In the life of an iPhone there’s danger everywhere. Keys in pockets, concrete slides after hoping out of the car, desktops, backpacks you name it, you run the risk of getting an unsightly scratch on your beloved iPhone. Granted the iPhone 4 glass is pretty darned good at keeping the majority of scratches at bay, but even taking really good care of the device you’re bound to end up with a few small ones here and there. If you’re unlucky… some of those scratches aren’t so small. So, the solution? Well, get a case. Heck Apple even started giving them away. I’ve got a couple good ones, and a couple more on the way (because they cost a penny (thanks default case) but there’s a problem with every case out there – bulk. Maybe not a lot of bulk, but no matter what case you’re getting there’s going to be some added thickness and some added weight. The other problem with cases – they don’t keep your iPhone 4 looking like Apple made it look from the factory. No matter how clear a case may be (incase), when someone picks up the phone and holds it in their hand they can instantly tell there’s a case on the phone.
Now, before we go any further… yes I understand the BodyGuardz “skin” is still a case in a manner of speaking and it does add a tiny amount of thickness to the device. And yes, looking at the phone close up you can tell its there but overall, it isn’t as obvious as something like a Speck Fitted. I’m not writing this to debate the differences between cases and skins. I’m writing this to explain the difference between skins and skins. You just said “Huh?”… That’s right, not all skins are created equal and the BodyGuardz Drp Apply is here to prove it.
If you’ve ever tried applying a skin to your phone and found it to be the biggest pain in the as… difficult, then you’ll want to see what the Dry Apply has to offer.
Skins have always been a love/hate relationship with me. For that matter so have your basic screen protectors although I have much more of a hate relationship with them. I won’t go into it much, but the basic screen protectors out there are crap. They peel up too easy, they look cheap, and if you’re not careful while putting them on they crease. Don’t even get me started on how much lint/dust and bubbles you can get under them just trying to get the screen protector on properly.
Skins on the other hand don’t really suffer from most of those issues aside from airborne stuff which in my house is a dammed nightmare thanks to my wife’s love of cats and dogs. Typically, skins seal well to the device except the 3G(s) corners and unlike screen protectors they take some effort to get them off simply because of the application method. Skins don’t fold and crease and all around they are just good protection. Yes, dust and lint can still get under them during the application process and if you’re not careful bubbles can be an issue, but overall… they are a better choice both in looks and durability.
The big issue with most skins is the installation process. Its a walk through in frustration for most people, and you’re almost a guaranteed to end up sticking them together on your first attempt. We’ve all been there and done that. The process is bad enough that even our very own PatrickJ went to Best Buy and had his Invisibleshield installed by a tech there because the process sucks. What makes the process so hard? Well, for one you’re applying a piece of material to a $600 device using WATER. No matter who you are, that’s a bit worrisome. Along with that you’ve got precision cut holes and near perfect sizing so that the device is completely protected, and if you don’t line everything up perfectly you end up hanging an edge, which will collect lint or start to bubble up around it. Start over you must.
Well, that whole water concern just went out the door. If you’ve ever purchased a BodyGuardz or Invisibleshield you’ll immediately notice something is missing from this picture. Yup, no application solution bottle to be found. And nope, you aren’t going to need it.
Application of the BodyGuardz dry apply is like a dream come true. Gone are the days of shutting down the phone, wetting the phone, wetting your fingers, wetting the skin, having paper towels nearby to soak up the drops as you put the skin on, gone are the days of prayer while applying that you don’t end up with water somehow getting into a gap in the casing and fubar-ing the device. Its almost as magical as the freakin iPad!
Quickly, here’s how I applied the skin (and a great process for you to use too):
- Get the skins out the package and have them close at hand. DO NOT remove the backing material yet. Get out a credit card. Yes the kit comes with a little card thing, but I just have better luck with a credit card. Along with the credit card, get out the microfiber cloth that came in the box and set them down together.
- Air. If you have a portable air compressor use that. If you have canned air for a computer or something… that’ll do. Store some up, you’re gonna need it. (This is how we keep the killer dust bunnies at bay)
- Start with the back of the device. Why? Because it’s the part you look at least and if you haven’t done this before it’s best to start with something you won’t look at often if you make a mistake.
- Clean, clean clean. Remove every Burger King finger gunk smudge, sneeze splatter droplet and any other nasties from the back. Once its spotless and I do mean spotless you half assers out there, use the air to blow off any dust that’s settled. Ever seen Platoon? See how clean those barracks were? That’s the kind of clean we’re looking for here.
- Peel off a couple centimeters of the backing from the skin. I like to use the top edge and go down far enough that I can line up with with the camera. Line up the corners of the skin with the corners of the phone. Lightly apply the skin until you’re around the camera and just below it. Now is the time to make sure you’re all lined up. If you’re lined up around the camera and the sides you can move on. If you aren’t – STOP and get it lined up. Now is the time for perfection since you’ve still got most of the skin still on the backing. Get it right because the next step goes fast and if you’re not lined up, you’re doing it again.
- So, now you’re all lined up, spray a bit more air down on the back if you’ve collected some dust. Grab your credit card and the micro fibre cloth. Wrap the cloth around the edge of the card. Put the edge of the cloth card on top of the skin pointing towards the bottom of the phone. Now, in one smooth motion begin peeling the backing off the skin and sliding the card down the back. If all goes well, this should be a very quick single motion you’ll end up with almost no lint and a nicely applied skin with very few bubbles.
- With the cloth still wrapped around the card, work out any bubbles you have by lightly sliding the cloth card towards the nearest edge. See the little micro bubbles on the apple logo in the picture above? Don’t mess with those. They will go away on their own. We’re talking about the big bubble like you see towards the bottom of the phone in the picture.
The process is the same for the front and the sides. My video camera took a digger so I can’t record it for you or I would. (I also found its impossible to record with the iPhone whilst applying the skin to phone). The key to this is still patience. The more time and care you put into this part of the process, the more durable the skin is going to be.
Conclusion:
I’ve had my Dry Apply BodyGuardz on for exactly a month now. I hon’t have any corners peeling, no bubbles and very few hairline scratch looking marks on the skin itself which is incredible to me because my iPhone has been riding on my bike back and forth to work in a tank bag along with keys, sunglasses, garage opener, kickstand plate and all sorts of other things. All that stuff sliding around together and no big marks to be found. I don’t hesitate to put the iPhone in my pocket along with coins, lighters, keys, whatever. So far, the BodyGuardz Dry Apply has stood up just as well if not better than the standard version of the skin. Oh, and the retina display still looks incredible. With a lot of protectors you lose the beauty of the screen. I don’t feel like I’ve lost any of it.
Would I recommend it? ABSOLUTELY. The process is much simpler for applying, the product is just as durable and the value is still great because BodyGuardz gives you two skins in the package. Without a second thought I would tell anyone who is looking for a product to protect their phone from scratches and still wants that naked look and feel to take a serious look at the Dry Apply. Who wouldn’t I recommend the product for? People who want to use a hard shell case like the Mophie JPA or the Speck Fitted cases. The thickness of the BodyGuardz and the form fitting of most cases just doesn’t work well together. But, if you’re like me – you prefer the phone naked and cases just aren’t all that important unless you’ve got butterfingers.
Disclaimer: BodyGuardz supplied me with the review product. But, I’ve given BodyGuardz a heck of a lot of money over the past couple years as I’ve purchased skins for the 1st gen, 3G, 3Gs and yes even the Wet Apply for the iPhone 4. I’m a believer in the product plain and simple.
WHERE TO BUY:
BodyGuardz – $24.95
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