Zagg Invisible Shield Review
Update: We have posted a newer Zagg Invisible Shield Review. That article reviews the product on a MyTouch 4G, and this article reviews the product on an iPod Touch.
It’s been a week since I installed the Zagg Invisible Shield on my iPod Touch and it’s time for my review. For a quick introduction, the invisible shield full body protection costs $25 from Zagg and has a lifetime warranty. It’s great for protecting the iPod Touch without having any extra added thickness. I chose it so my iPod Touch could look great outside of a case without getting scratched (I’ve seen those iPod Touch back with so many scratches you can’t even see that it’s a mirror).
Install
The worst part of the Zagg Invisible Shield is the install. I had read that it could take half an hour to one hour to install the shield, but I had no idea it would take me an hour to get it installed. The most important thing to remember is to take your time. I wouldn’t recommend starting an install if you don’t have an hour and a half. (You might want to read our install instructions)
The front was pretty easy. It didn’t take more than five minutes. You use the sponge (no more spray) to get the shield wet while you’re peeling it off to avoid getting any dust or fingerprints on it and then you align it and drop it onto the iPod. You can then move around the invisible shield to get it perfect. You can then use the Installation Card (no more squeegee) to get all the air bubbles out. Afterward, just remember to put the small circular part on the home button.
The back of the iPod Touch is the difficult part to install. It all comes in one large piece with cutouts. I used the volume control buttons to align the back of the invisible shield. Once you apply the solution to it and set it down it’s easy to get all the air out of the center. The difficult part is getting it to sit down on the corners and the sides. One warning for the palming and rubber band techniques: Be careful not to stretch the invisible shield. I didn’t use a hair dryer but it would help to use that to get the corners and sides to lay down. It takes a very long time to get them to set down and stay down. You also have to be careful not to push them towards the center of the iPod Touch at all, because this will lift up the invisible shield and create a huge air bubble for you. After you’re done with the back, I recommend using a rubber band to hold all the corners down while it dries (I had mine dry for 24 hours.)
You can read more about the install in our post specifically about the Zagg Invisible Shield install. The second time I installed it I found some nice techniques. For example, don’t use the rubber band to get corners to lay down, use it only after they have lied down and are staying down. The purpose of the rubber band is to keep corners down while the Invisible Shield is drying. Another thing I found is that the palming technique should also be done after the shield is sticking to the corners, otherwise you will only stretch your corners and you still won’t get the desired effect.
Usage
After a week of using my iPod Touch with Zagg’s Invisible Shield, here is what I have to say. I’m very proud of the invisible shield because it doesn’t attract fingerprints or smudges (like my old Belkin screen protector did). It also doesn’t seem to scratch. It’s also not like some screen shield where you can see some type of static or something (On some cheap screen shields, it looks like there are thousands of colored dots smaller than pixels on it). However, there are some downsides with the Invisible Shield.
I had small imperfections on some corners (small pieces being pushed up) and they quickly filled with lint and dust. (However this wasn’t a problem with my second install). The corners also don’t feel very secure to me (I feel like they’ll start peeling off every time I put the iPod Touch in my pocket or even while I’m holding it). I think the corners could be improved. I also feel like the sides will start coming off every time my hand brushes on the side (You can feel the height of the invisible shield edge). Lastly, there are small bumps on the front part of the invisible shield. They’re very tiny and can’t be felt with your finger but they’re visible. They aren’t air pockets or dust or anything (I’ve seen those) and they’re everywhere; I think they might be because of the installation fluid. They’re not distracting at all and can hardly be seen but they are worth mentioning (My old Belkin Screen Shield didn’t have anything like this). (I’ve also noticed the Griffin screen shields (the ones that feel more like paper than the Zagg or Belkin) also have some imperfection, it looks like the whole screen is static, so I guess this is something many screen shields have).
Other than that, the Zagg Invisible Shield is great! It will protect your iPod Touch from scratches without bulking it up. If you don’t want to spend too much time on install or if you’re just looking for a great front-side screen protection, I would highly recommend the $15 Zagg Invisible Shield for the screen only. Remember that the Invisible Shield won’t protect your device from drops or shocks, only scratches.
Edit: It seems like those small bumps are referred to as Orange Peel (Wikipedia). It seems like this is a problem with Zagg Invisible Shields (The new ones, including the one I got, are supposed to be better). As I said, they’re hardly noticeable.
Edit 2: I noticed that my Invisible Shield had a scratch. It looks like a line of stuck pixels but I was told it was just a micro scratch. I contacted Zagg and they told me I could get a replacement, so I’ll be getting one and I’ll see if I can get any of the corners to stay down better during my second installation. The thing about this “micro-scratch” is that it can’t be prevented. It’s not a scratch caused by a key or pen, it’s something that happened because of the screen shield sliding in and out of my pockets. It could have been a manufacturing defect because there are no other scratches like this, but we’ll see when the replacement Invisible Shield comes.
Edit 3: My replacement is perfect. I was able to do a better installation and there are none of these micro scratches. I also see nearly no orange peel. I don’t know if they changed the product (The sponge had a different texture, it felt more like an absorbent sponge than the rubberish sponge I got the first time 🙂 ) but my second install really was a lot better. A tip I found was not to use the Invisible Shield at all while it’s drying for 24 hours. You can read more about it in my post about Zagg Invisible Shield install tips, but using it during that time is what greatly increases the visibility of the orange peel. It’s so minimal right now you can’t even tell it’s there (except for the very top of the device).
Thanks for the review. I’ve installed quite a few on old devices, but now I’m getting ready to install 2 at once, I’m dreading it but I hope the new shields will be easier to use than the old ones.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!!
I would not recommend this product for anyone . . . .there is simply no way short of a clean room environ to install this thing with out some bit of dirt, dust, etc contacting the sticky surface . .and once there . . you have FUBAR’d your product. Which incidentally voids the warranty. As “installation errors” are not covered.
