Well, for the benefit of the community, I thought it'd be nice to share my experiences with some screen covers.
I received the phone from a friend with ghost armor on it, but it had some indentations and weird spots on it so I went to the kiosk to have it reapplied for $5. I turned on the phone, and there is a big piece of dirt AND a hair under the screen, pissed me off because I had to go all the way back to the mall to get it reapplied again. The second time it seemed alright, but liquid "hazing" he said would go away never went away, which was also angering. I ordered ZAGG invisible shield, since they were having a 75% off sale for screen only. They sent me one, but it was really odd. They sent me one that was cut to cover the buttons, which makes no sense because the buttons aren't touch sensitive, you have to press them, which would cause air bubbles and deformations in the cover. Sure enough it did, I don't know why they designed it to cover the buttons, which aren't level with the screen at all times. I did my best to just cut the bottom portion off so it wouldn't cover the buttons. It worked enough, it doesn't look pretty, with pretty jagged edges, but at least the screen area itself has no irregularities. There are still a couple of vertical scratch marks I can see on a white screen, from the squeegee i'm guessing, so I'm hoping that those will go away in the next few days.
The whole screen protector covering the buttons also caused some issues with the liquid solution getting into the phone, and my home key stopped working for a few hours, but it seems to have come back, I was panicking there for a bit.
I had a ZAGG invisible shield on my g1 before it finally gave out, and ghost armor seemed to scratch easily, I always got dents and malformations imprinted on it within a few days. With the invisible shield I can take a key to it, and it won't scratch. I actually did this with my g1 as a demonstration. I think they have modified the material to glide more smoothly since my g1, so it's not AS resistant, but I'm pretty sure it'll be stronger than ghost armor was.
If you DO get invisibleshield though, cut the bottom off to make it flat, it will screw up your buttons otherwise. Also, with my experience and others' that I have read, applying it yourself ends up being better quality.
As for the "orange peel" thing, you can see it if you look at the reflection, but I can't feel it. That might be because I play guitar and have thick calluses on my fingertips, but I don't notice it when I touch the screen.
Ghost armor seemed to be better resistant to skin oils and smudges as well. My experience has been better with ZAGG though.
Personally I use the Mirrored Finish protector from Wireless Emporium online and after 4 months I simply clean it a couple times a week when I'm bored. Though I do have a clear one on order from them because the Mirrored Finish does darken the screen some and causes some refraction issues with some colors. I'm fairly rough with my phone and have no scratches after about 4 months of use. It is fairly fingerprint resistant but I do have kids and get odd stuff on my hands now and again.
Oh, and the protectors here don't overlay the buttons on the bottom at all.
kudos on the zagg shield i work at best buy and use that cover on my stuff. i just got a generic cover and cut out to match the screen of my slide but yes it is good stuff
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I was thinking about purchasing an Invisible shield at a mall nearby, but just to make sure before i buy it, are there any bad things about it?
davidst3r said:
I was thinking about purchasing an Invisible shield at a mall nearby, but just to make sure before i buy it, are there any bad things about it?
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I only use it for the screen, not the full body coverage (thought it looked better unglossy)
It applies really well if you take your time and follow directions.
Looks as if you didn't use a screen protector at all.
Nice texture, nothing funny feeling.
Not really plastic more of a rubbery shield that doesn't break.
Doesn't blur or scratch (scratches can be buffed out basically.
Can easily be replaced through zagg (they will send you a new one for almost any excuse haha)
Only funny thing is that it kind shows a different looking effect when viewing at a small angle and when the phone is off (not a problem at all really...)
If you get it professional installed (like I did) it's well worth it. I got the full body and I notice that the little pieces that are cut to fit around corners come up over time, and the corners can fill with dirt and also peel up.
Since InvisibleShield comes with a lifetime guarantee against anything, it's well worth it. You can get it replaced anytime, question-free, just a $10 fee for installation. I've gotten it replaced 3 times over the 7 months I've owned my phone and it's well worth it :]. Fun to show off too!
i bought it online when they were running a promo on it (full body+screen).
after a afternoon of chilling and bbq'n i decided i would install it that same night.. bad move. i mean a few beers weren't gonna hurt right? lol
Its easy to install "after" you have tried it with a few pieces lol.
took me like 45mins and it came out good overall. the back corner piece does suck and is peeling off somewhat.
i would do this again but would rather have it done by a pro though
if your gonna do this yourself make sure you get it really wet and don't pull too hard on the material when your peeling it off the paper as this will look bad when you install it and after it dries.
lol i got a shieldskin, pretty much same thing as the invisishield, it covered 95% of the phone. A few weeks later i dropped my G1 on the pavement and it landed on a small jagged pebble on the 5% that wasn't covered. FML.
