InvisibleSHIELD by ZAGG Review

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
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Everyone who owns expensive devices is always looking for a way to protect them. There is no shortage of cases, films and other protecting products out there, and each has its own benefits and downfalls. When Invisible Skinz reached out to me to take a look at the invisibleSHIELD, I was happy take another look. I say another, because I have used these products in the past, as I had one for my Motorola Q back in 2006. At the time, I ended up having to send my phone back to Verizon, and forgot to remove the shield before sending. Fortunately, I am able to take another look.

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In the Box
Invisible Shield
Install Squeegee
Shieldspray



Installation/Thoughts

Installing the invisibleSHIELD on your device takes about 30 minutes, but it’s worth the time. The secret for Zagg is the shield spray that they include with the shields. The formula interacts with the adhesive on the shield to make the installation process easier, and more effective. The actual installation process is simple; peel off the shield from the paper backing, spray, apply and squeegee. Each invisibleSHIELD is created specifically for the device its sold for, so the longest part of the installation is getting each little piece lined up perfectly. The result is full device coverage that looks incredibly professional. Out of all the devices I have, I thought the iPhone 3G would be a great representation as a test device for the product. The capacitive touch screen was my biggest concern, as I wondered if the screen would still be sensitive to my fingers. Good news, there is no noticeable difference in user experience on the screen.

I’ve had the invisibleSHIELD on my iPhone for the past week and have been happy with the results. The full body coverage gives me the peace of mind that I my phone is protected. The texture of the shield gives it a “grippy” feel, which makes it less prone to being dropped, and overall is a very unobtrusive solution to keeping your device protected.


invisibleSHIELD


About the Invisible Shield

ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD™ is a thin polyurethane film originally created for the military to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades. What’s unique about this military-grade, patented film is how tough it is – it doesn’t scratch. What makes ZAGG’s exclusive invisibleSHIELD™ so strong, flexible and scratch-proof? Its Nano-Memory technology™. With this technology, it also allows it to curve and contour around an entire device (not just the screen) and adhere to the device unless you want to remove it (without leaving adhesive).

The invisibleSHIELD has been designed to protect over 2,500 handheld electronics, including the Apple iPod touch, the Apple iPhone 3G, the BlackBerry Curve and more.

from Mickey Papillion, 3/14/2009

InvisibleSHIELD for BlackBerry Storm Reviews (from Best Buy and Amazon)

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleShield cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
Awesome Protector
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invisibleSHIELD

Have tried different shield protectors in the past on different items, this one is definately the best. For best results, if the phone is new, dont remove the plastic coating from the Blackberry Storm used for shipping until this is put on or your not going to get the best results. If you have, just clean the screen with lint free cloth or kit before installing the invisibleSHIELD. As of this date, I have not seen any Blackberry Storms with any type of protective shield, but I have seen many mistake the plastic covering over the screen used for shipping as a shield and you dont want to waste putting the shield on this. Anyway, follow the instructions exactly! 24 hours means 24 hours or you risk shorting out the phone. Unless you want a bulky case for it, this is the best route to go, to protect the screen as it prevents fingerprints and scratches. As for lint, give it a week and that shouldnt be a problem either. My wife had me install one on hers after I had done one on mine and the screen looks like new. Well, it is new, but you know what I mean. Its thick and protective. I recomend the Blackberry Bold Leather holster 9238693 and a skin like 9238639 for the times you keep it out of the holster and drop it on your desk.  
Posted 15 days ago at  10483609-3

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The Best Protection
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I have used this shield for my phone, my daughters phone, my ipod and now have ordered for all co-workers to help protect their new Blackberry Storm's. I know how hard the guys are with their phones. I have had my phone for about 2 years now. My phone still looks like new (The Chocolate). I highly recommend this invisibleSHIELD for anyone who is hard one their phones. Not only do they make shields for phones but you can buy shields for you game consoles, cameras, laptops and so much more. They even make custom made shields. Also, Zagg will replace your invisibleSHIELD free if something were to happen to your shield but only if you register your shield with Zagg.


Posted 121 days ago at  10483609-3

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Great Product
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This thing is great. It really is scratch proof... I know that because the first one i bought i ended up dropping it on the carpet and got all dirty so i was scratching it with a bunch of stuff and nothing! It should be a little cheaper tho...


