Ready to serve and protect…your PSP or DS screen.

In the future, video game shops will have a drive-thru window for quick access to the latest hardware, games and accessories.

“Welcome to McEB.  May I take your order?”

“Yeah, I’d like an Xbox 2 with two controllers, three games, and a side of memory cards.”

“Will that be all?”

“I also want a PSP and NFSU Rivals, and make it well done.  I hate unfinished products.”

“Would you like a bowl of our tasty tarter sauce to go along with that?  Or a screen protector?”

I like tarter sauce, but a screen protector?  I’m just not sure I need one.

“Nope, that’ll be all.”

“Your total comes to $822.67.  Please pay at the first window.”

Screen protectors are something I’ve never been able to say yes to.  I’ve tried ‘em and have been very unhappy with the results.  They’re sticky, filled with bubbles, and give the screen a funny appearance.  With all the heat my PSP generates while sitting in my pocket, I’m not too sure I want a piece of plastic covering its most important feature.  Can we really be 100% certain that the screen won’t be damaged?  Can we really be certain that when the time comes that we want to remove the screen protector, we can?

Having been disappointed by the screen protectors from Mad Catz, I wasn’t super-thrilled about trying another.  But these new protectors – called JAVOScreens – come from a manufacturer that focuses on screen protection.  They’ve made protectors for PDAs, iPods, and other easily scratched electronic devices.

For gamers, JAVOScreen offers two different protectors: the single, button-conforming shield for PSP, or the dual, touch-screen-enabled set for the Nintendo DS.

“Touch-screen-enabled?  That sounds like marketing hyperbole.”

That’s exactly what is!  I wrote it myself :)  It may sound like hyperbole, though it’s not a false statement.  Apply the proper protector over the bottom, touch-sensitive screen and be amazed as it doesn’t lose its sensitivity.  How does it do it?  It’s not so much a matter of what it does as it is a matter of what it doesn’t do.  The Nintendo DS’s touch features are very complex – the device’s reaction time is better than every PDA I’ve used.  Therefore adding a thin plastic shield only prevents the screen from getting scratched, but doesn’t prevent you from playing WarioWare Touched!

There were a few moments when the screen didn’t seem as sensitive with the protector attached, but if you’re paranoid about scratches, chances are you’ve been striking the screen harshly with your stylus.  Surely the DS will pick up those actions, with or without screen protection.

(Note: technically the bottom screen does not need to be protected from scratches.  It’s meant to be scratched, rubbed, tapped – that’s how Nintendo designed it.  The top screen, however, is pretty sensitive to damage.  If you’re a dangerous gamer, screen protection is necessary.)

Both JAVOScreens attach to the consoles fairly easily.  Stick ‘em where you want ‘em (preferably lined up to cover the whole screen), then use the included card to file it down, removing all bubbles.

The screen cuts down on glare, but it changes the viewing experience in the process, which is to be expected I suppose.  For PSP this mean I won’t normally use the protector.  I want the screen to look as shiny and beautiful as Sony intended, whether it means risking scratches or not.  I treat my PSP like a small child, never taking my eyes off it.  All kids get bumps and bruises – as long as my PSP stays out of the hospital, I’ll be happy.

The Nintendo DS, on the other hand, looks fine with the screen protectors in place.  I’ve accidentally tapped (and scratched with my stylus) the top of the screen simply because it felt like I could.  I forget that, no matter how the game looks, Nintendo only made one of the screens touch-sensitive.  Having a screen protector in place means that stupid mistakes – and bratty siblings – won’t be able to ruin the visual experience of Nintendo’s most prestigious handheld.

Score: 8.5