Zagg Invisible Shield for Nexus One Review

An unbiased review of the Zagg Invisible Shield for Google Nexus One
 

Introduction

After becoming a proud owner of a Google Nexus One, I immediately thought how to protect it from scratches and other damage. Having a positive experience with Zagg Invisible Shield from my previous iPhone 3GS, I decided to use the film protector on my Nexus One too.

I purchased the full body version of the protector, not only the one for the screen. Although I am located in Romania and I have ordered from the Zagg's US website, the package arrived to me surprisingly quickly, in less than one week, because it is mailed like an envelope and not like a package.

Packaging

The packaging box for the Zagg Invisible Shield for Nexus One looks professional and contains all that you need for installation: the shield, printed instructions, a squeegee in the form of a card, and a box containing a sponge and application solution. A cloth is also provided for cleaning the phone before applying the film.

My recommandation (after the experience of a failed install of the screen film) is to also order a spray containing application solution. It is available for $2.50 on the Zagg website. The sponge can pick up dust which is imprinted on the body film and will lead to less-than-satisfactory results. Use the spray !

Installation

The installation is not really hard, but the full body version takes an awfully long time (4 hours for me) and an enormous amount of patience. If you only want to protect the screen, you can install it in about 30-60 minutes. However, I managed to fail the first screen application because the screen film catched dust from the application sponge and was forced to order another screen film (together with a spray this time). I am not usually happy unless the results are perfect.

Results

I consider the results mixed. The body application came out perfect, but the screen application has some flaws. First, there is the Zagg film which is not glass-like transparent and has some material irregularities. Because the Nexus One has a high-resolution screen, the Invisible Shield decreases clarity to some extent. On the iPhone this was more acceptable because of that phone's lower resolution.

You should be aware though that over time the edges of the film will begin to tear and will separate a bit from the phone. Lucky though, it takes long enough until then, and the film is very easy to uninstall and replace.

Conclusion

So, is it worth to protect your Nexus One with Zagg Invisible Shield ? No doubt. I can now carry the Nexus One in my pocket without the carrying pouch provided in the Nexus One box. This makes handling the phone easier and I have less worries of scratching when I place the phone on hard surfaces. Also, because the Nexus One picks up smudges and fingerprints very easily, the Zagg Invisible Shield eliminates this problem. The overall grip on the phone is also significantly improved.