Several readers responded with comments regarding my article, "Why iPhone Magic is Lacking."
In my story, I said that the "problem with using an iPhone (or iTouch) to perform a magic is that the sophisticated electronic gadget appears to do all of the work. 
Worse, when the iPhone steals credit for a magic trick, the magician is held in lesser regard. The implication is, anyone with an iPhone and the magic app can do the trick. It's the old assumption that the only things that separates magicians from lay people are secrets and magic props." Thank you to all who posted comments.
"I, for one disagree with your iphone discussion" said Reader Barry Sokolsky. He felt that when he showed someone an iPhone effect, he wasn't worried about getting credit for it.
For instance, when you show the coins rattling around in the phone, It really looks fantastic. Now if I want to employ some slight of hand, I can pour the coins out of the phone and into my hand. This cannot be done without using sleight of hand. The beer trick, when the phone fills up with beer is also a great example of combining slight of hand or mouth in this situation by actually drinking the beer and showing that there is some suds around your mouth which is easy enough to do. Lastly the popcorn effect is another great presentation where you can actually reach into the phone and pull out some real popcorn and eat it.
-Barry Sokolsky
Already, many laymen have the idea that magic is due to tricky gimmicked props. Do we really want a complex electronic device to get all the credit?...iPhone magic is fun to fool around with at home or to show to friends as a mere novelty, but I wouldn't try to present it to laymen as magic.
-TimArends1
I agree. The fact that I only use common, everyday low tech items in my close up magic makes it even stronger against the backdrop of the high tech gizmos out today.
-gr magi
Read all of the comments.
More Reading:
Virtual Magic Pro by Benjamin Vianney
Reader Stories: Tell us about your favorite iPhone Magic Tricks and Apps
Why iPhone Magic is Lacking
Comments
Hi Wayne
You clever clever person! Not only have you pointed directly to the philosophical discussion surrounding how to harness technology without retorting to childish ‘Apps’ that bring nothing more than a wry smile, you have also drawn attention to the need to not ‘think outside of the box’, but to throw the ‘box’ away entirely.
For those that like something a little eerie that packs a BIG punch, I offer, cloaked in a simple substitution cipher, a very powerful and very ‘magical’ effect that can be performed on most modern mobiles (cell-phones).
Here are some tips and clues to aid you in translating.
TIPS:
In a transposition cipher each letter retains its IDENTITY – but changes its POSITION.
In a substitution cipher each letter retains its POSITION but changes its IDENTITY.
The information is encrypted using ONLY a substitution cipher.
The plaintext is derived from the standard alphabet sequence – A,B, C, ….
The translator is a 26 letter pangram – NO repeated letters.
I am using the pangram in a straightforward way – simply write it, letter by letter, under the standard alphabet sequence and then translate the text. This will facilitate swift translation of the code into plaintext.
CLUES:
The pangram is NOT ‘The quick onyx goblin jumps over the lazy dwarf’, or anything else that contains repeated letters.
Christopher Latham Sholes would detest this pangram.
An astrological connection to the composer of ‘The NEW WORLD symphony’. (three clues in one)
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin.
KATXLAK KQPHJRCQ FTNVQOLAK GPHOCI ICBPHKOHT
KAOJ OJ P ‘RQCC FATOFC’ QCBCPI XJOHL DXIKO TXK. VTX MOII QCSXOQC DPKFACJ, P FPHGIC, PHG KAC OKCDJ KT YC QCBCPICG. NIPFC CPFA OKCD KT YC QCBCPICG OH RQTHK TR KAC NATHC FPDCQP.
NIPFC KAC FPHGIC OH JXFA P NTJOKOTH KAPK KAC OKCD MOII YC OIIXDOHPKCG MACH KAC FPHGIC OJ IOK. FTBCQ KAC ICHJ TR KAC FPDCQP TQ (NQCRCQPYIV) GPQUCH KAC QTTD KT NOKFA YIPFUHCJJ. MAOIJK JXY-BTFPIOJOHL VTXQ JFQONK, FTDDCHFC QCFTQGOHL.
KAC BOGCT MOII OHOKOPIIV QCFTQG PJ YIAFU. AJ VTX QCPFA VTXQ PHKOKACJOJ (VTXQ FATJCH QCBCPI), FPQCRXIIV QCDTBC KAC ICHJ FTBCQ, JKQOUC KAC DPKFA, PHG IOLAK KAC FPHGIC. KAC TYECFK MOII PNNCPQ OH PH CCQOC MPV.
ARKCQ a ROBC JCFTHGJ APBC CIPNJCG – LCHKIV YITM TH KAC FPHGIC KT DPUC KAC RIPDC GPHFC – PHG KACH YITM OK TXK FTDNICKCIV – KAC TYECFK MOII GOJPNNCPQ. QCNCPK RTQ PII QCSXOQCG OKCDJ.
OH NCQRTQDPHFC, VTX FPH COKACQ XJC P RTQFC PHG IPXHFA KAC PNNQTNQOPKC BOGCT PK KAC JKPQK TQ IPXHFA ‘TH KAC RIV’ KT JXOK KAC FOQFXDJKPHFCJ. KODOHL OJ PII.
KACDCJ DOLAK OHFIXGC: PJKQPI KQPBCI, NJVFAOF GCBCITNDCHK, JAPNOHL CHCQLCKOF QCPIOKOCJ KT VTXQ MOII. RTQ CWPDNIC, APBC VTXQ BTIXHKCCQ ODPLOHC P RITMCQ; P NTKCHK RITMCQ. OKJ KT GT MOKA ITBC TQ NTJJOYIV JTQQTM – OJHK OK? VTX FPH JCC KAOJ RITMCQ FPHK VTX? JNCPU OK TXK ITXG … MAPK RITMCQ VTX FPH JCC? MAPK FTITXQ OJ KAPK YCPXKORXI RITMCQ? AHG KACQC … OK QCBCPIJ OKJCIR YCRTQC VTX OH PII TR OKJ MTHGQTXJ LITQV!
A QCG QTJC APHG NOFUCG TH KAC MOIG DTTQJ VTX FQCPKC OH KAC DOHG TR VTXQ BTIXHKCCQ YCFTDCJ P KATXLAKROCIG, PHG KACH … PH CHCQLCKOF QCPIOKV KAPK OJ AYJTIXKCIV NXQC. AJ OK OIIXDOHPKCJ OK OJ DTQC QCAI AHG DTQC NTMCQRXI YV RAQ KAPH PHV NATKTLQPNA FTXIG CBCQ YC. KAPK’J KAC UOHG TR RPHKPJV KAPK YQOGLCJ YCKMCCH KAC KCFAHTITLV PHG KAC DPLOFPI.
Hello Daniel,
Thank you for posting your effect. It is utterly brilliant, so poetic, and so very beautiful.
I set everything up as you described and performed it this evening to members of my Bible Class. Everyone was utterly moved by it, and five of my little congregation openly wept. You are truly a child of God.
God bless you Daniel and watch over you on your journey.
Sister Wendy