Seriously, my world for the static cling screen cover that can be cleaned and cheaply replaced. Why can’t i find one of these anymore . .lolz.
nice feedback and overview. Nice to see things getting easier for installs. Is it okay if i post your review on http://www.facebook.com/zaggcodes (ZAGG fan page)?
The invisible shield dry for Iphone 4, which I paid $30 bucks for is absolutely the worst product I have ever seen. It's a nightmare to install. The freaking arrow overlay would not come off and there were scratches, smudges and bubbles after we finally got the stupid overlay off. It is totally the most convuluted installation ever. It is also constantly dirty with fingerprints and smudges not like the screen on my old phone. I can't believe how horrible it is. Would not recommend it.
I agree with D.A. Estock. I bought the full body shield for i-Phone 4. I found it difficult to install and after installing the front, it was so full of air bubbles and looked so bad I took it off. The back went on better but on the day after I installed it, the edge got caught putting it in the charging cradle so I took it off too. I'm just chalking it up to $30 wasted.
What I liked about the Invisible Shield was that you can use the squeegee to get all the air bubbles out after you apply it (and then you can wait 24 hours for the other air bubbles to disappear because of the heat.)
Yes, it was a waste of $30.00. Mine started to collect lint. Found out I would need to pay $3.99 for shipping a free replacement. What a joke! I'm not sure the invisibleShield is worth $30.00.
They sell these at the stand in the mall near me i negotiated for 15 dollars for the one side of my phone the guy installed it for me its beuitiful my girlfriend didnt even know it was ther,e love it best purchase ive made for my iphone 4 it covered up all the little scratches ive accumulated on it and seems to resist smudges not exactlly sure it just seems that way love it strongly recommend finding a kiosk
As one of the "lucky" and early owners of iPhone4, I had to deal with a shortage of screen protectors for sale. I bought Zagg's front/back shield because it was almost the only one available at the time. It's been about 30 days since I installed it and now I can't wait for the arrival of the replacement Power Support front/back clear shield I bought recently. The Zagg's protective qualities are as described here by Techie… I concur. I also strongly ditto what Techie said about the horribly difficult and time consuming install. I don't ever want to repeat the install ever. Too bad, because protective properties of Zagg were impressive. A very unfortunate Zagg quirk was discovered when resting my iPhone on a table that had a soft plastic cover over it, like a smooth vinyl table cloth. The Zagg shield got firmly stuck to the soft plastic cover after about 1 minute of resting on it. It took a great deal of effort to separate my iPhone from the table, but my Zagg shield was firmly stuck to the table covering. Pealing the Zagg shield from the table covering was an ordeal and grossly stretched the Zagg shield. I reinstalled my stretched shield, but now the overhanging edges cause the Zagg shield to peel off in and out of my pocket. Very irritating.
You could get a replacement from Zagg if your shield really was stretched out too much 🙂
Thanks for this review – since it was about an iPod, I wanted to leave my thoughts on the ZaggShield for iPad. Bottom line, don't buy it! I can see how this would be an awesome product for a phone or iPod, but with the amount of trouble you had installing it, imagine how hard it is on a surface 4 times the size. Answer? Impossible. I also purchased a ZaggSkin for the back which I loved, easy to install, looks great. When I asked for a refund for the shield, which looked TERRIBLE once installed, I was told I had to return the ZaggSkin I bought as well, if I wanted my money back. I still have no idea why they wouldn't just take the shield back. I ended up eating the cost because I didn't want to remove my awesome skin – so don't make the same mistake as me!
They should just want you to return the product for which you want a refund. It's strange that they wanted your ZaggSkin back.
I actually thought it would be easier to install a ZaggShield on an iPad because the iPad is bigger and doesn't have sharp corners to fold the shield around. I thought it would be easy to install on a flash surface.
I had the Zagg screen protector on my BB curve and it worked wonders! I also kept the phone in the Seidio case which covered the corners of the zagg. I never had an issue with install or anything else. I actually used to use a mr. clean magic eraser to get the dried hairspray off (I'm a girl and it happens)
I recently got the Droid X and am planning on getting the Zagg for that too. My only reservation was on the touch sensitivity and the zagg actually messing with it…… any comments?
Don't do it! My boyfriend just tried and the wet solution messed up the touch sensitivity on his phone. He spent the last hour drying it out and we're still hoping it works. He followed the instructions to a t and now his brand new Droid X is freaking out. Run! Buy a dry install product! Here's hoping his phone isn't done for.
I've had Invisible Sheilds on several devices in the past. Tech Geek Guy is correct, the older skins are not as good. For those of you who don't like the install, I had mine installed while I stood there at the mall. They are authorized Zagg dealers, and very skilled at installing these for FREE! At this moment, I have my iPad, 2 iPhones, a Samsung, and a Pantech sitting for their 24 hour wait. They look awesome! It's hard not to touch!
ABSOLUTELY. My boyfriend and I have gotten these on every touchscreen device we've ever owned, and except for one tiny patch at the top of his HTC Hero, they're immaculate.
If you install it yourself and you're not professionally trained in installing it, then of course it's probably not going to be as good. If you make your own coffee at home, it ain't going to taste like Starbucks, either! If you want the Invisible Shield to look professional, have someone who knows what he's doing install it for you. Otherwise…well…you chose to install it yourself, you get exactly what sort of skill, time, and patience you put into it.
It puzzles me why people complain about shoddy installs when they're usually the ones who installed the product. Really.
I had both my ipads done at the store due to the size and price of the shield. Was 100% worth it not to have to struggle with it myself, plus the store gave me additional coverage,and will replace the sheild free of charge on the spot if any trouble occurs. I have done a couple LG phones myself with the older style sheilds and were much more difficult than the new smudgefree/anti glare version. It seems the newer version is stiffer and not so flimpsy. I recently installed this new version on my ipod touch g4 and was alot easier to manage.It helps to watch someone who knows what the hell there doing a great deal.
