by Lori Cunningham

 BLACK FRIDAY MONTH!  November marks the celebration of  Black Friday Month.  Every week we will be announcing another chance to win some fun tech giveaways!  Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter so you don’t miss out!  Giveaways going on now: Dabble   Kingston urDrive USB thumb drives (very cool, $50), Ritmo Baby Sound System ($179), I Am T-Pain Microphone ($40).

I recently went to a pretty cool social media networking group in nearby Orange County, CA.  I had no idea what to expect, but was intrigued from what a friend of mine had told me.  When I got there, there was a room full of people writing their name, Facebook address, Twitter handle, and even LinkedIn name on a whiteboard at the front of the room.

We discussed things like the new Facebook changes, using LinkedIn, etc.  Although I was interested in most topics, my interest would wane at times.  Fortunately, I brought my iPad 2 with me.  In those moments when I needed a diversion, I took to reading the latest e-mail’s on my iPad.  As I read my e-mails I realized that the person I didn’t know next to me could easily see everything I was doing on my iPad.  I was exposed!  Not that I had anything to hide, but I wished I for a little more privacy.

3M Privacy Screen Protector

About two weeks later, 3M contacted me to see if I was interested in reviewing their Privacy Screen Protector*.  Their Privacy Screen Protector can be used on computer monitors, laptops, netbooks, various phones and the iPad and iPad 2 as well.  I said yes without hesitation. The 3M Privacy Screen Protector is a thin piece of dark film that you adhere to your smartphone or iPad.

I washed the face of my iPad2 well and applied the protector.  I had a little trouble getting it to stick in just the right place (there’s a hole exposed for the menu button and for the camera) but fortunately, I could lift the film up and re-

stick it.  I did have a number of small bubbles I had trouble getting out.  Many of them disappeared.  Those bubbles that are leftover you can only see when the iPad is turned off.

I was fearful that the dark film would take away from the brightness of the screen.  Although it makes the screen slightly darker, but you can turn up the brightness to counteract it.  It will, however, look very dark if you’re sitting next to the person using the iPad.  You’ll barely be able to see what app they are using and you definitely won’t be able to read anything.

A person sitting close can make out I'm playing the Smurfs game, but they won't be able to see exactly what I'm doing.

A person sitting next to me at a normal distance can not see that I'm playing my Smurfs game when I'm supposed to be listening. They think I'm tweeting!

Pros:

• provides privacy when the iPad is horizontal yet becomes transparent when vertical, making sharing with friends easy
• easy to apply
• when applying the film, you can lift it up and re-stick it when trying to fit it on the iPad just right
• easy to clean
• works great with the touch features of the iPad, the film is not a hindrance in any way
• protects the screen from dust, dirt, and scratches
• the matte finish reduces glare

Cons:

• it’s hard to get all the bubbles out when applying the film
• there is a slight pattern in the screen in order to provide privacy, this “texture” can be seen on your iPad, though it’s negligible
• is a bit pricey

A Mom’s Perspective