- Truc Bui

The End of a Great Shootout

After 10 reviews, the time has come to call a cease-fire to the shootout! I’m sure you’re all anxious to hear which screen protector came out on top, so I won’t keep you waiting much longer. Below is the list of screen protectors ranked from highest to lowest. Keep in mind that this ranking is based on my own very subjective opinions and preferences. Everything and anything I have said or will say should always be taken with a grain of salt. What I like and what I am looking for might or might not be what you are looking for in a screen protector.

- Truc Bui

I've been asked quite a few times about the best way to install the screen protectors I've been reviewing. The videos show the installation process at 6X actual speed, so it's very understandable that there is a lack of clarity on how to properly cover your tablet's screen. I've written a brief how-to article of the installation process. Check it out after the jump!

- Truc Bui

In the final (and long overdue) round of the Screen Protector Shootout, I take a look at Zagg's InvisibleShield line of screen protectors. The video is below with the written review after the jump.

Round 8: THE FINAL ROUND!!!

Zagg InvisibleShield

 

Summary:

Pros:

· Very good screen protection. It’s at least twice as thick as the other screen protectors

· Excellent coverage. Corner to corner sizing was spot on. Best fitment of the test units.

· Lifetime warranty allows for replacements to be sent if the InvisibleShield ever fails. At $25 + shipping, this is a GREAT deal.

Cons:

· Hands down the most difficult to install. Uninstallation was quite difficult as well.

· Writing feel was below par. The screen protector is very thick, and it’s quite soft, so writing resulted in a sticky and uneven unpleasantness.

· Even though it’s really thick and really resilient, it didn’t withstand the stress test very well. The screen protector still showed scratches under extremely heavy use.

- Truc Bui

In the second to the last round of the Screen Protector Shootout series, I take a look at Strong Engineering's screen protector. The video review is below, followed by the written review.

 

Round 7:

Strong Engineering

Summary:

Pros:

· Great fitment on custom cut piece. Easy to install.

· Excellent smudge resistance.

· Writing feel was on par with the best of the AG films.

Cons:

· Not full adhesive, but this is more personal preference.

· On glossy screens, bubbling issues resulted in an unpleasant overall experience. Those with a matte screen from the factory will not have any problems.

In Round 7 of the Screen Protector Shootout, I put Strong Engineering through the gauntlet. Let’s see how it holds up to the competition!

Initial Impressions:

Strong Engineering’s screen protector was as good as the other anti-glares in this competition. At approximately $22 shipped, the price is runs midpack for this competition. The Strong protector has adhesive strips on all four edges of the screen protector and provides edge to edge coverage, however, this is a custom cut piece. Prices and fitment may vary.

Installation:

Like all other edge-only adhesive protectors, the installation process was a snap. The issue that I came across was with bubbling. Unfortunately, due to the T2010’s glossy screen, the Strong Engineering protector bubbled. I’ve never experienced this before with any of the other AG screen protectors, so user beware. Stay away from the Strong Engineering protector if you have a glossy screen. You’ll be thoroughly disappointed.

Preservation of Luminosity:

Due to the bubbling, luminosity and preservation of screen image quality was lackluster at best. However, I had a feeling it had something to do with the construction of the screen protector itself. Sure enough, on the backside of the Strong Engineering, the screen protector was smooth. Because of this, the smooth-on-smooth contact resulted in the ugly bubbles. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get the bubbles to go away. The problem is exacerbated because of the adhesive strips on the edges of the protector, which causes an elevation difference between the edge of the protector and the center.

Writing Feel:

If you have a matte screen, like that found on the Toshiba M700, this screen protector would work very well for you. The writing feel was with the best of the AG protectors I’ve tested. It’s very smooth, giving that great "pen on paper" feel. However, with the bubbles underneath the screen, I was not able to get a thorough feel during prolonged inking. It was only after trying to troubleshoot the bubbles did I get a decent experience for its writing feel, albeit quite short. From what I could tell, though, it did very well.

Outdoor Viewability:

I didn’t test outdoor viewability with this screen protector because I couldn’t deal with the bubbles anymore. Yes, it was that intrusive. Check out the video and you’ll see how bad it was. In use, it was very distracting. The crispness of the T2010 was utterly lost under all those bubbles.

