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ProTouch keyboard protector

Review - ProTouch keyboard protector

by , 12:05 PM EDT, August 16th, 2007

I admit to being somewhat of a clean freak, so products like the iSkin ProTouch keyboard protector naturally appeal to me. Fabricated from a flexible soft silicone and precision molded to fit over each key without affecting your typing, it protects your keyboard from crud both wet and dry. More specifically (according to its Web page), it will protect against food, dust, hair, dandruff, sweat, ketchup (and similar liquids), sand, spills, finger oils and dirt, key wear, and more.

Here's what it looks like:

ProTouch fits my keyboard like a second skin, protects it from all the nasty stuff I just mentioned, doesn't bother me a bit when I type, and is washable to boot. I keep it on my keyboard at all times and can't think of any reason to remove it other than to wash it every few months. But it only takes a second to apply or remove if that's how you care to use it.

The ProTouch keyboard protector I tested was for my MacBook Pro but it is also available for the MacBook, PowerBook, Apple Keyboard, and Apple Wireless Keyboard and available in colors including: Sonic (frosted blue), Eclipse (opaque black with printed keys), Arctic (frosted clear), Ghost (phosphorescent opaque
white glow in the dark with printed keys), and Blush (frosted pink).

The Bottom Line

What more can I say? The ProTouch keyboard protector does everything it's supposed to do and does it quite nicely. I have used it for months and it's saved my bacon more than once.

I recommend this product without hesitation.


Product: ProTouch keyboard protector

Company: iSkin

List Price: US$24.99

5 out of 5 stars

Pros: Protects keyboard from many perils, doesn't affect typing, washable.
Cons: None.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: A reason to remove it.

One good reason to remove it is that laptop fans pull air through the keyboard (and vents on the side) through the computer to cool it off. So while the iSkin shouldn't have any ill effects during "normal" use it might be dangerous to some system components if you leave it on while playing games, encoding video, or do other CPU intensive tasks for extended periods of time.

Close Name:gslusher Posts: 2088 Joined: 13 Nov 2002
Subject: Not new

"The ProTouch keyboard protector I tested was for my MacBook Pro but it is also available for the MacBook, PowerBook, Apple Keyboard, and Apple Wireless Keyboard ..."

And has been available for the PowerBooks, iBooks and Mac keyboards for years.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: I'm A Believer

I'm typing this on my iSkin-protected iBook G4, which spent all of 2004 with me in Iraq, home to the world's worst dust. The keyboard beneath my iSkin looks brand-new to this day.

Color me convinced.

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: I'm A Believer

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
I'm typing this on my iSkin-protected iBook G4, which spent all of 2004 with me in Iraq, home to the world's worst dust. The keyboard beneath my iSkin looks brand-new to this day.

Color me convinced.


Lol. Western Pakistan ain't much better!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: A good Reason to take it off

That's a great point, I will be sure to keep a monitor on the machine running temp when I have it on during high demand usage times. Thanks!

Close Name:yoyo52 Posts: 1174 Joined: 02 Feb 2002
Subject:

I use iSkin to keep dog and cat hair at bay, and it works very well for that. But to say that it doesn't affect typing is an overstatement.

Close Name:les aptt Posts: 221 Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Subject: Skins

Keyboards should all come stock outta the box skinned. No Exceptions. Yes they change the tactile response, but I'll gladly trade that for liquid resistance.

I support some Macs where this is an issue. Someone knocks over a beer and... .Someone views an "interesting" jpg and drools (it's happened) and... .

In the bad old days I'd grab a $3.00 Saratoga and carry on. Hell, half the time if you promptly disconnected and inverted it for a day or two all was well. USB changed that.

Skins are cool

Close Name:Guest
Subject: They're pretty good but...

While they do protect, i found the iSkin covers too thick to type on...

A friend turned me on to this company called KB Covers...they not only make protection covers that are thinner and feel nicer, but they also make tons of application shortcut covers.

I bought a clear one, but saw these guys at Photoshop World last week and tried a Photoshop cover...it was great.

Close Name:les aptt Posts: 221 Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Subject:

I meant no endorsement of ANY manufacturer's product, only my firm belief that ALL keyboards should be liquid "resistant".

Close Name:Guest
Subject: what's the better choice - the clear or frosted blue iskin?

anyone have any input and insight into which is better? and what looks good/better?

i'm deciding between the sonic blue (frosted blue) or clear for the macbook pro 15-inch model...i will be eventually getting a black SPECK hardshell as well and am getting the marware protection pack...so with those 2 other accessories, what colour would look best? - clear or blue?

Close Name:houltmac Posts: 264 Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Subject:

I really like the idea of the iSkin Pro Touch products, and own them, but I never use them. I simply can't type as fast with it on.

I'd also like to point out that the cooling through the keyboard thing is complete myth and there is no physical way that this can happen in any of the current notebooks sold by Apple.

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