Today, I finally installed a BodyGuardz protective skin onto my iPhone 3G. After researching extensively about what type of protection would give me some much needed scratch protect, but also not ruin the profile of the phone, I found BodyGuardz skins. I bought one months ago, but was reluctant to put it on because of the many difficult stories I read about the hell that it is to actually apply it. Now that I finally gave it a try, what did I think?
When I first purchased my iPhone 3G, I didn’t want to use a case at all. I loved the design of the phone and didn’t want to ruin the sleekness. A few weeks passed, and I realized that if I was ever going to sell this phone in the future to upgrade to a newer version of the iPhone, I would need to protect its value. My first-gen iPhone lasted a long time without any scratches, but even after babying it and keeping it in a dedicated pocket, a few hairline scratches did appear. I wasn’t going to let that happen with my new iPhone 3G.
I was dreading applying the BodyGuardz so much, that I actually bought a silicon case from more-thing.com and kept the BodyGuardz in a drawer. Then, I saw a friend’s iPhone without any protection the other day, and decided a silicon case wouldn’t cut it, but I didn’t want to give up all protection, so I pulled out the BodyGuardz to finally try it. Luckily, I’m on vacation right now, so turning my phone off for 12 hours while the BodyGuardz solution dries is a lot more practical now.
So, now I’ve had it on for a few hours. It’s supposed to look even better after 48+ hours, but I’m already pretty happy with it after 6 hours, compared to using a silicon case. The pictures I’ve included are how it looked after an hour of being on. You can see some cloudiness, which is supposed to go away after a 48+ hours, and also several bubbles that are supposed to go away too. I do have to say that it really wasn’t easy getting this thing on. It was as big of a pain as I thought it was going to be, and I’m still not entirely sure I’m happy with my first attempt. The package comes with 2 skins, so I can try it again later, but first I’m going to give it some time. I really think I’m going to like this product though. It provides excellent scratch protection, but is the least noticeable protection you can possibly get, so if you’re big on keeping the iPhone as slick as possible, this is the solution for you.
I’m not going to give you a step-by-step guide on how to do this, as there are many videos, guides, and forum topics about this already. I’m simply going to list off the places I found most relevant for learning how to do it as best as possible the first time.
BodyGuardz Useful Links:
- First off, visit this instructional video made by the BodyGuardz people on how to apply the BodyGuardz.
- Next, checkout this thread on MacRumors about the BodyGuardz, it has pages and pages of experience reports and tricks on how to do this as perfectly as possible. For example, one tip is that you should do this in a dust free room.
- Lastly, go to YouTube and search ‘bodyguardz iphone 3G’ where you’ll find all sorts of videos showing you how to do the application process and what you should expect after several hours of it on. I found a lot of great videos by a YouTuber named AYOBONUS that I found particularly useful. He has a series of videos with an example of what it will look like after 24, 48, and 72 hours.
Regardless of what you do with it, you’ll have bubbles and cloudiness after you first apply it, so waiting it out is key to having it perfect too. I’m happy with it so far, but we’ll see how much better it gets. My fingers are crossed. Either way, this is much better than having a silicon case for scratch protection. If you’re looking for something to project your phone from scratches in your pocket and when the phone is placed on the desk, there really isn’t a sleeker solution.
1 response so far ↓
1 JKSuri // Sep 12, 2009 at 9:35 am
I totally agree these skins are better than the cases on offer; the skins preserve the look far better. However, I got a similar skin from http://www.gadgetshieldz.com for 7 odd bucks for my 3G as opposed to the $50 I’d have to spend for this. The skin I have is scratch proof and I don’t have to worry about putting my IPhone down on abrasive surfaces. What I don’t get is the price difference between BodyGuardz and the skin I got. I certainly don’t see a difference in quality.
Reply
Leave a Comment