If you own an iPod—particularly one of the latest generation video models—you already know how easy it is for the screen and body to get scratched. Now you can protect your iPod from all those scratches, scuffs and dings accumulated during daily use without adding to its bulk, weight, or sacrificing the use of accessories. Impossible, you say? It isn’t if you’re using ShieldZone’s invisibleSHIELD (iPod 30 GB)!

There are a number of products on the market for protecting iPods. These usually involve a case of some sort, or stick-on plastic film. iPod cases vary in construction, quality and material, but they all have one thing in common: they add bulk and weight to the iPod. Not exactly ideal if you prefer to carry you iPod in a shirt or pants pocket (which a lot of people do). Most of these cases aren’t dust-proof. Removing the iPod from a case with enough accumulated dust and debris can easily scratch the body and screen. Even worse, some of these cases can prevent you from using popular third-party accessories that connect to the iPod.

Cases with poorly-designed belt-clips usually give the user more than a few scratches to worry about when their iPod meets the asphalt of the local supermarket parking lot. Transparent cases do a good job of protecting the iPod without sacrificing its looks, but the case itself eventually gets all scratched up, making the screen underneath difficult to read. Those inexpensive, stick-on film protectors for the iPod seem to be a great idea. Unfortunately, they rarely fit properly or stay put. However, they do manage to attract enough dirt and dust that makes scratching your iPod a lot easier.

For those who prefer their iPods unfettered by a case, the choices for keeping their iPods scratch and scar-free were between slim and none. That’s where ShieldZone comes in.
Formed in March 2005, Salt Lake City-based ShieldZone Corporation (previously Protective Solutions, Inc.) discovered it could use a film originally created to protect the leading edges of helicopter blades to also protect handheld electronic devices. Since then, Shield-Zone has perfected this film and launched its proprietary patent-pending application process and the invisibleSHIELD™ product line - a clear proprietary plastic film covering that protects handheld electronic devices from normal, everyday wear and tear. This line consists of specific, pre-cut designs to protect over 300 different electronic devices including iPods®, laptops, cell phones (from dozens of manufacturers), PDAs, watch faces, gaming devices, digital cameras, and many more. The complete line of products is sold through direct online sales to consumers, retail outlets, as well as through approved reseller channels worldwide.
The forerunner of the invisibleSHIELD™ protected the blades of military helicopters from damage, even while the helicopter was traveling at hundreds of miles per hour. In due time, ShieldZone recognized a viable, commercial market opportunity for its coverings, realizing consumers wanted protection for their handheld electronic devices. Since launching its first consumer product early in 2005, ShieldZone has seen an overwhelming response to its invisibleSHIELD™ product line, particularly with iPod users wanting to keep their devices in pristine condition.

Here's the invisibleSHIELD for the 30 GB iPod Video that ShieldZone kindly provided for this review. My iPod is on the left. Flip the package over and you can see the contents of the kit. The instructions are printed inside the blister pack's insert. Each invisibleSHIELD kit comes pre-cut to fit your device. Make sure that your hands and work area are clean and as free of dust as possible before getting started.

First, turn off and lock your iPod. Install the smallest pieces first, then the largest. Here, I've applied the SHIELDspray application solution to the piece that goes over the Click Wheel's button. Use the supplied squeegee to remove excess solution and air bubbles. Next is the Click Wheel itself.

We’ve all seen carefully staged “demos” and heard wondrous claims of how great a product is, that often fails to function as advertised or meets your expectations in the “real world.” At DigitalLife 2006 this year, I personally witnessed just how tough invisibleSHIELD really is. ShieldZone’s Mark Rose took an early generation iPod Nano—the one most prone to scratching—casually tossed it in a box with rocks and shook it up for a few minutes. He wasn’t playing either—he really shook that box and gave the hapless little Nano a good pelting. But when Mark opened the box and removed the iPod, instead of it looking like it had just seen a tour of duty in a war zone, thanks to invisibleSHIELD, there wasn’t a scratch on it anywhere! Needless to say, I was very impressed.

invisibleSHIELD comes in an easy-to-open blister package and contains the invisibleSHIELD film pre-cut to fit and fully protect your device; a small bottle of SHIELDspray application solution, and Squeegee. The instructions are printed inside the package’s display insert. For the review, I’ll be installing the invisibleSHIELD on a 30 GB iPod Video (Generation 5.5). ShieldZone makes tailor-made invisibleSHIELD kits for every previous and current-generation iPod on the market. Installation is pretty straightforward. While the included instructions are easy to follow, you may also want to view ShieldZone's instruction video for the iPod.

