I took a power drill to an iPhone at CES
CNET Crave blogger Amanda Kooser answers the siren call of the power tool and gets medieval on the Amzer ShatterProof screen protector.
LAS VEGAS--I love power tools. I also love smartphones. Finally, my two passions came together on the show floor of CES 2013. Amzer makes the ShatterProof line of screen protectors for electronic devices. They invited me over to go nuts on an iPhone protected with this thin urethane film.
The available objects of destruction were a power drill and sander. There would have been a hammer, but it had been stolen from the booth. I felt like I was building a set of cabinets rather than testing out a tech item.
Shatterproof is .2 millimeter thick and sticks on with the help of an included wedge. It has already been through a battery of ASTM tests to prove its tear strength and hardness. Now, it was my turn.
I ran the drill tip over the top, reveling in the sensation of going all "This Old House" on an expensive piece of technology. I sanded it up, leaving light buzz marks across the surface. Then the protector came off and all was quiet down below. The phone's screen was unsullied.
Amzer says the ShatterProof screen protectors can dissipate energy and self-heal. With enough effort, I left the protector scratched, but still functional. I expect it would hold up just fine to the usual bumps and spills an iPhone takes.
The screen protectors are available for a variety of devices ranging from full-body iPhone 5 protection for $59.95 to a front protector for the Nexus 7 for the same price.
I don't recommend taking a power tool to your smartphone under any circumstances, but if you ever get the urge, the ShatterProof could help your poor device survive the ordeal.
