A cell phone protector with a matte black screen cover similar to what is sometimes seen on car tail lights that looks black until illuminated from behind. Hopefully it doesn't hurt viewing clarity too badly. The back of the case has an image that looks like the cell phone home screen, using a glossy surface and florescent paints that almost seem to glow, giving the impression of a back-lit screen.
-- scad mientist, Nov 29 2015

Black film http://www.amazon.c...ights/dp/B008BLAI6Q
This is the black cover I'm talking about. [scad mientist, Dec 01 2015]

A friend once proudly showed me their mirrored screen protector. They looked so crestfallen when I asked what it was for.
-- pocmloc, Nov 29 2015


// similar to what is sometimes seen on car tail lights that looks black until illuminated from behind. //

Retroreflector? Edit: Wait, no, I don't know what you're referring to.

// Hopefully it doesn't hurt viewing clarity too badly. //

A retroreflector will. What you want is a transflective screen. Or even just a regular screen—those are black when off.
-- notexactly, Nov 30 2015


See link for the tail light covers I was referring to. As far as a regular screen goes, sure it's black when it's off, but the glossy surface is a good indication that it is a display (based on typical phones available now). But you're right that it's already black, so a clear cover with an anti-glare surface texture similar to the ones surface of an older style computer LCD screen might be better than the black film. That could give the impression of the back of a phone if it transitioned seamlessly to the sides of the case.

And rather than trying to make a passive image look bright enough to look like a powered on display, this should probably just have a flat glossy black with a faintly visible rectangle where the "display" would be and a fake button. Then someone who tries to use your phone will spend a lot of time trying to push the fake button to turn it on.
-- scad mientist, Dec 01 2015



random, halfbakery