BodyGuardz for the MacBook Air

I've never been a big fan of cases for my portable devices unless I'm traveling or on the go. For everyday use I like to be able to use the gadget in its bare existence. I know many people who keep telling me that using a case on my iPhone would protect it from falls. To that I usually say, "if you handle your phone with care then there's no reason for it to fall". But then again, accidents do happen and to account for those I have settled down to using protective films on most of my devices. If you get the right one and put it on the right way they are almost invisible. It's like holding the device in its bare existence but knowing it's protected from scratches and dings.

11.6-inch MacBook Air with BodyGuardz

I like the feel of aluminum on the iPad and my new 11.6-inch MacBook Air (MBA). The unibody design of the MBA and other MacBooks is truly revolutionary. I also have the mid-2010 Mac Mini which has a similar finish. All these products feel good to the touch but for some reason also feel like being susceptible to getting scratched easily. I've seen pictures on the internet of cosmetically damaged iPads. The polished finish of the aluminum is usually worn off and really looks ugly. I like my gadgets to look good because the thought of anything being damaged in any way is disturbing. And besides, when the time comes to sell your old gadgets and buy new ones, good cosmetic appearance plays a huge role in the price you get. I sell stuff on eBay every now and then and buyers are very particular about external appearances. I don't blame them because it is one way of knowing how a product has been handled by its previous owner. After all, I wouldn't spend my hard earned dollars on something that looks damaged.

The top surface now looks glossy and well protected

For these reasons I have been shopping around for a protective film for the MBA. There are a few going around with varying customer reviews. Some were difficult to get on, while others were too expensive. When I first saw the BodyGuardz products I was in two minds. It seemed like being too tedious to get on but looked classy at the same time. Mind you, I should mention this, when it comes to doing intricate stuff like this I almost always mess things up. Call me clumsy but I usually manage to correct the errors too. The BodyGuardz protection for the MBA looked aesthetically very good though. Although it would take a lot of work to get on the results looked promising. At least from the videos and from user reviews.

At $44.95 for the MBA full body kit you may think it is too expensive but competing products were around the same price. Give or take a few. If I had to point out one thing about BodyGuardz that made them stand out it would be the user reviews. A lot of people have raved about them. And the kit comes with a lifetime warranty. So I ordered one. I had the option of ordering just the top and bottom panel films but for $5 more I got the full kit.

BodyGuardz around the Apple logo

The package arrived in about 3 days after ordering. The kit includes films for the top, bottom, the palm rest area and the touchpad, 2 application solution sprays, a squeegee and an instruction page. A lint-free cloth and a well lit working area are also required. After watching the instructional video on the website I was ready to apply it. As mentioned in the video, it did take around 30-45 minutes to get the whole thing done. I started with the palm-rest and touchpad areas because they were easiest to do.

The tricky bottom install. I think I did a decent job.

The undersurface or bottom of the MBA was the toughest and took about 20 minutes alone. Aligning the holes with the screws etc. was time consuming. But I got it. There were a couple of stubborn air bubbles, but as informed in the video, these disappeared after a couple of days by themselves. The top was a little tricky too especially lining up the Apple logo but not as tedious as the bottom. I got it all done and as instructed didn't turn on my MBA for 24 hours just to allow everything to set in place and dry out.

The palm rest area and trackpad

After all the dust settled, 24 hours later, the finished product was ready to be appreciated. I must say, I did a very good job on this. I got all my angles right and all air bubbles had magically vanished. The MBA looks really nice with the BodyGuardz on. It feels smooth to touch and the film itself looks durable enough to prevent scratches from everyday use. One thing I did run into was the touchpad seemed a little under-responsive at times so I had to take off the film piece that was on it. The touchpad is made of glass anyways so it should be okay without any protection. Also, there are videos on YouTube posted by users on how to apply BodyGuardz and these are helpful too. All the tips you can get are useful and it doesn't hurt to spend a few extra minutes learning more about the product before using it.

The edges well covered

So if you're looking for protection for your new MBA (or any other device), I highly recommend using BodyGuardz. Visit www.bodyguardz.com for more details.