Screen Protector Removal:

All you have to do is pry it up and peel it off. Since the edge adhesives do not go all the way to the corner of the screen protector, you can actually just use your finger to pry it up. The adhesive strips did not leave any residue on the screen itself.

Conclusion:

Getting tested later in the roundup, the Strong Engineering faced some very stiff competition. Unfortunately for Strong, I couldn’t give it a complete workout since the bubbling issues were noticeable under every lighting condition. In fact, the bubbling intruded on screen image quality, let alone viewability. I took off the Strong Engineering, put on an old AG matte screen protector I had laying around, and reinstalled the Strong. The bubbling issues went away. In the video, I demonstrate the smooth feel of the backside versus the matte side of the front. If you have a matte screen, the Strong seems like a very good choice. If you have a glossy screen, I cannot recommend it.

Stay tuned for the last round of the Shootout. I will be taking a look at the InvisibleShield before writing a final wrapup and declaring a winner.

 

 

- Rob Bushway

Truc Bui continues his fantastic Screen Protector Shootout Series, this time focusing on Clarivue Clear screen protectors. Video below, followed by the text review:

- Rob Bushway

In part 2 of his look at the Photodon screen protectors, Truc Bui continues his great review of screen protectors.

 

 

- Truc Bui

Summary:

Pros:

· Corner to corner coverage with silicone adhesive has a very tight fit. Good craftsmanship.

· At $12 + $4.75 shipping for the T2010 that is now available, it’s extremely affordable, especially for something that’s reusable. There are no price differences for the AG or the Clear.

· Excellent writing feel with no speckling. Period. Awesome scratch resistance.

Cons:

· The same difficulties hold true for installing the full adhesive protector in a dust-free environment.

· It’s a fingerprint and palm smudge magnet. Be sure to clean every once in a while or else you’ll get screen protector scratching grit caught between the protector and the pen. In fact, that’s how I ended up with the hairline scratches.

· Scratch resistance was not as good as the AG (but taken in context, it is the best Crystal Clear to date).

In the second half of Round 5, I take a close look at the Photodon Crystal Clear film. After the disappointment of the Boxwave Crystal Clear, I was ready to throw in the towel in my quest for the perfect crystal clear screen protector. I was very hesitant and even dismissive of the Photodon even before it was put on.

Initial Impressions:

Much like its anti-glare brother, the Photodon came in a no-frills package. Photodon’s website just updated pricing on the T2010’s protector at a whopping $12 + $4.75 shipping. It’s probably the cheapest solution out there. The screen protector is of good thickness and exudes high quality.

Installation:

Installation was no problem here. With this much practice putting on and taking off screen protectors, I’ve gotten quite accustomed to installing them with little to no problem. I think the key is to install at a decently fast pace. If you go too slow it will increase the chances of introducing statically charged dust and hair particulates. If you go too fast you risk misalignment. The one good thing about these new silicone adhesive resin backing screen protectors is that if they do get riddled with debris, a simple lint remover rolled over the resin will clean the screen protector right up.

Preservation of Luminosity:

My personal preference, and hence my search for the ultimate screen protector, is to preserve the brightness and crispness of the Fujitsu native screen. It’s something you have to see to believe. I think in the T2010 vs. 2710p inkshow shows how much brighter the LED screen from Fujitsu is compared to the industry standard. Anyway, the Photodon brings back the screen quality that made me get the T2010 in the first place. Gone is the speckling! We’ll see how it holds up during the inking experience to scratches.

Writing Feel:

As I write this, I am giddy with joy. The writing feel on the Photodon is great. The screen protector is very prone to fingerprints and palm smudges, but after a few hours’ use, the grime is pretty consistent and writing feel is unaffected. Scratch resistance is great, considering it is a crystal clear type screen protector. Smoothness is a definite plus on the Photodon. Switching from the standard pen tip to the felt pen tip resulted in an even better writing feel. The felt tip provides just enough feedback that inking is an absolute joy. Don’t get me wrong, the regular standard tip is great, but I have to say I prefer the felt tip.

Outdoor Viewability:

Finally, I am able to test the viewability of a crystal clear screen protector. The Photodon does not disappoint here at all. Some people prefer the AG style screen protector because it cuts down on the reflections while in the shade. I, on the other hand, prefer the reflections because you can just focus on the screen and not the reflections. I find the AG type to diffuses too much light, which hinders viewability according to my tastes. For the Photodon Crystal Clear, the sun, if it is ever within the viewing area, becomes a point-source of light which does not really hinder outdoor viewing at all. It does take some getting used to and is completely a personal preference, but I like it a lot more than the diffusion of the sun that is characteristic of the AG type protectors.

