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To Shield or NOT to Shield .. ?

Nice vid, but I mean real world application. It's hard to trust an instructional video from the company that makes the product :p

It does seem easy, but.... you know... that's the point. :)
 
jarpod said:
First off, the invisible shield IS NOT a 3m material.... I kinda decided not to put the trackpad protection on my air, and messed around with this little piece for a while and this stuff is UNBREAKABLE! Its an awesome thing!!! hence, the price difference! plus, Ive tried that 3m material before and it just looses it over time!!! you have a lifetime warranty with iS
I guess that it is true what they say: You get what you pay for!
Click to expand...

Which 3M product did you try? I was actually pretty sure that both IS and Bestskinsever use a 3M product. Perhaps you were using a different one from them?
 
i just installed my IS today. real world application:

i felt the install was rather difficult. the hardest part is trying to position the pieces perfectly. also, the corners are VERY hard to do. i followed the 'palming' technique mentioned in the video and it worked out fine. i tried to get as many air bubbles out as possible, but there are still a few here and there. there are streak marks all over the place, but supposedly they are supposed to disappear over the next couple of days. i'm just going to put my mba aside for a couple days to let the IS cure and adhere correctly. if you guys do decide to buy this, make sure you set aside a couple hours to work on it. it took me about 3-4 hours off and on to finish the install.
 
It says to do the top side first so that it's protected when you flip it over to do the back right? I'm just wondering, if you flip it with that side still wet (not cured I mean) is it able to shift around, or is it pretty much stuck in place after removing air bubbles?
 
I just applied the "Bestskinever" (bestskinever.com) product on my MBA. Here are some pointers:

- Use the eyeglasses cleaner. It usually come in a small spray bottle. It work really well. It worked even better than baby soap solution because it evaporates much faster.

- Spray some on your fingers when peeling the skin off from its base or when applying the pieces.

- Be careful when you peeling a large piece off from its base. Ask someone to help to hold the other end to prevent it from back flipping and get stuck to itself.

- If there is nobody around or the piece got stuck to itself, spray the whole thing with the soap solution. Don't be afraid, it won't damage the skin. Then untangle the piece, slowly.

- The hard part are the corners. It won't stuck well at first. Use hair-dryer with heat blow to the corners (don't point at it longer than 6-7 second at a time) then use your palm to morph the skin to be conformed with the corner. Do it few time, keep doing it until you think its good enough. Eventually, it will stick to the corners.

- Remember, you always can shake-off the excess soap water to get just the right amount. NEVER! spray the soap solution directly on the gadget.

My recommendation on wether to skin or NOT to skin it is at least, put some on the palm rest and track pad and the track pad button.

These areas are the most prone to wear and tear.
 
just a small update:

all the streaks have disappeared! i didn't believe it when i was watching the instructional video, but the shield looks absolutely perfect now. the only imperfections are some bubbles here and there that i wasn't able to get out. honestly, i find it very hard to believe that anyone could eliminate every single bubble. overall, great product so far. now, we'll see if it stands the test of time.
 
Ordered a "bestskinever" for my MBA and an IS for my iPod. I hope to settle once and for all the discussion about whether they are the same material.
 
I've had the full shield (Invisible Shield) on mine since day 1 (February 08), and it's still in great shape. Gives it that glossy look, and less slippery from the hands, even though I haven't dropped it yet, as I'm careful with all of my high tech electronics.
 
I just applied this on my MBA. Looks great. I have a few micro bubbles but its suppose to go away in a few days. I can sleep at night now since I know its safe in the invisible shield.:D
 
For those with the IS/BSE, do you find that lint and dirt and stuff get stuck at the edges of the material?
 
wordy said:
For those with the IS/BSE, do you find that lint and dirt and stuff get stuck at the edges of the material?
Click to expand...

I have some lint on the edge parts that stick out a little. its easy to get out with or without the solution that they provide.
 
Ok that's good to hear! It would be awful to have an invisible cover, with a strange halo of lint and other debris marking it's perimeter.

I'm more worried about applying this skin than I was about opening up my Air to do the thermal paste!
 
I have the Spek shell on mine and it's fine. No real added bulk to me. I have one on my 17" MBP, which is why I had no hesitation to get it for my Air. I'm too lazy to put on the Invisible Shield, and didn't want to spray water all over my new Air.
 
mobi said:
...Feel the same way, better to keep it safe. I also ordered a screen protector, which works very well.
Click to expand...

