Marware Screen Protector for Kindle Fire Clear Pack of 2 (does not fit Kindle Fire HD)

I am amazed by the number of negative reviews. The common characteristic seems to be that people don't understand the engineering of glare reduction screen protectors. This product does exactly what it is supposed to do and I am very happy with it.

1. Non-glare screen protectors work by employing a non-smooth surface that refracts light in multiple directions, resulting in less glare. That is exactly what this product does, which is especially appreciated when you are doing concentrated reading.

2. Because of the surface characteristics, a non-glare screen protector will slightly blur and soften the display. That happens with this product, but it is an inherent characteristic of ALL glare reduction screen protectors.

3. Anti-glare screen protectors will show fingerprints, dirt and smudges more than the unadorned display. This is an inherent characteristic of ALL anti-glare screen protectors. You need to have a screen cleaning cloth available (provided with this product) and use it more often than you would if you didn't have a non-glare protector.

3. You have to be very careful in applying the protector because anything between the protector and the screen will be visible (such as lint or air bubbles). You need to take your time in applying the product (do it very carefully and slowly and DO NOT touch the adhesive surface). Start with a perfectly clean screen. Rub out the bubbles with the supplied tool immediately. Align it carefully and do not remove the top mask until it is firmly in place and the bubbles have been removed.

4. You do not need a screen protector unless you want anti-glare qualities. The Fire screen is made of a Corning glass product called Gorilla glass. It is very tough and is almost impossible to scratch or otherwise damage. It does not need a screen protector unless you want glare-reduction.

I am very happy with the product. I have used a number of screen protectors with other devices (laptops, cell phones, etc) and this has the best adhesion of any I have used, as well as the best glare reduction I have been able to find. Everyone has different opinions and needs, but I think people need to understand a product before jumping in with overly negative reactions. It is what it says it is. Kudos to Marware for designing a great product and to Amazon for working with Marware to ensure a precision fit to the Fire screen.

I was disappointed to see all of the negative reviews on this product. The trick is to make sure the screen is free of all smudges, dirt, grease, dust, etc. My first attempt with the first screen protector was almost perfect but I had one small piece of dust preventing me from getting the last air bubble out from under the screen. Thankfully I had a second screen to use. Something I noticed on the second attempt. The screen protector has three parts to it. The actual screen protector for the Kindle Fire and a piece of protective plastic on both sides of the Kindle Fire screen protector. Not sure the best way to explain this,

Layers (3):

(1) Labeled #1: Clear plastic protector on the sticky side of the Kindle Fire screen protector
(2) Kindle Fire screen Protector
(3) Labeled #2: Clear plastic protector on the non-sticky side of the Kindle Fire screen protector used to protect the end product while using the applicator to remove bubbles

Tips:
1: Perform this in a room where you don't have a lot of air movement (away from fans, air vents, windows)
2: Clean the Kindle Fire until it is free of grease (from hands), dirt, and dust.
3: Remove the first layer labeled #1 away from the Kindle (NOT OVER THE KINDLE). The screen protectors have a tendency to have a static charge which attracts all of the dust in the air. If you do it over the Kindle Fire it is likely your recently cleaned screen will be peppered with dust.
4: Double check the screen on the Kindle Fire to make sure nothing decided to land on it (good reason to do this where you don't have a lot of air movement)
5: Apply the screen protector from one end to the other slowly while working out the bubbles.
6: Once you are satisfied all of the bubbles are out rub the screen protector all over with your fingers to make sure the screen protector has adhered to the Kindle Fire properly.
7: Slowly remove the last layer labeled #2, making sure to not remove the actual Kindle Fire screen protector
8: DON'T use the applicator to remove any bubbles that may have shown up. Just use your FINGERS.

The Key to this was Tip #3 this is where I failed on my first attempt. When getting ready to apply the second screen protector I noticed all of the dust on the screen protector itself.

*I gave this product only 4 stars because I had to use both of the screen protectors.

Hope this helps.

