Accessory Type: iPhone Case/Skin
Company: Zagg
Price: $14.95
Pros: Looks great, helps with grip and glare, naked gadgets rock
Cons: installation is crazy wacky, looks horrible for a while

So, when I got the box for Zagg’s Invisible Shield iPhone case, I was pretty excited. I always wanted to go around naked (my iPhone, I mean) and thought this a perfect opportunity to have the LOOK of naked iPhone, while still having the PROTECTION of a thin layer of plastic wrap, without actually, you know, using plastic wrap.

So, it was with eagerness that I opened the box, and pulled out the pre-cut plastic and noticed the nice packaging, full of gadget-freak goodness, like a special INSTALL SQUEEGEE, and SHIELDspray™. Also, a really long list of APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS. This was my first anxiety moment.

There are a full on SEVEN steps to install this thing onto my precious precious iPhone. I got scared. They told me i had to wash my hands first. My mother’s angry voice began to echo in my head – not a good start. Then, I have to spray my fingertips with the spray, and then hold this thin plastic in my hand. Then LIGHTLY spray the front and back sides of the plastic. They even HINTed that I should only spray the shield, not my device. Hm.

Then, I was to apply the shield to my device, adhesive side down, and slide into place. My shield did not slide. At all. I carefully set the back piece onto my iPhone and BOY are there a lot of special little flaps and such on this thing. I had bubbles and wrinkles GALORE™. To be honest, if I would have been recorded at that moment, I would have said it looked like ass. So I put on the front piece. And yeah, it was a little easier, not having too many flaps to worry about, but still looked like ass, and did not slide. Nope.

So, now I have my iPhone, my precious and sweet iPhone that I use ALL THE TIME looking like crud and I read the next direction, or “recommendation.” It says, and I quote: “We recommend letting your device sit overnight before turning it back on (12 – 24 hours is suggested).”

WHAT?!™

Ok, this is in the interest of science, or at least a really good review. I can leave it off for oh, 12 minutes. Then I’ll have to turn it on to get a phone number so I can call my friend. Then I turn it off again and OH WAIT someone is calling me, so I really should take it and I’ll just ask them if I can call them back.

Four or five uses later, the iPhone is fully off and sitting on my shelf for the night. It still looks like ass and I’m really ready to post a scathing review of such a complex and ugly iPhone “wrap.”

But I kind of don’t have time the next morning to do much with the iPhone, and I end up just keeping the darn thing on, in my pocket and messenger bag for the next week. And you know what? Aside from the little squooshy part where I stretched the non-slipping plastic material on installation, it starts to look pretty damn good. In fact, all those goofy bubbles and wacky places have now completely disappeared. Gone. As in, “where exactly did that Shield go, is it INVISIBLE?”

And I think I dig this thing. It lets me have an iPhone in all it’s nakedness and thinness (I love thin gadgets!), while still allowing me to slap the thing into my pocket, that usually has KEYS in it. KEYS! Nary a scratch, neither. I really dig this Invisible Shield. So much so I am not taking it off until I get a new one.

Yeah, I said it. I’m buying a shield. And I’m going to spray WAY more Shield Spray on this one and allow it to slip around a bit more when I install it. And I’m not gonna stress over the bubbles as much (unless they’re the size of the iPhone screen itself), because I totally know they’ll go away. And maybe I’ll grab the phone numbers off of my Address Book on my iMac, since it’s all there, anyway.

Bottom line? If you really like thinness in your iPhones, and you want basic scratch protection, an improved no-slipping grip, and some darn fine glare resistance, this may be your best bet. Just be ready for some installation stress, and to leave the dang thing off for a DAY in order to make it all work out. Also, plan to leave it on for a long time because a) you’re really going to like it and b) you’re really going to be afraid of messing up the iPHone when you pull this sucker off of the device.

Ok, ok, there are some nice videos of the application/intall process that I’ll TOTALLY@ use next time I put one on my iPhone. Here’s one, now! After you watch it, go grab yourself an Invisible Shield, and let it look like ass, at least for a couple of days. It’s worth it.