# Naked vs. Decalgirl: naked wins



## bloovis (Aug 11, 2009)

I have a new K2i and decided to try a skin on it. I chose the Decalgirl "HAL 9000" one because I had read that all-black borders would provide an optical illusion that would make the gray screen background look lighter. The skin went on easily and looked reasonably good. But the optical illusion didn't really work for me, maybe because I knew it was an illusion. More importantly, though, I found I didn't like the way the skin felt. It added sharply defined raised edges around all the buttons and keys, and around the main body of the Kindle itself. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive, but I found the feel of these edges distracting, and I missed the smooth feel of the unskinned Kindle. I also found that I missed the simpler all-white look of the naked Kindle. I do have it in an M-Edge Platform case, so protection wasn't a consideration.

So for me, at least, the skin experiment didn't work out. But the Decalgirl product itself is of very high quality, and it's easily removed, so I wouldn't want anyone to be dissuaded from trying it out based on my obviously minority experience.

*Decalgirl*


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks for sharing, Bloovis! Some Kindles, like some people, are clearly nudists.    S'OK!

Betsy


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

Nice post, bloovis.

My DecalGirl skin will arrive after I've had the Kindle for a while, so I'll be used to the naked Kindle when I get the skin.  I do hope I can learn to live with it, because I know I hate it when there is a price sticker on the back of the book.  I always fiddle with it and peel it off.  Also glad to hear it comes off easily and with no residue.

Thanks for sharing your experience with it!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

For those of you trying skins for the first time, I suggest you leave it on several days at least before making a decision to take it off.  Bear in mind that a skinned Kindle is like a spouse with a new haircut.  At first, all you can see is the haircut, after a while you start to see your spouse again!  Of course, if you don't like the feel of it, that's a whole 'nother thing, but you have to get used to the appearance.  Seeing my Eleanor the Kindle with her skin on was a bit of a shock at first.

Betsy


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## Prazzie (Oct 25, 2009)

It's not expensive, but with shipping included, it's not cheap either, so even if I hate it, I'll leave it on for at least a month to get "my money's worth"!    Thanks for the advice, Betsy.


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## Trilby (Jul 26, 2009)

I've been thinking about getting a skin for my K2,...but then I wondered, will it still fit in my octo sleeve with the skin on?


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## F1Wild (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks for this post, Bloovis - we don't see many who are into the nakedness, but the idea is refreshing...not enough for me to strip mine, but still a nice point of view.  I tried my Kindle naked for quite a bit before skinning.  I even purchased a skin for my Blackberry first to give the experience a whirl - and like you said, the edges are a bit weird.  But when I skinned my Kindle I never found the edges to be a problem - maybe because it sits on the bed and I really only touch the page turn buttons.  I did, however, find a difference in contrast, but my skins had a pattern to them as well as darker color - so maybe that's the trick?

I think many of us have wished for a skin with a bit of texture, for a nicer grip, but then we (I!!) would complain that it gave us more surface area for fingerprints, etc.

Again thanks for your un-review!


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## khrunner (Mar 16, 2009)

I put the plain black Decalgirl on my K2, and I find it makes a huge difference in the contrast.  That said, however, I don't like the feel of the edges on the buttons, and I've been tempted to take the button covers off.  The plain black is a little shiny, but not distracting.  Somewhere on the wish list posts was a hope that future Kindles would have a case color choice.  I think that's a great idea.

As they say on another list I frequent, YMMV (your mileage may vary)  

Kathleen
Aurora, CO


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I had issues with my skin as well, althought mine was from Skinit.com. The main issue I had was the alignment around the screen was not perfectly uniform. No matter how I played around with it, I just couldn't get it perfect. Being an unofficial OCD sufferer, that drove me nuts... I couldn't concentrate on a book for more than a page or two before looking at the poor alignment of the screen. 