Anyway, I ditched that for a full body case. Better coverage for a bigger phone, im okay with it.
i put the whole cover on, screen piece is excellent..feels good, doesn't scratch, can't even tell its there. the other parts are ok, the corners do collect a lot of gunk, and it is a fingerprint magnet, but easily cleaned up. kinda tricky to install yourself though. if you just set it down all over, or put it in your pocket, its great, if you're the kind of person who drops things a lot, go with something else for the body and just get the screen piece.
I personally cannot stand invisible shield. I have never had any luck with them. They always end up feeling like orange peel to me. I know that its not me, because when I install a bodyguardz it never orange peels. Its always perfect. Plus you get 2 for the price of one!
I recommend Bodyguardz hands down.
http://www.bodyguardz.com/T_Mobile_G1_p/tmobileg1.htm?Click=9481
I like mine, a lot
I have on on my ipod that I guess I gave to my four-year-old. It's tough stuff.
I think it sounds wacko, but I am convinced the skin absorbs a little of the impact of a drop. It really is scratch proof, and if you put them on right, it should cover all of the unit except of the corners of the battery cover &($11 on ebay). It's 3D curved, so there really isn't a way to engineer it perfectly. I took my glasses off (hard core near sighted) and dabbed a bit of fingernail top coat in the cracks to match the sheen and protect a little. It hasn't chipped or peeled in the tiny cracks that were left.
Yes, eventually they do peel up, particularly if you're sliding it in & out of another really tight case, but even so, they stay put pretty well despite a corner or two coming up. If it's intsalled correctly and there are no regular spots where it's worn really hard, I can't imagine anything peeling up unless you pick at it.
I put mine on myself, entirely sober and well-slept. I was really concerned about the job I did at first, but the skin settles into place after a day or two. Now it looks pretty good (i.e. I'm happy with it, so it's notably invisible to other people).
I like the "StickyPad" effect it has, particularly on the back, but it's handy on the front for when I have it face down (I like Face of Ring in market). It's very rubbery, so it doesn't slide around on a desk, nightstand or dashboard, and with foam on car mounts, etc. it really stays put.
If anything, I would get a screen protector from another manufacturer that isn't so glossy. It has a bit of a wavy texture if you look closely, so on the screen it looks a little odd if you're thinking about it, and looking at it. A slippery screen for finger gestures makes more sense, but I'm leaving mine in place becuase I know it's rock solid screen protection (and it's cut to fit the rest of the skin).
I'm looking forward to putting on my next one because I know it'll turn out better. I'll put the screen protector on first, then line up the surrounding screen-edge side peices to match it at the top and the bottom of the screen, so that then I can line up the top-edge and bottom edge pieces with a straight line from the screen side & corners, rather than the bottom edge of the screen assembly. The rest was really straightforward, tedious, and not for people who don't have a knack for fine motor movement and estimating sall measurements fairly acurately. But I can't even pay someone to replace my brake pads, much less put on a phone protector.
And what that other guy said: REALLY, REALLY WET. I think I'll be more liberal with the spray next time. You can slide it around for about a second without stretching it. If you have a lint free towel, it handy for keeping the spray out of the unit but still have enough to slide around until it's right.
I had trouble with the corner opposite the camera button. The phone curves in the back, and the dart (the v-shaped cut to make the corner) wasn't quite deep enough, so I used Swiss Army knife scissors and trimmed the extra that just wouldn't stick down because it was just too much. I'm glad I did.
I know there's lint under my screen protector, but I can't see it. The bubbles, if they're tiny, just seem to disappear. It's really a cool material, and worth a try just to see the stuff.
Besides, it fits inside another case.
(I do sew, but I refuse to knit.)
I have a question about this case. I found it for $12 on amazon and I think it's worth it and I think it will work great. However, I have some concerns about the screen protector and how messy/clean it is and how easy it is to apply. Also im worried about if it glares a lot because that would be a problem to me. My other concern though is I saw in some video reviews that the top of the case it doesn't 'hug' it firmly there and is kinda loose at that spot. Is this an issue or should it be fine?
Thanks
The screen protector scratches relatively easily, but that isn't a huge problem, and it doesn't glare. The protector is also the exact size of the screen, so if you get it a millimeter off, you'll have an ugly white line with grime underneath. The protector is applied dryly and needs to be applied very quickly or else dust particles will quickly attach to it. It's also kind of tricky getting it on, as the instructions aren't the best. If you don't get it on right the first time, it's a real pain. I resolved this by washing the protector and using a lint roller to get the dust off before reapplying.
