One of my big frustrations with my HTC Touch Pro has been the inability to find a good case.  I mean, the thing is constantly getting dinged against tables, desks and other surfaces…not to mention the fingerprint prone screen.  Truth be told, I have the same problem with my unprotected iPod Touch.  Especially the fingerprints on the screen from my sticky-fingered three year old who loves to play games on it.  I asked around for some ideas and just about everyone eventually recommended the Invisible Shield protectors.  Now, we have written about these fantastic protectors on numerous occasions, so this will not be a full on review.  I just wanted to take a few minutes and tell you about my experience with them.

I got two cases from Invisible Shield: one for my HTC Touch Pro, and one for my iPod Touch.  We’ll take a look at both of them together.  Before we get started, let’s take a look at the package contents, because this is not like any case you have ever owned before…more like a giant, ultra-tough screen protector for your whole device.  So, what comes in this fancy box?  Well, the first thing we have is the Invisible Shield, itself.  These are this plastic sheets, exactly cut to fit your device.  Be careful with these.  The iPod Touch contained two large sections.  The HTC Touch Pro, however, consisted of close to a dozen pieces of all different shapes and sizes, some too small to handle easily with your fingers.

Additionally, you will find the Shield spray, which is the application solution, and an installations squeegee to help smooth out all of those pesky air bubbles and excess moisture.  Anyone who has ever tried to apply a screen protector knows the importance of this squeegee.

So, let’s get started.  Now this is not in the instructions, but you want to make sure your device is clean before you get started.  No point in trapping dirt and smudge under the protector.  I used a non-ammonia screen wipe and a dry microfiber cloth.  That worked like a charm…even cleaned up the remnants of my son, Mr. Sticky Fingers. 

OK, so before you handle the Invisible Shield, you are going to want to wash your hands and spray them with the Shield Spray.  This will help protect your Invisible Shield from any fingerprints while you apply it. 

Now, all you need to do is spray the Shield Spray on the protectors and apply them to your device.  From this point, it is not all that different from applying a screen protector.

This all sounds pretty easy, right?  And for the most part it is.  The Shield Spray keeps the shield from sticking before you are ready, so you can slide it into place.  And as long as you stay on top of the large surfaces, you’ll be all right.

The problem for us came when on the corners and edges.  Getting the shield on straight and smoothing out the bubbles can be extremely difficult.  Better go into this one with a full tank of patience or you may be apt to get frustrated. 

The iPod Touch, however, was just the warm up for the increasingly complex Touch Pro.  Unlike the iPod Touch protector, which had only two large pieces, the Touch Pro version had close to a dozen pieces, consisting of large section, long thin strips, and even a few tiny cutouts for some of the buttons.  In the end, we decided not to cover the whole thing.  I only applied the Invisible Shield to the face and part of the back, to protect the camera lens.  Those long thin strips for the side were just too much.

The first problem I had with the Touch Pro Invisible Shield was that there were a lot of unlabeled pieces.  I had a hard time figuring out where some of them were even supposed to go or how to orient them on my device.  It would have been helpful if the pieces had been labeled, or even if there had been a diagram included in the box showing how to orient the pieces on your device.

The second problem I had was the Invisible Shield consisted of a lot of small pieces and long thin strips.  These can be pretty tricky to apply, especially if you have thick fingers like I do.  We found that our fingers often got in the way of a perfect application of some of the smaller pieces.  It would have been nice if the package had included some small clips or sticks to help handle some of the smaller pieces.

In the end, I think we did a pretty good job on both devices.  It is not perfect, there were a few bubbles around the edges, however, the important parts, however, especially the screen, are well protected while leaving full access to all of the controls and ports (sorry, it is called the Invisible Shield for a reason, making it hard to show in pictures.)

That brings us to the final question.  Was this all worth it?  I mean, how good is the protection on these?  Was it worth the hassle of the application?  Not to mention the 12-24 hours while they adhere.  The answer is…Absolutely!  Despite any difficulties which may have occurred during application, in the end, this essentially puts an invisible force field around your device.  This protects it from all manner of scratches, dings, and other hazards…even a sticky fingered three year old.  Don’t believe me, check out this video from Invisible Shield.

What I Liked: What can I saw here except total protection of your entire device.

What Needs Improvement:

• Lots of small and unlabeled pieces on some more complicated protectors
• Small pieces can be difficult to place.  Should include some sticks or tools for these
• Edges and corners take a lot of patience to avoid bubbles

Where to Buy: Invisible Shield

Price: iPod Touch (1st Gen): $24.95

          HTC Touch Pro (CDMA version): $24.95

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