So my Kindle is now topless! I left the back skin on because I love it (It's a USC Trojans logo on a gold jersey background) and also because I like the feel of the skin better than the brushed aluminum back of the Kindle.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

My new K2 has been skinless since I got it two weeks ago, because I keep changing my mind about which skin to buy.  I tried ordering two on the beta site and the order didn't go through.  Thought that might be an omen to wait longer.

I love my Van Gogh's Irises on my KDX.  That just might stay on there for the life ofit.

I don't notice the difference in feel between the skin or not having one, although the naked one is matte as opposed to shiny.

Most people out there have naked kindles.  I've never seen a skinned one in the wild.  I think the white stands out more, so they are more noticeable.


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## MINImum (Oct 15, 2009)

911jason said:


> I had issues with my skin as well, althought mine was from Skinit.com. The main issue I had was the alignment around the screen was not perfectly uniform. No matter how I played around with it, I just couldn't get it perfect. Being an unofficial OCD sufferer, that drove me nuts... I couldn't concentrate on a book for more than a page or two before looking at the poor alignment of the screen.
> 
> So my Kindle is now topless! I left the back skin on because I love it (It's a USC Trojans logo on a gold jersey background) and also because I like the feel of the skin better than the brushed aluminum back of the Kindle.


I am the same way, Jason! The skin on my Kindle fit pretty well except for one tiny bubble that I kept messing with while I was reading, until it was not so tiny any more. I finally had to peel the skin back on that whole side to straighten it out, and it's fine. But I got the exact same skin for my iPhone and putting a skin on the front of an iPhone is MUCH tougher that putting one on a Kindle. Everytime I pick up the phone I see how crooked it is in some places. I may take the front off and leave the back, like you did on your Kindle.


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## MrTsMom (Jun 13, 2009)

MINImum said:


> But I got the exact same skin for my iPhone and putting a skin on the front of an iPhone is MUCH tougher that putting one on a Kindle. Everytime I pick up the phone I see how crooked it is in some places. I may take the front off and leave the back, like you did on your Kindle.


Me, too! I really screwed up the front of my iPhone, and it bugs the heck out of me! Thanks for reminding me that it's not an all or nothing deal. I love the skin on the back, but the front? not so much.


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## MarthaT (Mar 3, 2009)

Different strokes I guess, I love my decalgirl skins


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## bloovis (Aug 11, 2009)

I just wanted to add that I had no alignment issues with the Decalgirl skin.  It took two or three tries, but I did manage to get it on straight without damaging it, and it looked pretty good.  No bubbles, either; I just pushed them out with my fingers and they never came back.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

This was the front skin before I removed it. You can see how bad the fit on the top corners was. The area around the screen was what really distracted me while reading, even though it doesn't look all that bad in this picture.


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## F1Wild (Jun 15, 2009)

911jason said:


> This was the front skin before I removed it. You can see how bad the fit on the top corners was. The area around the screen was what really distracted me while reading, even though it doesn't look all that bad in this picture.


Personally I don't think it's that bad (maybe a little trimmage would help), but having the keys skinned would make a huge difference!


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## Patrizia (Oct 29, 2008)

I have the opposite problem.. I went with the decalgirl skins since my first Kindle... I took it off a few months back on my K2 and I couldn't stand it.. LOL.. I first thought the skin would be distracting but I find now the white is TOO WHITE.. I need to have a skin.. and your right decalgirl is the ONLY one I will use after having issues with some others


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

Its a matter of preference really.  I make my kinlie skinny once in a while depending on what I'm doing with it, and visually its a different experience.


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## F1Wild (Jun 15, 2009)

Patrizia said:


> I have the opposite problem.. I went with the decalgirl skins since my first Kindle... I took it off a few months back on my K2 and I couldn't stand it.. LOL.. I first thought the skin would be distracting but I find now the white is TOO WHITE.. I need to have a skin.. and your right decalgirl is the ONLY one I will use after having issues with some others


Oooh, which one are you looking at now? You always have such nicely dressed Kindles.


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