Posted 108 days ago at  10483609-3
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invisibleSHIELD for Blackberry Storm

invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone Review

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD screen protector cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
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from thechipchick.com


The problem with iPhone cases is that they cover up the beautiful design of the iPhone. But if you don’t put a case on your iPhone and you end up damaging it, you’ll never forgive yourself either. Think of the invisibleSHIELD as a happy medium. Kind of like the emperor’s clothing, the InvisibleSHIELD is designed to protect your iPhone without covering up its lovely curves.

Initially, I was a little skeptical about using the
invisibleSHIELD on the face of the iPhone because I was worried that it would interfere with the sensitivity of the iPhone. Fortunately, it hasn’t interfered at all with the iPhone’s usability. The package included a piece that covers the face of the iPhone, and the back of the iPhone. However the piece for the back of the iPhone doesn’t wrap around far enough to cover the metal edges on the iPhone’s face. I find that a little disappointing since, since I think that the metal edges are the most delicate area on the iPhone and mine have already been getting a little scuffed up from use. The invisibleSHIELD also claims to be scratch proof. Admittedly, I am to chicken to test that theory out on my precious, however I’ve been carrying it around for a couple of days and it has kept my iPhone safe and sound so far.

Applying the
invisibleSHIELD was simple enough, though it did take concentration in order to take some effort to make sure that no air bubbles got in. A spray on solution is included with shield that makes the invisibleSHIELD movable on the iPhone’s surface, so that you can align it as perfectly as possible without much hassle. I succeeded in aligning the front and back piece of the invisibleSHIELD pretty well, minus a bubble that I couldn’t manage to get rid of on the back side.
invisibleSHIELD

Overall, the invisibleSHIELD has proved to be a great way to protect your iPhone and I believe that the $24.95 price tag is a fair one for it, especially since they include a lifetime guarantee. My only gripe is that it doesn’t cover the iPhone completely. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that while the invisibleSHIELD is strong, it’s not strong enough to protect your iphone from the impact of a bad fall. The invisibleSHIELD is also available for other iPod models and other popular cell phones and gadgets.

Full Body invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone Review

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD screen protector cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
Posted By Brandon on March 7, 2008


So - Anyone else tired of the post-SDK launch hype? Personally, I’m really excited but waiting until June is going to be like waiting for paint to dry. And 20 posts per site on each little thing in the SDK event is driving me crazy. So, lets break up the “news” for a little while and give you a look at the Zagg invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone. Note: I bought this myself. This is not a review unit supplied by Zagg … so any glowing (or not so) praise is all me.
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Alright - not too exciting, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. Of course boxes are never too exciting but the packaging for the invisibleSHIELD is pretty nice compared to some of them that I receive. More on that in another review coming soon.
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Here’s what you get. In the first picture is the “solution” and the squeegee. In picture 2 is the invisibleSHIELD itself, a product registration card (not needed if you buy from their site) and some instructions/tips. Now frankly the boxed instructions could have been a bit more helpful, but there’s videos on the ZAGG website to help you out if you need it. I decided not to use the videos - one because I’m a guy and we don’t stop to ask for directions and two because chances are good none of you folks are going to either. So - I’d rather get the same experience you folks will. Note: Use the videos and follow the tips on the installation page. You’ll be glad you did.
More after the break
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About the installation. TAKE YOUR TIME. And take lots of it. Most “screen protection” only takes a couple minutes to prep and apply. The invisibleShield Full Body shield is NOT one of those. It took me almost an hour to really get things applied properly and at least another hour of “perfecting”. By perfecting I mean going back every once in a while over multiple hours and re-sticking various parts and pieces - especially the corners - to make sure I didn’t have a lot of bubbles or loose edges sticking up. I figure I spent a few minutes here and there for a couple hours… so again don’t think you’re going to do this in 20 minutes and then be done.
There’s not enough solution by the way. Not to really do it the way I did and not for the full body application. I’m not sure if they short change this to save cash or what, but they could have filled the whole bottle and saved me the hassle for less than a penny I’m sure. I mixed a bit more and rolled on.
Back to the pictures. The ones above and the ones following were all taken shortly after the application. Notice the tiny air bubbles.
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During application make sure you’re in a fairly lint free area. If you aren’t - get in one or at least clean up the area you’re in by spraying some Pledge and having some paper towels around. I did it in a house that has 2 dogs and 2 cats … so if I can get a clean area so can you.
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Also - use a lint free cloth to help you soak up the fluid and hold things in place. The corners need a lot of love to get them stuck right and you don’t want a lint covered dust mop to hold them down! I have to thank my friends at Proportafor sending out a cloth a while back for another product - talk about a life saver!
So … after a couple hours of fiddle farting around with the application I finally got it all how I wanted it. Seriously … application is a pain in the arse. (It’s a family site - or I’d be a little more frank.)

