It’s a surprisingly difficult decision to use a screen protector on the iPad, as that expanse of shiny glass just looks so beautiful it’s almost a shame to cover it in a piece of plastic.  However, having now installed the Power Support Anti-Glare film for the purposes of this review, it’s safe to say that in this case, it’s a small price to pay.

Power Support’s film promises to protect the screen from scratches, dirt and dust while resisting fingerprints and glare.  It doesn’t use an adhesive to stick to the screen, so you can take it off at any time without leaving any trace.  It’s delivered in a recycled paper envelope that has been printed using soy ink, and inside there is only the film and a small piece of paper with the instructions printed on it.  It’s a pleasingly sparse and environmentally friendly package.

The film is stuck to another piece of plastic and the instructions are clear and concise, suggesting making sure your work area is dust-free and the iPad’s screen is clean before you start.  The bottom edge of the plastic is peeled back to reveal the sticking surface of the film, which you line-up with the bottom of the iPad’s screen.  I used a micro-fiber cloth to ease the film down onto the screen while slowly peeling the backing away.  This approach left me with the minimum of air bubbles and no unwanted dirt underneath the film.

The fit is superb.  If you get it right you’ll never know a film has been fitted to your iPad, as it’s millimeter perfect around the edges – meeting, but not covering, the rubber seal – and has just a small amount of play around the Home button.  It’s thin too, proven by me taking a few pictures once the film had been applied, but deciding not to use them here because you couldn’t make out any difference!

The iPad’s gorgeous crystal shine may look brilliant, but it doesn’t help if you’re trying to use the screen in sunlight.  The Anti-Glare film removes that shine and replaces it with a blurred, matt look, which is very effective in cutting down glare.  Take a look at our before and after shots in the gallery below, including a full screen example which just came out as a picture of me holding a camera without the film applied!

The film doesn’t affect touchscreen operation, but it does make it easier to  move your finger across the screen swiftly.  With games such as TBITF, Splash Duel HD or Arkanoid HD, your finger quickly becomes ‘sticky’ and it’s easy to make mistakes because of this, however the Anti-Glare film cures this completely.  We tried out Icarus-X and found improvements there too.  During all this use, the screen was noticeably free of fingerprints; try that without a screen protector!

All these benefits come at the expense of two things.  The first is a tiny drop in screen brightness, which was noticeable only after the film had just been applied and the second is a change in the way the screen looks, as with the film applied there is a slightly grainy look to what was a crystal-clear display.  Again, it’s not much and only really shows when closely examining the screen, but it’s worth noting.

The one other thing we will say is that if you do buy one, when you open the pack, cut off the envelope’s flap with the adhesive on it.  It certainly keeps everything securely inside, but it has the consistency of chewing gum and is likely to stick to the film as you remove it, as it did with ours, and it’s a pain to remove once it has.  It also refused to let the instruction leaflet out of the confines of the envelope, resulting in a desperate fight not to tear the thing in half.

The Power Support Anti-Glare film for the iPad costs $24.95, does everything it promises – cuts down glare, increases traction and minimizes fingerprints – and we would recommend it to all iPad owners.