I wrote a couple weeks ago about a freebie given to me at InfoSec Europe. It was an iPad 3 screen privacy filter. When it was demoed at the show, it seemed to work pretty well and didn’t disrupt the sensitivity of the screen. I don’t own an iPad though so I gave my freebie away, I do however own a laptop and this is where 3M originally targeted their filters.
I have a privacy filter on my laptop screen and it also works as advertised. The range of viewing is 30 degrees off centre left and right. I have to say though, I don’t like it.
First of all – I need to point out, as far as privacy is concerned it does the job even though its not one of their high end filters with the gold layer that is supposed to make it even better. The problem is not with its ability to make your screen private, its to do with how clunky it feels.
When I bought mine, I looked around for one that had the right dimensions for my laptop not really thinking that there would be different types of filter. Aside from the standard (black) and gold versions I assumed that was it. But because our Apple fanbois friends are style conscious it seems they get the option of a self-adhesive backing too. For us normal folk we have to stick clear plastic tabs around the screen to hold the privacy filter in place.
I first noticed this when looking at the iPad privacy filter demonstrated at InfoSec, it just wouldn’t work if it wasn’t adhered to the screen. When I asked the guys on the stand they said that it was only available with the sticky back for iPads and soon iPhones. A quick look at their website suggests that Unibody MacBooks also get the sticky back version, presumably to not cramp the Apple products style..
Now this might sound like I am making a big deal out of very little, but the fact is that the screen I have doesn’t stay in place properly. It sorta slides around leaving a two millimeter gap at the top of my screen. It also doesn’t sit permanently flush with the screen so it collects dirt – every few days I have to take the filter off to clean behind it. And frankly, the clear plastic tabs around the edge look ugly as if we were still in the 90’s.
So for a verdict. It does exactly what it says on the tin, but if you need privacy and your style conscious – you have to buy a Mac.