First, make sure your work area is well-lit and as clean and dust-free as possible—I can’t stress the part about clean and dust-free enough. You’ll need a soft, lint-free cloth—and I can’t stress the part about lint-free enough either. You especially want to make sure that your iPod is clean and free of smudges and oils from your hands and fingers. The cleaner everything is during the installation of the invisibleSHIELD, the better it will look when you’re finished. I don’t mean to sound like your Mom here, but make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before you get started (especially your fingertips). If you tend to be “all thumbs” like me, you may want to have a pair of tweezers at the ready, too.

The invisibleSHIELD kit for the 30 GB iPod comes in four pieces. You may want to take each individual piece and examine it against your iPod to see how they line-up:

• Click Wheel Button

• Click Wheel

• Front Cover

• Rear Cover

When you’re ready to install the invisibleSHIELD, take the bottle of SHIELDspray solution and apply a little to your fingertips (according to the label, the solution is not harmful to skin, eyes or if swallowed—though I confess I did not try to spray it in my eyes or swallow it to test the validity of this claim). We’re going to install the smallest pieces first, working our way up to the largest pieces.

First, make sure your iPod is off and the Hold button at the top is in the locked position. Peel the backing from the invisibleSHIELD Click Wheel Button film. Notice how tacky the adhesive is? Now you know why you moistened your fingertips with SHIELDspray. Keeping your fingertips moist with the solution throughout the installation process will not only make your life easier in aligning and installing the individual pieces of the kit, but will lower the potential for dust contamination from your fingers. Spray the adhesive side of the Click Wheel button film with a bit of the solution and apply it to the Click Wheel button on your iPod. Check it closely for any alignment errors. If necessary, peel the Click Wheel button film off, wipe the button with your lint-free cloth, re-apply the solution and reposition the film to center it perfectly on the Click Wheel. Then take the supplied squeegee to push any excess solution and air bubbles out, working from the center to the nearest edge. Follow the same procedure for the Click Wheel film, and use your lint-free cloth to pat the Click Wheel area dry. Double check for any alignment issues and air bubbles you may have missed. For major alignment issues, peel the film off, re-apply the solution and film. For stubborn bubbles, lift the edge of the film closest to the bubble and spray a bit of the solution on the adhesive backing. Press the film back in place and squeegee it. Keep in mind that at no time during the installation of the invisibleSHIELD should you apply the SHIELDspray solution directly on your iPod. Also, don’t throw away the paper backing from any of the invisibleSHIELD pieces, or the blister pack that it came in. I’ll tell you why when we’re done.

When applying the larger pieces, you'll need to apply the solution to both sides. If you need to correct any alignment mistakes and major air bubbles, do it before the solution on the film's adhesive backing is still wet. The back is a little trickier, and may require more than one attempt to get it right. Don't worry about minor bubbles—they'll clear up after the invisibleSHIELD sets for the recommended 24-hour period. All done! This is a shot 24 hours after installing the invisibleSHIELD.

Here's the back, which was always filled with ugly fingertip smudges before the invisibleSHIELD was installed. You really have to look close to see the invisibleSHIELD installed. Best of all, unlike some iPod cases, the invisibleSHIELD doesn't prevent you from using certain iPod accessories. This is the top of the iPod... ...and the bottom.

When you’re satisfied that the Click Wheel and Button pieces are properly installed, unlock your iPod and try the button and wheel just to make sure. Turn off and lock your iPod and let’s get the piece for the front of the iPod installed. Wipe down the front of the iPod with your lint-free cloth to make sure you nail any smudges or dust. Moisten your fingertips with the solution, peel off and set aside the backing from the front piece and spray both sides. Since we’re working with a larger piece of invisibleSHIELD, spraying both sides will make it easier to squeegee out excess solution and air bubbles. Use the same procedure for dealing with alignment errors and troublesome bubbles, remembering to work from the center to the nearest edge on each side of the iPod. Note that in spite of your best efforts, there will more than likely be a few minor air bubbles here and there. Don’t worry—these will clear up once the invisibleSHIELD has “set” for 24 hours.