The case itself is great and looks nice, and it's protected my phone from a launch onto hardwood from about 4 feet. As you said, the case doesn't hug the phone properly at the top and bottom. The amount of "hug" will vary from case to case, mine is right on there (still floppy though) but my brother's case has a massive gap. I heard they fixed it with a more recent design though. One of my biggest gripes is that the silicon is a dust/lint magnet, and there's always dust/lint getting into the top/bottom gaps. This is really unsightly and I need to clean the dust regularly as it bothers me, and do a full case clean every week. I also don't dig the hard plastic as I have dry skin, which makes it difficult to hold.
yeah that would be a deal breaker for me.. I had a silicone case for my previous phone and I actually didn't use it because I needed to freely move my fingers off and on the edges (fruit ninja lol). Tho I don't play that game anymore really. My other concern is will the top of the phone when your putting it into your pocket have like a 'drag' effect due to the silicone and it not being tight on the top or does it cleanly go in/out of the pocket when its rubbing against your pocket? That was also kinda an issue to me as well with my old phone. Also what other cases would you recommend (can be another otterbox)? I might be looking for another case if I don't determine this one suiting me.
I have this case. I chose not to use the screen protector so I cant comment on that. The case is great. The rubber piece that protects the mirco usb charger is annoying as hell (not sure why i havent cut it off yet.) The phone does seem to slide towards the bottom sometimes so there can be a small gap at the top. I would recomend this case. especially at $12
I got this screen protector at my local mall to replace the pile of crap Sprint Screen Protector I had on (rough as hell), and wow, they did good. On the BACK.
Let me talk about the good part first: the back armor. It's clear, you can take the back off with no problems, and it even has a protector for the kickstand. It feels nice, clean, and overall pretty. The only gripe I have with it is that they cut a block off to show the HTC logo. Not reallynecessary, but okay.
Now for the bad part: the front screen protector.
The first time I got it on, it had no problem. Then about a week later, a massive hair mysteriously appeared under the screen. I thought it was a scratch at first, but it wasn't. Luckily, I got it replaced for free because of that. The second application of it went good, no hairs or anything. Then 2 weeks later, a random scratch appeared on it. I ignored it for a while, then 2 weeks later, the top left of the screen protector started to show specs of dust under it overnight for whatever reason. The good part about the screen protector is how nice it feels. I had no problem playing Crystal Defenders (which is a touch screen intensive app), and it's really easy to clean. I rubbed it on my desk at school which made it have hundreds of little scratches on it, but with some saliva and part of my shirt, it all came off. Except for that random scratch that I talked about. It doesn't do well with greasy hands, sadly :silly:
I give it a 7/10 for how nice it looks. But points off for the random scratch, hair, and dust.
UPDATE:
For whatever reason, a HOLE appeared in the screen protector.
This protector is GARBAGE.
So, after a week of use; I am starting to get little scratches on the glass of the watch. Anybody have any ideas on how I could get a decent screen protector for the watch? I know there aren't any perfectly sized ones for this device but maybe somebody here already found one that fits.
You may be getting real scratches on the screen, but be aware that the sapphire-coating on the TS also can appear scratched when it really is just marked. To clean those markings off takes some fairly serious buffing, but you might find the screen was not really scratched and comes out clean again.
There are no screen protectors currently available specifically cut to fit the TS. You could cut one yourself, maybe using that peel-off sticker it shipped with.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
I cut my own screen protector out of an old one (unused) that I had laying around. Turned out horrible.
It was the more rigid type and where the edge of the TrueSmart screen has a bevel the screen protector was just hanging out over it. It ended up collecting dirt and made it hard to access the back and menu swipe actions. I also considered cutting it back to only the actual screen portion but I figured that was just going to make those swipe actions even more miserable so I just tossed it.
My guess is that the only thing that would work would be one of the more flexible stretchable type screen protectors, not sure how well they would conform to the bevel on the glass though.
I've used both of these on both my G2s and G3s and want to share my findings. Feel free to share other brands and your results.
I carry my phones two ways. During work, they are in my shirt pockets where the only things rubbing on them are paper and the occasional dollar bills(between 6-14 hours a day). When not working, I place my phones in my front pocket with the screens facing each other. Keys and change will also be in that pocket. When I only have one phone, the screen faces my leg(between 2-4 hours average). I almost always have both phones at the same time.
iLoome Flex: This protector has a hardness rating of 8H. Despite that, it is flexible. I chose this first because I expected the flexibility to help dissipate any force applied to It. It did it's job well. Over a 6 month time period, it never chipped or cracked until I removed it, where it then basically crumbled to pieces during removal. The fit was good, not great. There was a gap around the edges, but that became a moot point once I put on my incipio case. I did not have any lifting issues like others have claimed. Installation was somewhat easy because of a taped hinged installation design to help figure out placement prior to removing the adhesive protection. There was still some difficulty due to it being smaller and trying to center the gaps while aligning the opening for the sensors. The feel of the glass wasn't as smooth as a bare screen and took some adjusting. In the end I preferred this because it allowed me to be more accurate in my selections and typing. I ended up removing it because after 6 months of use, the screen had become scuffed from use., which makes me question the hardness rating. That being said, I prefer the feel of this over a bare screen.