The best method for installment is to first clean the surface right out of the box. Work in a very well lit clean area.Wash your hands and apply the included spray to your fingers tips to prevent fingerprints. Lightly apply included spray evenly to both sides of the sheild NOT the device and carefully lay down shield in desired position minding not to cover up any lenses, buttons, or microphones. use rubber blade to smooth out and to remove any trapped air. The most important thing I’ve learned is not to stretch out the sheild. this will cause the shield to shrink slightly when drying and cause imperfections. The best way to smooth out the shield after laying it down is to “very lightly” spray the shield as to keep it from drying out when using the rubber blade. This prevents the sheild from stretching often caused by dry rubbing the sheild with the rubber blade. It works better to keep the rubber slightly moist so as to reduce friction which may lead to imperfections. Remove any access spray with a lint free cloth and keep repeating until shield is uniform.
More importantly than anything is to let the shield cure!!! I recommend letting it cure at least 24 hours at room temp.
I’ve had my shields on my LG phones for almost two years now and look perfect. I am a roughneck and work in some of the most ungodly conditions including silica sand, drilling mud, portland grout, and water.
The bottom line is that if applied correctly this is an outstanding product and I highly recommend it to anyone.
The bad reviews are coming from people who rush installation or are to cheap to have the product installed properly by someone experienced.
just to let everyone one that the lifetime warranty they offer is a joke. They ask you to go online and register the product, but when you request a replacement they ask for the receipt. if you don't have the receipt, they charge you again. What is the propose to register the product online?
They didn't ask me for the receipt :0
Junk. Horrible to install. Bad texture once its on. Huge waste of time. I'll take my chances with a naked screen.
I was Brea mall Invisible shield store and they installed fro my iphone 4..i came home, next day i weak up and isaw bubbles on back side..I drive 35 miles back to reinstal or fix it…They fix it..after 4 days i saw shield coming out from my iphone but i never put it in my pocket..It was always on the table….This is not case or cover…This is saks sorry..
I absolutely love the invisible shield on my iTouch. I recommend the product to everyone when they ask me about the screen protector that I have on it. @hm, I got mine at the Brea mall too and was ecstatic that they would install it for me. It came out absolutely perfect. I constantly just drop my itouch into my purse with a care and it still looks great. I'm heading back there today to have one installed on my ipad.
Dunno about these products – they have always been a bear to install – and they all seem to collect dirt. I've had this and variations on it in the past – sometimes I'm ok with them, sometimes I'm not. On most devices lately I've opted against the install figuring that the device is basically disposable anyway. The AT&T store offered to install the shield on my new iPhone 4 so I let them yesterday. It hasn't set the full 24 hours yet, but I have to admit, I really don't like the way it's looking so far. Lots of bubbles. I'll give it another couple of days and if it does not look any better rip it off and go back to the otterbox or ballistic case.
without a doubt, the worst product I have ever purchased!! Even if you can install it, it is still not clear, stretches out oshape and is imperfect. I'm amazed that Best Buy even carries this shoddy product.
How long did you let it dry after you installed it? It shouldn't stretch out if you let it dry the full 24 hours before using it.
If you follow the instructions to the letter you should have no issues with this. Its when your cat wanders across it that you start to have issues!
Recommend watching a youtube install or read the one here its quite good wish I had used your guide and not jumped straight in I have a few specs of dust under my screen and have had the shield for 4 months feel free to follow my 'experience' with the htc desire and invisible shield.
We have reviews for the Wrapsol, Zagg, and PhantomSkinz. Read them all 🙂
At first I really liked my ZAGG screen protector and skin, but after 3-4 months of usage, the protective layer on the skin started peeling off the phone. When I called ZAGG customer service, they said that they wouldn't do anything since I have surpassed the 45 day mark. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, there was no one that she would pass me on to.
Long story short, I really like their screen protector, but don't get their skin, their "lifetime guarantee" doesn't apply to anything else but the screen protector. And the quality of the skin is adhesive sucks, and worse, their customer service is appalling!
I can't believe that their customer service would do that! If your shield is ruined on it's own they should replace it. I've seen people get theirs replaced for free because they didn't like how their install went. You should contact them again and ask to speak to a supervisor about this.
Yea but they make you pay shipping & handling of nearly $4. I will never buy a Zagg product again. The warranty is misleading.
Waste of money. I purchased at Best Buy, had them install (for an extra $8). The girl who installed it had clearly not done it many times as she installed the first one and had to ask questions, then removed and grabbed another off the shelf and tried again. It was cloudy when she was done and she said it would go away in a couple days as after it dried. It never did. The next time I was at BB 5 weeks later, I stopped in figuring they would just replace it. No, since it had been more than a month, I was told to order a new one from Zagg and BB would install. I went to Zaggs website & a replacement is 14.99 + 3.99 shipping. What a crock. So much for Zagg standing behind their product. I'll never buy another Zagg product and I'll never buy anything related to cell phones in BB. Don't waste your money on Zagg, just buy screen insurance from your provider.
You could send the bad one to Zagg and they would send you a new one for free (no shipping fees or anything).
I actually prefer a screen protector to paying for phone insurance every month.
Same experience absolutely. Corners peeled in less than a month, edges orange peeled with glue tharseemed to peel. As for the warranty, same thing. Hated them for it. They just spam the net with rave reviewees. Wondered what happened to this review after 4 weeks. I feel sorry for their next victims. And it aint as tough as advertised. When the sides peeled, i tore the film with my bare fingers with ease. BY THE WAY, THE NET IS FLOODED BY REVIEWS FROM ZAGG PEOPLE TO DROWN COMPLAINTS. WHAT A ZAGG!
i think this is the best product there is in the market now you have to play shipping and handling for the warranty request which is 3.99 cus i got mine like that but you just need to follow the instructions and it would work just fine and the replacements are not free because they send a box with the installation kits
Oh that's strange. My replacement was completely fee. I just had to send back the old films but they fit in an envelope so postage was 41 cents.
