If you have a smartphone and want to protect it from scratches, but have no need for a physical case the invisibleSHIELD is without doubt the best (and only?) option available to you. It is not cheap, but when compared to traditional screen protectors it is certainly worth a second look.
I bought one for my iPhone 4 to do this review and also because I expected it to be much easier to apply onto a phone that is flat on every side. I previously tried one on an iPhone 3G and the experience was horrendous, to the point that I swore I would never try one again. However, I decided to be brave and have another go and here is what happened-
In the package you get a rubber smoothie, cleaning cloth, instructions, cleaning spray and a set of plastic protectors which come together to bring back memories of Airfix kits from days long gone. I, for the first time in my life, sat down and composed myself and then started to read the instructions. There are a few steps required to understand the best way to install these protectors and I would advise making the time to read the documentation first.
So, I washed my hands and wetted my fingertips with the cleaning spray. I cleaned the screen and gingerly removed the front protector. It took me quite a while to get it positioned correctly, but after a few minutes of messing about it looked OK. I then followed the same process for the back protector; spray the protector and lay it on the cleaned surface. You are able to move the protector around quite a lot and the spray helps to remove air bubbles which helps so I would advise taking your time and not being concerned that it will ‘stick’ to the phone. As an example I was not happy with the front so pulled it off a day later, sprayed it again and did a much better job the second time. It would appear that this protector can be removed and re-attached multiple times so you need not worry if things go wrong the first time.
Once I had the front and back covers on I them moved to the other sections- all 9 of them! I am being serious here because you get smaller protectors included to cover the sides, but to leave open the charging port, volume buttons etc. These went on much easier and I ended up with an iPhone 4 that was almost completely covered with invisibleSHIELD. It leaves a strangely sticky feel to the entire unit which is off-putting at first, but I soon grew to like the feel of it because it offers a lot more grip. This particular set does not fully cover the phone because the edges are left open, but it does go some way to resolving the antenna problem.
It would be harsh of me to criticise the invisibleSHIELD for not protecting the phone from drops because it is not designed to do so. It is designed to stop scratches and the wear and tear that is associated with using any smartphone every day. It will likely increase the resell value of your phone and in some cases improve the look. When you own an iPhone 4 there comes with it an unnatural urge to let people know you are using an iPhone 4 and this is one way to do it. I would say that it is better suited to phones that work best with no case such as the BlackBerry’s and some Nokias, but ironically these will be much more difficult to apply the protectors to because of their shape. All in all, this is an excellent product which serves a purpose, but it does require patience to make the most out of it.
