Customer Reviews

iVisor for iPad 2 - Black (99MO020908)

5 star:		(263)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was highly, HIGHLY skeptical of the reviews I read of this product that insisted there were no bubbles and that installation was so easy. I can't stand bubbles in my screen protectors, so for me that's a big issue. I'd rather not use one than have bubbles.

A quick read of the instructions when the item arrived and I reluctantly removed my old protector. The instructions are pretty standard - use the included microfiber cloth to remove any dust, remove the backing from the protector, line up, and stick on. I couldn't help but notice that this protector did NOT come with the little paper card you use to smooth out the bubbles. Suddenly I was afraid I had made a huge mistake paying this much for just another bubble-riddled protector.

So, imagine my shock when it went on in under 10 seconds, lined up perfectly, and did not have a single bubble. NONE! I must have stared at it for a minute straight looking for any sort of imperfection; there aren't any. The anti-glare finish is much less grainy than others I've used and looks very nice. Feel is great too. Perhaps best of all, this protector comes with instructions for washing it - with soap and water - and re-applying it. A perpetual, bubble-free screen protector that I can actually WASH?! Certainly this is too good to be true.

Except it's not! Try this out. You won't regret it, I promise.

I saw some good reviews of the Moshi iVisor on Amazon as well as on Youtube so I ran to a local computer shop and bought one.

Granted one Moshi costs twice as much as other screen protectors with 2 or 3 in a package, but it's worth every penny. I have used all types of protectors for my iphone and ipod touch so I can list their difference:

1. The Zagg shield (helicopter blade covering stuff) is a sticky vinyl film that is very strong. You apply using a lot of soapy water (a mixture of water, dishsoap and isopropanol works best) to avoid sticking. They don't have a lot of bubbles and even if they do they disappear after a few days when the film 'cures'. These films are thick, a bit tacky and have a little bit 'orange peel' feel. They are not smudge proof. These were my original choice but if you read the ZAGG review on Amazon there are problems with imperfect cutting for their iPad 2 film.

2. Static cling screen shields that usually come in a 2-pack or 3-pack because by design they have a very high fail rate when applying. The static cling means they will for sure attract dusts when you peel off the backing. Dust particles = ugly bubbles on the screen. That's when you throw it away and apply another one from the pack. They are also not sticky so the edge/corners tend to peel off over time. I've pretty much given up using these after wasting quite a few on my ipod touch. Can't imagine how many bubbles you will have over iPad's large screen. One good thing is they are dirt cheap. Usually a couple bucks on eBay.

3. Moshi iVisor is a whole new story. It's a single semid-rigid film with adhesive only on the bezel so when you apply it it stays flat throughout, absolutely no bubble issue. The glue is not too strong and I was able to peel the corner off to re-align it. I also found a couple dirt particles on the inside of the film and I was able to lift it, wipe it clean with the included cloth and reapply. This is the key difference. Unlike above two, dust does not cause bubbles in a Moshi. They may still show up and you just wipe them off.

To be fair, the film actually hangs above the screen by a small air gap of a few hundred nanometers and you can see the Newton's ring pattern when you hold the screen again strong light. Nothing noticeable when you actually are using the screen for, uh, displaying things. Although you can move your finger over the bezel and feel the extra layer of glue and the transition step into the clear screen, the touch control feels the same as bare glass and you can't feel the air gap by touch.

Another plus for the iVisor is the matte finish which not only reduced glare but almost eliminates smudge for me. This is a big win over the Zagg invisible shielf stuff. Overall very recommended.

For a downside, I have noticed after one day, the round hole around home button has had grimes and dirt in its edge. It's an issue all screen protectors have. Not sure how messy it'll look after a long use. I haven't tried washing it yet but hopefully that'll solve it.

I purchased mine at a retailer, but they installed it for me very easily. One thing to be aware of - because of the thickness of the protector and the ability to remove it, any capacitive stylus used on the iPad will squeak and not work as effectively. I am going to try a different type of stylus and see how it works. The touch sensitivity with your fingers is not affected at all, just the ability to use a stylus.

I am glad I spent the extra money on this one!! :D

This cover is, for the most part, everything it advertises! The only thing I have yet to test is whether or not you can really peel the cover off and clean it (I seriously have my doubts about this). Instead I'll assume that a quality screen protector will avoid making you do such a thing.

How It Works
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The Moshi iVisor is basically a semi-raised cover with the adhesive on the outer panel (the colored part, either black or white). Because it does not adhere to the middle of the screen, and also because the adhesive edges are raised by 1mm or so, the matte screen never touches the glass. As a result, putting the iVisor on is simplified because you only need to cleanly place the edges; with the edges being colored your finger prints don't show up, dust/dirt that sticks can't be seen through the adhesive side, and it appears to go on clean without any worries!

Protection
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The iVisor is not meant to protect your screen from scratches or damage. If you worry about screen scratches and the like, a matte cover like this is far more prone to damage than the gorilla glass of the actual device. That doesn't mean that the cover is weak or easily scratched, but protection is simply not the purpose of this product.

Visual Quality
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Matte covers are textured, rather than smooth. That means that when light shines through a matte screen, it's going to cause a rainbow speckle effect due to the refraction of light. How bad the speckles are depends on how dense the pixels are; Luckily because the iPad 2's screen isn't as pixel dense as your iPhone 4, the speckles are hardly noticeable!

The matte cover also tones down the reflective nature of the screen. If you are using the iPad outside or near a window, you will have an easier time.

