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Screen Protector?

Zumaki said:
I had never applied one of these protectors before, and mine went on with some bubbles, but a little teasing with the squeegee pushed them all out. The only reason I had to ask for another one was because it was mis-cut. (speaking of that, my replacement Clearfreak skin should be here any day now.)

But in my experience so far, even though it is not perfectly cut it is a great protector. I don't understand Critical's assertion that it sticks up too far; when I run my finger across the edge it feels flush with the case. The texture is a little weird but once the screen is on I don't notice any distortion. As I said before, there are no bubbles. And as for the capacitance problem, yes it does diminish the sensitivity a bit, but never enough to frustrate me. Also the proximity sensor is made a little -more- sensitive due to the protector covering it, but I haven't had any undesirable function from it.

If the replacement protector is cut properly, I would change my review to 100% recommend... although I will admit this is the only screen protector I have tried. If Phantom skinz wanted to send me one to compare/contrast against the clearfreak, I'd write up a fair comparison :D
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zumaki,

PM me and i will set something up for you. Also, since i am posting.....there is a BIG deal announced on Twitter.

Guru
 
Zumaki said:
I don't understand Critical's assertion that it sticks up too far; when I run my finger across the edge it feels flush with the case.
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Flush with the case, yeah. But the thickness makes it look terrible, and obvious, at the edges of the mis-cuts.

In my pic, where it is flush along the left side, it's also flush with the case as far as the thickness is concerned. But along the right side, where the cut falls well short, it looks terrible, and the thickness makes it that much more of an eyesore.
 
agent0014 said:
Hopefully you come back with better news this time, since mine will be arriving tomorrow!
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:D:D:D:D:D:D
I haven't totally finished yet... I don't think I'm going to. But here are the results anyways.

I am very impressed with the screen. It fit quite well. It's slightly, very slightly, shy on the length and the width (and not from reaching the silver plastic on the sides, but from reaching the actual edge of the screen). With a little bit of rubbing, I have managed to stretch it to an unnoticeably close proximity to the edge. I also don't have any noticeable bubbles, which is fantastic! Though there's one 'funny' spot where I re-lifted and applied after I had wiped off most of the water, but it's only noticeable in the right light, and I expect that it will go away after a while. I'll give the Phantom Skinz an 'A' on the screen. I love it!:D

And here's the 'But'
The reason I am probably not going to bother finishing, is because the back side doesn't fit the battery door. It's off by almost as much as the ClearFreak was off on my screen.
-It's too small all the way around to reach close enough (IHMO) to the edges of the battery door, and I do not think I can stretch it far enough to make up that distance. This shortcoming creates a glossy black finish to the whole of the backside, except the obvious 1-1.5mm matte black ring around the entire edge of the door. And the side strips cannot be used to make up the difference, or else they will overlap the door and seal it shut.
-Plus the notch cutout next to the camera void, that it supposed to wrap around the 'bump' isn't hitting it right, even though the void is perfectly centered around the camera.
-And, the void that wraps around the speaker is too large (maybe I stretched it) even though it still doesn't reach the edge of the battery door (too large but too small?).
-Overall I gotta give the back side a D+, just below what I would be willing to see as acceptable. Besides, the only reason I bothered buying the backside was because of the great deal! So I'm not worried about it:) I think I'm not going to bother putting on the sides, and I'm probably just going to remove the back and pretend I never had it.

Overall, GREAT Product! Thin enough, and the slick feel seems like it will not impede on the screen's abilities (unlike the thick and tacky feel of the Clearfreak). Considering the overall apparent quality of the product, and the closeness of cut, I am happy to reccomend it;)

Thanks Phantom Skinz:)
 
Wow you're picky. The back on mine is perfect. There is a small gap (less than 1mm) on the sides. That is understandable, since the skin curves, and it's worse to have too much skin than too little. The little gap is to allow for variations during install.

Glad you like the front though.

Really though people have to be realistic. On a complicated contoured phone like the Samsung Moment to expect an perfect fit is a little unrealistic. It's about as close to perfection as it gets, imho.
 
