Last weekend I installed an invisibleSHIELD
screen protector on my Garmin GPSMap 60CSx. I became interested in this product after reading rave reviews on Groundspeak, the geocaching message board. My tendency to crash my mountain bike and scratch my GPS didn’t hurt either.
The Invisible Shield installation was very easy. I did end up with some micro-bubbles which the instructions said would work their way out over the next 2-3 days. The bubbles did get smaller, but they were still there. So I took a pushpin and popped them, then used the supplied squeegee to remove the rest of the air from underneath them. Screen visibility is impacted in only the most minor manner, and the benefits of protecting the screen far outweigh any downsides. I just wish I would have had this when I purchased the unit.
My only question now is whether or not I should use this on my nuvi 660, since the mount occasionally pops off the windshield!
And before I forget, the invisibleSHIELD isn’t limited to GPS receivers. You can get it for your iPod, cell phone, PDA, and more.
Protect your GPS from scratches, get the invisibleSHIELD
You can also buy the InvisibleSHIELD from Amazon
The video below is a little annoying at times, but it is still a good overview of the installation process, and it offers other insights into the product.
About Rich Owings
What screen protector would I need for a 2007 Chevy Tahoe Navigation with Voice Recognition?
The Garmin and the other brands that have the 4.3 screen are all the same as the Jensen 4.3 model if you are just going to cover the screen so why not be able to use one of the other ones? since you don’t list the Jensen which is made by audiovox. Can’t you just cut it out to correct size or couldn’t you do it more evenly than I could and tell me how much, not much material involved if you just cover screen or can you not put adhessive on screen and that is the problem. thanks,richard
Richard,
You could contact the folks at InvisibleShield and ask. Unless it’s a touch screen model, I see no reason you couldn’t add the IS to it. All 4.3″ screens may not use the same size though due to minor differences in housing overlap, rounded corners, etc.
I just received an InvisibleShield for my Oregon 450 yesterday. Here is my experience with it as of May 2010. If the product changes, my comments may not apply.
It comes as a single die-cut piece of material, where the pattern you need/will use for your device is smaller than the total sheet surrounding it. The smaller piece was very close (close enough) to fit the size of the screen very well. The kit also includes a tub of wash liquid and a sponge within it, plus a nice lint-free cloth and a very short set of instructions. In turn, those instructions ask you to look for more detailed instructions on Zagg.com, the maker.
What the printed instructions don’t say really messed me up, so I’m writing to caution the first-time user with some additional tips.
First, don’t open the little tub over anything you don’t want to spill the liquid on. The wash liquid pretty much fills the little tub, and when you peel back the top, some will probably spill out. It’s clear and appears to be non-staining, but it’s annoying none-the-less if you happen to get it on a nice varnished desktop, etc. Open it on a plate or over a sink so you know what you’re dealing with before you use it.
Second, BE ULTRA CAREFUL peeling the clear shield away from the paper backing!!! Before you put the liquid on it (as mentioned in the video above), it is VERY sticky!! Plus, it could pick up a little static charge and tend to seek itself out, meaning it can easily scrunch up and stick to itself, leaving noticeable creases and sticky lines across your formerly clear InvisibleShield!
Third, be aware that the remnant material that surrounds the smaller part of the film that you will be applying is not fully die cut! Little nubs connect the inner shield to the surrounding material. My advice is to put the water on the entire surface before you try to separate the two parts. If you don’t, the entire back that went against the release paper will be sticky while you are trying to separate the two parts.
Needless to say, the above was a recipe for big trouble when I tried to install mine. Luckily, Zagg’s customer support group was great. The long and the short of it is, that I will be much more careful when I apply my replacement. Be advised that you will be asked to pay a small shipping and handling charge for their lifetime replacements.
Yes, I suggested that they ship two (2) shields per package, in order to save their customers and themselves time and trouble. We’ll see…
In the meantime, hope this helps someone else!
Thanks for sharing Paul. Maybe I should do a new post with some details on how to do all this.
InvisibleShield update…
Just received and installed my replacement from Zagg, Inc., due the problems/fumbles I described above. Many plusses to report: The replacement came with a squirt solution applicator that was much easier/less messy to use than the sponge-in-a-bath tray applicator. The primary film was only held to the surrounding film by one annoying uncut “bridge” (there must be a better term for that little bit), making release of the primary film from the paper backing and the surrounding film easier. The instructions were clearer in this version, as well. The little smoother/squeegy better fit the Garmin screen. Makes me wonder whether the unit I got on Amazon was an older model. Anyway, the film went on very well, without further incident. So well, that without any bubbles trapped, and fully dried, I could see two very tiny and almost insignificant imperfections in the film itself.
In use, in bright sun on a bike ride today, I have an initial impression, subject to change, that the Garmin 450’s screen was very slightly more difficult to make out than before I put it on. It also seemed that the touch screen required slightly more pressure, resulting in slightly more touches, to changing screens when I wanted to. My other impression is that this screen is VERY well protected now! Tradeoffs, tradeoffs…
This baby (the Garmin 450) is gonna get a lot of use…today it was a blast telling my brother in law (who knew the ride area well but I didn’t) where our next turns would be. He said he was starting to believe I must be psychic until I reminded him that my new GPS was on board. So, I’ll have a chance to update my InvisibleShield impressions after some more use in the field within a fairly short period of time …
Quick update on InvisibleShield
Based on my use indoors last night and this AM, with clean hands in a more stable setting than on my bike, I feel that the operation of the touch screen is not hindered at all by application of the IS. Plus, I got more of a sense that I could just shove my Garmin 450 into my pocket without ANY worry about scratching the screen. The InvisibleShield definitely increases peace of mind on that score. It was the same peace of mind I felt when I accidently dropped it onto a gravel driveway yesterday–I thought, “Whew, I put that InvisibleShield on, just in time!”
Thanks Paul. The first thing I do when I get a new unit is to put an Invisible Shield screen protector on it. It’s awfully cheap insurance.
Why does Garmin not use mineral glass non-scratch screens on their handheld GPS units? It seems their technology is way behind that of the cell phone industry.
I believe those are capacitive touch screens, not the resistive screens you see on most GPS units. Capacitive screen costs are dropping, so we’re seeing more of those. But I’m not sure how appropriate they are for handheld units, where it would be much easier to accidentally engage the screen.