Does your Apple TV look boring to you? You don't have to put up with that. Clad it with the only "skin" available for the Apple TV: the iStyles Apple TV Skin. We have a full review for you. Check it out.

Introduction

Wrapping electronic gadgets with skins is nothing new. Manufacturers have been making skins for mp3 players and cell phones for years. But skinning Apple TV? Why would you want to do that? It's not like you take it outside all the time to show it off to your friends.

I was very skeptical too. I didn't see any reason for it. However, once I was done putting the skin on my Apple TV and finished my review, I became a convert; that skin is not coming off. It turned my Apple TV from ordinary to extraordinary, from boring to exciting; OK, you get the idea.

Initial Impression

The package arrived in a regular USPS envelope. Inside was the skins packaged in a clear plastic bag. I was a tad bit disappointed, I thought there would be more marketing materials than just the skins.

The skin set comes with two sheets: one for the Apple TV and the other for your remote. Though the skin for the remote wraps around the whole unit, the skin for the Apple TV unit only covers the top, leaving the sides exposed. This gives it a handsome two-toned look once skin is applied.

Upon closer inspection, I found that skins are actually made by a company called DecalGirl . I later found out that iStyles does the designs and DecalGirl does the manufacturing. Both companies sell the same Apple TV skins.

Correction: iStyles is a distributor for DecaGirl and sells both their own designs and DecalGirl's. DecalGirl does all the manufacturing.

High-quality skin

The skin is made of high-quality cast vinyl. According to the web site , this material costs about 2.5 times more than the traditional calendared vinyl used on signs and other short-term applications. The higher-quality skin is also more glossy and durable.

Once the pattern is printed on the skins, a super-glossy clear covering is applied to it, making it even more durable and resistant to smudging or smearing. iStyles calls this coating “Battle Armor”. The company claims that the color will “remain bright and vibrant for over 5 years”. If not, they will replace the skins for free.

There is another feature that makes this skin stand out from the others. The diamond pattern on the underside of the skin allows air bubbles and wrinkles to be pushed down and out. This is a clever idea. I, for one, am prone to making errors so having this “technology” really helps.

Let's Skin

When I started applying the skin on to the top of the Apple TV, I noticed that the adhesive side started sticking almost instantly to the surface even when I hardly applied any pressure to it. As mentioned, I am quite prone to errors so, it took me about 5 tries to get the skin on straight, bubbles and all. I even managed to stretch the skin out of shape by a tiny bit. I must say that having the diamond pattern on the underside really helped because it didn't take much effort to get rid of all those bubbles and wrinkles. Almost a professional look for a first timer like me.

With the practice I gained from applying the skin to the top of the Apple TV, it didn't take me long to wrap the other sheet of skin on the remote. Still it took me two tries to get it straight. The hole they cut out for the navigation buttons made it tricky to get it just right. Once I was done with wrapping it, the last thing was applying the little circle sticker to the center button.

I wouldn't say it was a perfect application. There were some edges that I wished I could have been straighter but overall, I was pleased with my accomplishment. You really do need to concentrate when doing this task. I suggest having the least distractions as possible.

There is a tips section on iStyles web site that can help you out with applying the skin. I suggest you visit this page before you start skinning. It will help you reduce errors in skinning your Apple TV.

Friendly customer service

What's a product without a solid customer support? That was what made Apple a great company in the first place. iStyles was no different. I was able to get questions answered quickly via email with their customer service department. However, since the skins are actually made by DecalGirl, I also tried contacting them with my skinning problems. I chatted with a representative named Keith using the site's “live chat” feature. He was very helpful and courteous. Thanks, Keith!

Conclusion

So do you really need a skin for your Apple TV? The obvious answer is “no.” But then again, do you really need those 20” rims on your souped up Honda Civic? Probably not either. It doesn't make your movies look better nor does it make syncing any faster. But it sure gives your beloved Apple TV a sense of style and a one-of-a-kind look that makes it stand out from all the other AV components in your living room. Now, if only they make skins for my LCD TV...

iStyles Apple TV skins are available in 74 styles and retail for $14.99 plus shipping.

Pros:

• Beautiful and durable
• 74 unique designs
• Friendly customer service
• Wrinkle/bubble-free application

Cons:

• Adhesive is strong and sticks almost instantly to the surface
• Somewhat expensive at $14.99
• Material maybe stretched out of shape if too much force is applied

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Comments (2)

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written by Michelle , July 17, 2007

Hello! I thought the review was great but please let me clarify that istyles.com is a distributer of Decalgirl.com. istyles.com sells there own design line as well as DecaGirl.com's designs. They are all manufactured by DecalGirl.com here in the US.

You did a great job on the installation especially for your 1st time! And if you ever want to remove the skin it will NOT leave any sticky residue.

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written by Administrator , July 18, 2007

Thank you, Michelle. I have updated the article to reflect what you have mentioned.

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