I was sold on Invisible Shield after reading the threads on this forum. Then I went to amazon and read the reviews there. Admittedly, these are reviews of Invisible Shield on iphones and ipods but as far as how it affects the look of the screen I would think it would be the same (please, somebody tell me I’m wrong!).
I am planning to get the shield only for the screen so that is my only concern. Of course, $10 is not a huge investment - if it doesn’t look good I can get something else and not be out a lot of money. But I’d rather get the right thing in the first place (and not have to go thru that application process if I’m just going to take it off!).
I ignored all the comments about applying the shield to the body of the device since I’m only getting the one for the screen. But the comments about the effects on the screen gave me pause. Here is a sampling: vertical lines, rippling effect, like an orange peel, slightly distorts colors, looks cheap, reduces clarity and sharpness. (Maybe all these people didn’t do a good job of application, who knows? But if it’s that sensitive…)
The main reason I’m concerned about this is that my daughter is so excited about being able to have photos on her Fuze.
So who all has invisible shield now (maybe more than when a couple of the prior threads were written) and how do you like the way the screen looks?
Invisible Shield seems like overkill to me. Get a silicone skin case, which will provide some cushioning, on Ebay–search for Fuze skin. Probably cost about $5-$7. I have one by I-nique, but there are lots of kinds. Look at the ways they fit around the wheel–some leave more or less space, and the choice is up to you. I actually got a black skin for a black Fuze, and I regret it–another color would have made it easier to find among all my black electronic gizmos.
If the skin doesn’t come with a screen protector–a piece of clear plastic you can cut to fit the screen, or possibly one already made to fit the Fuze–then get one at Dealxtreme for under $3. Just get the largest area (they’re measured diagonally) and cut to fit. Or if you really don’t want a skin, though I can’t see why not, then just get the screen protector. It’s clear–no distortion.
Reviewers talk about bubbles, but they’re putting it on wrong. You carefully dust the screen, and then pull off what’s covering the sticky side of the protector. Apply it and then run the flat edge of a credit card along the protector to squeeze out any bubbles. Do it once or twice, you’re done. With my Fuze in its skin and screen protector, I can keep it in the same pocket as my housekeys.
Message Edited by Black-Rectangle on 11-22-2008 07:36 PM
I place an order for one last couple days, should get it within the next week. I’ll post on how it goes 
I have the screen-only version of Invisible Shield on my Fuze. I use the Fuze only for music and audio, so I am not super critical about the screen. If you look at the screen at an angle, and reflect light from it, you can see a bit of “orange peel” effect. But why would you do that? If you look directly at the screen, it is “invisible,” at least as far as I am concerned.
Inevitably, the shield will get dinged up. But better the shield than the Fuze.
I think you’re right, BlackRectangle - at least for starters, a screen protector from xtremedeal is the way to go. I got 3 for $4.80 with free shipping!! (That way if I screw up the application on 2 of them, I’ll still have 1 left.)
I have spent hours reading reviews of screen protectors and altho they each have their proponents, they all have too many reviews that say, they’re too thick or too thin, or look hazy or smeary, or come off in 2 weeks or produce too much glare or some other shortcoming.
The one you suggested had 8 good ratings and no bad - maybe not a statistically significant sampling, but for $1.60 each and free shipping, it’s worth a try!
I will post after we get them and have used them for a while.
I’m pretty critical of industrial design/products. I think the InvisShield is very, very good.
Yes, you can see a very, very slight orange-peel effect when the device is off and you view very closely at a particular angle. But who cares? That’s not the typical view experience, and I can tell you when the device is on, it is Invisible.
The manufacturer’s video regarding the product is pretty amazing. I do not have the nerve to verify this by scratching numerous times with the point of a key.
The invisible shield material is much better than your average “screen protector” application. The industrial stuff takes far more abuse than the throwaway material marketed for PDAs.
A material that extends the service life of your Fuze is a good thing. Especially if you plop your keys in the same pocket.
Bob :smileyvery-happy:
I had a generic (and cheap) screen protector on my Garmin GPS. It was too stiff and ended up coming off after just a few weeks of use. I didn’t bother to apply the spare I had.
The Invisible Shield has already outlasted that screen protector on the GPS without a sign of any ding.
My Fuze, which probably meets my keys and other objects more than the GPS, has one ding in the Invisible Shield. But better a ding in the shield than in the Fuze.
Luckily, my daughter has no keys (she’s only 10). She doesn’t even carry a purse. And they’re not allowed to take electronics to her school so the fuze doesn’t even make it into her book bag.
When she got the fuze, she took a shoe box and filled it with tissue paper to make a safe home for it, but I’m giving her a new home for it for her birthday - a padded pouch
So maybe we’ll be ok with the cheap protectors. It will be a hassle if they keep coming off tho. Then I’d get the invisible shield.
The Bell 205 / UH1H Super Huey helicopters I spent several years jumping out of (in the fire service) had this material on the rotory wing leading edges, or something very similar. It’s tougher than your average “sticker”.
There are several types of protectors out there, not that you have to use this particular brand of course.
The acrylic faces of the Sansas are of excellent quality, and stand up to plenty of abuse.
Bob 
@neutron_bob wrote:
The Bell 205 / UH1H Super Huey helicopters I spent several years jumping out of (in the fire service) had this material on the rotory wing leading edges, or something very similar. It’s tougher than your average “sticker”.
The acrylic faces of the Sansas are of excellent quality, and stand up to plenty of abuse.
Bob
I read about the helicopter rotor use on their website. I believe this was the primary reason for the development of the product, wasn’t it? It’s got to be pretty tuff stuff to hold up to that abuse. I would imagine the centrifugal force alone would be enough to rip off just about anything topically applied.
While the acrylic front cover plates (including screen) are pretty durable breakage-wise, it should be noted that because of it’s black “Steinway” piano color and high gloss finish, it is very susceptible & prone to visible scratches. Anything with a mirror-like finish is going to show the minutest of imperfections, so applying something like a screen protector, whether it be the Invisible Shield or the more modest films is certainly a wise decision & resonable investment if you care about your player’s appearance now and in the future.
I can remember being able to see myself in the reflection off of my wedding band when I got married. That high lustre soon wore off. Prudence prevents me from drawing any comparisons to the accompanying marriage.
Pitting in the composite rotor wing could ruin your day. We’d hover over questionable sites (plenty of sand being kicked up). The helicopter is an engineering experiment that flies, I’ve heard it said. Daily inspections under the cowlings reminded me how much faith I have in lockpins and clips. One lost clip, and things could get hairy.
When I saw that a similar material was available for the Sansa, I remembered the protective strips. We had converted several 205s to the Super Huey (much wider rotor blades). They’re a sports car compared to the Blackhawk or Chinook.
I wish I’d have had a Sansa back then. They’re more fun than the big David Clarks.
Bob 
