Sébastien Page

I'm not much of an accessories guy. I don't put my iPad into a case because I think it's too beautiful to be hidden under some rubber casing. Yet you have to protect your device. I purchased a Smart Cover with my iPad 2 but it's only good at protecting the front of my iPad. What about the back?

Yes, the back of my iPad 2 is what worries me most. I use this thing every single day, and unlike my iPhone that usually ends up in my pocket, my iPad travels around the house all the time. It goes from the couch to the coffee table, from the bathroom to the kitchen countertops, outside on our patio. How to you prevent the back of your iPad from being scratched, while not sticking it into a case?

Enters InvisibleShield by Zagg, a thin clear protective film that has been protecting iPhones and iPads for several years now. The guys over at Zagg were nice enough to send me a sample of their iPad 2 InvisibleShield to try out and review. Before going further, I want to make it clear that even though I received an Invisible Shield for free, it doesn't alter the outcome of this review in any way.

This is not my first Invisible Shield. Since 2007, I've used many of those for my iPhones and also for my previous iPad, and I've always been a big fan of the product. When Zagg said they were going to send me one of those InvisibleShields for iPad 2 to review, I didn't expect any surprise. After all, the product is the same, just the shape is different.

So no surprise on that side. The InvisibleShield came in a nice box with the front and back protective film. Also included is a little pouch with a lint free cloth, some spraying solution and a squeegee.

I know how to install the InvisibleShield but I still bothered reading the instructions and watched the demo video. After making sure I had everything ready, I cleaned the back of my iPad with the cleaning cloth, washed my hands, and sprayed my fingers with the application solution before handling the shield, as advised. I removed the paper backing of the shield, sprayed it with the solution and applied it to the back of my iPad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3sO5fBD77Y

It took me a couple tries to get it perfectly aligned, then I used the squeegee to remove all excess spraying solution stuck between the film and the iPad. It took me about 2 minutes from start to finish.

Although I didn't want to use a shield for the front of the iPad, I still decided to put it on to see how easily I could apply it. Turns out that I kinda ran out of spraying solution. I guess I used way too much during the installation of the back shield. Nevertheless, I was able to properly install the InvisibleShield on the iPad screen in just a few seconds.

It is advised not to use your device after applying the InvisibleShield to give it some time to cure. Can you imagine not using your iPad for 24 hours? No, me neither, so I used it right away.

It takes about 2-3 days for the shield to completely cure and get rid of all the air bubbles that you might have accidentally left under. During that time, needless to say that your screen will not look good, but again, it's just a matter of time.

After a few days, I removed the front shield because I just don't like it on my screen. It's barely there, but it bugs me to have something on the screen.

It's been over 10 days now and the InvisibleShield on the back of my iPad 2 hasn't moved at all. It has done a great job at protecting my iPad, and I am no longer afraid to put my device on any surface because I know it is well protected.

On top of bringing great protection to your device, having an Invisible Shield on the back of the iPad makes it easier to hold the device as it doesn't slip as much while in your hand. It's a little detail that has great importance to me.

My biggest concern about having the Invisible Shield on the back of my iPad was to see how it would work with the magnets of the Smart Cover. When you snap the Smart Cover on the side of your iPad, it covers part of the Invisible Shield. After snapping and unsnapping the Smart Cover probably a couple hundred times since I got the shield, I haven't noticed any difference at all. It still snaps perfectly, and most importantly, it doesn't damage or peel off the shield.

I've heard people complain about an orange peel effect on the back of the iPad before. I personally never experienced that, and I suspect it has a lot to do with the way you install the Invisible Shield.

Do I recommend InvisibleShield for iPad 2? Absolutely, however, and depending on your iPad usage, it might be a better idea just to get the back coverage only. That's what I did and it works out great for me, especially because I have the Smart Cover for the front.

The InvisibleShield for iPad 2 starts at $29.99 for the front or back coverage. For $39.99, you get the full back and front coverage, so again, depending on your usage, you should make the decision that will best fit your needs.

You can get 20% off your InvisibleShield (or any Zagg accessories) by ordering from here and entering coupon code zagg20 at check out.