AndroidSPCS said:
Wow you're picky. The back on mine is perfect. There is a small gap (less than 1mm) on the sides. That is understandable, since the skin curves, and it's worse to have too much skin than too little. The little gap is to allow for variations during install.

Glad you like the front though.

Really though people have to be realistic. On a complicated contoured phone like the Samsung Moment to expect an perfect fit is a little unrealistic. It's about as close to perfection as it gets, imho.
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IMO, they are not baking cookies. They are using precision machinery to cut a precision skin for a universally proportioned device.
In other words, yeah, my expectations are well beyond "mix the icing till it's close to the right consistency to cover the cake."
My expectations are more like "The thing was made to take a 3/8" machine screw. So use a 3/8" machine screw and stop trying to get by, by cross-threading a wood screw that will hold it for now."

Every Moment is the exact same, they are manufactured that way. Likewise, every Skin is produced the exact same way, they should all be identical. There is no reason why the product should not fit.:o
 
The product does fit, the problem is applying such a large skin.

They make it a tiny bit of space because it's next to impossible to have the skin fit PERFECTLY even if it was cut perfectly. You'd always be off a bit on one side while the other side had a gap. People don't have the precision of machines. Therefore to allow for human errors / variations during install, they leave a tiny gap on the side, so if a person installs the skin a tiny bit more on one side, the other side doesn't have the skin drooping off because it was an exact fit.

The tiny tiny gap is immaterial, since the skin does the job of covering the back well. If that less than 1mm gap bothers you, I suggest you stay away from skins on large surfaces. Even professional installers who get paid hundreds of dollars to install skins on cars have little imperfections like this, so they even leave little gaps on cars to allow for install variation.

It's amazing to me the unrealistic expectations some people have regarding these products, as well as the Samsung Moment itself. I mean an EXACT fit, come on...
 
I used the screen protector that was made for my Hero. It works quite well. Can't go wrong for like 6.99 for a three pack. I got them from handhelditems.com

img3110o.jpg
 
AndroidSPCS said:
The product does fit, the problem is applying such a large skin.

They make it a tiny bit of space because it's next to impossible to have the skin fit PERFECTLY even if it was cut perfectly. You'd always be off a bit on one side while the other side had a gap. People don't have the precision of machines. Therefore to allow for human errors / variations during install, they leave a tiny gap on the side, so if a person installs the skin a tiny bit more on one side, the other side doesn't have the skin drooping off because it was an exact fit.

The tiny tiny gap is immaterial, since the skin does the job of covering the back well. If that less than 1mm gap bothers you, I suggest you stay away from skins on large surfaces. Even professional installers who get paid hundreds of dollars to install skins on cars have little imperfections like this, so they even leave little gaps on cars to allow for install variation.

It's amazing to me the unrealistic expectations some people have regarding these products, as well as the Samsung Moment itself. I mean an EXACT fit, come on...
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I really don't follow your reasoning. This skin can easily be 100% perfectly applied to the battery door, by man, with little difficulty (much easier than the front screen). Just remove the battery door, place the skin and door in your water, and apply. Under these circumstances, infinite adjustment is possible, with a perfect end result every time.

The over 1mm (1mm to 1.5mm) gap around the battery door is absurd when you take into consideration that the skin can be 100% perfectly applied to the battery door. If it were more like a .5mm gap or less, that would be fine. And expecting that kind of precision is certainly not unrealistic when, again, perfection is quite possible and more easily attainable than on any other surface of the phone.

Though I do agree with you that people's expectations on this 1st generation phone can be outrageous. Of course there are going to be issues. But you really can't compare the expectations of a new technology to the expectations a piece of plastic.
 
CriticalCritic said:
I really don't follow your reasoning. This skin can easily be 100% perfectly applied to the battery door, by man, with little difficulty (much easier than the front screen). Just remove the battery door, place the skin and door in your water, and apply. Under these circumstances, infinite adjustment is possible, with a perfect end result every time.