@Techie
"I actually prefer a screen protector to paying for phone insurance every month."
The screen protector isnt going to protect it against water damage or theft. . . .
Either @Techie is drinking from the Zagg KoolAid fountain or he hasn't used:
https://www.powersupportusa.com/accessories/iphone…
I tried Zagg because I got my latest iPhone 4 the day it came out and accessories were minimal. I followed the instructions to the letter and yet had major issues with the film lifting and moving. When I added an Apple bumper it made matters worse as the two products pushed against each other due to the Zagg film thickness and closeness to the edge of the phone. I got so frustrated with it I eventually went "au naturelle" rather than carry on taking it out of my pocket to see half the edge lifted off!
By comparison, the power support film is a stiffer material, provides an anti glare non sticky surface, stays firm where you installed it and doesn't squish about like a slither of jelly and like previous iPhones covered with the same product, will likely last for years and years to come!
It is very easy to install as you remove the middle section line up the non sticky top or bottom and only when happy do you remove top and bottom backing meaning you can check alignment from the middle out before you commit, no water spray, squeegee, sponge, stick, hose or whatever!
A relative who acquired my original 2G iPhone is only now needing to replace the power screen and that was not due to a failing of the product but an accident with packing against a charger in a bag! The phone remained undamaged.
It's rare for me to find a product I hate so much but Zagg screen protectors is one, on top of that they spam me frequently with "latest iPad winner" emails. I have two ipads I bought from Apple direct, thanks Zagg….
But you shouldn't even need Apple's bumper with any of these products. I also don't really think the film would be lifting. I have a problem with my edges not completely staying on my iPod Touch but I would think that on flat devices like the iPad or iPhone 4 the shield would stay on much better.
I guess it would be nice to try the Power Support too 🙂
What you think is not actually important, if I want a case on my phone, for technical, cosmetic or vanity gains, that's my choice. Plenty of people have commented on combining scratch screens with bumpers so I think you'll find from searching the usual blogs and forums, I'm not unique.
My point here is that I'm providing realistic feedback of an end users experience with two very similar products that are designed to do the same job, provide a transparent protective screen on the front and rear flat glass surfaces of my Apple iPhone 4.
One fails to do that job, the other by comparison succeeds, bumper case or not.
Ok. I just thought that all these protectors for the iPhone 4 (including Zagg, Wrapsol, Power Support, PhantomSkinz, etc.) protected the side of the phone as well so you wouldn't get the antenna issue. I don't know what Apple provides but I guessed you were trying to apply one shield over the other.
DO NOT BUY FOR IPHONE 4 OR IPAD!!!! You will have one try to put it on right and if you want to then don't bother with their instructions. I had a huge problem with it when I first got my Iphone and they said that they don't work very well with the new phones but sent me the same thing anyways (after I had to pay the shipping). After I kept this one on for about a month, it started to peel off and collect dirt. Same problems with my Ipad. I really don't share negative info like this but I hate to see someone waste the money that I did on this over priced product.
i have the zaag shield for an htc hero, it lasts only a few months before even a hang nail can snag the thinning plastic, and it starts peeling off. for the price that it costs you can buy a box cheap screens covers that last a year. The lifetime guarantee costs you another fifty percent in price. you have to pay to ship the old one to them and pay for them to ship the new one to you that is a sure way not to buy this "lifetime guarantee" product, on top of that they precharge your credit card for the the replacement to their product, just in case your old sheild gets lost in the mail. DO NOT WASTE TIME OR MONEY ON THIS PRODUCT.
You pay shipping and they authorize the purchase because they don't want people getting a free one and selling one while keeping the other one. This way they make sure that you get maximum protection because they can authorize it and send it to you so you can take off your old one when the new one arrives and immediately install the new one. It's probably the best way to offer a lifetime guarantee.
People who don't like the Invisible Shield will certainly hate other cheaper screen protectors that have air bubbles and take away the color.
Worst product and customer support.Here is their 45 day Money back guarantee taken straight from the Zagg website…
What is the 45 Day Money Back Guarantee?
Your purchase is backed by our 45 Day Money-Back Guarantee*. If you're not completely satisfied with your ZAGG product, return it within 45 days of your purchase date for a 100% refund. Partial order returns are not eligible for shipping and handling refunds.
ZAGG's 45 Day Money-Back Guarantee only applies to ZAGG purchases made from ZAGG.com. For retail ZAGG purchases, such as purchases made at Best Buy, please contact the original retail location for refund information.
* The purchase of any "clearance" items that are no longer offered at ZAGG.com offers a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee only.
* The 45 Day Money Back Guarantee does not apply to ZAGGbox purchases
* 45 Day Money-Back Guarantee not available in Hong Kong or China.
I purchased this crap 2 days ago and after painstakingly taking an hour to install this product on my iphone 4 it still looked terrible and the edges keep rolling up. I think packaging tape would work better. I contacted Best Buy and they informed me that is a consumable product and that they could not provide me with a refund. Heck, Zagg even mentions Best Buy in their 45 day return policy. I think this is very misleading. Also, I talked to several people that have used this product and they agree this is an inferior product. Do not waste your hard earned dollars on this product……
Try contacting Zagg directly, not BestBuy. Zagg offers the guarantee and not BestBuy.
Went to the zagg store in the antelope valley mall on June 1 and paid $60 for a screen for my iPad. By June 20 part of the screen had peeled away. I went back on. July 2. They replaced the screen but charged me another $10 after either their shoddy workmanship or poor product. I will not return there.
This is a piece of junk.