Screen Protector Removal:

I’ve done this so many times now that removing the screen protector was very simple to me. I just took my multi-tool and pried off a corner and the rest of the screen protector came off. As with all the other screen protectors with a silicone resin adhesive, no sticky mess was left on the screen. There was no residue to worry about.

Conclusion:

I must say that the Photodon line has thoroughly impressed me. At the price point of $16.75 shipped, Photodon has combined high quality with low cost. If your screen size is not listed on the website, Photodon will custom cut you a protector for $2.00 extra. So for under $20, you get a very good performing screen protector. There were very fine hairline scratches on the screen protector after I was done, but I also put it through its paces. I doubt any of us would ink has hard or as vigorous as I did during the time the Photodon was protecting my screen. Since I am still looking for a screen protector for my T2010, I wanted to stress test it to make sure it would hold up to the most extreme uses. I must say that both Photodon screen protectors performed above expectations. I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re tired of waiting for me to finish the Shootout, you won’t go wrong in choosing the Photodon.

Come back for Round 6 where I look at Clarivue’s screen protector.

- Rob Bushway

Truc Bui continues to pump out the good stuff on screen protection for the Tablet PC, this time focusing on the Photodon Anti-Glare.

Watch the video below and read the text portion below that.

 

- Truc Bui

Photodon Anti-Glare

Summary:

Pros:

· Corner to corner coverage with silicone adhesive similar to and on par with BoxWave.

· At about $10-$12 + $4.75 shipping (it was a custom cut piece, but similar sized protectors run this much), it’s extremely affordable, especially for something that’s reusable.

· Excellent writing feel with average speckling and high resistance to scratching.

Cons:

· The same difficulties hold true for installing the full adhesive protector in a dust-free environment.

· The film seems to pick up more smudges than average, in fact, it’s almost as attractive to fingerprints and palm smudges as the native screen.

· Although reusable, cleaning off the silicone adhesive is tricky for reapplication

The 5^th round of the Screen Protector Shootout will also consist of two parts. In the first half, I will be looking at the Photodon Anti-Glare screen protector. Photodon makes all sorts of screen protectors for computers, including privacy screens, screen protectors, screen hoods, and various cleaning kits.

Initial Impressions:

The Photodon AG film came double packed with the clear Anti-Reflective screen with some informational material, a couple of sample squares, and a couple of cleaning cloths. Each protector was wrapped in simple plastic sleeves. The low cost of the protectors prohibits any extravagantly packaged extras and Photodon’s protectors won’t be winning any presentation awards. All the necessary items are in the package and nothing else. The protector itself is very reminiscent of the BoxWave with a full silicone adhesive backing with a tabbed back cover. The thickness of the protector is actually surprising, especially considering its cost. It is almost as thick as the BoxWave.

Installation:

As was expected, the Photodon applied easily with the wide width 3M squeegee. I’m getting pretty good at applying these full adhesive protectors, but that could just be from practice. To ease installation, I’ve found it best to use a cleaning solution and a lint-free microfiber cleaning cloth on the native screen itself first to eliminate any static buildup. All of the screen protectors so far have come with at least a lint-free cloth, some have come with a microfiber cloth. Even prescription glass cleaning cloths would work towards this purpose. Use of a thick matte board or poster board (be sure to use the cleaning cloth to protect the screen protector in case your applicator is sharp) will greatly help the installation process happen in one pass.

Preservation of Luminosity:

Optical quality with the Photodon is great. As with all AG protectors tested thus far, some speckling does occur. The Photodon isn’t as speckly as the BoxWave, however. In terms of preservation of screen quality, the Photodon AG is on par for the course. The Photodon seems much more susceptible to picking up palm smudges and fingerprints than the other protectors tested so far. It’s almost as prone to smudging as the native screen. Perhaps there is less speckling due to the Photodon AG being slightly thinner than the BoxWave. We’ll see if this has any affect on scratch resistance.

