InvisibleSHIELD for MacBook Air

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Manufacturer: Zagg

Manufacturer URL: www.zagg.com

Manufacturer phone: 1.800.700.ZAGG (9244)

Price: $54.95

Pros: Tough protection, adheres tightly to MacBook (no room for grit and dust underneath), totally invisible.
Cons: Intensive application procedure, 24 hour downtime while product cures.

I already was familiar with the Zagg InvisibleSHIELD since purchasing one for my iPhone. From my positive experience with the iPhone InvisibleSHIELD, I decided I needed one for my new MacBook Air. A bulky case ruins the portability of the Air, and why would you want to negate the Mac’s biggest selling point?

The InvisibleSHIELD is a space age cling film that coats electronic devices. Developed from a product used by the military to cover helicopter wings, its consumer based use is to protect all of our valuable gadgets. I throw my keys in my pocket with my iPhone and InvisibleSHIELD, and have never scratched it.

My InvisibleSHIELD came to me in one of those cardboard tubes, probably due to the large size compared to a handheld model. I prepped my kitchen counter for the surgery I was about to perform. I rubbed down my hands with alcohol and cleaned the counter very well. I grabbed a clean towel and went to work.

The procedure did not go as well as it did with the phone. I am somewhat of an expert in the application of the film, having done 3 iPhone covers and a camera. Zagg delivers an ample supply of their lubricant spray for application, and I used copious amounts. The large area to be covered presented some problems for me. I would get a bubble caught in the middle, or about 6 inches from the nearest edge, and I had to work them all out with the rubber paddle they give you. I had to lift some of the pieces back off a couple of times to get them to line up. Strangely, I had a couple of pieces left over that didn’t fit anywhere, and the border around my screen didn’t seem to have a piece that fit it. That is acceptable, since that is the least likely area to get scratched up. When I was finished I had the bottom, the lid, the surface around the keyboard, trackpad, and button all covered.

It looked absolutely terrible. I had bubbles all over it, cloudy places where I had touched it too much, and I just about cried after working on it for over an hour. The best thing about this product is that it is so reversible, though. Pulling it off is about like skinning a halibut fillet. Once you get it started it pulls off with a bit of tugging.

I didn’t pull it off, however. I remembered from my previous experience that the stuff is rather forgiving. As of this writing, about a week later, 99% of those bubbles have dissipated as the product cured. The cloudy bits are totally clear now. My notebook has a tough coating, and you can still see the beauty of it underneath. The coating doesn’t seem to affect the use of the trackpad at all. It’s a little more tacky, but I’ve learned to compensate.

One issue I did have was that after I had finished applying my shield I left it to dry. While it was drying, it was accidentally left on top of a magazine, and some of the blue print from it left a couple of ugly scuffs on the bottom. There is no way on earth that these stains will come off, because the InvisibleSHIELD wasn’t cured when it picked them up. It’s merely cosmetic, but be warned to not be so careless. It’s certainly not Zagg’s fault this happened.

When buying an InvisibleSHIELD, one makes an investment. I say this because there is a lifetime guarantee. If the InvisibleSHIELD peels off, gets nasty (like my blue stains), or the product needs to be sent in for repairs, Zagg will replace the InvisibleSHIELD for free. The customer still has to pay $3.95 shipping and send back the old InvisibleSHIELD for proof. Also, the customer gets the lovely experience of reapplying the InvisibleSHIELD.

Value: 4, not the cheapest skin type cover out there but probably the best
Ease of Use: 3, but once applied it’s maintenance free
Support: 5
Performance: 5
Aesthetics: 5

Overall, a 5. This product is one of my favorite accessories. I don’t think I’ll have another gadget without one.