out and the corners eventually stuck in place. I was truly amazed. I have had a similar screen protector on my laptop screen for over a year and it still has some bubbles in it. But whatever the stuff is this cover is made out of, the bubbles really will work themselves out. Additionally, fingerprints are less noticeable on the screen, and I feel that the exterior of my iphone is well protected.
Overall I am terribly pleased with this product. It is a bit more expensive than other screen protectors, but it does the job it is advertised to do and better than other similar products. I think it does diminish the aesthetic appeal of the iphone to some extent because even with all the bubbles gone you can still see the clear seams in the case hence I can only give it four stars. But I feel the slightly diminished appearance is more than worth it for protection of this expensive device. Zagg InvisibleShield Front Shield for Apple iPhone 3G and 3GS (Front)
There is good and bad with this product.
The good: it provides excellent protection for the screen of the iPhone and when used with a wraparound case (my favorite is the Jam Jacket), keeps the iPhone screen from being scratched. The packet also comes with three "shields" so that when one gets ratty, you can easily replace it.
The bad: it's a bit of a pain to install with the spray, align, lay down carefully, and squeegy routine. That might be one reason why they give you three shields because for first timers, you're probably going to burn a shield in the first attempt and get it right on the second install. My biggest gripe is the sticker they put on the shield, the #2 sticker, which is what you grasp while aligning and placing the shield. When you remove the sticker, it leaves behind a bit of gum that is not easily removed, not with the spray provided, not by a fingernail, and not by dish soap. I haven't tried anything harder but it gripes me to have a sticky spot in the upper right corner of the shield. As a result, this spot gets dirty the easiest AND this corner of the shield never properly sticks. After a couple months, this top corner begins to stick up, and that eventually leads to a need to replace the whole shield. It just looks ratty after a couple months.
I've bought this product twice, but I won't buy it again. It's just too complicated to install, and, ultimately, isn't a satisfactory solution.
I don't like that it's wavy (It's installed properly and there are no bubbles). It blurred small fonts. It smells exactly like book covers I used to buy when I was little. You could buy that stuff really cheap (minus the liquid and nonpermanent adhesive).
I took it off the iPhone after a day.
I like how the iPhone glass feels. I can clean it if I have to. I didn't like the cruddy feel of this (around the home button, etc).
I know, it's just personal preference, but it's sad to have a nice screen become blurry with this thing.
Disclaimer: I've got no affiliations whatsoever with the company that makes these, aside from having bought some of their products.
I've used these since the very first iPhone, I had that one done "professionally" at the time, since they were doing it for free at that year's MacWorld in SF. At least once I had the shield before I actually got the corresponding iPhone, and I've owned all of them so far. I didn't get the 4 yet, I'm waiting for the spoiled brats (Apple & At&t) to get their trips together, I generally don't go for paying to beta test stuff. You can be sure the first thing I do as soon as I get the 2 4's (can't skip the better half!!), is to get 2 ZAGG shields.
These are by far the most sensible products for the job. I have seen quite a few other "solutions", more like disasters, people have used for this purpose, none of them cover as much ground as this: either they are bulky which to me defeats the purpose of owning as slick an object as an iPhone, sorta like buying a Modigliani and hanging it wrapped in bubble wrap. Or they look like a diner's griddle that's one omelet shy of the trash can.
I've seen how other skins keep bubbling, keep the same bubbles right there in the same spot for life. This is worst than having a bunch of dead pixels smack in the center of your laptop's screen. These have never had a bubble and I'm not more handy than the next guy. I love that my phone looks totally "naked" while still protected from scratches, smudges etc.
Over the years there's been a few OhWoopses!! that would have had me traipsing to the Apple store for some serious pleading. The great thing is when I sold both 3G's after I got the 3GS's and I took the ZAGG skins off, I wiped the phones off with a paper towel and a hint of Windex: They looked Brand New! As if they just go out of the box for the first time! Given I had the 3G's less than a year (had to have the speed of the 3GS as soon as it came out), but still, I thought that was pretty amazing since my wife's phone hangs out in a purse most of it's life with the rest of that wondrous universe a woman's purse is. Mine had it's share of fights with keys, coins and whatever else you can find in the cars center console.
I was gonna give it only four stars, to concede to the fact that it has a very slight relief, but even that is barely visible when the screen is off and disappears completely when it's on. I honestly do not/cannot see what people are talking about "not seeing smaller fonts" and, as I said, I've used these for years.
All this to say the iPhone is NOT the same with the shield on for a very simple reason: it's on it. It doesn't feel exactly the same, because you HAVE added something to it. But adding for adding this is by far the least offensive and the most set it and forget it solution. The only better solution I know of is the nothing solution, which is the one Jobs encourages, I say he has a point and if the ZAGG shield didn't exist I woulda gone that route.
I hope this helps someone do the right thing.
P.S. I read somewhere that the ZAGG shield solves the antenna problem for the iPhone 4! How cool is that?'
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