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Cellfan Skins Review
We review a bunch of skins for DS, PSP and other devices.
No matter what the product, there are people who feel it is their duty to customize it. Gearheads get their jollies taking a stock import hatchback and dropping the suspension, popping on a set of chrome wheels, and lighting up the undercarriage with neon. PC modders take delight in outfitting a tower case with water cooling and beefy power supplies. You can even slap new faceplates on your cell phone or Xbox 360 when you get tired of that "showroom" look. And now, thanks to California-based Cellfan.com, your PSP, Nintendo DS, or iPod can get a temporary facelift without the hazard of voiding your warranty or permanently scarring your device's fragile exterior.
Console stickers are nothing new—hardcore gamers looking to personalize their gear have been applying adhesive vinyl skins to their Game Boys for ages. What differentiates the products offered by Cellfan.com from others is the sheer variety of licensed designs offered. From movie properties (Star Wars) to sports teams to colleges, fraternities, and sororities, there are a wide variety of designs to choose from.
Choosing a look for your device is simple: just head over to the company's web site, click through the seven-step process and identify the style of skin you want to buy and pick the device you want it for, and you'll be presented with an image of your selection. Skins for small items (cell phones, iPod Nano, etc.) typically run in the $12.95 range, while larger designs for laptop computers cost upwards of $24.95. According to the company, application of the vinyl sheets is easy, and not only spices up your electronics, but also provides a protective barrier from scratches.
As predicted, fitting smaller devices with complex skins (we placed a sweet Darth Vader theme on our PSP) can be a bit of an operation, especially when you must navigate small buttons through some pretty tiny spaces. The good news is, the stickers don't leave a tacky residue, so it's easy to pull off a skin and either realign it, switch it out for another one, or go back to a "naked" look. The DS and iPod skins were decidedly easier to administer, since each device has less moving parts on the exterior. We recommend that you save the sheet that the skin comes on unless you're certain you won't want to remove it at some point.
Those who don't choose to wear their allegiances on their sleeves (or iPods, cell phones, or PSPs) won't find anything new here. If you're the type who longs to show the world how big of a fan you are of [insert name of sports team, bikini model, or aging rock band], then you'll likely get a lot of mileage out of the myriad skins from Cellfan.com.
Highs: Cellfan.com has a wide variety of designs to fit over 500 different consumer electronics, ranging from cell phones and Game Boys to full-sized consoles. Skins are made from durable vinyl and are generally easy to apply and remove.
Lows: Despite the wide range of designs, you can't personalize a skin with your own uploaded artwork. Prices seem a bit steep, considering you're essentially buying a sticker.
Verdict: Folks not interested in customizing their electronics won't find anything to cheer about here, but anyone with a passing desire to personalize their PSP, iPod, or other device will likely walk away a satisfied customer with skins from Cellfan.com.
Score: 80%
Review by Bossjimbob.
Mar 7, 2006
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