Writing Feel:

I couldn’t believe it when I did the writing test. Did I accidentally put on another BoxWave? The writing feel is at least as good as the much more expensive BoxWave. The only difference here is the smudge factor. You’ll see in the video where I go crazy with the pen on the screen during the inking experience portion of the video. Not one scratch was left on the screen. NOT ONE! The writing feel and scratch resistance of the Photodon has just set a new standard for the Shootout when price considerations are taken into account.

Outdoor Viewability:

Outdoor viewing was great. The AG cut down enough of the ambient glare that it was very pleasant on the eyes. With the screen at 100%, everything was viewable outdoors unless you hold the screen so the sun reflects directly back into your eyes. The Photodon AG was on par here as well with the best of them. With the screen off, the smudges can really be seen outdoors, but this is of little consequence because as soon as you turn the screen on, the smudges are hardly visible and does not negatively affect the overall outdoor viewing experience.

Screen Protector Removal:

Removing the screen protector was similar to the BoxWave. But since the screen protector itself is a little bit thinner than the BoxWave, it’s even trickier to get a corner to pry up for removal. It’s probably best to use a piece of masking tape and pick up the screen protector from a corner. I still can’t find my roll of tape. I have no idea where it went.

Conclusion:

At approximately a quarter the cost of the BoxWave line, Photodon is a very attractive alternative. Scratch resistance and writing feel are both spectacular. It makes me wonder how much these pieces of plastic are really worth and if charging anything above $20 constitutes price gouging. With the quality of the screen protector, coupled with its amazingly low price, Photodon has proven the old adage of “you get what you pay for” wrong. Considering its price to performance ratio, Photodon has set the bar for all other screen protectors in this roundup.

Stay tuned for the second half of Round 5 when I look at the Clear Photodon screen protector!

- Rob Bushway

Truc Bui continues his fantastic Screen Protector Shootout series, turning his focus to BoxWave's Crystal.

 

 

- Truc Bui

 

Summary:

Pros:

· Only screen protector so far that maintains the brilliance of the Fujitsu screen.

· Excellent coverage. Corner to corner coverage is on par with NuShield. The entirety of the protector adheres to the screen.

· Probably the best solution for standard notebooks if you want to add an extra layer of protection over your LCD screen.

Cons:

· Scratched very easily. It was as bad as the ProtecT for scratch resistance. Basically, once you ink, you’ll scratch.

· Price point is on the more expensive side at $40 for one and $70 for two.

· Application process is prone to picking up debris since the entire protector is adhesive. Be sure to work in a very clean environment. Lint-free gloves are recommended.

For the second part of round four of the Screen Protector Shootout, I take a look at Boxwave’s Crystal Clear screen protector. Unlike its anti-glare brother, the Crystal series is completely clear and boasts a 99% transmittance level. Adding on this screen protector should not affect image quality in any way. I’m having high hopes for this screen protector. If the AG film was any indication, Boxwave has a winning one-two combination that addresses the needs or wants of the tablet PC segment.

Initial Impressions:

The Boxwave Crystal film came in a nicely packaged envelope with clear instructions on the back cover. There aren’t any unnecessary frills. In the package are a cleaning cloth, an applicator card, and the screen protector itself. The screen protector had a great feel to it right out of the envelope. The protective backing that covers the adhesive comes with a tab that allows for easy peeling and installation. Additionally, another layer of protective plastic overlays the screen protector itself so the crystal clear properties will be protected. Installation should be on par with the AG screen.

Installation:

Having experience with the AG screen helped tremendously. Instead of fighting with the included applicator, I went straight for the wide width 3M squeegee. Since most people won’t have access to a 3M applicator, a decent replacement can be had with some thick poster board or matte board.

Preservation of Luminosity:

Optical quality with the Crystal line was phenomenal. It was like not having any screen protector on at all. The Crystal moniker is truly deserving here. I’ve almost forgotten how wonderful the native screen is with all the AG protectors I’ve used.

Writing Feel:

Where the AG shines, the Crystal falls flat. Smooth writing with just the right amount of resistance is now a catchy, squeaky unpleasantness. To top it off, the screen scratches. After a night’s worth of inking and browsing in slate mode, the screen protector introduced visible scratches even when the screen was on and impeded viewability.

Outdoor Viewability:

Due to the scratching, outdoor viewability was skipped. The video shows how much of the scratching you can see with the screen off. Taking it outside where the light intensity is greater would only exacerbate the problem.

