Zagg invisibleSHIELD Full Body iPad Body and Screen Matte Protector Skin

Zagg InvisibleSHIELD is definitely one of the most popular of the full body, clear protective skins available for the iPad. They were also the first of the many known full body skin manufacturers to release their product for the iPad.

The invisibleSHIELD has one serious flaw. It is applied using the ‘wet’ method, and that can be a very difficult and frustrating process if you’re not prepared for it. The vast majority of complaints against the Zagg invisibleSHIELD have been directed at the application process.

If you cannot get the darned thing on then it isn’t going to do you any good. But if you can get it on, this protective iPad skin is a highly functional, high-quality, long-lasting, good looking ‘invisibleSHIELD’ against scratches to the screen, back and sides of your iPad. So we’ve created a detailed set of step-by-step Zagg invisibleSHIELD iPad application instructions and tips to guide you through this test of your patience, mettle and reading comprehension skills. Don’t worry. There’s also a helpful video.

Zagg has been developing the invisibleSHIELD for various, hand-held personal electronics since 2005. The company boasts of the military origins of the super-strong thin material. Originally used to protect helicopter blades from wear and tear, this high-grade protective film is reportedly also used to coat the front of cars to protect the finish from rocks and road debris.

It also uses nano-memory technology which allows the iPad protector to easily recover from most scratches or mars to the film. The self-healing takes place generally within hours of the film receiving injury. It’s an amazingly strong, resilient and durable, super-thin invisible shield for your iPad.

It’s the stuff the invisibleSHIELD is made with, redesigned and patented first by Zagg for the purpose of protecting hand-held devices such as cell-phones and iPods. The genius of the invisibleSHIELD and the technology it brought to the personal electronics casing industry is the ability to protect the surfaces of your devices while still enjoying unfettered full access to your tools and toys and their natural, unadorned beauty and form. No other casing is required.

Many have since copied the Zagg invisibleSHIELD, but Zagg remains one of the most popular, trusted and indeed reliable brands. When applied correctly the invisibleSHIELD provides top-of-the-line invisible protection for your iPad or other hand-held device. None beat it in quality, strength or finished appearance.

The invisibleSHIELD iPad protector skin even greatly reduces the appearance of fingerprints, which is definitely a good thing. There is one thing –besides the inherent difficulty of applying a full body iPad skin- which some people don’t like about the Zagg invisibleSHIELD, however. It’s the matte finish. People either love it or hate it.

The overall touch and feel of the matte finish of the invisibleSHIELD is good, soft and generally smooth. It provides a grippiness for the iPad’s otherwise slick surface. But when it comes to the screen, some people feel it can inhibit interaction with the touch surface. Others report not noticing any problem, and many people like the slight increase in friction. They feel it helps them avoid typos on the sensitive iPad touch screen.

This problem –or solution as the case may be- tends to exist on all the matte screen protectors to some degree or other. Matte screens also tend to slightly distort the pixel quality and screen clarity. This is typical in anti-glare screen protectors, which the Zagg invisibleSHIELD really is not. Of course some report increasing the brightness level in your iPad screen settings tends to compensate for the reduced clarity caused by matte screen protectors.

The Zagg invisibleSHIELD covers do not tend to suffer too much from ‘orange peel’ syndrome, but should the iPad itself outlast the invisibleSHIELD and the protective film begins to show its age or exhibit trouble at the edges –which is typical of these type of clear film skins after a couple of years- Zagg will replace the invisibleSHIELD free for the price of shipping. This is a warranty that lasts for the lifetime of your device.

The device lifetime replacement warranty is also another of the standards set by Zagg in the protective film casing market, and another thing now copied by others in the arena.

So Zagg has brought a lot to the market. Especially if you wanna go naked. I mean, your iPad, of course. The invisibleSHIELD is only .2 millimeters thick. That’s skinny. You can really feel the iPad in your hands and appreciate its slim build, and the invisibleSHIELD is so unobtrusive that you can easily place the iPad with the full body protective invisibleSHIELD on it inside a neoprene sleeve, folio case or messenger bag.

If you enjoy the slick feel of the iPad and aren’t worried about grip, and if you really like the easy swiping abilities of its sensitive touch screen, then this clear, full body iPad protector isn’t going to be right for you.

If you’re looking for naked, reliable, full body protection for your iPad and you don’t mind the slightest loss of pixel quality or a more tactile feel to the iPad –screen and all- then this fully body iPad protection from Zagg is a great choice, and may be just the thing to solve your typo problems and protect your expensive iPad.  

Be aware that this is a full body skin, and as such you will need to differentiate between the WiFi only version and the WiFi with 3G version for proper fit. The front piece is the same for both units, but the back and side pieces differ.

It is expensive, but you get what you pay for and Zagg delivers. With the invisibleSHIELD properly applied, your iPad will have full body protection, beautifully invisibly.

The Zagg sells their invisibleSHIELD in four options. You can buy the complete ‘Maximum Coverage’ kit on their website for $39.99. Or for the same price you can buy the ‘Quick Install’ version which contains only the front and back film covers, but not the sides. For $29.99 you can buy the front or back separately.

The Quick Install version as well as the front and back pieces alone can be purchased from Zagg through Amazon for much less than the retail prices, with the Quick Install going for less than $15.00.

Whatever version you may choose, be sure to read my article on How To Apply Zagg invisibleSHIELD Full Body & Screen Protector to Your iPad. This and the accompanying Zagg instructional video will help prepare you for what to expect during this wet method installation.

_{Article Copyright 2010 tommyj and not to be copied or reprinted without author permission.}

_{Additional photo courtesy of Zagg.}

_{Opinions expressed herein are based on personal experience and thorough research. Author is not affiliated with Zagg or invisibleSHIELD products in any way.}