Boxwave ClearTouch Crystal Screen Protectors
March 16, 2005
If you make a habit of putting devices with displays in your pocket along with keys, loose change, etc., you either use a case with a cover, a good screen protector or you’re going to be very sorry, very soon.
Since a case with a cover isn’t terribly convenient for a phone (nothing like a cover flapping around while you’re trying to talk to make you look like the geekiest nerdboy on the block), when I got the Treo 650 it was time for a good screen protector.
I’ve been fond of Boxwave’s ClearTouch AntiGlare protectors for quite a while. The antiglare finish gives just enough drag to the stylus to make them comfortable to write on, without that “trying to write on greased glass” feeling common to PDAs.
With the Treo 650, you not only have the thumb keyboard, you also have a “5-way” direction pad that on 650-aware applications makes using the stylus a rare event. That, along with the gorgeous crisp screen made me decide to try Boxwave’s new “ClearTouch Crystal” screen protectors instead. These are the same tough protectors, just 99% visually transparent.
A note on screen protectors. They usually come in two varieties—thin and cheap ones that you have to replace constantly, and durable and (comparatively) expensive ones that last a long time (and are usually washable and remountable). The Boxwave protectors are in the second category. They run about $9 apiece, or 3 for $19. I’ve never had a three pack not last me through the life of a PDA.
The ClearTouch Crystals are up to Boxwave’s usual production and packaging standards—they are cut exactly to size, easy to peel the protective cover off the adhesive side, and mount nice and clean. They also include a nice lint-free polishing cloth to clean your screen beforehand (and the protector thereafter), and even a little stiff card for the inevitable “push out the air bubbles” step that you usually use a credit card for. They also include instructions on how to remove, wash, and replace the screen protector.
In use, I have to say that this is about the nicest screen protector I’ve ever used. With the exact fit and clarity, it’s exceedingly hard to tell that it’s even there. Stylus tracking (when needed) is good, and even though it’s not antiglare, glare doesn’t seem to be a problem.
I’m very pleased with it, and I’m now a bit less reluctant to drop it in my pocket and go.
You can find the Boxwave ClearTouch Crystal protectors here.
N.B. Just because you have a good screen protector doesn’t mean you don’t need to be careful—it’s still awfully easy to break a display in your pocket, even if it’s now a good deal harder to scratch one. If your carrier provides replacement insurance, it might be well worth taking…
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