It’s been a few weeks after I got a G1, and one area of the phone that really has me going is the screen. Not only is it brilliant and clear, but since you use it for practically everything on the phone, the tendency for it to get scratched up is fairly good. When you first get the G1, there is a plastic film that is over the screen, and for those who are gettin G1′s, I’d recommend that you leave this on for the time being.

But what do you replace it with? The answer to that is an Invisible Shield by Zagg. I did a bit of research, and what I wanted was to protect the screen with the least amount of added weight, and least amount of reduction in terms of touch sensitivity. I’ve tried hard cases for other phones (Motorola Q), and in my experience, it was more hassle than it was worth and the added weight and size made the PDA less attractive. There are hard cases for the G1, and if you are the type that wants to protect the whole phone in a vein attempt to keep it looking good, than good for you! But for the rest of us who realize that the phone’s exterior is meant to be used, the Invisible Shield is the answer for you.
From the manufacturer’s information, this is the same material that is used in military applications to coat the edges of helicopter blades–tough stuff to say the least. The manufacturer also claims that the material is scratch proof and won’t add added weight to the device or decrease functionality. All lofty ambitions, but the proof is where the rubber meets the road and test this myself.
So we finally got the covers for our phones (Samsung Dash and T-Mobile G1), and I installed them this morning. From some reviews I have read, the installation process was very painful. If you follow the directions, the hardest part I found was to align the covers properly on the device (had to do the Dash twice because it had different cutouts than the G1 that just covers a square screen. Unlike other reviews, on both devices, I didn’t have any problems with bubbles under the screens, and in 12 hours, the screens had dried and everything looks good.
Not only does the cover seem to eliminate scratches, on the G1 the touch screen is just as responsive than before. Also it doesn’t decrease the screens brightness or cause bad reflections under light. All in all for the cost of the cover, definitely a worth while investment!