InvisibleSHIELD is like a screen protector film but for your whole device. What this means is that you can protect your device from knocks and scratches but without having to hide it in a case.

In the pack you get the actual InvisibleSHIELD film pre-cut for the device you have purchased it for, a small squirty-bottle of solution (they call it SHIELDSpray) and a small piece of plastic (referred to as a squeegee).

As I have both an iPod Nano and a Treo 650 phone I was kindly supplied with InvisibleSHIELDs for both devices.

The idea is that you peel the InvisibleSHIELD off its backing, liberally spray both sides with SHIELDSpray, place on the device and slide it into the right place before using the supplied plastic squeegee to remove excess liquid and bubbles from underneath. You then wipe dry and leave to “set” (The instructions recommend leaving for 24 hours but I challenge anyone to leave their phone and\or iPod alone for that long!!)

I decided to try the Nano first. The InvisibleSHIELD for the Nano comes in two sections, one for the front and one for the back and I decided to do the front first. In retrospect, this turned out to be a bad idea as the front is the fiddliest part of the InvisibleSHIELD to apply as it has a cut-out for the click-wheel which leaves very thin bits of the film either side. I clearly wasn’t using enough of the spray as I found it almost impossible to slide the film into just the right spot and kept having to peel it back and start again. In the end I got fed up and left it in a “good enough” position. I faired better with the back but this had little flaps which wrap to the sides and resolutely refused to stick for the first few attempts - behaving themselves only when threatened with violence. This was when I found that use of a “finger squeegee” was the best way of dealing with with small bits and I relegated use of the supplied squeegee to the main, larger, areas only.

I left the Nano to set and moved onto the Treo and being larger this was infinitely easier to apply. The InvisibleSHIELD for the Treo comes in sections for the screen, top-front, sides, battery cover and top-back of the phone. I started with the battery cover and this went on like a charm first time and I was able to use the slipping technique that was so elusive on the Nano to get it to just the right spot. The screen section went on perfectly and as it is recessed, required no sliding. I did the top front of the phone and as this is curved I used the “finger squeegee” technique again. At this point I ran into 2 problems. Firstly I had now run out of the SHIELDSpray so could not apply any more of the InvisibleSHIELD. However, even if I did have more spray, I would not have put the top-back shield onto the Treo as it would have covered up the opening where the SIM card can be pulled out. As the makers of InvisibleSHIELD are in the US I don’t know if this is a difference in layout between US spec Treos and UK spec Treos so may not be be entirely their fault but if you are thinking of this for a Treo in the UK make a note and possibly be prepared to trim the shield to fit!

Overall I am pleased with the results. The Nano didn’t turn out great but I think that is more down to my lack of patience and hand-eye coordination than anything else. As I keep my Nano in a silicone case (which has a belt clip so that I can wear it in the gym) It is not too much of a bother that the look is not quite perfect and at least it should now stay scratch-free. If I had started with the Treo I feel I would have got the hang of the application process by the time I got to the front of the Nano and things would have been smoother (literally and metaphorically!). The Treo was a lot better and as an added benefit, the InvisibleSHIELD has a slight non-slip feel to it so should help in that respect as well. If you are wondering – yes I have put it to the test but I will admit to not being too vigorous on the screen of the Treo! The battery cover stood up very well to attempts to scratch with your typical pocket contents - a pen, a key and some coins. Light marks the only impression made and these certainly do not look deep enough to have carried to the actual case.

I would recommend InvisibleSHIELD, especially for those with phones and PDAs that are supported as it enables you enjoy the looks of the product you bought without having to worry about the knocks and scratches that life in a jeans pocket doles out on a daily basis. I would caution, though, that you need to buy an extra bottle of SHIELDSpray with your order to make sure you don’t run out (especially if you have a larger device) and that you should not start with the front of the Nano or any of the cut-out sections on other devices. Get a feel for the application of the film on the back or with a large section before moving on to smaller pieces. It also helps if you have patience and a steady hand (or know someone that does) otherwise swearing is inevitable! The website does have a video of the application process and I would recommend watching this so that you can prepare yourself before you try it for real.

You can order the InvisibleSHIELD for the Nano for $19.95, the Treo for $24.95 and a bottle of the SHIELDSpray is $1, all available from Shield Zone.