Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Before you believe the reviews that say the Zagg Invisible Shield is worthless, READ THIS REVIEW.
Before purchasing the Zagg Invisible Shield for my Samsung Impression, I read ~100 reviews on this product. I read about the good, the bad, and the ugly. So I purchased the Zagg with skepticism and moderate expectations. I felt it was worth a try because I wanted to protect my investment, and because I tend to be hard on my electronics (my video iPod looked like it had done a tour in Afghanistan until I used Applesauce, but that's another review). I was willing to live with a less than 100% perfect install if need be, because I would rather have some slight aesthetic imperfections rather than have irrevocable scratches on my device's touch screen.
When I received the kit, it included: the die cut shields for front and back, the squeegee, the Shield Spray (just water with a small amount of surfactant, per the Zagg website), and instructions.
Installation:
1)Before installation, I re-read the instructions, and watched the videos on the Zagg website and some on You Tube as well. If you aren't willing to do this, don't bother. This product is ultimately awesome, but not idiot proof. If you're not willing to do your homework, buy something other than this.
2)I cleaned my device with a lint-free cloth, making sure all fingerprints and smudges were gone, and turned it off.
3)I laid it on a hand towel, then proceeded to wash my hands well.
4)I laid out the die cut pieces and decided to start with the front, because it was one solid piece, rather than 2 pieces like the back. I then punched out the front piece from the template to make it easier to peel off.
5)I sprayed my fingers with the Shield Spray and carefully peeled up a corner. Re-sprayed my fingertips. Then peeled off the whole piece, holding it carefully by one corner, and sprayed the piece front and back.
6) I carefully (CAREFULLY!) laid the piece down on the front, and aligned it as best I could before letting go.
7) I found that if you don't press down, you can reposition the piece by CAREFULLY peeling it up and moving it. DON'T PRESS DOWN UNTIL IT IS PERFECT.
8) I then took the squeegee and, starting in the middle, worked my way to the edges, pressing out the water as I went and using a paper towel to soak it up along the way. I addressed larger bubbles by carefully peeling up and re-squeegeeing. In my experience, smaller bubbles (1/8 in. diameter or less) will be OK, larger than that should be addressed by peeling and re-squeegeeing.
9) Only when the front was down and squeegeed did I press down the sides and corners, using the "palming" method described on the Zagg website.
10) I repeated this entire process for the back.
These next steps are possibly THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS in the whole process, and I think that this is where people get frustrated, peel the Zagg off the device in disgust, proclaim it an inferior product, and write a bad review.
1) BE PATIENT. Your device WILL look like crap immediately after application. You will have bubbles (small ones, if you are careful, but they will be there). You may also have shadowy-looking areas. The Invisible Shield may not look clear. You WILL be tempted to peel it off in disgust. DON'T.
2) BE PATIENT. Don't turn the device on or use it. LEAVE IT ALONE. I can't stress this enough. Zagg recommends 12-24 hours, and this is for a reason. There is much more water under the shield than you might think. The water needs time to evaporate and the shield needs time to "settle". I turned it on and began light use after 24 hours.
3) BE PATIENT. It might even look worse the next day. Mine did. Don't give in. Don't touch it, lift it, peel it, try to stick bubbles down, etc.
4) BE PATIENT. In the instructions, Zagg says it may take 2-3 days for the water to evaporate and for the Shield to adhere properly. The bubbles WILL settle out and disappear as it cures. Cloudy areas WILL clear. By day three, it looked FANTASTIC. You can only tell on very, very close inspection that there is a shield on the device. And it performs just as advertised. I've been throwing it in my bag for days now, and it looks totally pristine.
In closing, don't bother installing the Zagg unless you are willing to read the instructions, follow them, and be patient. It may take several days to achieve the final result, and if your device isn't worth that amount of time, then just get a case of some sort or resign yourself to the scratches you will inevitably get.
But take the negative reviews with a grain of salt--the Zagg Invisible Shield is worth every penny!
Click Here to see more reviews about:
InvisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone 3G (Full Body)
Get 35% OFF
Click here for more information about InvisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone 3G (Full Body)