ZAGG: this protector has a hardness rating of 9H. There is very little play in regards to flexibility. The fit of this protector was superior with a very small gap which disappeared once a case was put on. Installation is the same as every other ZAGG protector, but this was the easiest I had ever done. Because of the great fit, it went on the first time and didn't need to squeegeed. Thinking I got lucky, I removed it and tried again with the same result. The feel of the protector is much slicker than the iLoome and dare I say, even the screen. It really feels like there isn't anything there. Since I've used It, however, the slickness has been a problem for me. I make more typing errors and accuracy has gone down the drain. When playing games like clash of clans where I can tap and hold, I get no response because my finger will almost always slide. It takes 2-3 deliberate tries before I get the desired response. In addition, I get A LOT of accidental screen presses from something as simple as scrolling through a page or feed. I have touch tracking on and the accuracy is off while using this protector by a millimeter or two. Sometimes, touches won't even register. This alone is almost enough to make me switch back to iLoome. After only a month, the screen still looks brand New. As for the actual protection, it was accidentally chipped by someone in an environment where it shouldn't have happened. Clearing away the chipped area resulted in smaller chips coming off. Once it was cleaned, it seemed like ther would be no other damage. Later that night, I dropped the phone about 3 1/2 feet flat on it's face. The raised edges of the case kept the screen from actually contacting the concrete. When I examined the phone, there was now a 1 1/2 inch hairline crack coming from the chip. It is barely noticeable and doesn't feel like it's there. No bubbles or lifted areas. I enabled developer options and tested touch across all areas of the chip and crack and found no loss of function and there was full responsiveness. This is still currently on my G3. I plan to keep it on for a while longer to see how it stands up to daily wear and tear.
I'll update as I continue to use the ZAGG and what I decide to use in the long run as well as other protectors I try out. Again, feel free to share your own experiences with these or other glass protectors.
Dropped my phone on its corner today. The crack spread across the screen. Still no effect on usage, but it wasn't a big or hard drop. It seems that once the ZAGG is chipped, it's shot.
I used an iCarez 0.2mm tempered glass screen protector on my G3. It was an easy install in the steamy bathroom and provides pretty good sensitivity, unless my fingers are really dry and cold.
It also smears really bad if your fingers are the least bit oily or greasy. Don't handle the phone after eating buttered popcorn. It claims to be olephobic, but maybe not so much.
Lastly, on my first airline flight with it, it cracked a couple of curves across the lower left. Nothing fell off. iCarez is sending me a replacement, but made sure to tell me that breaking it voids the warranty. It was in my pants pocket when it cracked. I might go with a tough plastic one next.
trent999 said:
I used an iCarez 0.2mm tempered glass screen protector on my G3. It was an easy install in the steamy bathroom and provides pretty good sensitivity, unless my fingers are really dry and cold.
It also smears really bad if your fingers are the least bit oily or greasy. Don't handle the phone after eating buttered popcorn. It claims to be olephobic, but maybe not so much.
Lastly, on my first airline flight with it, it cracked a couple of curves across the lower left. Nothing fell off. iCarez is sending me a replacement, but made sure to tell me that breaking it voids the warranty. It was in my pants pocket when it cracked. I might go with a tough plastic one next.
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Best advice ever! Always forget the steamy bathroom. Really does make a difference!
Have bnib 9h 0.3mm icarez true glass. Got as gift. Probably saving for when I sell the phone. Currently using icarez matte protector. I basically said ok I'll put on the tempered glass as soon as this plastic ones scratches. But no matter what this plastic one is not scratching at all. Kind of funny. What's everyones comment on screen sensitivity? I'm very concerned that using anything other than a regular protector that it's going to significantly decrease sensitivity to touch.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
I don't understand the G3 touch sensitivity at all. Mine seems sometimes to just be untouchable. I mean, like in Ingress, I will sometimes have to really bang on the button several times before it will register a press, then other times it is normal, for the same button. I am not at all sure this has anything to do with the glass protector though. Almost seems like lag.
trent999 said:
I used an iCarez 0.2mm tempered glass screen protector on my G3. It was an easy install in the steamy bathroom and provides pretty good sensitivity, unless my fingers are really dry and cold.
