Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
A pretty darned good trick
When I was a kid growing up in Missouri I used to spend a lot of Saturday afternoons at the magic store. I'd ask to see one trick after another, and after awhile I got a dandy magic show. Of course, I was often shamed into buying something, then running home, practicing the trick in my room, and inflicting my proud possession on friends and family. It was fun, except when I blew the trick and sheepishly left the room for more practice.That brings me to this particular Saturday afternoon, where I was able to browse the iTunes store for a good trick. It's more of a digital than a tactile experience, but it's fun just the same. If you're a magic buff, be sure to get a look at Magic Compass, [App Store link] a new addition to the collection of tricks for the iPhone and iPod touch.
This $0.99US piece of legerdemain has a spectator put a coin, or any other object to the bottom, top, left or right of the iPhone. A tap of the finger reveals a compass which rather magically determines where the object is. The trick can be repeated. The object doesn't have to be metal, so any thought of some electronic homing device goes out the window. To some spectators, it will look like physics, to some like magic. I think most people will find it hard to explain. The trick has a well produced video tutorial to teach you the secret, and then gives you a way to hide it from prying eyes.
Here's a link to a video from the developer that shows you a demo of the trick. It is easy to learn, and a great thing to just pull out of your pocket when you get together with friends.
For me, it was a great reminder of many happy Saturday afternoons in another time and another place.
Here are some screen grabs:
Gallery: Magic Compass
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ken Broughton said 5:19PM on 5-02-2009
I've only watched the video, but it looks so piss-simple I don't feel tempted to waste even pennies on it. So it points in the direction you touch, huh?
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SuperMac said 5:32PM on 5-02-2009
I personally don't think it's worth the 99¢
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Greg said 6:23PM on 5-02-2009
Then personally don't buy it? Seriously...
You mofo readers are starting to irk me.
Mel
TUAW
Wojtek said 6:00PM on 5-02-2009
It's kinda lame. As is showing off the "coolest new app for iPhone" to friends when you get together. I mean, you're not 12, are you?
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Rhys said 6:01PM on 5-02-2009
So, er, how much were you paid to write this? Anyone with even half a brain would figure it out instantly.
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SuperMac said 6:08PM on 5-02-2009
I agree with what you're saying. It does look like this review was paid for, unless this "review" happens to be written by a 12-year-old.
mel martin (TUAW) said 6:16PM on 5-02-2009
You guys are a little mean spirited. We don't get paid for reviews. We review what we think is of interest. I was a member for years of both the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Some won't be fooled by the trick. Others will. True of most tricks. If it does not appeal to you, certainly don't buy it.
If a little 99 cent trick makes you so angry, I wonder how you'd react to something really important.
Mel
TUAW
puhsitch said 7:18PM on 5-02-2009
When I was about three years old or so, my dad did this trick where he shoved a raisin in his ear, somehow pulled it out of his nose, and then ate it. I thought it was the most amazing and gross thing ever.
Children love tricks that the rest of us think are stupid.
jwindmueller said 8:30PM on 5-02-2009
I have to admit, I wondered the same thing. Granted, not everyone is going to like the same apps. But still, there have been enough glowing reviews on TUAW of poor to just outright terrible iphone apps that I'm really beginning to wonder about the integrity of what folks are writing.
Luna Lovegood said 9:36AM on 5-04-2009
"If a little 99 cent trick makes you so angry, I wonder how you'd react to something really important."
Gee, Mel, are you ever going to tackle "really important" stories? (Is there even such an animal on a fanboy blog?) So far all you're good for is iPhone app reviews and the regurgitation of silly and sometimes inaccurate observations about Microsoft commercials.
James Donevan said 6:51PM on 5-02-2009
Mel...
This particular piece is not weak, it is a waste of time. When readers start to question why a review appears, you might want to heed the message: Was there merit in that piece or did I just post it to earn my stipend.
There is a noticeable increase in meaningless reports on TUAW lately. The 'I don't have anything worthwhile to say so I'll bang out something to fill space' cycle we have all seen from bloggers passing through in the past.
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Krumpelsaurusrex said 6:54PM on 5-02-2009
WTF? what if you were 12? or better yet, what if you are a father and you have a young son; they would be entertained by it. I thought the intro to this review was great. As an adult I can relate to Mel's experience. I honestly doubt Mel or anybody else cares if you spend your 99 cents on this app, or put it towards your W.O.W. account.
If Mel isn't tired of you "MOFO" readers.... I am! Spend your time writing to the developer telling them how lame their app is, not the guy that simply posts a good review of it. If you don't like TUAW then call in and ask for a refund for the money you have paid for your subscription.
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joecab said 6:56PM on 5-02-2009
It's just fun. You know, F-U-N? That's it. Period. For less than a frickin' dollar.
Good lord, it's like some of you love being miserable.
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SW said 7:46PM on 5-02-2009
I remember the good old days before the iPhone when TUAW had interesting posts.
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joem said 7:52PM on 5-02-2009
Mel, I have news for you... the internet is full of two things: haters and porn. Try reading some comments on the NYT website, and you'll see that TUAW's are pretty much par for the course. And then if you want to feel like TUAW's are totally awesome, try reading some comment threads on a big videogame blog.
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Ken Broughton said 12:14PM on 5-03-2009
Mel, joem, etc. - you miss the point. It's not that we hate a 99c app. It's that we don't like having our time wasted with fluff about such crap when we come here in the hope of reading some interesting Apple related news. I first bookmarked tuaw when it used to provide this fairly reliably. I am now very close to deleting that bookmark, mostly because there's so much dross like this posted nowadays that it's literally a waste of time loading this site.
If you can only read this sort of response as negative 'hate' then that's your loss. If you had the sense to read it as positive feedback and up your game, you might not be losing so many people's interest.
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joem said 10:28PM on 5-03-2009
Ken, I didn't mean literal 'hate.' I was merely using an American colloquial term.
I may be reading too much into your criticism, but you may be interested to know that TUAW offers an iphone-less feed (check up top).
As to the merit of Mel's article, perhaps it would be wise to direct your complaints to the editor, not the author. Editors are the ones in charge of just how much "dross like this" is published, not the authors. And this misdirection of complaints is why I dismissed you (and others) as "haters." I assume that if someone is trying to better an organization like TUAW out of respect (instead of animosity), they would take the time to properly direct their concerns.
D.B. Grady said 1:38PM on 5-03-2009
"They're not tricks, Michael; they're illusions!"
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Caitlin said 3:35PM on 5-03-2009
Every neat magic trick I see on here, I go and download (provided the price is reasonable). It's just another thing to amaze my 8 year old brother.
The one about the coin getting stuck in the phone? Yeah, they -loved- that one.
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Flunky Carter said 2:08AM on 5-04-2009
@MEL
Hey.. I think you need to keep your "opinion" out of our comments. We have no say how you write a story, you should have no say how we comment. I don't agree with the mean comments here, but I don't agree with your bitching and whining about the comments. Swallow your pride and shut up dickwad. The other commenters are dickwads too.
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