Review: Not Really Worth It
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 19, 2013
I read everywhere: at restaurants, waiting for my daughter outside of her school, at home, at the park, on public transportation, and I'm sure a few other places I'm not able to think of right now. I am a proud kindle paperwhite owner, and while Amazon boasts that there is no screen glare, I've found that to be entirely inaccurate. Often while reading outside, I have to find the shadiest spot I can to read in, or I'm not able to see the screen. Likewise in my kitchen when I'm reading during a meal--there is a glare from the overhead light. It's really frustrating, but it's a small price to pay (I guess) for the most efficient way to read.I'd never thought of attaching any kind of screen protector to my kindle; I'm fiercely protective of it and careful not to spill food, scratch it, drop it, or damage it in any other way. This screen protector caught my eye for two reasons: smudge-resistant and more clarity in the light. The first time I used my kindle with the screen protector on, I made sure to eat something while in the kitchen with the overhead light on. Unfortunately, I did not notice any difference due to using the screen protector. It didn't work for what I wanted it for, but may be a good option for someone who is rougher with their kindle than I am and is more concerned about scratches. At the very least, I suppose the screen protector can help with that, but I'm not about to try scratching my kindle to find out!PACKAGINGThe packaging is my favorite thing about the screen protectors, though it took me a minute or two to locate the instructions. The instructions were well written and the illustrations were clear; I had no problem following them.INSTALLATIONThe screen protectors are said to be "hassle-free"; I did not enjoy putting the screen protector on my kindle. The air bubbles, even after weeks of use now, haven't settled. I followed the instructions on how to remove them, but it didn't work. I haven't tried the credit card trick yet, but I don't have high hopes for it. On my kindle, the air bubbles look like specks of dirt in certain lighting and really bug me. I also didn't get the screen to line up as perfectly as I would have liked, so I can see a small gap between the actual screen and the screen protector at the top of my kindle. Sometimes it distracts me--unless I'm really into a book.FINAL THOUGHTSDo not purchase this product if fingerprints, oil stains, or glare are concerns for you--it simply doesn't work. If you are worried about scratches, this may work for you, but bear in mind didn't try scratching my screen to find out; you'd be getting it at your own risk. If you use any kind of protective case with your kindle, that is probably all that you need. But if you do think you need this extra level of protection, the screen protector's adhesive holds up very well. My package came with two screen protectors, but I have no idea how often these things are supposed to be changed. I wish the instructions had stated when they need to be replaced.