Best Skins Ever for iPod touch - review
Thu, 18 October 2007
The two Best Skins Ever (BSE) sets for our two iPods have finally arrived today. There is no retail package, each skin comes on two sheets in the envelope, with an invoice and the URL to “How to install” page on BSE website. There is also a warning not to store them face to face, because they’ll stick.
The first step was to make the solution, basically the soapy water. I used 100 ml cold water and few drops of the liquid soap, just enough to make things somewhat ’slippery’
Application was pretty straightforward, wet the skin on both sides, attach it to the iPod and push out any bubbles with the credit card. But here came the first disappointment. The front part of the skin covers the glass and the frame around the glass. I didn’t expect this, and I didn’t like it at all.
Since the frame is a fraction of a millimetre above the glass, this creates an air pocket and it makes it very difficult to remove any excess water solution.
I’ve been told that skins of this kind will shrink a little over the next 24-48 hours, so this could disappear. I guess I’ll have to wait and see what happens. I’ll post an update here in a few days.
Other than that the skin looks and feels very good. The surface is nice and smooth, and there are no problems with operating the touch screen at all. If it wasn’t for its oversize, I would say you wouldn’t even notice the skin was there.
Once the front side was covered, I flipped the iPod and applied the back skin.
Let me ask you something - have you ever bought a pair of pants one size too big, and then you had to wear it all day long? Well, this is exactly how the BSE feels on the iPod touch, it’s just too big.
The back skin goes from one edge of the front skin to the other edge, without leaving any gap at all. Not even a quarter of a millimetre. So you may need to take the skin off and reapply it over and over again until you turn blue, or you eventually get it right.
I had to do it about four or five times until I got it right, even though ‘right’ is a term open to debate. Here is my second or so attempt
and from another angle
Why didn’t they cover the glass only, and why didn’t they leave some gaps with the back skin, is beyond me. I have applied only the back skin onto the second iPod (mine) and left the front naked. After all, the glass shouldn’t scratch and with a little care I think I’ll be alright. I guess I’ll stick with the case I’ve been using for the past couple of weeks.
Update (about 48 hours later) : Things look better now. Much, much better. The air pockets are completely gone. The tiny little bubble of air I had just under the home button is also AWOL now.
The plastic has hardened enough so I could remove the overlapping edges with a snap-blade knife and it looks way better now.
48 hours after the installation
left: with the skin - right: no skin
See more photos on Flickr
Verdict
Package 5/10 - no retail package, just sheets in an envelope. If it gets folded in transit - goodbye skin. But it does save on the postage, I have paid only $1.50 for two skins to Australia.
Instructions 6/10 - While no instructions are provided with the skin, there is an URL to the pdf document on BSE website which explains how to install the skin.
Ease of installation 3/10 - Considering all the trouble with getting it right due to its size, I think that even 3/10 is fairly generous.
Look 9/10 Look 6/10 - if it wasn’t for the oversized front skin and the air pockets I would say it’s 9/10. But I think BSE will need to work a little on this one. Well, it is 9/10 now.
Feel 9/10 - It feels really good, like there is nothing on your iPod, particularly the skin on the back.
Value for money 10/10 - considering the skin costs only US$ 7.99 (US$5.99 on special) it is hard to find any other iPod touch protection that is this good for the price even close to this one.
Overall score - 8/10
Similar review: Invisible Shield skin for iPod touch
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Posted in Reviews, iPod and iPhone
otis said: Sat, 20 October 2007 at 05:15
try the invisibleSHIELD. They are the experts and have better fitting shields. (Not to mention better packaging!) Also comes with a lifetime warranty. I use them for all my gadgets.
Matt said: Sat, 20 October 2007 at 17:35
I got a few weird looks when I went to your site at uni… apparently the first pic looks a bit dodgey from afar :)
Omar said: Fri, 26 October 2007 at 11:20
When your watching videos on the ipod or just browsing the internet, do you notice the dimpled surface, or do you only see it when looking from an angle.
Carl Gundel said: Thu, 20 December 2007 at 03:14
Perhaps the skin you were installing is really an iPhone skin. The iPhone is slightly larger and thicker than the iPod touch so that would account for the oversized nature of the sheets.
Mike said: Thu, 20 December 2007 at 07:54
No, mate, it wasn’t the iPhone skin. iPhone skin is completely different and has many more things to accommodate, such as camera, speakers and so on.
Yet Ming Ngai said: Wed, 2 January 2008 at 17:08
Does the BestSkinsEver back skin cover the wifi block? And are there any smaller skins for the bevel, corners and home button?
I enjoyed your reviews for BestSkinsEver and InvisibleShield, and it would be great if you had a chance to review BodyGuardz, Power Support Crystal Film/Anti-Glare Film, and InvisiArmor, too.
Chuck said: Sat, 12 January 2008 at 10:18
I have the BSE on two iPod Videos and two Nanos and love it. I put it on my iPod Touch last week. The first two days I wasn’t completely happy with the back due to what looked like imprints from a couple of air pockets I was unable to remove. It’s been about a week now, and WOW…it looks absolutely perfect. The front cover however is another matter. I had no problem whatsoever with the fit..front and back…. it was perfect. But I just didn’t like the way the touch screen FELT with the BSE on it. I left it on for three days and finally decided to remove it. It had a somewhat resistent and dragging feel as I moved my fingers over the screen. And I didn’t like the rippled look caused by the BSE. I liked the slick, shiney glass-like look it has without the front cover. Otherwise wise I’m happy with the BSE.
Steve said: Mon, 7 July 2008 at 04:36
I won’t for a moment downplay the quality of InvisibleShield’s products, and their customer service is equally fine. However, from the standpoint of the product, InvisibleShield and Best Skins Ever are about equal. They’re made of the same material and apply the same way. The major difference is the price.
It is, even for the experienced, not exactly easy to apply. However, if you’re patient, and keep the template moist, there’s no reason to be worried. After drying, the surface is smooth and fully protected. Unless told in advance, viewers cannot tell the difference.