I ordered this protector off Amazon at the same time I ordered my Otterbox Commuter case. Got it yesterday and applied it tonight. This protector is kind that is applied with a soapy water solution, similar to that of a full body skin like InvisibleShield. This protector was $2 on Amazon so I figured why not give it a shot. I have installed IS protectors before so I knew what I was getting myself in to and was up to the challenge.
First and foremost, the seller (Prestige Solutions) processed and shipped my order as fast as could be expected. Order was placed on the 24th, shipped on the 25th, I received it on the 27th. It arrived in a regular envelope and included the protector itself, a cleaning cloth and a squeegee as well as very clear and easy to follow instructions for application. It took all of 5 minutes to do the install, and only took that long because I had a couple problem spots along the edge of the screen that I had to give a little extra attention to in order to make sure it adhered properly. Installation goes something like this: Remove the battery. Get a bowl of water and add a couple drops of dish soap or baby shampoo to it. Clean the screen and then wet your fingers and with your wet fingers, peel the backing off the protector. Wet the back of the protector completely and place it on the screen. I just used my fingers to get the protector wet, making sure to moisten the whole back side and allowing the excess to drip off before setting on the phone. I then got my microfiber towel and while sliding the protector into place, absorbed any excess water that got near the speaker or began to ooze out from under the protector. Once in place I used the squeegee and started "brushing" it over the protector to get as much of the water and bubbles out as possible, dabbing the phone with the microfiber to absorb the excess. Once I got as much of the moisture out as possible, and once the protector felt it was sticking nicely, I used the micofiber one last time to make sure the edges were stuck down firmly and cleaned the protector as well.
The key is using just enough water, it sounds hard and maybe dangerous, but it's very easy and as long as you don't get carried away with the water you should be fine. It will take a few days for the protector to fully cure and the remaining moisture to evaporate so don't fret if you notice some under there the next day. Once it's completely cured and dried you shouldn't even be able to tell it's there, aside from the slight edges you can see around the ear speaker and camera. This protector is cut very precisely and fits like a glove. It's pretty thin and has a rubbery kind of feel to it once wet. Compared to the Gorilla Glass, it doesn't feel quite as slick, but then again I've only had it on for 3hrs now and haven't gotten a real feel for it yet since i'm just letting it cure. Speaking of which, it says you should leave the battery out for 24hrs as a safety precaution to allow any water to dry up, although generally 8hrs is plenty. It also states that it will take 1-2 days for any haziness and bubbles to go away. Having done this before, I assure you that's exactly what happens and once fully cured it looks lovely.
I will post an update in the second post here in a couple days with my review of the look and feel of it.
Motorola Atrix 2 IIScreen Protectors
**Follow up**
Well, the protector is fully cured so here's my take.
The main thing, it did not negatively effect the quality of the display, you cant even tell its there aside from the slight edge around the camera. But other than that its invisible. It is perfectly cut, is very thin and even when u tilt the screen at an angle to catch the reflection you dont see any texture at all, its like nothing is there. Its optically clear and allows the display to shine. The only thing I dont like about it is that it does not shed fingerprints effortlessly like the bare screen does. But I like that it also makes the screen more grippy. The glass was very slick, almost too slick for my liking, its not slick anymore but allows ur fingers to glide across it but without letting them get away from you. I actually enjoy typing much more on it now as my thumbs arent sliding on to neighboring letters anymore, improving my accuracy tremendously. Aside from the fingerprint issue, I love this protector and highly suggest it to anyone looking for one. Its the best $2 you're gonna spend on ur phone!
**Update**
I was able to compare this $2 screen protector to the much more popular and widely available InvisibleShield screen protector, which is virtually the same thing, a wet applied protector. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.....Keep in mind the InvisibleShield protector is about $20 in stores.
My phone, in Otterbox Commuter w/XtremeGuard screen protector
Random phone w/InvisibleShield screen protector
I have two friends at work, both with Samsung Galaxy S phones, one has the SGSII, and both of them have the InvisibleShield protector installed and they look even worse than the one pictured above....it looks like an orange peel on steroids, I kid you not. After seeing my protector, they both want XtremeGuards now! Which would you prefer?