Now … sit back, relax and don’t touch it for another 24 hours. Yea. You read that right. 24 fricking hours!! Luckily for me I have another phone to use so it wasn’t a big deal to put my iPhone down and pick up the AT&T 8525 I keep around. Honestly, it sucked. I used Windows Mobile for 12 hours - and I wanted to take it out back and shoot it to put it out of its misery. For those of you not so lucky to have another device floating around… call your friends before you start and tell them you’re out of commission for the rest of the day. You really don’t want to handle this thing for at least 12 hours. Once you get started you’ll see what I mean, but suffice it to say that handling a half dried device can lead to things “shifting” and “un-sticking”.

Anyway, sit back and relax. There’s drying time involved, as well as setup time, bubbles disappearing, and all of that jazz. Magically, the bubbles really do disappear! Well, for the most part.
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As you can see the back is almost completely bubble free. The front isn’t perfect - but darned near. I’ve got one tiny little bubble on the left side in roughly the middle. Not bad considering how many pets I have and how many bubbles I started with!
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And I managed to get all the corners to stick!! Or course they may not look like a “pro” did it … but I’m proud.
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So overall I think it looks alright. As you can see in the above pictures, there’s a lot of what I would call orange peel looks to the invisibleSHIELD. This is definitely going to be a drawback for a lot of people since the screen on the iPhone is one of the biggest draws of the device. But, can you take a razor blade or keys to the screen of your iPhone and not worry about it? Trade offs my friends - trade offs.
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The invisibleSHIELD also adds a bit of reflection to the screen itself which should be evident in these last pictures. But its really not as bad as I read around the web. I’ve used the Otterbox Defender on my iPhone for a looong time now and frankly I think between the two (screen only) the invisibleSHIELD is a lot easier on the eyes. The Defender however is still my favorite case… because it can take a serious beating and come back for more.
Another thing the pictures don’t show and I can’t take a picture of is how it responds to fingers all over it. Obviously the iPhone is a “touch” screen device. All interactions are mainly done through the screen. In all honesty it’s a bit tacky, but overall not really tough to get used to. You’re not sliding across glass anymore so there’s definitely some increased drag. If you’re used to sliding your finger along the glass and having your fingernail drag along behind it (ladies) you might want to trim them up a bit because it’s going to catch on the invisibleSHIELD. I figure this will take some getting used to, right along with the orange peel.
invisibleSHIELD Anyway, here’s the wrap up. I just put this on yesterday so I don’t have any long term thoughts quite yet (I’ll follow up in a week or so) but here’s what I’ve got so far:
Pros:
Keys, Razor Blades, Pens, Pockets … you name it, you don’t have to fear it.
Lifetime Warranty. 30 Day Money Back.
Peace of mind.
“Grippy” - compared to the slickness of the sides on the iPhone itself, I’m a lot less worried about the iPhone sliding out of my hands.
Cons:
Installation/Application is a pain
Looong dry time
Orange Peel looks, Reflectivity of the screen, “grabby” feel if you’re a fingernail slider.




invisibleSHIELD iPhone Screen Protector Review

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD screen protector cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
By Chad Shmukler - Published July 10th 2007

Though it came as a surprise to absolutely no one, along with the Apple iPhone has come an absolute barrage of accessories and other products to pair with your iPhone, leaving all of us with a sea of merchandise to sort through and evaluate. Slowly but surely, feedback will be available on all of these products. Some things, however, are important to be informed about right from the get-go. Depending on the person you're asking, virtually any mobile phone accessory can be considered essential. One that should be, without argument, considered essential for all PDAs is a screen protector. When considering that typical PDAs are commonly more expensive than less featured mobile devices and the usage more intense, protecting one's investment should be considered a must. Thus, the first accessory each one of you should buy for your iPhone (yes, before the fancy Bluetooth headset), is a screen protector.