The over 1mm (1mm to 1.5mm) gap around the battery door is absurd when you take into consideration that the skin can be 100% perfectly applied to the battery door. If it were more like a .5mm gap or less, that would be fine. And expecting that kind of precision is certainly not unrealistic when, again, perfection is quite possible and more easily attainable than on any other surface of the phone.

Though I do agree with you that people's expectations on this 1st generation phone can be outrageous. Of course there are going to be issues. But you really can't compare the expectations of a new technology to the expectations a piece of plastic.
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I've applied many skins, from BSE to others, and I've yet to manage a perfect install, where every corner is exacting and perfect. With a large piece of skin, you start at one side, and there's always going to be a slight variation. No matter how careful I am, I am always off by a little bit.

I appreciate the margin for error by having the skin ever so slighly smaller than the actual surface. If it was exactly the same size, and one or more sides drooped over, I would go crazy and mess up every time. This is why there is a slight gap.

The tiny little gap should not bother you. If it does, then I don't know what to tell you. Life is imperfect, humans are imperfect. This is nothing to get all worked up over. If you get so upset at such a neglible thing, then your life must be damn good. Much better than mine, for sure.
 
AndroidSPCS said:
I've applied many skins, from BSE to others, and I've yet to manage a perfect install, where every corner is exacting and perfect. With a large piece of skin, you start at one side, and there's always going to be a slight variation. No matter how careful I am, I am always off by a little bit.

I appreciate the margin for error by having the skin ever so slighly smaller than the actual surface. If it was exactly the same size, and one or more sides drooped over, I would go crazy and mess up every time. This is why there is a slight gap.

The tiny little gap should not bother you. If it does, then I don't know what to tell you. Life is imperfect, humans are imperfect. This is nothing to get all worked up over. If you get so upset at such a neglible thing, then your life must be damn good. Much better than mine, for sure.
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Not sure why you think anyone is getting worked up? Are you? B/c I clearly stated "Besides, the only reason I bothered buying the backside was because of the great deal! So I'm not worried about it." Anyways, I'm sorry if my preference for perfection from a machine-cut (not hand-cut by man) piece of plastic is contrary to your preference for a margin of error. To each his own I guess.

I just prefer perfection in this particular situation, because the use of my method described above, perfection can be attained, no matter the size of the skin (as long as it is cut correctly). It allows for micro sliding of the skin, unlike the re-peeling/re-adjusting/re-applying method that the instructions describe. There is no need to align one side and hope that it lays right. There's infinite ability to slide/maneuver/adjust to the most minute level with minimal effort (MUCH easier than the instruction manual's description) while the skin is fully in contact with the battery door. So with a perfect cut, there's no worry, no mess-ups, no craziness, and even less requirement of patience (B/C it's fast, and easy:)).

I think the reason the skin has so much play in it, is because Phantom Skinz was only ever intending for it to be applied in the way that they described in their instructions. In that case, then yes, it is good to have some gap. So I'll just chalk up the lack of perfection as purposeful due to their ignorance of a superior method (that is in no way meant to be derogatory). Maybe they will eventually change it up for the battery door. Oh well, again, to each his own. I'm still satisfied with the product and highly reccomend it:D.
 
Please help me convince Boxwave that the Moment needs support!! Go to Boxwave.com and click on the request a new product link (I'll post it below)...request that they start making screen protectors for the Moment, or other products. The screen protectors are a little pricey (12.95 for one, 27.95 for three) but they really do last a lifetime and are washable, reuseable and the cut down on glare with minimal clarity loss. I had ONE on my Palm Treo 650 for three years...literally. I'm using one from a Hero right now cause it's the closest fit...but I'd rather have a misfit than a piece of junk. Thanks all!

Click here to request a new product from Boxwave:

Request BoxWave Products for Your Device

Remember to check the "ClearTouch Anti-Glare" box before filling out the bottom portion.

Thanks!
 
madfella said:
Please help me convince Boxwave that the Moment needs support!! Go to Boxwave.com and click on the request a new product link (I'll post it below)...request that they start making screen protectors for the Moment, or other products. The screen savers are a little pricey (12.95 for one, 27.95 for three) but they really do last a lifetime and are washable, reuseable and the cut down on glare with minimal clarity loss. I had ONE on my Palm Treo 650 for three years...literally. I'm using one from a Hero right now cause it's the closest fit...but I'd rather have a misfit than a piece of junk. Thanks all!