Once you’ve installed the front piece, double-check for alignment issues—particularly around the Click Wheel (turn on your iPod again and try it out). Now we’re ready for the Grand Finale—installing the back piece of the invisibleSHIELD. The trick here is to get it aligned perfectly so that the end pieces will not block the Earphones Jack and Hold Switch at the top, or the Dock Adaptor Jack at the bottom. The end pieces go last, and its best to let the solution on them dry a bit before you stick them down in place (use the palm of your hand to help “mold” and stick them down). Don’t be surprised if it takes you several attempts to get the back piece just right—it did for me. After all the pieces of the kit are installed, set your iPod aside for 24 hours to let the adhesive set and any minor air bubbles evaporate.

That’s it! You can now enjoy your iPod without the additional bulk of cases and interference with accessories—and of course, without all the scratches and dings of normal day-to-day use, which is just about the only way to tell that the invisibleSHIELD is there.

“That’s great,” you say. “But what if I have to send my iPod back to Apple for service? Can I remove the invisibleSHIELD? I’ll bet it’s a nightmare to remove and messes up the surface of the iPod once you do!”

Yes, you can remove the invisibleSHIELD once it’s been installed, and yes you should definitely remove it before having your iPod or device serviced. Start at a corner of each piece—you may have to use tweezers—and slowly peel it off a little bit at the time until it’s free. The adhesive on back of the invisibleSHIELD film doesn’t normally leave a residue, but any smudges from removing it can be easily cleaned up with a damp cloth, and you’ll never know that it was installed. Once you’ve removed the invisibleSHIELD after it has been installed on your iPod or other device, you should not try to re-install it. But before you jump to the conclusion that you’re out of the cost of the invisibleSHIELD, hear me out. Remember when I said earlier that you should not throw away the blister pack or the pieces of protective backing from the invisibleSHIELD? Stick the old invisibleSHIELD pieces back on their original protective backing and put them back in the blister pack. Then send it back to ShieldZone. They’ll send you a brand new one under their Lifetime Replacement Guarantee which also applies if your invisbleSHIELD ever gets scratched. I would think you would have to worry more about the physical well being of your iPod and the amount of abuse you’d have to submit it to, before you even begin to scratch the invisibleSHIELD. It’s safe to say that any film tough enough to protect the rotor blades of military helicopters should have no trouble surviving the rigors of iPod users.

Notice how the sides are protected here... ...and here. With ShieldZone's invisibleSHIELD installed, you can enjoy and protect your iPod from scuffs and scratches without bulky cases.

When installed properly, you have to look really close to tell that the invisibleSHIELD is there—and it’s just slightly more noticeable on black iPods than it would be on white ones. I’ve carried it around in my jeans pockets for weeks now, with keys and change in the same pocket, and have tossed it in desk drawers with all my other junk—something I would never have done without the invisibleSHIELD installed. Yet my iPod looks just as good as it does the first day I installed the invisibleSHIELD, without a scratch or mark anywhere. Another benefit of the invisibleSHIELD is that it makes the normally slick surface of the iPod easier to hold on to, so it’s less likely to slip out of the sweatiest hand. It also solves the problem of all those unsightly smudges on back on the iPod’s mirrored surface when handling it. What’s really cool about invisibleSHIELD is that it can protect more than just iPods, and ShieldZone even offers custom work as well:

Bike Computers Car Electronics,
Custom Orders Cell Phones,
Digital Camera LCDs Dive Computers,
Gaming Systems GPS,
Heart Rate Monitors iPods,
Laptops Mac Mini,
MP3 Players Multimedia Viewers,
PDAs Portable DVD Players,
Satellite Radio Signature Capture and
Smartphones Watches.

With all that the invisibleSHIELD can do to protect your iPod, it’s only fair that I point out some of the things it can’t do. The invisbleSHIELD might mask minor scratches and surface imperfections, but it won’t make more severe wear and tear magically “go away.” It can resist most liquids but won’t make your iPod waterproof. Nor will it protect your iPod from high-impact trauma—if your iPod falls far enough and hits a hard surface, chances are the invisbleSHIELD won’t prevent it from cracking open like an egg.

I can’t emphasize enough that the ultimate success of installing your invisibleSHIELD depends on how clean your hands, work area and iPod is during the process. A steady hand and a good dose of patience doesn’t hurt either. Rushing through the installation in a dusty environment on an iPod full of smudges and fingerprints will practically guarantee that it will look worse than it did before you started. The only thing I would like to see changed with the 30 GB iPod Kit, is a slightly larger bottle of SHIELDspray—I came dangerously close to running out during the install because I had to reposition the back piece of the kit several times to really get it right.