The problem is, you've got dozens to choose from, most of which aren't worth your money or effort to apply. I've had experience with numerous different brands, all of which came at a relatively high cost (usually around $20 a pack) and offered extremely disappointing results. One other thing that each of these brands had it common was that each required, through various suggested methods, that they be cut to fit your device once arriving home. Consistently, each offered bubbly application results, poor clarity, and a short life span due to the fact that the protectors themselves were easily marred and scratched.



A few weeks before the iPhone was released, I decided to try moving up in the world of screen protectors. After talking to a few trusted colleagues, I decided to make my first foray into the screen protector upper crust with ShieldZone's line of screen protectors, the invisibleSHIELD. Suffice it to say, I was skeptical. The invisibleSHIELD typically costs between $15-$25 for one protector, a price for which I was used to getting a pack of 8-12 protectors.

ShieldZone makes an extremely boastful array of claims for it's flagship product line, the invisibleSHIELD. Specifically, ShieldZone states, "invisibleSHIELD is the toughest, most durable gadget scratch protection film available on planet Earth" ... and they're just getting started. They describe the protectors as "invisible", "invincible", strong enough to protect helicopter blades traveling hundreds of miles per hour, and even go so far as to impart "self healing" properties to the urethane plastic which the invisibleSHIELD is made of. The website features pictures of someone attempting to tear the protector apart and even puncture the shield with a pencil, failing on both accounts. Finally, according to ShieldZone, each protector comes pre-cut to custom fit your device perfectly.

Okay, enough, I'm sold. Let's check these out.

invisibleSHIELD

The Package
The invisibleSHIELD comes with the shield components, a tapered black plastic squeegee, and a small, misting bottle of spray solution which is intended to aid in the application of the protector to your device. The iPhone full body protector, unlike the other full body protector we received, comes with two bottles of the solution.


Durability
Considering ShieldZone's momentous claims about the durability of the invisibleSHIELD, I decided to test that first. As mentioned above, ShieldZone shows images depicting plenty of different stress tests on their protectors. So, I figured I'd try a couple of my own. Instead of their pen test, I figured I'd try to bust through the shield with a fork. Using some test material sent along by the company with the actual protectors I ordered, I placed the material over a four pronged fork and pulled. Much to my delight, the material performed as promised. Until I could no longer keep a grip on the plastic, the urethane stretched and stretched, ever more conforming to the fork, but not puncturing.

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My scratch test yielded similar results. Using first my trusty fork and subsequently a pair of scissors (opened to expose the sharp blade), I scraped away at another sheet of the invisibleSHIELD scrap material. Again, as promised, the shield performed as touted. None of the fork or scissor strokes left any observable scratches on the material. Later, once I had applied my invisibleSHIELD to my iPhone, I worked up the courage to try a few fork strokes along the screen of the protected iPhone. Much to my delight, the iPhone and the invisibleSHIELD emerged unscathed.


Scratch iPhone with Form protective cover
Since you might not believe the scratch test took place, at least this photo shows how
smooth and clear the invisibleSHIELD is even with my hasty application

Application
The installation instructions that come with the invisibleSHIELD urge both care and patience. Due to my lack of the latter, I tend to abandon the former. So, what follows is a description of a hasty application of the invisibleSHIELD. Luckily, I had my Samsung Blackjack handy to try first, hoping to get better results out of the iPhone as a second victim.

Both applications turned out to be far easier than expected. Using the provided spray and squeegee, it was surprisingly simple to correctly position each piece of the protector. More importantly, smoothing air bubbles out from under the plastic was a breeze. Though other protectors may ship with a similar accompaniment, the invisibleSHIELD application spray is presumably the lifesaver here. Having only performed dry applications before, and achieving less than desirable results, the liquid made the application smooth and effortless. The included squeegee, in my opinion, is heads and tails above using more credit card like tools to smooth out wrinkles and bubbles.

One common sense tip - start with the back first. That way you can get your feet wet on an area of the device where you won't offend yourself by not doing the job perfectly.



Fit
The invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone fits perfectly. It's almost shocking how well it handles the fluid shape of the device. The protector I tried on my Blackjack faired almost as well, but there were a few pieces that I couldn't figure out where to put.

Clarity
So, is the invisibleSHIELD truly invisible? Of course not. Will you, at times, almost forget it's there? Probably.

