MONiCLE by Ben Harris

[Houdini]

As you guys now know, Ben Harris has released 3 new iPhone applications from WowBound!


First, adding the Premier App Store to you iPhone if very easy. You go the www.premierappshop.com and sign up to have them send you a link on your iPhone. Follow the easy instructions and BAM. The Store is on you iPhone. They offer both HotTrix and Ben Harris Applications.

Between the two are 5 applications in the store.

MONiCLE

MONiCLE is suppose to be a new specialized X-Ray application for your iPhone. You open the application and get a nice how to video that explains the whole application.

The idea is you touch the screen and this magical all seeing "x-ray bubble" (aka monocle) pops up and starts to see through your phone, a little at a time. Starting from behind the screen at the micro chips, then the back of the phone, and then your hand.

The big advertised selling point is the ability to "Wiggle" your fingers. No, you will not be able to wave your hand or flip anyone off from behind your phone though. But there is an optical illusion built in to so that the moving monocle will give the appearance of moving fingers. You will need to hold the phone a certain way to allow for your digits seen.

The application also have the bonus feature of X-Ray Powers! (so to speak.) The application also has the ability to be turned and allow the monocle to r-ray yours or a friends hand.

The Graphics:

As advertised, the graphics deliver! They do not look like fake home screens nor are any of the pictures distorted. The x-ray with "gamma" radiation is neat and the Monocle follows your finger perfect.

One issue we did come across was the flipping of the phone to activate the x-raying/bone mode. There is a slight flash and screen shift, also the clock doesn't always follow.

Also, while x-raying, you will come across words at the bottom of the screen, saying "X-ray Buffer Overload" and then a black section of screen.

How does it work on an audience?

There has been much debate about performing Magic on your iPhone, but lets assume you like iPhone Magic.

If you take the time to perfect using this application, you may be able to wow some people. The people I showed it to, seemed to take it as a "nice piece of programming." The magical element is a bit...gone. "It's technology looking through."

You could structure your patter around the idea of opening a portal to the other side and seeing through things. But this still seems like a gag. Or a great conversational piece for the dinner table while talking about Magic. Ben himself has labeled the x-ray feature as a Gag.

Final Thoughts

The application does what is says and the video is pretty accurate at showing you what you will see during the effect. The X-Ray app is nothing revolutionary, but this version is fun, easy to use and shows off Ben's Programming Teams talents. This definitely makes me want to look more into the custom programming option that Ben offers.

It also raising more interest in the CrossRoads for the iPhone. So check both of these out! We definitely will be!

MONiCLE by Ben Harris: A technological piece of art. 5/10