As the iPhone 3G launch draws near, there are undoubtedly many first-generation iPhone adopters that are looking to hock their iPhones on the secondary market for as much as possible. In the last couple weeks leading up to the iPhone 3G launch, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t hurt your iPhone’s resale value with some added scratches and dents.
Transparent protective films aren’t exactly new, but it’s hard to find solution that’s easy to install and offers ample protection. Enter the Clear-Coat protective film for iPhone.
Like any protective film worth its salt, the Clear-Coat solution is a full-body affair – the glass display, backside, and all edges are covered by the transparent protective film.
So, what’s the best way to ensure you’ll get the most coin for your used iPhone? Protect it!
Clear-Coat full-body protection for iPhone
Retail Price: $24.99 (free shipping)
Installation
Installation was a breeze. Simply use the included application spray to set down the iPhone and the adhesive side of the Clear-Coat (don’t worry, a bit of water won’t hurt the iPhone, just don’t go dripping the spray in the dock connector or other openings and you’ll be fine). The spray allows you to manipulate the Clear-Coat into place as it slides around on a watery film.
Once in place, use the included squeegee to “squeeze” out the spray solution from beneath the Clear-Coat. If you get any bubbles that can’t be squeezed out, just leave them be – they’ll dry out over the next couple days. You’ll have to apply two Clear-Coat films – one of the front and one on the back of the iPhone – so Clear-Coat includes two bottles of spray solution to make sure you can spray away with abandon without having to worry about running out of that magical spray solution.
The only downside is that installation is a bit of a watery-mess. But, there really isn’t a better way to install a film like this.
Hint: On the front-face, use the earpiece and home-button to align the Clear-Coat. On the backside, use the camera lens and volume buttons to align the Clear-Coat.
Protection
Protection is the key to a good protective film. What’s the point if it doesn’t protect your handset?
The entire front face of the iPhone is covered, with cut-outs allowing for easy access to the iPhone’s home-button and earpiece. The backside of the iPhone is fully protected, leaving the camera lens and volume buttons uncovered to ensure easy access and unmarred picture quality.
The Clear-Coat wraps around to cover all edges of the iPhone, ensuring that even the lengthwise and widthwise edges remain in pristine condition. Even the chrome bezel is protected. Of course, the volume rocker and SIM card tray are left uncovered for easy access.
Fit
The Clear-Coat for iPhone fits like it was made just for the iPhone. Actually, it was custom-made for the iPhone, but you get the point. On a device as sleek and minimalistic as the iPhone, it’s important that the protective film doesn’t end up detracting from the device’s design.
The Clear-Coat cut-outs line up perfectly with the iPhone’s home button, earpiece, camera lens, and volume controls. I can’t stress how important it is to have details like properly aligned button cut-outs on a protective film. There’s nothing more annoying than having a full-body protection film that forces you to compromise on a clean and aesthetically pleasing fit.
Overall
The Clear-Coat protective film offers full-body iPhone protection without compromising on button-access or aesthetic appeal. The film even endows the iPhone with a higher-friction surface to ensure that your previous handset won’t slip off a desk and end up getting real personal with the floor.
Clear-Coat is available for just about every mobile device you can think of – even the soon-to-be-released iPhone 3G. Hit up Clear-Coat’s website for a list of supported devices.