I have a little tip to help make things much easier when installing your screen protectors. First let me say, I had recently ordered the Kindle Fire and Clear Screen Protector. They were just shipped, so I'm still waiting on them. For those of you struggling to install the screen protector and get out all the little air bubbles, here is a little tip. I'm assuming these screen protectors work just like the ones I use for my iPhone. I had the same issues when first trying to install the screen protector on my phone. First, placing the screen protector exactly where you want it, lining it up perfectly with the edges of the screen all the way around, and peeling it back up and starting again, over and over until you get it right; it's pretty challenging to say the least. Then, getting all the little air bubbles out, having to press and push to try and squeeze them out all the way to the edge is tedious, and in most cases you end up convincing yourself you can live with the number of bubbles you can't get out, which in the end makes the screen protector eventually lift off in those areas. You're left wondering if it's even worth it, and possibly even convincing yourself you can just be a little more careful to not scratch the bare screen. Believe me, I've been there.

Then, I remembered window tinting. In my younger days I use to install window tinting on cars. This isn't much different at all. The mechanics of installing these things is pretty much the same, except for one missing, and oh so important ingredient; soapy water. When you install window tinting on a car, the first thing you do is make sure the window is perfectly clean by using regular window cleaner, such as Windex, or similar product, just like you would with your Kindle. The next step is to mix up some warm soapy water using dish soap. You then spray it on the car's window. Of course in the case of your Kindle, phone, or any other devise on which you need to install a screen protector, you don't spray it on. You just wet your fingers with the soapy water and sort of wipe and dab it on; taking care not to use too much and soak the device. You only want to wet the screen, and it doesn't have to be soaked. Once you have the screen wetted with soapy water, peel off the backing from your screen protector, and lay it on. The soapy water serves a couple of purposes. Because there's slippery soapy water between the screen and the screen protector, it allows you to maneuver the screen protector in place by gently sliding it where you need it. You don't have to be dead-on accurate when you first lay it on. Just don't push down on it to cause it to stick until you have it where you want it. The trick is to use just enough soapy water, but not too much that you're going to soak your device.

The second purpose of the soapy water is consistent adhesion. Take your little plastic squeegee they've included with your kit and gently work the water and air bubbles out towards the edges of the screen, while using a paper towel to absorb the excess water you push out. You don't want the excess water getting down into your device, so make sure you are dabbing it away as you go. You'll notice right away how few bubbles you're left to deal with. There will be a few bubbles you'll have to work out with the squeegee, but nothing like you had when doing it without the soapy water. Just work the bubbles out towards the edges until you have them pushed out. Remember, the bubbles should be worked towards which ever edge is closest to the bubble. It's air, so it needs to go somewhere other than under the screen. Once you have all your air bubbles out, you will need to let the device rest for a day in order to allow time for the soap to set under the screen.

Here is why this process works:
Since we don't live in a perfect world, the screen protectors aren't perfect either. Although they look perfectly smooth to the naked eye, if you could see them under a microscope you'd see lots of peaks, valleys, and crevasses; all tiny little areas where air gets trapped. Without the soapy water, it's nearly impossible to slide these bubbles out because all the little peaks have already adhered to the screen and trapped the bubbles. You have to try and push them past areas that have adhered, in essence trying to make the bubble detach the adhered peaks in order to push past them; lots of frustrating tedious work. While wet, the soap keeps the screen protector from completely adhering to the device by creating a slippery layer, thus allowing you time to slide the bubbles around, rather than trying to force them around. Now, after you've pushed out all the little air bubbles, the soap fills in all those peaks and valleys, and once dry, it hardens there to create a more smooth surface between the plastic protector and the device screen. Since the soap is clear, at least in the minuscule thin layer we're using it is, you'll never even know it's there. Remember, once your screen protector is installed, there is a top layer that needs to be pealed off. Do this as soon as you have it installed, and don't wait until it's dry. If you do this step after it dries and accidentally lift your screen protector off the screen, you're starting all over with getting more soapy water. If you accidentally lift it off while it's still wet, just press it back down, grab your squeegee, and work it back down. Give this a try, and let me know how it goes. I bet you'll be pleased with the results.