I've installed a Zagg Invisible shield recently, and the tips I used to my advantage, was to watch an
a person at best buy who installs several every day. I watched him apply 2. Clean your screen 1st with the
liquid. WIPING Towards you, or most important,WIPE IN ONE DIRECTION ONLY. Wiping back and forth, will set up static cling and will cause small fibers to be hard to wipe off. They just keep flying back on.
He said, shut your phone off. Don't be afraid to spray the liquid on your phone. Don't wipe it off.
Spray your clean fingers, and the shield on both sides with liquid. You can now move
the shield around a little easier, if you don't get it down perfectly and your fingers will not stick to the
outside of the shield. When he got it in the perfect position he wiped water out of corners FIRST pressing down
and making sure they were all secure.
When they were secure, he started in the middle of phone and worked out to sides in all directions, but stayed
away from the already pressed down corners. Hope this helps.
After reading about how hard it was to install, I found a kiosk in the mall and for $5 more they did it for me. I would definitely recommend it! Looks and feels great and my phone (HTC HD7) is still very responsive.
I am wondering, having put the Zagg full body protection on my iPhone 4, I like to put my iPhone still in a case even being protected by Zagg invisible (visible) shield. When I do this I see some small dents that never happened on an other good shield I installed. Is this due it needs to settle for a period of time or… I appreciate hearing from anyone about the above, thanks.
Where are the small dents? Even if some case presses down on the shield it shouldn't be a problem. The only problem I can think of is if you're trying to put a hard case on it and if that hard case needs to be slid in. When you try to slide the iPhone into the hard case the Invisible Shield will start stretching because it can't fit.
Thanks for the reply, it isn't that I need force to get the iPhone in the case, it is that in some areas there are tiny dents where the case rests on the screen or in the back where the lining ends and the faux leather starts . When taking the iPhone out the case and I clean the Zagg invisible screen it sort of disappears. The case I use is from Proporta. From what I see it isn't the stretching more the case resting on the Zagg screen. I didn't had this problem with other good quality screen protectors. It was recommended to me to install the Zagg screen.
You are supposed to leave the screen alone without touching it after application for about 24 hours, and 2 days after application until a case is put back on the device. 🙂
Great review! I just got one yesterday for my new iPod Touch and in truth, I am horrible at putting any screen protector on. I'm sure many people are like this. However, I bought it at Best Buy where you can pay like $8 extra to have the Best Buy tech team put the screen on for you, and it is guaranteed perfect. I am proud to say that I now have an amazing screen protector on my iPod, and I didn't even have to worry about it! I think more people should know about this amazing service because I am thoroughly pleased! 🙂
OMG! I wish I did! thanks so much for the info!
Hey There! Ok so I must say I usually am pretty good at these sorts of things, putting on screen protectors and such. Getting to the Point…I am so disgusted with this product. I bought it thinking it was an awesome idea, although at target it was $40.99! Yes it was for an iPad and boy am I sorry I bought it. This thing was a freaken nightmare! I seriously wanted to cry! I tried and tried and tried… took all the necessary steps and precautions but I just couldn't do it! If your an EXTREMELY patient person with a few hours to kill you'll have fun! Then again the iPad is much bigger than a iphone or any other device.
Wow! I thought it would be easier to install it on the iPad because it was bigger. It seems like it would be easier than working with those small corners and pieces.
I got first Zagg full body protection for my iphone 4. It was hard to install but I manged it. I am pretty satisfied with it. A week ago I purchased Zagg full body protection for may iPad. The nightmare has begun. Backside is ok but got some color from Apple ipad folio and now it is partly blue. But the frontside… I was such a fool to try clean some dust from under the glue side. So it immediatly was damaged. Then I purchased second one. I spent 2 (two!) hours for the installation. But it got all those defects Techie had written about: scratches, orange peel and so many glue defects that it is hard to use the ipad. I was wating for 2 days it gets over (with iphone and previous item it was enough) but nothing happened. I am going to ask my seller for moneyback.
Don't you use the wet application for the iPad? You can clean off dust with that solution. Just wipe it off. The great thing about the shield is that you can't get dust on it because everything wipes off with the solution. With traditional sticky screen protectors you're screwed if dust gets on it because there's no way to get it off.
Not happy at all .
very hard to install without leaving bubbles . the clear screen is now blurry . total waste
Is this after you waited 24 hours after installing?
YEPP i totally agree and did you notice that it doesn't protect the corners of your device?
Well, I have to say I love my Zagg. I purchased it for my Citrus. I found it easy to install and did not have any of the problems others speak about. I did just as they instructed. But, I used a pair of tweezers to place the zagg down. ( only on the front) I was very careful not to get it near my screen. I did not have any orange peal or any other problems. I took my time and was very careful. This is my first zagg. So we will have to see how well it keeps fine scratches off my screen.
That is a really good idea to use tweezers when setting it down 🙂
I bought the dry install screen for my iPhone 4. Awful install. There were bubbles, lines, etc and only took me 3 hours to get the thing on. The back came out nice. I even squeegeed the crap out of the thing and nothing. I decided to live with it and threw on my case. Bad idea. The corners bent back and got covered with dust. After ordering new protectors, (the cheaper, static kind) I tore off the Zagg from the front and put on the basic one with no problems. Now they have the smaller covers if you want to use a case for your phone. Maybe I'll try one but I'm hesitant. My boyfriend just did the wet install on his Droid and it totally messed up the touch screen. His brand new phone is freaking out and he followed the instructions exactly as they said. Why they would make a wet install is beyond me. This touch technology is very sensitive and anything wet is a really bad idea. Avoid it. Run away!
The liquid won't go "through" the screen. It's just used to help you apply it. Once it dries off there should be no problems.
Wet installs are nice because they help you install it. You don;t get dust under the shield (and no mater how careful you are with dry installs it seems like there's always a particle that gets stuck to it) and it helps you position it perfectly because you can place it down and move it. With dry installs once you start installing it you can;t peel it off to try again. The Zagg gives you about half an hour to make the install perfect.
