$10 plus $3.00 shipping to U.S.A.
I've been using Brando screen protectors on ALL of my gadgets for
several years now, starting when I read a review of them on The
Gadgeteer website about 7 years ago. I've gotten them for all of my
recent cell phones, my current and past PDA's, and even my video iPod.
I've found them to work perfectly protecting the screens of each device,
and they're priced well and relatively easy to put on (if you are
patient!). They are also very durable - I've never had to replace one
or remove one to clean it (applying iKlear or another screen cleaner
work just fine) - the protector on my Tungsten T5 has been on for going
on 3+ years now, and it's still going strong. The protectors are also
removable and washable, though I can't speak to this since I've never
had to do this.
I checked the Brando site regularly after the release of the iPhone to
see when one would be available. About a week after the release, they
became available and I promptly placed my order on July 7. They ship
from Hong Kong via airmail, so it can take some time. Mine arrived in
the mail on July 18. I had called my husband as I was on my way home
from work, and he told me that I received a letter from Hong Kong and I
immediately knew it was my screen protector and squeaked in delight. My
husband was thoroughly confused as to why I would be that excited about
a screen protector, but he's not a gadget geek like I am.
Unlike some other screen protectors on the market, no liquid is required
to install the protector. The instructions direct you to thoroughly
clean the surface of the device (I use iKlear and a can of compressed
air if I have one handy to remove dust) and to carefully and slowly
apply the protector (it is tabbed with stickers to show you which side
is to be applied) by lining it up appropriately. The protector is a
thin, clear plastic that is fairly stiff. Unlike other protectors I've
read about, bubbles are uncommon if you apply it slowly and press gently
as you go along, and the material is stiff enough that it does not
wrinkle.
The Brando protector package and iPhone before:
The iPhone after:
The cutouts for the speaker and home button are larger than needed, and
that makes lining it up a little harder to do since you're not working
with an exact replica of the front of the iPhone. Also, it doesn't
quite cover the entire screen - depending on how well you center it, it
could leave a 1mm gap on the top or bottom. Since I started applying
mine right at the top edge of the screen, the cutout for the home button
isn't perfectly centered. But, I can live with that. Side to side it
fits almost exactly. For those of you looking to protect the chrome
bezel around the edge, note that this protector does NOT cover it, so
you'll need to look for another solution.
The Ultra-Clear version of the Brando Protector has a glass-like finish
and clarity - to my eyes, there is absolutely no difference in the look
of the iPhone or the visibility of the screen with the protector
applied. The only way to tell that there is a protector on the screen
is to look at the cutouts for the speaker and home button, or very
closely at the edges of the screen. Also, there is no impact at all on
the touch-sensitivity of the screen. After an iPhone Q&A response from
David Pogue earlier this year, I had thought that screen
protectors would not work at all, but this has turned out to be
incorrect. While I'm keeping my iPhone in a case most of the time, I
still like the added protection for the screen.
All in all, I recommend the Brando protector for the iPhone. If you are
careful in lining up the cutouts, it will be quite unnoticeable to the
untrained eye and offer great protection for your screen with no impact
to its touch sensitivity. A few words of advice - have some tape handy
to help pull the protector back up if you find you need to re-align it,
and this tape is also handy to remove lint from the screen or the
protector itself if some happens to get in the way.
Brando Ultra-Clear Screen Protector for iPhone
$10.00 plus $3.00 shipping to U.S.A.
Related reviews:
GelaSkins skin for iPhone 3G/3GS
DecalGirl skin for iPhone 3G/3GS