Screen Protector Removal:

Removing the screen protector was relatively easy. The trickiest part was getting a corner to come up. Since there is no adhesive layer to increase the thickness of the protector, it took some careful prying to get it to release. I couldn’t find my roll of tape to see if removal that way would have worked.

Conclusion:

At $40, the Boxwave Crystal is pricey, especially considering it is prone to scratching. For non-tablet notebooks where inking is not involved, the Crystal is an ideal solution. If you’re at all an inker, I recommend the AG instead.

- Rob Bushway

In part 4 of our Screen Protector Shootout series, Truc Bui takes a look at BoxWave.

Video review below, text review below that

 

- Truc Bui

BoxWave Anti-Glare Screen Protector

Summary:

Pros:

· The best writing feel so far. The fluidity imparted is something that needs to be experienced. Scratch resistance is great, even with heavy inking.

· Excellent coverage. Corner to corner coverage is on par with NuShield. The entirety of the protector adheres to the screen.

· Anti-Glare properties very effective in reducing reflections.

Cons:

· Speckling is very noticeable compared to the competition. Almost too intrusive.

· Price point is on the more expensive side at $40 for one and $70 for two.

· Application process is prone to picking up debris since the entire protector is adhesive. Be sure to work in a very clean environment. Lint-free gloves are recommended.

 

For the fourth round of the Screen Protector Shootout, I take a look at BoxWave’s Anti-Glare screen protector. BoxWave has one of the most extensive product lines of screen protectors for a variety of LCD devices boasting almost 3000 products for all your digital gear. Abe was kind enough to send me both the Anti-Glare as well as the Crystal Clear protectors for this portion of the review. I will break down the two screen protectors and review them separately.

Initial Impressions:

The BoxWave AG film came in a nicely packaged envelope with clear instructions on the back cover. There aren’t any unnecessary frills. In the package are a cleaning cloth, an applicator card, and the screen protector itself. The screen protector had a great feel to it right out of the envelope. The protective backing that covers the adhesive comes with a tab that allows for easy peeling and installation. BoxWave’s application process should be more involved than those with the adhesive on just the perimeter.

Installation:

Installation was the trickiest yet. I tried using the included applicator but avoiding bubbling was almost impossible. I gave up and ended up using a 3M squeegee that spanned almost the width of the screen protector. With an adequately wide applicator (you can cut one out of heavy poster board), the application was pretty straight forward. Another tricky aspect is that this screen protector has corner-to-corner coverage, which means initial alignment is key. Since I didn’t line it up exactly right and was getting bubbles, I had to peel the protector back up to try and eliminate the bubbles. As a result, I ended up picking up two random bits of gunk that ended up getting trapped between the screen protector and the screen. This led to slight bubbling at the very edge of the screen. It’s no big deal as it does not impede on the viewability or functionality of the protector, but it is definitely an eyesore.

Preservation of Luminosity:

AG films give off some amount of speckling as a trade-off for eliminating the glare. As a result, every AG film (the matte looking variety) that I have reviewed so far has some speckling issue. The BoxWave definitely has more speckling than some of the competition. I would say it ranks right up there with the speckling you would get if you added the Fujitsu provided protectors. On dark web pages, the speckling is hardly noticeable. On lighter background pages, especially white pages, the AG screen protector introduces alternating red, green, and blue dots if viewed from straight ahead. The end result is a Christmas-lights effect on white pages that tests the boundaries of being too invasive and distracting to the overall tablet experience. The speckling factor is a glaring (pun intended) detriment to an otherwise excellent screen protector.

Writing Feel:

This is perhaps the BoxWave’s strongest selling point. The writing feel is phenomenal. I actually prefer it to writing on a naked screen. It is silky smooth yet gives just enough feedback to make inking a truly enjoyable experience. I am very impressed with BoxWave for their perfecting of the inking experience. The screen protector proved to be very resilient to scratches. Not one scratch is visible in the three days I have been using this screen protector with heavy inking use.

Outdoor Viewability:

I haven’t seen the sun in a few days, so I had to replicate the reflections by using my office lights. It’s not the most ideal testing simulation as halogen lights are of one particular wavelength whereas being outdoors actually gives you a broader spectrum of light, allowing for a true sense of viewability. With that said, the BoxWave AG screen did a wonderful job of diffusing the light just enough to eliminate a majority of the glare while preserving viewability, but of course, with the aforementioned speckling intrusion.