Click here to request a new product from Boxwave:

Request BoxWave Products for Your Device

Remember to check the "ClearTouch Anti-Glare" box before filling out the bottom portion.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm with you on this one! I've got a cut up anti-glare that was made for my tx on the moment. It's still the best.
 
AndroidSPCS said:
The product does fit, the problem is applying such a large skin.

They make it a tiny bit of space because it's next to impossible to have the skin fit PERFECTLY even if it was cut perfectly. You'd always be off a bit on one side while the other side had a gap. People don't have the precision of machines. Therefore to allow for human errors / variations during install, they leave a tiny gap on the side, so if a person installs the skin a tiny bit more on one side, the other side doesn't have the skin drooping off because it was an exact fit.

The tiny tiny gap is immaterial, since the skin does the job of covering the back well. If that less than 1mm gap bothers you, I suggest you stay away from skins on large surfaces. Even professional installers who get paid hundreds of dollars to install skins on cars have little imperfections like this, so they even leave little gaps on cars to allow for install variation.

It's amazing to me the unrealistic expectations some people have regarding these products, as well as the Samsung Moment itself. I mean an EXACT fit, come on...
Click to expand...

I was with you until I got to compare the Clearfreak to the PhantomSkinz. There's a noticeable difference.

I posted a review/comparison for Clearfreak vs PhantomSkinz on the main page, if anyone's interested. Tried to stay objective for the most part:

http://androidforums.com/samsung-moment/23286-comparison-clearfreak-vs-phantom-skinz.html
 
Best Skins Ever now has the skin for the Samsung Moment. About freaking time!! They didn't realize how popular this phone would be!
 
I've never installed a screen protector before, but based on this thread I got the Phantom Skinz for my new Moment. I consider myself fairly methodical and coordinated. I spent literally 2+ hours on my installation. I created a super dust-free environment, used a bright headlamp, warm bottled water (since my tap water is slightly impure) with one drop baby shampoo, etc. I followed the directions to a T. Overall, I'm not satisfied with the results. Maybe it is indeed the best of all the screen protectors (I have not tried the others) but if that is so then a screen protector is just not for me.

It's really hard to capture it all in pictures. Be sure to view them in full resolution.

back corner popping up - You can see it refusing to stay down in the corner. I push it back down but it comes up after 5 mins or so. Other 3 corners are ok for some reason.
front corner not forming - The other side is not quite as bad, but not perfect either. This side is worse. It's like trying to put a sticker on a helmet. It's a 3D curve and it's not made for a 2D decal. Granted this stuff stretches so it's better... ifI rub this rippled area for a while it disappears, but it always stubbornly comes back when I'm not looking.
lint around edges - zoom in, you can see it. After 2 days in my pocket. Maybe that would go down with time if the edges get less sticky... who knows.
orange peel back - Anybody who says this skin has no orange peel is not looking very hard. Also you can see the problems with the SAMSUNG logo (although yesterday like 3 letters still had moisture... now it's only the G... although the first S looks different than the other letters somehow)

I could not get a good shot showing my problems with the front screen cover. Even after all the air bubbles are out, it still does not look like a smooth surface, even in average lighting you can see the defects. Slight orange peel... but bigger problem is vertical and horizontal lines. Maybe I made them myself while using the squeegee... but you have to use the squeegee in that manner, and if this material was truly self repairing the lines should go away with time. Also there are a few lines on that were there even before the squeegee... curved squiggly line which look like scratches or hairs, but after very close inspection, are just imperfections in the material.

After 2 weeks I removed the screen protector and the phone looks much better now. The touchscreen also feels better and your finger slides on it easier.
 
I purchased my screen protector off ebay for a couple of bucks and I for one am happy with it. I have some of the same issues that you mentioned, but I can see my screen quite well and that is the most important thing to me. Who cares about lint around the edges, just wipe it off. After all, it's job is to protect the screen, which is still like new.
 
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