Friday, February 7, 2003
Brando Workshop's Protector Plus reviewed
Posted by Andy Whiteford in "HARDWARE" @ 01:00 PM
Ask any veteran user of a Pocket PC what the first items they purchase for their device are and nine times out of 10, a screen protector will be amongst them. Through time, even the most careful of users will notice small marks and scratches appearing on the screen of their beloved PDA. To combat this, there are many third party solutions offering their own brand of protection. Unfortunately, the quality of these protectors is as varied as the choice available. Having tried out a few, only a couple of makes have left me feeling genuinely happy, Brando Workshop being one of them.
The Protector Plus is a curious purchase upon first inspection. You get one protector in the small plastic bag and that’s it. You would be expecting perhaps three or more so you can apply them as required. Thankfully, I have been using these protectors for a while now and this is currently what’s looking after my HP Jornada so I know only receiving one is a sign of the quality. I will explain this a little more later. The screen guard comes with full instructions for fitting to your device and it is really very straightforward. The first step is to clean the screen, ensuring there is no residue or dust. Next you remove the Protector from its packaging, strip off the protective backing using the attached highlight strip. Aligning one edge of the protector with the side of the screen, you apply the guard and smooth over the entire screen. If you get any air bubbles under the screen, you can just peel it back and reapply or smooth them out with the edge of a credit card. The Protector Plus is quite rigid for a stick on guard and this makes application very quick and simple. Once in place, it stays in place and has no give when in use. I would recommend doing the application process in a clean environment such as a bathroom or kitchen, where there is less chance of dust getting under the protector as you apply it. If you do though, the guard is easily removed so it can be cleaned and reapplied.
Figure 1: There is a screen protector there, honest
So what are the benefits of the Protector Plus?
Well, the obvious reason for applying such a product is to protect your screen from the wear and tear of the stylus. The Brando Workshop excels here offering excellent protection for your screen but also repelling these marks and scratches, meaning no visible deterioration due to extensive use. There are two other clear benefits that I can see from using this protector, however I must point out that these are personal things and others may not consider them as beneficial.
As much as I love the bright, clear screens of Pocket PCs, I don’t particularly care for the glare and reflections you get from the shiny finish. I find this very distracting and rather annoying under certain lighting conditions; you really don’t want to be staring too long at my face. With the Protector in place, you eliminate most of the glare and reflections while still allowing the screen to appear bright and vibrant. There is a small trade off though as this anti-reflective finish does dampen down the screen a little and things do not look quite as vibrant as an unprotected screen. The difference, hoewever, is minimal and once you get used to the guard in place, you tend to not notice the change.
The other benefit I see is in the finish of the protector. This textured topside gives the feel of writing on paper when using the stylus, as opposed to the super smooth finish of the standard Pocket PC screen. At first, I wasn’t sure which I preferred but through use, I grew to enjoy the feedback this provides. It does feel quite a bit different from a naked screen but in a way seems more natural as you will have grown used to writing on paper long before a Pocket PC. I know there will be people out there who prefer the smooth finish of a standard screen but it isn’t hard to adjust to this protective guard.
Figure 2: Applying the protector to the screen
Long term?
As mentioned earlier, I have been using one of these very protectors on my HP Jornada for the past six months now and it really has served me well. The Protector Plus is washable if you need to remove any stains you may get on the device, but will still remain sticky afterwards. Removing the guards leaves no residue whatsoever which is a good sign. If you are as protective towards your PDA as I am, nothing to cause a stain will get near enough to blemish that screen so I haven’t tested out this aspect of the Protector Plus. I fear I may just have jinxed myself by saying that though!
Gotchas
The only real issue I can see people having with this screen guard is the slight dampening effect on the screen. It’s not very obvious, unless you compare it side by side with an unprotected screen and I consider it a small trade off for the protection it offers.
Where to buy
Protector Plus can be bought for $12 including shipping for a single protector from the Brando Workshop Web site. There is a great range and you will find a protector available for virtually any PDA on the market.
