A Singapore-based company, DOML, sent me their screen protector - the Martin Fields Overlay Plus Screen Protector - to review on my XDA II.

Martin Fields Overlay Plus Screen Protector First Look

Is it a replacement for the WriteSHIELD? Could be, thinks Matt M at MTEKK ...

A Singapore-based company, DOML, sent me their screen protector - the Martin Fields Overlay Plus Screen Protector - to review on my XDA II. Given that I've been a great fan of the Pocket PC Techs WriteSHIELD for some time now, I took my time before getting around to reviewing them. I had to decide how best to be fair to the product - especially given my own prejudice toward the WriteSHIELD - and what I decided is as follows.

I've never yet reviewed a screen protector for a PDA. When asked to recommend one, I've hauled out the WriteSHIELD time and time again. But I do think that if another product is anywhere near as good, then it deserves a fair review. Thus, since I haven't previously reviewed the WriteSHIELD - but have been extolling its virtues - I decided that the WriteSHIELD should nominally be given a review value of 9/10. This decision was reached both to be fair to the WriteSHIELD product - which I have to compare with for the purposes of this review - and to provide a baseline for this alternative product. WriteSHIELD is a product that I'm very happy with, and therefore would want a reasonably close score in order to convince myself to change.

In addition, I decided that - since a screen protector ideally does not wear very quickly - I would prefer to write my initial impressions, and follow up later on with a review that encompasses how it stacks up in terms of wear and tear. Thus, my first day of using the protector was just today - ironic, since Geekzone just posted their own review.

Ultimately I have to consider whether or not a pictorial review is appropriate. In this instance, I've not taken any photos for the purpose of this review. I didn't feel that there was much I could capture that would particularly convey any useful information.

Why use a screen protector at all, though? Glad you asked. Within about a week of having my original XDA - sans screen protector - I had a scratch on the screen. A scratch on the glass is not easily fixed. And repetitive action (such as Solitaire games, as suggested by Geekzone, or in my case use of the lowercase area for Letter Recognizer) can really put some wear and tear on the screen. Why use a screen protector? You'd be crazy not to!