Once you've completed a modestly capable application (I got good results on my first try), you'll be surprised how clear and unnoticeable the invisibleSHIELD is, even on the non-screen areas of the device where illumination from the LCD doesn't help hide the protector's presence. You'll mostly notice the protector by it's feel, rather than by sight.The screen protector will begin to become more apparent as it dirties, and the invisibleSHIELD is quite good at picking up fingerprints, dust, and smudges. This, however, is likely no different than the surface of the device your protecting had you not applied an invisibleSHIELD to it.

invisibleSHIELD for iPhone 3G

Texture/Touch
Though this probably isn't a topic of interest in most screen protector reviews, for the iPhone it is. As the iPhone is operated almost exclusively via it's touch screen - it's important to know what a prospective protection material feels like. Something incredibly sticky could potentially inhibit use as might a material that roughs up easily or becomes scuffed.If there's one area where the invisibleSHIELD is less than ideal, and there almost isn't, it's here. After application, once any residual application spray dries off, the screen protector becomes quite tacky. Though light, graceful strokes of a finger won't bother it at all, heavily pressured strokes can drag or "stutter" across the tacky surface. Women (or men, I suppose) with long fingernails might also find invisibleSHIELD catchy.It's worth noting that in the 10 or so days between applying the invisibleSHIELD and writing this review, that the tackiness seems to have reduced significantly. That, or I'm getting used to it.
Overall
Put simply, I've been introduced to a whole new world in screen protection. After a couple of years of dealing with what are apparently bargain basement screen protection products from companies like 3M and Fellowes, ShieldZone's products have significantly upped the bar.

The invisibleSHIELD delivered handily on all of it's promises (though I can't speak much to the "self-healing aspect" since there's been nothing to heal as of yet). It's also more than worth mentioning that all of ShieldZone's products ship completely free and are all covered by a free lifetime replacement guarantee. Even if you need to send your phone in for repair, and have to remove the screen protector first, ShieldZone will send you a brand new one.

The Apple iPhone invisibleSHIELD is also available in a front only model for $14.95. The full body model costs $24.95.Update: This review also applies to the invisibleSHIELD iPod Touch Screen protector.





ZAGG invisibleSHIELD for BlackBerry Curve Review

CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD screen protector cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.


by Shane Pitman on 25 March 2009

During CES this past January, Neowin had the opportunity to catch up with the guys from ZAGG, makers of invisibleSHIELD, a polyurethane film designed to make your portable devices scratch proof. The invisibleSHIELD film was originally developed to protect the leading edge of helicopter rotor blades, and yes, it's that tough. They had numerous video clips cycling through a presentation that they had setup in a motorhome that depicted numerous stress and scratch tests.



After viewing their presentation and a couple of live demonstrations where they willingly threw their own devices into a bucket of nails and shook them around vigorously, only to emerge unscathed, we were impressed. But we've all tried some of these adhesive protectors before, and they were a pain in the butt to install. We always wound up getting air bubbles, wrinkles, or pieces that just didn't align properly, and consequently ended up curling up around the edges, sliding around instead of staying where they were put, or just flat out peeling off. So to show us just how easy it is to do a proper installation, the guys at ZAGG kindly offered to do a live installation for us, and I offered up my BlackBerry Curve.



And now, 2 months later, here is my Blackberry Curve, still scratch free.

Curve



So far, I'm impressed with ZAGG invisibleSHIELD. I've tried several other device protection devices for my Curve, including the neoprene sleeve (which was falling apart) that I disposed of in the video, other adhesive protectors, and non-adhesive "static stick" screen protectors. None of them lasted as long without complications as the invisibleSHIELD has, and none of them had a Lifetime Replacement Guarantee like invisibleSHIELD does. To quote their warranty policy:



The invisibleSHIELD™ purchase includes a lifetime replacement guarantee. We want you to feel safe and secure when investing in your digital life, and that you are confident the invisibleSHIELD™ is the strongest and most durable protection you will find. Purchasing an invisibleSHIELD™ will protect your investment for the life of your device. Proof of purchase and return of original product are required.

The Lifetime Replacement Guarantee is simply what it says: If your
invisibleSHIELD™ ever becomes scratched, torn, or damaged in any way while protecting your device, we will replace the invisibleSHIELD™ at no cost to you, for as long as you own your device.