Conclusion
As far as screen protection goes, Brando Workshop’s Protector Plus is right up there with the best. I have tried a few different makes in my time and the very fact that I use this one speaks volumes. Personal taste may put you off the writing on paper feel but I do think the reduction in glare and reflections is worth the slight loss of image vibrancy. These screen protectors come highly recommended.
The Protector Plus is a curious purchase upon first inspection. You get one protector in the small plastic bag and that’s it. You would be expecting perhaps three or more so you can apply them as required. Thankfully, I have been using these protectors for a while now and this is currently what’s looking after my HP Jornada so I know only receiving one is a sign of the quality. I will explain this a little more later. The screen guard comes with full instructions for fitting to your device and it is really very straightforward. The first step is to clean the screen, ensuring there is no residue or dust. Next you remove the Protector from its packaging, strip off the protective backing using the attached highlight strip. Aligning one edge of the protector with the side of the screen, you apply the guard and smooth over the entire screen. If you get any air bubbles under the screen, you can just peel it back and reapply or smooth them out with the edge of a credit card. The Protector Plus is quite rigid for a stick on guard and this makes application very quick and simple. Once in place, it stays in place and has no give when in use. I would recommend doing the application process in a clean environment such as a bathroom or kitchen, where there is less chance of dust getting under the protector as you apply it. If you do though, the guard is easily removed so it can be cleaned and reapplied.
Figure 1: There is a screen protector there, honest
So what are the benefits of the Protector Plus?
Well, the obvious reason for applying such a product is to protect your screen from the wear and tear of the stylus. The Brando Workshop excels here offering excellent protection for your screen but also repelling these marks and scratches, meaning no visible deterioration due to extensive use. There are two other clear benefits that I can see from using this protector, however I must point out that these are personal things and others may not consider them as beneficial.
As much as I love the bright, clear screens of Pocket PCs, I don’t particularly care for the glare and reflections you get from the shiny finish. I find this very distracting and rather annoying under certain lighting conditions; you really don’t want to be staring too long at my face. With the Protector in place, you eliminate most of the glare and reflections while still allowing the screen to appear bright and vibrant. There is a small trade off though as this anti-reflective finish does dampen down the screen a little and things do not look quite as vibrant as an unprotected screen. The difference, hoewever, is minimal and once you get used to the guard in place, you tend to not notice the change.
The other benefit I see is in the finish of the protector. This textured topside gives the feel of writing on paper when using the stylus, as opposed to the super smooth finish of the standard Pocket PC screen. At first, I wasn’t sure which I preferred but through use, I grew to enjoy the feedback this provides. It does feel quite a bit different from a naked screen but in a way seems more natural as you will have grown used to writing on paper long before a Pocket PC. I know there will be people out there who prefer the smooth finish of a standard screen but it isn’t hard to adjust to this protective guard.
Figure 2: Applying the protector to the screen
Long term?
As mentioned earlier, I have been using one of these very protectors on my HP Jornada for the past six months now and it really has served me well. The Protector Plus is washable if you need to remove any stains you may get on the device, but will still remain sticky afterwards. Removing the guards leaves no residue whatsoever which is a good sign. If you are as protective towards your PDA as I am, nothing to cause a stain will get near enough to blemish that screen so I haven’t tested out this aspect of the Protector Plus. I fear I may just have jinxed myself by saying that though!
Gotchas
The only real issue I can see people having with this screen guard is the slight dampening effect on the screen. It’s not very obvious, unless you compare it side by side with an unprotected screen and I consider it a small trade off for the protection it offers.
Where to buy
Protector Plus can be bought for $12 including shipping for a single protector from the Brando Workshop Web site. There is a great range and you will find a protector available for virtually any PDA on the market.
Conclusion
As far as screen protection goes, Brando Workshop’s Protector Plus is right up there with the best. I have tried a few different makes in my time and the very fact that I use this one speaks volumes. Personal taste may put you off the writing on paper feel but I do think the reduction in glare and reflections is worth the slight loss of image vibrancy. These screen protectors come highly recommended.