Screen Protector Removal:

Since the BoxWave has a completely adhesive backing, removing it was quite a bit trickier. Combined with the added benefits of being a full coverage screen protector, getting a corner to release itself was quite a bit tricky. I didn’t try the tape trick, but will use that method for the Crystal Clear review. Thankfully for me, I had the benefit of being able to pry up an edge due to the debris that was stuck between the screen and the protector. Once a corner is pried up, removal was quite simple.

Conclusion:

At $40, the BoxWave is the second most expensive protector of this roundup. With that said, the complete corner to corner coverage and scratch resistance is possibly worth the cost of admission. I can see this screen protector lasting quite a long time. The writing feel on the BoxWave is perhaps its most compelling attribute for me. I can deal with the speckling a lot more because of the absolute magnificence of the inking experience. Did I already say I really liked the inking experience?

Stay tuned for the second half of Round 4!

- Rob Bushway

Truc Bui continues his GBM User Ink Review Series "Screen Protector Shootout", this time focusing on NuShield.

The video portion of the review is below, followed by the text review. Next up will be BoxWave!

Be sure to read the entire series in the "Screen Protector Shootout."

 

- Truc Bui

NuShield, Inc.

Summary:

Pros:
•    Excellent coverage. Better corner to corner protection than Fujitsu provided screen protectors.
•    Great screen clarity and outdoor viewability.
•    Good price point at $20 + shipping ($5 for USPS)

Cons:
•    Writing feel was not perfectly smooth and consistent
•    Picked up a few (very few) hairline scratches.
•    They’re phasing out the clear screen protector and will only have the AG protector. (Is this even a con?)

For the third round of the Screen Protector Shootout, I take a look at NuShield’s screen protector. NuShield has been in the screen protector market for a long time now. Their product line is quite impressive. Basically, if you have a device with a screen, they make something for it. Their website can be found at www.nushield.com. For this review, I worked with Mark and he sent me NuShield’s newest AG protector.

Initial Impressions:

YAY! A screen protector with edge to edge coverage! I understand the need for a universal standard size in the manufacturing process in order to keep costs down, and that’s exactly why I am thoroughly impressed with NuShield’s attention to detail here. The NuShield’s coverage is actually better than the screen protectors that come with the Fujitsu T2010. The four adhesive strips run along the perimeter of the screen protector, so installation should be a snap. The NuShield is of good thickness. Further investigation on their website reveals that the NuShield AG is actually 4 layers thick.

Installation:

Installation was a snap. I was able to get the NuShield on without a hitch. The trickiest part is removing the adhesive strips. After that, it was a simple lay-on procedure that was easy and painless. The protector laid flat against the screen and was free from bubbles. The adhesive strips became clear and unobtrusive once the screen protector was on and pressure was applied to secure the adhesive.

Preservation of Luminosity:

The luminosity was great with the NuShield. The speckling that occurs with most, if not all, AG screen protectors was expected and was present with the NuShield. With that said, the speckling was not intrusive and preserved image quality.

Writing Feel:

The writing feel on the new NuShield AG was adequate. It was not as smooth as some of the other screen protectors tested, but it isn’t too bad. The writing feel was a tad inconsistent because it would catch in some directions in some parts of the screen. It was seemingly completely random. Perhaps all those layers bunch up with how hard I write. A lighter writing pressure smoothed out the writing experience greatly.

Outdoor Viewability:

The NuShield does a good job of preserving outdoor viewability. Under shade, the NuShield was on par with the WriteShield. Under direct morning sun, the NuShield performed almost as well as the WriteShield. In any case, at 100% brightness on the Fujitsu screen, outdoor viewing was very comfortable and only required a slight change in screen angle to remedy any washed-out glare caused by the sun.

Screen Protector Removal:

The NuShield was as easy to remove as it was to put on. Pry up a corner and peel away. Since the adhesive only resides on the edges, removing was quick and painless. The adhesive did not leave any residue after removal.

Conclusion:

Given its $25 price point, the NuShield is a great all-around protector. The only bad thing for me about it was the rough inking experience. If you’re a heavy inker, the NuShield might not be the best solution for you. If you’re a light inker, the NuShield’s complete screen coverage and AG quality makes it a very strong contender.

Highly Recommended!

Stay tuned for Round 4!

