"iContact by Gary Jones"
Suggested Retail USD$29.99
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 8 Out of 10

"iContact", an effect by Gary Jones and RSVP Magic, is a clever piece of work, a self-working two-card revelation with a nice look and feel to it, but practicality issues may keep it from being performed regularly, if at all.

"iContact" is direct and straightforward, starting by having a card freely chosen and then asking another person to think of another card. When the chosen card is turned over, the thought-of card is written on the back of the chosen card. See? Nice and quick and with good reactions.

But with "iContact", it's not the getting there that's the problem; it's the baggage you have to handle on the journey that's the thing of it.

Yes, you're talking about a one-shot-gaffed-to-the-hilt deck that cannot be used for anything else and which can't be repeated easily in strolling or table-hopping venues. We all know what that means: limited playability and precious pocket real estate being lost to it.

Really, that's about the only thing to concern yourself with here. The workmanship is top notch (it's not said anywhere, but the deck is very well made so I strongly think USPCC was involved in it's assembly) and the documentation is extremely well done (tips and hints throughout, plus a second routine). Oh, there are some fine points, such as that second routine requiring cards that aren't included with this (but you've probably already got them or can get them easily from a shop), but it's the practicality issues to be mostly considered here.

Well, that and the effect, of course.

We're all adults here, in one form or the other. We know that modern magic, perhaps moreso now than in the past, is a game of give and take. We have limited amounts of resources with which we can earn a living or just entertain people, and when we give resources to something we expect to take back from that something at least as much as we put in, right?

So… think about "iContact" and its effect. Is that big enough for you, something you can sell so well, that carrying a gaffed, unexaminable, hard-to-repeat item is worth the price?

That's the big question, right there. And to my mind, the answer was "Kinda".

Yeah, I know. But "iContact" brings out that kinda feeling in me. See, I can definitely see that obvious here: this as a cute bit for "couples magic", where one part of the couple does the picking and the other does the thinking (probably shouldn't have said that; I can just imagine "Stan the Insult Magic Man" using that line). Otherwise, I'm just not that crazy about it.

Yes, the routine is slick, and yes, the presentation is extremely good, but in the end, if I'm going to pack a gaffed deck no one can touch, I'm going to make it either as utilitarian as I can get or with a single routine that is as close to being a reputation-maker as I can get.

Using those criteria, there are other decks out there I'll give up pocket space for. But I'll not dismiss "iContact" out of hand, either; I'll keep it at the ready for special times and see if it earns its keep there.

"iContact" by Gary Jones
In a Blink: 8 Out of 10

Practicality: 7
It's a one-shot gaffed deck that can't be examined (though that's not an overwhelming concern here) and carries all the baggage you'd expect with that, plus repeating it can be a bit of a problem in some venues (definitely don't want to be overheard at the next table). Overall, thought, this is a fairly practical piece.

Workmanship: 9
The deck is extremely well made, so I suspect the USPCC's hand in it. You'll need to do some work on it yourself, and it will about an hour to do it right (bad pun there), but it's nothing major and a one-time deal. More disappointing is the lack of additional cards needed to perform Jones' "Touched" routine, which is explained on the DVD but not supplied here.

Documentation: 10
The documentation, on DVD, is extremely well done, covering the basic handling then throwing alternate ideas and routines into the mix, including Jones' original "Touched" routine.

Effect: 7
This plays well enough to be considered for addition in some acts and repertoires, and the reactions are reasonably strong and solid enough to warrant attention.

Presentation: 9
This looks very clean and, being pretty much self-working, it allows you to concentrate on what matters: your own presentational skills and selling this one as best you can.

Shane

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