I think I will get one of those screen protectors now. Other than that, my bubbles just went away yesterday. I had about 5 or 6 of them and they just went away after I was pressing on them. good stuff! :D
 
after reading all the reviews here and elsewhere I made the jump and order BSE for my MBA, IPT, and Blackberry. Can't wait for their arrival now :)
 
Mobi - May I ask why you got the screen protector? Just for kicks or have there been reports of keys marring the screen (I doubt Apple would've allowed this, but just wondering). My husband has a Toshiba R500 and I see his screen has marks from the keys.
I'm on the verge of getting an MBA so I'm wondering if I should also buy this.

Looking forward to seeing some picks of the BSE version and how it compares to IS.

mobi said:
...Feel the same way, better to keep it safe. I also ordered a screen protector, which works very well.
Click to expand...
 
meagain said:
Mobi - May I ask why you got the screen protector? Just for kicks or have there been reports of keys marring the screen (I doubt Apple would've allowed this, but just wondering).
Click to expand...

In my experience, it's not that the keys will rub and scratch your screen permanently. Instead, the finger grease on the keys was transferred to the screen, making the visible marks. But it can be wiped off easily.

My theory on how this happens was when you hold the laptop with our hand, we tend to grab/squeeze the laptop body and press the screen against the keyboard. This happens to my regular macbook too (not just an MBA problem).

You can't really see the grease mark during regular use. You see it only when the screen is off or you have a very dark page on your desktop.
 
I could never bring myself to put anything on this lovely screen!

I really have to bite my tongue when I'm showing someone something on my Air and they touch the screen... I just know I'll have to be wiping those greasy prints off later!

Computer faux pas #1 should be touching another person's screen - mobile or otherwise! :D
 
Shield. I have a Shield on my MBP. Best thing ever. Just be sure to get the full body kit, not the standard protection. you can to protect the bottom. Also when you apply it be generous with the spray and clean your hands before applying. Soak your hands with the spray. And keep a lint-less cloth handy to soak the spray when you squeegee. Terry cloth or microfiber is preferred.

I also applied a Shield to my iPod Classic. I tested the claims and cut it with a knife. It healed a couple hours later.
 
Macbook Air w/ Best Skins Ever Applied - Pictures

I have had the Best Skins Ever (bestskinsever.com) protection on my Macbook Air and my iPhone from day one. I have used the Invisible Shield application before in the past on my Macbook and can firmly say I have found no difference in the two products instead of the large variation in price.

I love the best skins ever application. To view pictures of my Macbook Air with the Best Skins Ever application head on to my blog: http://blog.fourfridays.com

I have only applied the skin on the top and bottom cover. I have not applied it on the palm rest or the track pad, just a personal preference thing.
 
fourfridays said:
I have used the Invisible Shield application before in the past on my Macbook and can firmly say I have found no difference in the two products instead of the large variation in price.
Click to expand...

I wonder how good their warranty is. I had some minor imperfection on my invisible shield after I installed it (partly my fault). Called them up, and they shipped me a second set for free. I had to pay a few dollars of shipping and return the pieces that I removed, in order to keep the life-time warranty. So if there's ever something wrong, they'll ship other sets for free.

Both times when I called their Toll free support. Someone answered with less than a 2 minute hold. I also read on their website that if you ever need to send in your computer for repair. They recommend you to remove the shield, and they'll send you a new set for free again. I think their level of tech support is well worth spending the extra $20.
 
I personally have used the both Best Skins and Invisible Shield and I can say that the Best Skins ever product quality is much better. The cuts and actual shield is thicker and feels of much higher quality than the InvisibleShield.
The InvisibleShield feels a little more "thinner" and can discolor a bit more easy. While the BSE doesn't advertise their "lifetime warranty" you can always shoot them an eMail and the customer service is always more than willing to help/accommodate your requests. I usually get a reply or response within 1 business day. Getting help through the InvisibleShield almost takes days or a very long hold time (1 hour or more) on the phone. Plus they charge that stupid $3.95 or whatever shipping if they have to send you out another one. BSE takes care of that for you
Overall, if I had to choose between the 2 companies, I would go with BSE. They ship out fast, have easier to get a hold customer service, and most importantly, CHEAPER. (probably because they don't do all that flashy advertising and product boxes like InvisibleShield does)
 
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