 

- Rob Bushway

Truc Bui continues his GBM User Ink Review Screen Protector Shootout series, this time focusing on WriteShield. Watch the video review below, and read the text review below that.

- Truc Bui 

Pocket PC Techs WriteShield

Summary:

Pros:

· Excellent inking experience.

· Great screen clarity and outdoor viewability.

· Comes with a lot of extra accessories.

Cons:

· Pricey! $60 a pop for a single protector and $100 for two.

· Due to being specially cut from a larger piece, the WriteShield didn’t sit flush edge to edge

· Installation process is much more daunting and is much more involved than your typical screen protector.

For the second round of the Screen Protector Shootout, I take a look at Pocket PC Techs’ WriteShield screen protector. Pocket PC Techs makes the WriteShield line of screen protectors and has a strong presence in the PDA market. They now include a full line of tablet PC products with many screen protectors coming in both their Crystal Clear and Anti-Glare varieties. For this review, Pocket PC Techs had yet to make a 12.1” widescreen option, so Sue (my contact at Pocket PC Techs) had one cut to size for this review.

Initial Impressions:

The one thing that stands out about the WriteShield is the box it comes in. If this test was on presentation alone, WriteShield wins hands down. They include the screen protector, a bottle of cleaning solution, two screen cloths, four single-use screen wipes, and a debris brush. The screen protector itself was nice and thick with a great quality feel to it. Seeing the instructions, however, gave me unpleasant flashbacks to when I first started doing dry-installs of screen protectors on my PDA’s. They were always cumbersome, always produced bubbles that were impossible to get rid of and were a complete pain to take off.

Installation:

The installation process wasn’t as bad as I thought. It definitely was a lot more involved than the screen protectors I have put on previously with just the edges adhering to the screen itself. The installation went off without a hitch. Since WriteShield specially cut a protector from a larger one specifically for this review, I was warned by Sue that the edges might not lay flat. After two days’ use, the edge of the screen protector separated slightly from the screen. It did not hamper usability at all, however.

Preservation of Luminosity:

The luminosity was great with the WriteShield. The speckling that occurs with most, if not all, AG screen protectors was expected and was present with the WriteShield. With that said, the speckling was not intrusive and preserved image quality.

Writing Feel:

One word: GREAT. The inking experience with the WriteShield is absolutely wonderful. It isn’t as raspy as the Fujitsu provided protector, doesn’t scratch, and is very smooth. I am amazed at the quality of the inking experience. So far, the WriteShield is setting the bar for inking experience.

Outdoor Viewability:

Outdoor viewability was excellent as well. Even though the screen protector is of the anti-glare variety, it actually proved to be great outside both under shade as well as in direct sunlight. I feel the WriteShield actually improves on outdoor viewability over no screen protector, and is leaps and bounds above the Fujitsu screen protector.

Screen Protector Removal:

Taking off the screen protector was painless, especially compared to the installation process. All you have to do is take a piece of tape and stick it on a corner of the protector. From there, the tape sticks to the protector and pries off the screen very easily.

Conclusion:

Although pricey, WriteShield definitely has a solid product. Minus the price, this screen protector comes highly recommended.

Stay tuned for Round 3!

- Rob Bushway

One of the first things new Tablet PC users ask about are screen protectors - which protect the screen the best, which ones are good for handwriting, which ones help with glare, etc. GBM forum member Tonkabui was asking the same things, and took it upon himself to contact a slew of screen protector manufacturers in order to present a complete review of available screen protectors for the GBM community.

His first review is on ProtecT, published here as a GBM User InkReview. Watch the video part of the review below, and read the textual review below.

- Truc Bui

Screen Protector Shootout

Introduction:

I have always used screen protectors on my touch-screen devices. It all started in 2001 when I bought my first PDA. The Handspring changed how I stayed organized, especially for college work. After 4 months of use, however, the Handspring was pretty scratched up and I had to buy another one. Since then, I have been a faithful user of screen protectors on all of my devices. I have screen protectors on my current PPC phone, my camera’s LCD, and of course, my Fujitsu T2010, which will serve as my test mule for this shootout. I think I might have an unnatural disdain for scratched viewing screens.

