Thanks to its unparalleled durability, Tech21 already has one of the world's best-selling iPhone 5 cases, and now the company has set its sights on smartphone screens with the Impact Shield. Available for the iPhone 5, Galaxy S4, S3, iPad mini and Note II, this $30 accessory leverages BulletShield technology via BASF along with two other layers of protection to keep your phone crack and scratch free.
During a hands-on demo, Tech21 took a wire brush to the iPhone 5 Impact Shield (in this case applied to an iPad mini display). Almost immediately, the scratches disappeared as if the screen protector healed itself. The innermost layer of Impact Shield is soft to absorb potential impact. Altogether, the company claims that its unique approach reduces force passed to the glass by up to 80 percent.
Applying the Impact Shield is a pretty simple affair in that you don't need any glues or special adhesives. You just peel and stick, though you may have to smooth out the surface to prevent bubbles. When viewed on a Galaxy S4, the clear coating was so transparent that we didn't notice it at first. Touch performance was also unaffected.
We look forward to taking Impact Shield for a spin in the real world, but for now we'd say that we're impressed by the level of protection you get for the money. The accessory is available online as well as through T-Mobile stores.