Very unhappy with this product. Many reviewers have said that dust can be wiped off with the solution — definitely not my experience. I took every precaution the instructions indicate, but small fiber and dust particles got all over the sticky side and couldn't be removed. It's also very difficult to align and you keep having to peel it off and try again. Unless you have a surgical environment in which to apply this thing, don't waste your money.
Well, what do I have to say about invisible shield?? It genuinely stinks. I was in Best Buy a while ago standing in the electronic accessories section choosing between two cases for my zune HD. I decided to go with the invisible shield because i noticed that it had a lifetime replacement garauntee. Now, I wish i would have thought through my desicion a little harder because I just realized that the invisible shield stinks!! I thought it would be great protection for my zune.. but I was very wrong. It doesn't protect teh most vital parts of the zune… THE CORNERS!! Thank goodness that I was fortunate enough to not drop it while I had it, otherwise my zune would have been destroyed!!! Now I have the Incipio feather and it is absolutely magnificent. I love it a lot more than invisible shield!!! DEFINATELY DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS EXPENSIVE PIECE OF JUNK!!!!!
I just installed an invisible shield on my iPad (screen only). I could not have managed it without another person's help aligning the edges. But here's the weird thing–the shield is too big for the screen! It overlaps the edges by several millimeters on the top and both sides (we aligned the bottom with the bottom edge of the screen). Are you going to tell me we stretched it? We didn't manhandle it, used plenty of liquid, etc–if it's that easy to stretch, they should give you some warning of that in the installation instructions. I really don't think anything we did would have stretched it. Has anyone else had problems with the shield being too big, and if so, what do you do about it?
It doesn't sounds like stretching if it's evenly over. I think you should contact Zagg and see what they say. it sounds like a problem with their dimensions.
Tell us what you find out. I like finding out new things about these screen protectors.
question…
I have the invisibleshield for my ipod and love it. I want to get a full coverage one for my new iphone 4 (because i have the patience to install properly 😉 ) and was wondering… is there any issue with putting on a case afterwards?
I want to put the full coverage for its obvious excellence but then a case for drops etc. I know some of the shield would be covered but it saves me from scratching it up if not in the case.
just worried about it sticking etc… any experience?
It depends. Do you want to install a soft case or a hard case? There are problems with hard cases that need to be slid on because the Zagg adds some extra thickness to the device and they have extra grip on the back so devices don't slide out of your hands as easy.
There shouldn't be a problem with those soft rubber cases. The more grip the better with those 🙂
I'm not sure about snap on cases though.
I had i nightmare installing this, especially round the edges, but it seems everyone does. Have to say I am dissapointed with final results, finger prints are a nightmare, dust collecting in the corners and edges where its lifted slightly, and it definately not scratch proof. After 3 weeks of careful treatment, ie no keys in pocket with the phone etc, it still has scratches to it, I am thnking that I would of been better off with cheaper screen protector and silicon case?!?!
You could try cheaper options but you won't be satisfied with their protection. You could use Zagg's screen protection with a rubber case 🙂 but cheaper screen protectors are a nightmare because they're so difficult to install straight without getting dust under them and they're not as nice as the Zagg/
Excellent review Techie..despite the negative reviews from others. I placed an order for a custom full body coverage protection for my iPod Tough 4th Gen. I havent gotten the chance to experience the install nighmare, and I sure hope not to experience it. Can you tell me if using a hair dryer (on low heat) will help the corners stay down?
From the sounds of the install process, it sounds like its a process similar to installing window tint. when I install window tint, i use a blow dryer to (1) hellp get rid of the air bubbles, and (2) to help the tint contour to to surface.
Do you think this technique will work for the shield too?
Again AWESOME review..very informational
Total and complete waste of money!!!
I ended up buying two for the screen of my iPod, figuring well, if I install the first one OK, I'll just return the 2nd. But if I mess up the first, I'll learn some lessons and that will make the second install easier.
One thing I did learn is that sometimes I'm an idiot!!
I spent at least an hour installing each one. I couldn't have been more careful, followed all instructions, tips, etc. And at the end, each time there were tiny air bubbles and imperfections that did not "work their way out in 2-3 days" as the instructions said. I figured, OK, I'll just return them. Guess what? The guarantee doesn't cover installation problems. What a joke! This company should be ashamed of themselves.
What did you tell them when you requested a refund?
Instead of saying you had a problem installing the screen protector you could say that you just aren't satisfied with it. You just twist the truth a bit so everyone is happy. Your thinking can be "I'm not satisfied because I installed it correctly and there are still air bubbles" and they would give you a refund because they don't want negative feedback. It would be a win-win situation.
I have a Zagg Product for my iPod Touch (4th Gen). I do love it, and besides the sort of "bumpy" look it gives the screen, I am not at all dissappointed with it. I am only concerned about the fact that I MAY not have installed it completely properly and that is what is lending itself to my current issue.
I have a hard case on my iTouch (i call it that, don't correct me) that slides on and has a detatchable bottom third (for docking). I have found that on the bottom edge of the protector below the home buttom, from left to right, there is lifting that occured and allowed dirt and other miscellaneous particulates to accumulate at its base.
Anybody know if there's a way to remove the dirt? Can I use something on a damp cloth like rubbing alcohol or other solution to sort of wipe off the sticky side so it may lay down flat and be "installable"? I don't think I need to remove the WHOLE screen protector (BTW, I only have the front protector, not both), but someone let me know…Also, does getting the sticky side dirty somehow void the lifetime replacement warranty? Or is that a valid excuse to get a new one?
The dirt is totally creeping me out! Help! lol
Having used both the iPhone and iPad version of Zagg's shield, I can tell you the iPhone is a lot easier – despite being smaller. The small size means a 5% mis-alignment doesn't look as bad or as big as mis-aligning on the iPad. These things are notoriously difficult to get on, but if you have faith in yourself, or are not too concerned about perfect alignment 😉 then go for it.
