Mini-review: Invisible Shield for iPhone 3G
Invisible Shield is the well-reviewed clear-plastic wrapper for mobile devices including iPods and laptops. Its incredible claim is that it protects devices making them scratch-proof. Having seen the demo videos I’ve no doubt that’s true.
One of the privileges of writing for SMS Text News is that you get to review stuff that manufacturers send out. Sure, you have to send it back eventually, but you get to give a product a good workout before buying it and recommending it to other people. This is not one of those reviews… I paid £14.99 at my local Carphone Warehouse for an iPhone 3G wrap. If you want the quick version take a look at the picture above (that’s my kitchen bin) and you know all you need to….
In slightly more depth: The pack comes with front and back covers and a small spray bottle of what looks like water. Following the instructions I peeled the front cover off its backing, sprayed it with the solution, laid it on the front of the device, lined it up and used the special plastic tool to squeegee the few bubbles away. 5 minutes later it had dried and looked great.
The back was less of a success. Whilst the front had been a simple flat-glass face, the back of the iPhone is curved and needs cut-outs for the keys, speaker, microphone and SIM tray. I applied it twice following the same routine, but the corners wouldn’t stick… I tried again and used the techniques suggested on the manufacturer’s site. Still no joy. The problem (aside from getting the cover aligned) was that the corner segments overlapped the microphone slots at the bottom and the corners wrinkled – looking as if they had too much plastic in them. I tried one last time… disaster. In removing the cover a second time some of the adhesive remained on the phone and subsequent applications gave a bubbled, cloudy appearance. After an hour and a half of trying I gave up…
Instead of both sides, I just considered keeping the front face-covering on and had a play with the device in this state. However, the Invisible Shield adds a tacky finish – ideal I would imagine for the back where you hold it – but it wasn’t pleasant in comparison with the slick feel of the iPhone’s glass screen normally. It came off.
I’ve no doubt Invisible Shield does what it says regarding protection, but it’s current iPhone 3G template (which differs significantly from that pictured on the website) didn’t fit well for me on the back of the device – the only place I’d consider using it. I can’t recommend it.
