One of the first things I did after purchasing my iPhone 3GS was to buy a screen protector. In fact, I had the sales tech install it for me in the Apple store to make sure there was no way a scratch could find it's way anywhere near my new device.

I've been careful like that with all my gadgets - all the way back to my Blackberry Curve and even my old Motorola RAZR.

My first iPhone screen protector was brittle though, and didn't stick very well around the edges, as you can see from the photo below. It also didn't protect the sides or the back (I already have a scratch on the silver side trim, and several scratches on the back side even though I've been extremely careful with it).

Today I discovered the Invisible Shield, which is a full body skin that's precision cut for the iPhone (and many other mobile devices).

The shield has a piece that covers the front and another that covers that back and wraps around the sides for full protection. It's contoured so it's able to wrap snuggly around the corners of the iPhone, and comes with a special spray that helps it adhere tightly and without peeling like my old skin (and without leaving residue if I need to remove it later).

The film is very flexible and made of thin polyurethane (.02 milligrams), yet is super tough. It was originally used by the military to protect helicopter blades, and it's able to provide protection without interfering with the look and sleekness of my iPhone.

Installation Tips

When you apply the Invisible Shield, I recommend starting with the front first, because you'll need to lay your device on the front later in order to apply the back skin piece. I also had to work a little harder on the back side to get the bubbles out due to the rounded corners, but out they all came thanks to the plastic squeegee that's include with the Invisible Shield.

There's also a short video on the Invisible Shield website that shows you how to install it, and gives a few tips and tricks for best results.

The Invisible Shield comes in custom designs for all major electronic devices, such as Blackberries, Playstations, Nintendos, iPods, etc. If you're looking for top notch protection for your iPhone that covers both front and back, then the Invisible Shield will do the trick.