I went to the store that I bought my shield from and they put it on perfectly for me. They also told me that if you leave your Iphone/Ipod under a lamp for 12 hours it has the same effect of not using it for 24 hours. Be careful that your device doesnt overheat.
If you all cannot do somethIng as simple as install a screen protector than dont buy one or have a zagg kiosk in a mall do it for you. Now onto the product it works as advertised protects your screen from scratches the anti glare type does not leave orange peel. Sure wish all the whiners with bum self installs would shut up when reviewing products it takes forever to weed thru the whines to get to the actual reviews.
Just returned a clear protector for my Ipad to Zagg. It was a mess!! First off it was old or something because it would not peel away from the paper backing. After I got the backing off (over an hour!), I followed all instructions to the letter and what I got was a clear piece of something that looked like bad 13 year old ACNE!! bubbles, dirt, folds, you name it. An absolute mess. I reported all of this to Zagg and they WON'T STAND BEHIND IT. Ferry nonchalant about the whole episode. Gave me 0 confidence. Now excuse me because I'm on my way to the other blogs to notify everyone that I can about this poor performing product and company. Thanks zjga1951
Where did you but it from? If I were you I'd go to a store where they can actually install it for you.
I didn't like this protection on my iPod. It attracts a lot of dust and is a magnet for finger prints. However, it also has its advantages because it can really protect your iPod from scratches and other outside forces.
I got the "Total Protection" for my Archos 101. I will say that is is half my own fault with the difficult installation because I did not watch the tutorial videos first. If I had, I would have probably had an easier time. Biggest actual problem though, the piece to cover the screen was not cut right. It is not simply just cut to the wrong size either, the edges of the protector are not even cut straight. I have it installed, but it just looks really bad with portions of the screen protector portion underlapping with othe pieces of the Total Protection. I can only hope that it gets damaged someday so I can qualify to order a free warranty replacement.
Bottom line, I would not reccomend it based on my experience.
If you think the iPod shield is difficult to install try the iPad one. Got the full protection And it's impossible. I can't believe they are even selling this product.
I just installed the invisible shield on my iPad 2 about 10 hours and while I thought it was relatively easy I am not happy so far with how it looks. There is no more crystal clear display but the appearance of a film on the glass. Have I not waited long enough or can anyone tell that I've done something wrong with installation. Thanks for the feedback.
As great as the invisishield might be for scratches, it's a waste of money. Or at least it has been for me. I had mine installed when I bought it by the clerk at the zagg kiosk at my local mall. Unfortunately the warranty does not cover installation and I am on my 3rd one now. The invisishield won't stay on and they want an "installation" charge every time it starts to peel off. Quite a racket. Worse then a waste of money it's a money sink.
I have to say that getting a proper Invisible Shield like the zagg is worth every penny. Several of the smart phones I have owned have gotten very smudged very quickly both from general wear and tear along with fingerprints (I have somewhat oily skin). However, with a zagg shield it greatly reduces this issue. Still not 100% perfect but much better than before.
I have used other screen protectors and was curious to hear that the Zagg minimized or eliminated the smudges and smears associated with other screen protectors. I hope are you correct. I am ordering one.
I’ve tried these screens multiple times and I’ve been disappointed each time. I also remember them being pretty pricey whenever they first came out. No wonder the price dropped … Anyone know any good, reasonably priced alternatives?
What’s that old saying? “I zigged, when I should of zagged”
The zagg is a good product, and a sound investment. No doubt this is a difficult install,best done by Best Buy (or a talented sister) LOL But, is it as difficult as people make out? NO! Most of the reviews given above, sound as though they were written by out of work foreign people who get paid just to right reviews. It don’t matter if they own the product or not, you can always tell because they speak in broken English.
First off, they need to rewrite their directions. You should leave your device alone for about eight hours, then take a micro fiber cloth and start lightly buffing it, don’t apply any pressure. When you begin to feel no resistance, you have gotten through the protective coating, wrap the micro fiber cloth around your finger and work your way all over the screen and apply pressure until it’s smooth.
I’m not positive yet, but when I get some Endust for electronics but all in all I’m pretty happy with my zagg. Sliding my finger across the screen is not an issue, and I’m disabled and can’t speak I use an IPad and ShapeWriter to communicate.
Sent from my iPad
@Thomas G
First of all, not everyone here is native english speaker or from english speaking countries.
I use Invisible Shield on my Macbook Pro 17 and i loved the protection of zagg on my mac. the installation process is hard off course, need 2 people doing correct positioning/alignment, and off course the macbook stayed off for 24+ hours..
I think most people who got disappointed in the Invisible shield is because of installation mistakes , and reading thru the comment section here i see lots of people complaining about the install procedure/mistakes during install/the difficulty of installation and yet there is nary a comment about the protective quality of invisibleshield once it is installed properly.
So if i have to rate invisible shield, i rate it 10/10 on protection qualities and 1/10 on installation difficulty
regards
Hello there, I read your post and noted that you said the screen had a texture referred to as “orange peel” and I just wanted to inform you that it’s actually on purpose because it reduces glare from the sun or natural lighting. Just an FYI 🙂
But it’s not like a matte finish, it just looks like small bumps. If it is for anti-glare then great 🙂
Terrible customer service. I was sent a defective skin (cut wrong), and they refuse to replace. Caveat Emptor!!!
That’s strange. They sent me a wrong size once and they replaced it immediately. You just have to send back the unused wrong size.
I don’t know it’s a fluke but I just put one of these on my sons touch screen phone and the screen stopped working. I thought maybe it was too thick that it wasn’t sensing the touch so I removed it only to find that the screen is no longer working rendering the phone completely useless. I am extremely upset that now I have to replace a phone because of this product. And yes, I followed the instructions to the letter.
