Review of NLU BodyGuardz for iPhone 3G

Alright so I DID get around to applying my new NLU Products BodyGuardz a little sooner than expected.

I'm going to do a mini-review, but this is only part I of the review because I will require more time to see how the protection actually "settles" into place. (I'll answer questions after I'm done with the whole review)

REVIEW - NLU PRODUCTS BodyGuardz for iPhone 3G

PART I

Recommendation: Apply your screen/body protection when you aren't going to be using your iPhone for a while - like right before you go to bed. You'll want the protection to sit overnight after application, before you start using your iPhone.

NLU provides nice packaging. Included are 2 screen protectors, 2 body protectors, 1 bottle of application spray liquid, 1 microfiber cloth, 1 hard plastic squegee, installation instructions and some small promotional cards.

SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS

Important pre-application tip: use the application spray! Use lots of it! Make sure you liberally spray your fingers before pulling off the stickers, and then spray liberally on the sticky part of the stickers themselves. Your precious iPhone is actaully pretty well sealed off against liquid damage (after all, that one guy dropped his in a bowl of cereal and milk with no problems)

The liquid will help you move the stickers around a little bit, because you DO NOT want them to immediately stick on contact. You are not perfect and you will not get the stickers perfectly aligned without the liquid. Even if you run out of liquid, it is a simple mixture of water and baby shampoo, so you could easily make more.

PART 2

My advice: Apply the screen protector first. It is much easier to do and will provide you with good practice for the much more difficult back part.

Make sure your screen is completely clean before you do anything, and wash your hands VERY WELL. Use a lot of application liquid, and go for it.

The cutouts for the speaker and home button are PERFECT. They leave just a little bit of "breathing room", but it looks great. I still have some "bubbles" present after squeegeeing (I use my fingers, not the plastic squeegee), but NLU assures these will go away after some time. I'll post more pictures after it is completely dried and settled - so don't make any final judgments yet.

The screen protector provides perfect coverage all the way to the sides of the black-glass area, leaving ever so small a gap (which looks nice).

MORE TO COME LATER (probably tomorrow). Be patient.

PART 3

My initial installation of the back film has proved to be slightly difficult (thank goodness they provide 2 sets of film for your money).

It seems like the film is cut perfectly, wrapping all the way around the back of the iPhone 3G, and covering all the way over the side of the chrome frame. All of the cutouts are perfectly shaped (leaving room for the headphone port, sleep/wake button, vibrate button, volume control, camera, dock connector, and speakers). The first time, I lined up the film based on the location of the camera cutout, but it seems like I got a little sideways with the application from that point.

The corners seem to wrap to be cut very well (see the cutout diagram in my first post), however, the slightest deviation from the correct positioning will leave some of them looking a little creased.

I will try application #2 tomorrow and try to get it a little more straight. I will post more photos after I do.

By the way, I think the material/finish of the BodyGuardz is perfect. The screen has the same shine and glossy look as a naked screen would, and the plastic back retains its fully glossy finish. The touch sensitivity is unaffected. Honestly, one you get the bubbles out of the film, I think the film will look truly invisible.

More coming soon...

born4sky said:

so it does cover iPhone Chrome part ?

Click to expand...

Yes, it wraps around from the back quite nicely

pocketdoc said:

Did you cover the front button? Is it a cutout or a single piece?

Click to expand...

There is no home button protection included. I don't forsee this being a problem since the button is recessed. Unless your putting your phone in a pocket with coins/ keys (gasp!), it should never get scratched.

pflau said:

Does the front piece cover the bezel? Thanks.

Click to expand...

The front piece fits perfectly to the edges of the black-glass on the screen.

PART 4 (Final)

What an excellent product we have here.

NLU shipped my BodyGuardz on the day the iPhone 3G was released. I was very impressed with their ability to get the product off the manufacturing line so quickly, but I was also very skeptical about how good a "1st generation" body protection product would turn out. There are some things they could improve though...

DISCLAIMER: The installation of the back shield is the most tedious and annoying process i've ever gone through for a gadget. You will need to set aside AT LEAST ONE HOUR to do the back shield installation. No, I'm not kidding.

My first attempt at the back shield was very poor for a couple of reasons. 1) I thought it wouldn't take "that long" and I was impatient, 2) I didn't use enough of the spray solution.

So here's what I did the second time around:
-Turned on my shower and filled up my bathroom with steam. This gets all the dust particles out of the air, and having more 'moist' air will help keep the back from immediately sticking.
-Washed off my hands a lot.
-Turned off my iPhone and cleaned it a lot. Used water and a very modest amount of hand soap on a small dust-free cloth.

Following all of NLU instructions, I liberally sprayed my fingers and the sticky part of the shield with the provided spray. You need to look carefully at the layout of the sticker before you pull if from the backing. It's not easy, and you could easily stretch it out in the process... so be patient and plan it out. Use lots of spray!!

Lining up the back shield is NOT EASY, but it is cut nearly perfectly. I suggest paying close attention to the camera cutout and the volume/silent cutouts. My shield was cut precisely to the size of the volume switch - there is not breathing room so pay close attention to it.

You will need to press the shield down in the middle and work your way toward the outsides. VERY SLOWLY. If you use enough solution and work slowly, you should have no air/water bubble problems.

The corners are a horrible thing to deal with. You need a lot of time to "work" them down. They are not very sticky with the solution applied, so you need to press them back down again, and again, and again, about a hundred time before they completely stick. . . . . After you finally get them to stick down (paying close attention to their positioning on the chrome sides), you will want to use a hair-dryer to help them "form" into place. Do thins for a few minutes and you should get them to stick down nicely.

Pros:
-You get two shields in the package. You will probably mess up the first time, so you need them
-Wraps perfectly around all the holes of your iPhone (dock connetor, speakers, volume, headphones, etc..)
-The clarity is perfect. Matches the iPhone's gloss perfectly - you really can't see it except at the corners.
-Feels the same as a "naked" iPhone. Although the back seems a little more "sticky" to prevent it slipping out of your hand. Very nice.
-Price is a steal compared to competitors (who usually provide only 1 shield for the same price)

Cons:
-Installation is an extremely tedious process.
-The corners are not completely covered by the cutouts (see close up shots)

Pictures below
You may see 'dust" in the photos, but it is not becasue of the shield, just a dusty environment in which I took the photos. It really looks the same as a naked iPhone. The screen clarity is perfect.

More photos