Lion King Trilogy

The Site To Go To: www.iStyles.com

For anyone who is interested in high-quality vinyl skins to protect your device, check out www.istyles.com . I find that it has everything offered by Decalgirl and much more!

Although I am no longer doing the Decalgirl Order By Demand, Singaporean buyers can continue to obtain their items from iStyles.com . They provide free postage within Singapore.

Many thanks to the buyers of the relaunched DecalGirl Order By Demand (OBD) 1!

Your orders have been processed and you should receive the skins by now. Great to hear the confirmations from those of you who have placed your order. :)

Andy: Abduction iPod Touch 2nd Generation

Kal: Pink Tranquility PSP Slim, Dancing Leaves Nintendo DS Lite, Zebra iPod Classic, Spring Stripes iPod Classic, Meadow iPhone 3G, Betty iPhone 3G, Pink Plaid iPod Touch 2nd Generation, Red Plaid Blackberry Bold 9000

JL: Clovers iPhone 3G

The Relaunch of DecalGirl Order By Demand (OBD) Service!

It has been some time since I last launched the Decalgirl OBD Service. Under this service, I help buyers to pool together to bring in skins that they want for their devices from USA's Decalgirl (www.decalgirl.com). Decalgirl is the largest skin manufacturer in the world.

During my absence, I have been focussing on bring in skins for bulk resellers. The margins are more certain (since they order in large quantities), but during this time, I received many queries on whether I could bring in individual skins for buyers.

So how do you order? It is quite simple. Just go into www.decalgirl.com, identify a skin that you would like and email me at rextoric@gmail.com . I will then send you payment details. I consolidate orders and bring in skins every weekend. My guarantee to you is that once the payment is confirmed, the skin will reach you within 8 days. This is considered fast since the skins come from the States (and I have to bring them in by speed mail).

Prices for the skins are listed below. You will find that they are cheaper than if you order from Decalgirl and ship it to Singapore. The reason is that the bulk order helps buyers to average down the shipping cost and my contract with Decalgirl entitles me to a more attractive rate.

All prices below include free normal mail in Singapore!

iPod Shuffle Skins - $5.50
iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation (Set of 3) - $12
iPod 4th Generation Skins - $11
iPod Mini Skins - $11
iPod Nano Skins (1st, 2nd and 3rd Generation) - $12
iPod Video Skins - $12
iPod Classic Skins - $12.50
iPhone Skins - $12.50
iPod Touch Skins - $12.50
Zune Skins - $12
PSP and PSP Slim Skins - $16
Nintendo DS / Nintendo DS Lite Skins - $16
Game Boy Advance SP Skins - $16
Game Boy Micro Skins - $10
Razr Skins - $14

So if you are interested, please feel free to email me at rextoric@gmail.com with the skin of your choice. This Decalgirl OBD closes on 18 July 2010 (Sunday). Thank you.

Regards,
Chris

Skin Application Tips

Some buyers have asked for tips on applying the vinyl skins on their devices. With the intricacies of the face piece (of skins such as the 1st Generation iPod Nano or the iPod Video), it can be challenging to get it aligned properly. There's nothing worse that getting it halfway on, realizing it is crooked and then spoiling the skin by tearing it off too fast.The perfect way of aligning a skin depends on the individual as various techniques work better from person to person.

Here are two that I would recommend, depending on whichever you feel more comfortable with.

1) Face-up Method (works better for most cases)

• Start with a clean iPod and a clean, flat working surface.
• Place the iPod on the surface with the screen and clickwheel facing up.
• Remove the skin from its backing and looking straight down, carefully lower the skin onto the iPod, all the time aligning the screen and clickwheel by sight.
• Once the skin touches the iPod and bonds, lift up the iPod and press with your finger to bond the skin to the iPod.

2) Face-down Method (works for skins with two piece designs)

• Start with a clean iPod and a clean, flat working surface.
• Remove the skin from its backing and lay it, adhesive side up on the flat surface in front of you.
• Holding the iPod face-down with both hands, looking straight down, carefully lower the iPod onto the skin, all the time aligning it by sight.
• Once the iPod touches the skin and bonds, lift it up and press with your finger to bond the skin to the iPod.
• You can repeat this with the back, but the back is usually easy enough to install without this method, as the curved edges (eg. the iPod Video) give you some room to play.

Advice before applying the skins:

• Always wash and dry your hands before starting. This will help lessen any natural body oils on your fingertips that could result in fingerprints on the adhesive.
• Clean your device to make sure it is free from oil and dust. The last thing you want is for dust to get stuck on the skin adhesive. Given its reuseable properties, you want to keep the quality of the adhesive backing as strong as possible.
  

Skins Demystified

This is a FAQ on vinyl skins, aka "Why vinyl skins are better than dreaded screen protectors which have lots of bubbles and cannot be reused".

What exactly are "skins"?

They're adhesive-backed vinyl pieces pre-cut to fit your iPod. While there are some products on the market that are made of hard plastic or rubber, most of the time when you're discussing skins, you're talking about flexible adhesive-backed vinyl. These are skins that do not increase the bulkiness of your device, unlike silicone skin cases, while they continue to protect your device from basic bumps and scratches.

If they're all vinyl, what's the difference?

With vinyl films, there are basically two types of material. The vinyl itself can be made using one of two methods: "cast" or "calendared".

Calendared vinyl is fairly inexpensive and is meant mostly for short-term applications on signs. It has a moderately glossy finish, but can have some problems with fading and color inconsistencies and is prone to shrinking over time, especially when exposed to heat (like those your iPod puts off when charging). It's also less pliable and doesn't conform as well to compound curves.

Cast vinyl costs roughly 2.5 times as much as calendared vinyl, but is notably higher quality. Cast vinyls have a much higher gloss point (frequently as shiny as automotive paint), don't discolor and won't shrink over time. They conform easily to just about any curve and last 7-9 years.

Isn't that overkill for an iPod?

Definitely not if you want your skin to look the same years from now. Cast vinyl ensures that the material is made of the highest quality possible while keeping your devices slim and well-protected.

What about your printed skins?

The printed skins use cast vinyl with a special patented adhesive that allows you to remove and reapply the skin. You can tell just by looking at the grey diamond pattern on the underside of the skin that there's something different.This technology allows air bubbles and wrinkles to simply be pushed down and out, making application a breeze. It's also more forgiving on people who might make errors during the installation process, as it can be removed and applied again. During application, the skin can be removed and reapplied as desired, and the skin will never leave any nasty glue marks on your iPod. There's no need to use water or application fluid - just apply and you're ready to go.

What's the "Battle Armor" thing about?

Once the skins are printed, a super-glossy clear covering is applied over the print. This increases the overall strength of the skin, makes it impossible to smudge or smear the design, and because of the nature of our production process, ensures that the color will remain bright and vibrant for over 5 years. Unlike cheaper laminates which are either too thick, not shiny enough or the finish wasn't of a high enough quality this glossy covering ensures that your skin will not smudge, wear, fade or blur!

Shouldn't your skins be thicker?

No - One main quality of these skins is how it keeps its strong protective properties without increasing the bulkiness of the device. Thicker vinyl products may actually hint at cheaper materials. The total thickness of a completed printed skin (with Battle Armor coating) is around 6-7 mil and emphasis is placed on fitment and longevity. Also, thicker skins don't wrap around compound curves (ie, around the corners of the iPod) so these skins also promise maximum coverage and proper fitment.