That is extremely strange. I hope the application fluid didn’t get into the device and damage something.
If it dries up it might still start working. (Way to be optimistic, right?)
Bought the invisible shield from the Brea Mall after i purchased my Iphone 4. A few days later the sides started forming bubbles. Brought it back to Brea and they replaced it for free since it was still within the 2 week mark. 2 weeks go by and the same issue occured and I had to pay 5 bucks for the repair. The rep said that it might be the way I handle the phone. She said keep it out of your pocket for at least 4 days. Did that. A few weeks go by and same thing again another 5 bucks down the drain. Now she recommends I purchase a new cover. So I purchase an elago case on Amazon. (It’s a good looking cover and I highly recommend elago.) The side of the casing goes up to the front of the phone so it doesn’t overlap some parts of the screen. A few weeks later, same thing!?! More bubbles and this time it’s around the home button. Brought it back to pay ANOTHER 5 bucks to have it reinstalled.
Initial Cost: 25.00
Casing: 8.00
Labor charges for relacing the screen (3 times): 15.00
To be honest. The invisible shield is not worth 25 bucks at all. Even if it has a lifetime warranty. The material feels rubbery and it’s hard to play a few games. I would not recommend this product.
Good Day.
Thanks for the great information. I am interested in buying a shield but didn’t know anyone who used one. Judging by the comments listed here there are many people who have used them!It seems like there are many different views according to these comments. Some are pleased and some are not, but mostly people don’t like the install session! I can understand why. Do you know of anyone who installs the invisible shield if you are not up to the challenge yourself? Thanks or the detailed guidance!
Totaly crap! Doesn’t last a year and doesn’t stick when the phone is in your pocket on a warm summer day and shifts. Dust is trapped underneed. When trying to replace the screenprotector becomes useless!
They say they have a lifetime guarantee but they charged me twice even though I sent the old one in. It’s junk – do not buy it. I don’t know how they stay in business. Poor customer service. Won’t reply to emails.
I am just a smartphone junkie and for every phone ve installed zagg shields. The r eality is the people who hate them are either one time users who sucked at installing it or people who were simply too impatient to do it right. If you put enough solution on…and when u mess up pull it back again…add more solution and lay it on again…spend time working the bubbles out from middle to edge…and spend time ensuring the corners stay flat ….then this thing will be your best screen ever. Since 2009 it is all I use…installed it on over 10 devices for me or family…and get it perfect t every time. The only thing defective about this product is the user!
My experience with a Zagg ‘full body’ cover for an iPod nano 6G is a lot like a few others here and on other sites.
It was great for 2.5 months. Then one day, after a few hours in my pocket (not unusual), the front cover slid about 5mm off to one side. My wife made a valiant effort to reattach it, but it only lasted a week.
Zagg’s customer service rep was courteous, but it was obvious this wasn’t an unusual failure.
So, I can pay $3.99 for s&h to get a replacement, then pay to send the original back. That adds 20% to the original price, and assumes I won’t be doing this every 2.5 months. If this goes on for a year, I will have paid the original price in s&h.
I’m going to hope Amazon will take a return. 2.5 months is way too early for a product failure. Whether they take the return or not, I’m going to try another one (the powersupportusa film is only $9.95 for two screen covers). If this kind of early failure is unusual, Zagg should cover the s&h for the few of us who have experienced it.
I installed the Zagg invisible skin on my IPod Touch and no matter what I did with the squeegee I could not get all the bubbles out. Two days later they were still there so I took it off. A total waste of time and money for me. Would not have spent the $15 if I’d have known this.
Hi Techie
Is there any alternative product close to the feature of Zagg? What can you recommend?
Take a look at the Realook screen protector. It doesn’t have orange peel and it’s a dry install.
Hey Techie,
If I use Zagg, what’s the estimated time you think would it last on average usage? months, years or days?
People have said around 3 months, but my friends and I have been using Zaggs with no problem for around a year. It really depends on how you treat your devices overall and what you expect from the Zagg.
In any case, a screen protector is a screen protector. If the Zagg will only last you three months, there’s probably not some other protector that will last you much longer.
This product is crap,i got mine from the Philippines installed at iShield store at Shoemart Mall at North EDSA by their installer whose name is JAN LIAO.The guy flooded my iphone 4,with the liquid chemical,which he claims was harmless for the phone.When he was over,I turned on the phone and to my surprise,the touch screen is not functioning any more,the LCD had signs of water in it.so I asked this fellow what happened to my phone,he just scratched his head and was calling his supervisor,LIBERTY FEDERICO,who at that time was out of the store.JAN LIAO,the “skilled” technician even saw the flooded LCD and acknowledged what happened.Knowing that water or chemical has entered the phone,I took it to a repair center to have it checked,and yes,the LCD was already damaged according to the technician,who even called up iShield SM north EDSA branch,to explain the extent of damage he and his company has done to my iPhone 4.I went back to the store still no LIBERTY FEDERICO-the supervisor,only JAN LIAO-the “skilled”installer and a certain RONA LIDONA were around.JAN LIAO got hold of LIBERTY FEDERICO and I talked to her and in the course of our conversation,LIBERTY FEDERICO-the supervisor,told me that they do not have any obligations to have my iPhone fixed.I got the shock of my life and told her that this was not included in the agreement,there was nothing in their warranty that says if they damage the unit they have no liability.Now,my iPhone is not useable anymore.These people,JAN LIAO,LIBERTY FEDERICO and RONA LIDONA and the company they work for iSHIELD-ZAGG are irresponsible people and shrugs off customer complaints just get away from their responsibility.
Hi Techie,
Will it do harm to my iPhone’s system if I uninstall Zagg Invisible Shield after installing it and using it for a couple of months?
Xavier Denham
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just pull the shield off (it can be a little difficult to take off, but i guess that’s a good thing for Zagg users).