My Knight in Shining BodyGuardz

After I wrote my article to Announce the “bra” concept for devices and iPhones I arranged to receive my own set of BodyGuardz for the Cingular 8525 phone. Check out the web site and you can see the large list of custom made protective skins for a large array of devices. Yours is probably there.

The package arrived quickly and consisted of the following items: 3 ScreenGardz, two sets of BodyGuardz, one spray bottle of Application Solution (which is labled as water and baby shampoo), one squeegee card, one I-Spy magnifying glass to carefully examine the proceedings and some instructions. Click on the thumbnail to see the larger image with all the fabulous details. Since the kit comes with an extra set of BodyGuardz, it makes sense that the entire package is designed to be stored easily for future use. It’s not much bigger than a paperback book and can be stowed away on a shelf.

As I was reading the instructions I noticed there was a page in the booklet that had cleverly incorporated a bit of “skin” on the paper. I was invited to terrorize this bit of plastic to test it’s strength. So, putting on my Hulk Hogan suit I proceeded to find the most devastating weapon in my bag (where I normally carry my phone)……the ubiquitous nailfile!! Cue the music! That horror of all shiny surfaces that are loath to get scratched. I took my nailfile and rubbed it vigorously across the skin on the page. I could clearly see lines and scratches, but when I rubbed the plastic with my finger, they seemed to almost disappear. And several days later when I looked again, I hardly saw anything that resulted from my terrorist attack on the pristine surface. wow! Click on the thumbnail image to see the page. I took that picture After the “attack” and after several days had past. This SKIN is tough!!!

Before I did anything I wanted to VERY carefully read all instructions. I examined the set of “skins” to see how they would fit around my device. For this phone it comes on two pages, one for the back of the device and one for the front. Plus, there’s several smaller side pieces. A careful examination of the Layout Diagram and how it compares to your device really pays off. It’s important to take the time to devote to doing this properly. I cleaned my phone by just wiping it to remove dust – I have microcloth towels which are very good for this purpose. Dust is the enemy of these Skins. They will not Stick properly if dirt and dust is between them and the device surface. Next, clean your hands. Then spray the solution on your hands – or one hand. I made sure my left hand was wet as that was going to be the “application hand”, but when you do this yourself just do what is most comfortable. Decide which side of the device you wish to start with first. My suggestion is to begin with a flatter surface first to get comfortable with the process. With wet hand(s) remove a skin from the paper and spray the back of that skin. As the instructions say, “You can NOT use too much solution.” Take the wet skin and apply to the correct location on the device and move around until it is in place. It does take a bit of careful ‘mushing’ about. Here’s the real tricky part: there’s curves that require delicate treatment. A curved part doesn’t want to lay down flat immediately. You have to be patient and keep using the squeegee to coax the skin down. I found that I could leave one skin while I applied another and return to it later and continue to play with it. I just kept moving around the device pushing and massaging. You can’t rush through this process. Working slowly is best.

So here’s two images of the front and back of the Cingular 8525 phone. Click on the thumbnails to see the larger images. The curing process does take another day or so. You have to spend time looking for the curves that haven’t laid down flat and use the squeegee to buff them carefully. And – as the instructions indicate – the bubbles do disappear the next day. It’s almost like magic! The skins actually makes the whole surface of the phone look cleaner and more beautiful.

Under the microscope the tricky curves look just perfect. Ok, so we know BodyGuardz will protect your device and make it look fabulous enough for a Paris runway. But how does it work in daily use? Does it interfer with normal operations? I noticed that the plastic skin makes the device feel warmer. Maybe this is (partly) psychological. In any case I find it pleasant. The ScreenGardz doesn’t interfer with using the stylus or my finger. The sensitivity of the touch screen has not been compromised. Sometimes I can feel that slight resistance or “bite” that a plastic surface has, but I don’t find it annoying. I can still handwrite my notes on the phone – something I enjoy doing. It’s better to have peace of mind that the touch screen is protected. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t have BodyGuardz sooner – like as soon as I got the phone – so it was protected right from the beginning. Bookmark the BodyGuardz site and when you are planning to get a device or phone check to see if it has skins and Get Them! You won’t regret it.

Written by Cecilia