The first thing I did when I bought my computer in March was apply the screen protector. Immediately, I noticed the heavy sparkling introduced coupled with a decrease in screen clarity and the raspiness of the inking experience. It felt almost like writing on really really really fine sandpaper. Over the last two months, the Fujitsu protector has served its purpose, especially that time a colleague accidentally dropped his keys onto my computer in tablet mode. But in the end, I still am not happy with the writing feel of the stock protector, it was getting scratched up, and most importantly, the screen quality drastically diminished. I started researching which screen protector would work the best and preserve the amazing screen that Fujitsu is known for. The most I can come up were single reviews of a few brands. There are at least 8 brands of screen protectors out there, so I figured I’d ask the folks at GBM if they’d do an inkshow. I received word from Rob Bushway that if I was interested, I could do the reviews myself. So here I am, writing my first review… EVER. I apologize in advance if this review is lackluster in any way, both in written form and video form. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

The contestants for this shootout are (in the order they were received):

1) ProtecT Computer Products http://www.protectcovers.com

2) PocketPCTechs Writeshield http://www.pocketpctechs.com

3) NuShield http://www.nushield.com

4) Strong Engineering Inc. http://www.strongengineering.com

5) 3M Vikuiti http://www.3M.com

As of this writing, I am still awaiting product from:

6) Clarivue http://www.clarivue.com

7) InvisibleShield http://www.invisibleshield.com

8) Boxwave http://www.boxwave.com

Round 1:

ProtecT Covers

First up in the roundup is a solution from ProtecT screen protectors. ProtecT’s product line is quite impressive including keyboard covers, laptop covers, laptop lid protectors, screen protectors, and even rugged laptop cases. After contacting their online live technical support, I was connected directly with Gil Workman, the GM at ProtecT. He was very informative, very accommodating, and was more than happy to participate in my first comprehensive product review.

Initial Impressions:

I had high hopes for the ProtecT covers since Gil told me their biggest clients are in the health care industry and the military. Upon initial impressions, the ProtecT was well made. I was told the ProtecT was applied to field computers in Iraq and Afghanistan and had been field tested in Fort Hood to test durability and resiliency against scratches and pitting from being sandblasted in those harsh environments. From the looks of it, this screen protector will uphold those claims.

Installation:

There are four thin adhesive strips on the backside of the protector which made installation a breeze. There were no issues with bubbling and the protector sat nice and flush against the screen. Everything so far has been as described. The only thing that bothered me up to this point is the adhesive strips that invaded about 1/16 or 1/8 of the viewable area’s edge. This means that everything at the very edge of the screen is distorted due to the adhesive.

Preservation of Luminosity:

The screen protector was almost completely clear. The speckling that I was used to from the Fujitsu-provided screen protectors was non-existent. The ProtecT did a fine job of preserving the clarity and crispness of Fujitsu’s awesome screen right after installing. It did cut down glare quite a bit while preserving most of the clarity of the screen but was not intrusive like the stock screen protector. Unfortunately, the screen emitted a rainbow effect from some angles. Unlike Newton rings that are circular, these rainbows are vertical. It was quite odd and I’ve never experienced anything like it before. Even the stock screen protectors didn’t give me any Newton rings, contrary to other people’s experience.

Writing Feel:

It all fell apart for the ProtecT when I performed an inking test. Inking feel was great, initially. As I continued to write, I noticed an impression of what I was writing on the protector. Sure enough, the pen was leaving scratches on the protector. I hoped it was just residue either from my hand or from the peel-off from the protector. Unfortunately, the screen protector was indeed scratched. As I continued to use the tablet, the scratches got worse and writing feel deteriorated. After a full day’s use, I had to take off the screen protector because the scratches became such an eyesore and the inking experience diminished greatly due to the scratches. Writing over a scratched area of the screen resulted in awful noises and inconsistent inking since the pen would track the scratches.

Outdoor Viewability:

Outdoor use was a nightmare with all those scratches, so I skipped it in the video review for the ProtecT. Trust me when I say taking the computer outdoors after the inking test did the screen protector no favors.

Screen Protector Removal:

Taking off the screen protector was a snap. Since ProtecT leaves a gap in the adhesive between adjacent sides, I was able to easily pry the screen protector off.

Summary:

Pros:

· Cheap at $15 before shipping.

· Very good screen clarity (so long as you don’t ink)

· Easy to install and remove

Cons:

· Inking led to heavy scratching.

· Adhesive strips were within the viewing area.

· Rainbow effect similar to Newton rings except vertical rather than circular.

Stay tuned for Round 2!