Make Your iPhone Do Magic Tricks

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, as Arthur C. Clarke famously theorized. But now, some creative young nerds, er, entertainers are adding smartphones to their magic acts, dazzling audiences with some high-tech prestidigitation, reports the Washington Post. Now a guessed number can appear on screen, a digital pic of a coin turns into the real thing—the variations are morphing by the day.

Not all magicians approve of adding tech to their acts. “If we use a smartphone, people will give it all the credit," says one magician. "Chances are people would say, ‘There’s an app for that.’” Indeed, the iForce is one of the most popular magic apps on the market today. “There have been questions in the magical community since the very first hint of technology: Will we seem less magical because of technology X?” asks one magic publisher. “No.” (More magic stories.)