It also smears really bad if your fingers are the least bit oily or greasy. Don't handle the phone after eating buttered popcorn. It claims to be olephobic, but maybe not so much.
Lastly, on my first airline flight with it, it cracked a couple of curves across the lower left. Nothing fell off. iCarez is sending me a replacement, but made sure to tell me that breaking it voids the warranty. It was in my pants pocket when it cracked. I might go with a tough plastic one next.
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Click to collapse
Forgot about that. The iLoome smudges like crazy. The ZAGG doesnt.
trent999 said:
I don't understand the G3 touch sensitivity at all. Mine seems sometimes to just be untouchable. I mean, like in Ingress, I will sometimes have to really bang on the button several times before it will register a press, then other times it is normal, for the same button. I am not at all sure this has anything to do with the glass protector though. Almost seems like lag.
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Click to collapse
It appears to have the same issue the G2 had at launch. It was fixed with an update.
crashN2u said:
I've used both of these on both my G2s and G3s and want to share my findings. Feel free to share other brands and your results.
I carry my phones two ways. During work, they are in my shirt pockets where the only things rubbing on them are paper and the occasional dollar bills(between 6-14 hours a day). When not working, I place my phones in my front pocket with the screens facing each other. Keys and change will also be in that pocket. When I only have one phone, the screen faces my leg(between 2-4 hours average). I almost always have both phones at the same time.
iLoome Flex: This protector has a hardness rating of 8H. Despite that, it is flexible. I chose this first because I expected the flexibility to help dissipate any force applied to It. It did it's job well. Over a 6 month time period, it never chipped or cracked until I removed it, where it then basically crumbled to pieces during removal. The fit was good, not great. There was a gap around the edges, but that became a moot point once I put on my incipio case. I did not have any lifting issues like others have claimed. Installation was somewhat easy because of a taped hinged installation design to help figure out placement prior to removing the adhesive protection. There was still some difficulty due to it being smaller and trying to center the gaps while aligning the opening for the sensors. The feel of the glass wasn't as smooth as a bare screen and took some adjusting. In the end I preferred this because it allowed me to be more accurate in my selections and typing. I ended up removing it because after 6 months of use, the screen had become scuffed from use., which makes me question the hardness rating. That being said, I prefer the feel of this over a bare screen.
ZAGG: this protector has a hardness rating of 9H. There is very little play in regards to flexibility. The fit of this protector was superior with a very small gap which disappeared once a case was put on. Installation is the same as every other ZAGG protector, but this was the easiest I had ever done. Because of the great fit, it went on the first time and didn't need to squeegeed. Thinking I got lucky, I removed it and tried again with the same result. The feel of the protector is much slicker than the iLoome and dare I say, even the screen. It really feels like there isn't anything there. Since I've used It, however, the slickness has been a problem for me. I make more typing errors and accuracy has gone down the drain. When playing games like clash of clans where I can tap and hold, I get no response because my finger will almost always slide. It takes 2-3 deliberate tries before I get the desired response. In addition, I get A LOT of accidental screen presses from something as simple as scrolling through a page or feed. I have touch tracking on and the accuracy is off while using this protector by a millimeter or two. Sometimes, touches won't even register. This alone is almost enough to make me switch back to iLoome. After only a month, the screen still looks brand New. As for the actual protection, it was accidentally chipped by someone in an environment where it shouldn't have happened. Clearing away the chipped area resulted in smaller chips coming off. Once it was cleaned, it seemed like ther would be no other damage. Later that night, I dropped the phone about 3 1/2 feet flat on it's face. The raised edges of the case kept the screen from actually contacting the concrete. When I examined the phone, there was now a 1 1/2 inch hairline crack coming from the chip. It is barely noticeable and doesn't feel like it's there. No bubbles or lifted areas. I enabled developer options and tested touch across all areas of the chip and crack and found no loss of function and there was full responsiveness. This is still currently on my G3. I plan to keep it on for a while longer to see how it stands up to daily wear and tear.
I'll update as I continue to use the ZAGG and what I decide to use in the long run as well as other protectors I try out. Again, feel free to share your own experiences with these or other glass protectors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Zagg and just like you I have sensitivity issues to the point I get frustrated at times when it wouldn't respond to my taps and presses. I don't get much smudging but I have nothing to compare it to. I was thinking of getting Spigen's GLAS.tR NANO SLIM protector since it is 0.23 mm thick compared to Zagg's 0.4 mm thickness but the price is pretty steep.