First and foremost, the seller (Prestige Solutions) processed and shipped my order as fast as could be expected. Order was placed on the 24th, shipped on the 25th, I received it on the 27th. It arrived in a regular envelope and included the protector itself, a cleaning cloth and a squeegee as well as very clear and easy to follow instructions for application. It took all of 5 minutes to do the install, and only took that long because I had a couple problem spots along the edge of the screen that I had to give a little extra attention to in order to make sure it adhered properly. Installation goes something like this: Remove the battery. Get a bowl of water and add a couple drops of dish soap or baby shampoo to it. Clean the screen and then wet your fingers and with your wet fingers, peel the backing off the protector. Wet the back of the protector completely and place it on the screen. I just used my fingers to get the protector wet, making sure to moisten the whole back side and allowing the excess to drip off before setting on the phone. I then got my microfiber towel and while sliding the protector into place, absorbed any excess water that got near the speaker or began to ooze out from under the protector. Once in place I used the squeegee and started "brushing" it over the protector to get as much of the water and bubbles out as possible, dabbing the phone with the microfiber to absorb the excess. Once I got as much of the moisture out as possible, and once the protector felt it was sticking nicely, I used the micofiber one last time to make sure the edges were stuck down firmly and cleaned the protector as well.
The key is using just enough water, it sounds hard and maybe dangerous, but it's very easy and as long as you don't get carried away with the water you should be fine. It will take a few days for the protector to fully cure and the remaining moisture to evaporate so don't fret if you notice some under there the next day. Once it's completely cured and dried you shouldn't even be able to tell it's there, aside from the slight edges you can see around the ear speaker and camera. This protector is cut very precisely and fits like a glove. It's pretty thin and has a rubbery kind of feel to it once wet. Compared to the Gorilla Glass, it doesn't feel quite as slick, but then again I've only had it on for 3hrs now and haven't gotten a real feel for it yet since i'm just letting it cure. Speaking of which, it says you should leave the battery out for 24hrs as a safety precaution to allow any water to dry up, although generally 8hrs is plenty. It also states that it will take 1-2 days for any haziness and bubbles to go away. Having done this before, I assure you that's exactly what happens and once fully cured it looks lovely.
I will post an update in the second post here in a couple days with my review of the look and feel of it.
Motorola Atrix 2 IIScreen Protectors
**Follow up**
Well, the protector is fully cured so here's my take.
The main thing, it did not negatively effect the quality of the display, you cant even tell its there aside from the slight edge around the camera. But other than that its invisible. It is perfectly cut, is very thin and even when u tilt the screen at an angle to catch the reflection you dont see any texture at all, its like nothing is there. Its optically clear and allows the display to shine. The only thing I dont like about it is that it does not shed fingerprints effortlessly like the bare screen does. But I like that it also makes the screen more grippy. The glass was very slick, almost too slick for my liking, its not slick anymore but allows ur fingers to glide across it but without letting them get away from you. I actually enjoy typing much more on it now as my thumbs arent sliding on to neighboring letters anymore, improving my accuracy tremendously. Aside from the fingerprint issue, I love this protector and highly suggest it to anyone looking for one. Its the best $2 you're gonna spend on ur phone!
**Update**
I was able to compare this $2 screen protector to the much more popular and widely available InvisibleShield screen protector, which is virtually the same thing, a wet applied protector. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.....Keep in mind the InvisibleShield protector is about $20 in stores.
My phone, in Otterbox Commuter w/XtremeGuard screen protector
Random phone w/InvisibleShield screen protector
I have two friends at work, both with Samsung Galaxy S phones, one has the SGSII, and both of them have the InvisibleShield protector installed and they look even worse than the one pictured above....it looks like an orange peel on steroids, I kid you not. After seeing my protector, they both want XtremeGuards now! Which would you prefer?
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