The one major disappointment with this cover stems from its biggest selling point. The raised portion of the screen causes blurriness at certain angles. Like we went over earlier, matte screens are textured, and from an angle you start to see the texturing which causes it to be less transparent. Using the iPad straight on doesn't cause any issues, but you lose the beauty of an IPS screen's incredible viewing range. We go from a 178-degree viewing angle to less than 40-degrees. This problem only occurs because the screen doesn't touch the glass, and gives light more room to diffuse (spread apart) instead of travelling straight through. I won't lie, this blurriness will definitely bother some of you, and it will always cause you to second guess a blurry image.

Keep in mind that a matte screen will also dull colors slightly, but in this case a little more than your typical monitor. Your mileage will vary.

Physical Quality
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The cover does a great job of preventing smudges, and is easily cleaned with a cloth and water. This is the cover's best feature, because finger oils tend to cake on smooth surfaces causing dirt and grime to cover your screen. This cover won't prevent the oils from making the screen a little shiny after heavy use, but it will definitely stop that caked on grease look.

You will also feel a new sense of depth when tapping on the iPad because of the raised cover. It hasn't bothered me much, but it's there.

Finger gliding is a give and take -- a matte screen isn't as slippery as a smooth one, but also a smooth screen has caked on oils and such that can cause issues on swipes anyways.

Overall
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While the viewing angles are absolutely terrible now, I still recommend this product. During normal use, there isn't a huge issue (though I constantly second guess the blurriness), and the cover reduces the amount of finger smudges on the screen. Nothing is worse to me than seeing the edges of finger grease while reading a comic or lending my iPad to someone else only to have it return looking dirty (through no actual fault of the user).

Also, a blurry viewing angle is a worthwhile trade for a slightly less reflective surface to read and browse the web. While I prefer a glossy monitor for more vibrant color, my monitor doesn't move and can be placed in the perfect spot in any room; the iPad is a travelling device and I want to enjoy it without having to consider where I sit/stand.

The matte screen's diffusion of light also causes my eyes less strain, because light is softer coming through it. Brightness needs to be turned up another few notches to compensate, but after you find that perfect balance, reading comics becomes a joy!

In the end, I give this item a 4/5 because there are some obvious drawbacks to having a raised surface regarding viewing angles, but the lack of air bubbles seals the deal -- those are annoying!

I must rank this product 5 out of 5. Heres why: Despite the product not being fool proof - yes you can get this screen off center - it peels up effortlessly and it allows you a 2nd try at centering it up just fine. The screen installs one way and one way only, and so you cannot be off by anything more then a 64th of an inch on any corner. The protector cleans up easily and without any problems.

Con: the screen protector is just that a protector. The image of your Ipad will not look as crisp or brilliant. This does no bother me as well you can't have your cake and eat it too. Another thing is, if you're using a stylus good luck. Fingers work just fine though.

This screen cover is by far the easiest to install, best looking, and provides the strongest protection because of it's thickness. The only reason why I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 is because stylus pens do not work very well with this screen as it's thicker than normal and the pens loose sensitivity. Other than that, highly recommend!

Everything great you've read about this Screen protector is 100% true! I love this item and wish all screen protectors were like it! I've tried others on other items I have and in the end spent tons for extras since I would mess up the installation and still would have bubbles and prints. Not the baby!! So easy to reposition and not one print, not a single bubble. It also cleans very easily. Simple wipe with a microfiber cloth and all smudges are gone. Highly recommend this to anyone who is in the market for a screen protector for their iPad 2.

I've bought about three Zagg (Invisible Shield) protectors from Best Buy. I had to pay to have all three protectors installed, since the adhesive protector requires a surgeon's touch to apply. I just bought an iPad II, and instead of settling for Zagg, I decided to give the iVisor a try. I am so happy that I did!

The installation was simple. Even when I made a mistake, I was able to take it off and reapply it. After installation, I cautiously turned on my iPad. To my complete surprise, the iPad screen looked crystal clear and amazingly polished! Zero bubbles!

Please, don't waste your money on any other product. This cost a little more than the Zagg protectors, but it is definitely worth it! I would recommend this product to everyone buying an iPad!

After putting it on here are the things I observed:
1) There seems to be a gap between film and glass and you could feel this when typing, etc. A slight sound comes out from it too.
2) Screen is cloudy. It's not clear as before. I'm having problems viewing the screen now and reading the texts. Since it's matte you could actually see the minute grains (just like a photo from a matte photo paper). Unfortunately, it gave me eye strains and a headache. I increased the brightness of the screen to compensate for the cloudiness/darkness but the the text and images looked like they are floating...my kid said it was like semi 3D effect.

Will try to give this a few more days..or see if my eyes would adjust to the change..however, the strain triggers my migraine :(

I've been using screen protectors for over five years now, and let me say this: the Moshi iVisor is the best screen protector I have ever used. Other screen protectors need so much finesse and patience when applying in order to avoid those infamous (and unsightly) air bubbles. I was sick of having air bubbles on almost all my other screen-protected products, so when I got my iPad I decided to do some research. I ended up with this product, the Moshi iVisor, and it was the best decision I could have made. It is *so easy* to apply and doesn't create a single air bubble. It is expensive, but consider the fact that it is extremely easy to apply, has no air bubbles, and is REUSABLE - these things easily justify the cost in my books. So, if you're looking for a durable, easy to apply, bubble free, and long-lasting screen protector, look no further than the Mosh iVisor.