#alakazapps

[illusionary-matt]

Torn & Restored

When I first started developing magic tricks for the iPhone my goal was to infuse classic magic ideas with the amazing new technology. It's no easy task because it's very easy for the technology to mask the magic. Today I released a brand new illusion for Magic Kit called Torn & Restored. A very well known illusion updated with technology. I'm so proud of this effect I filmed a special performance demonstration which hopefully shows the power of the illusion. Torn & Restored is angle-proof, instantly repeatable, uses a signed card and looks incredible. Using the iPhone I was able to create a torn and restored illusion with an incredibly clean structure. A card is chosen, torn and then restored in one fluid motion. There are no pieces to hold, the spectator can examine the card before and after the effect - they can even keep the card as a souvenir. If you already own Magic Kit, Torn & Restored is a free update. If you don't why not get your copy today. Matt

[illusionary-matt]

Next Major Release

There's a major new version of Magic Stage in the works and I wanted to share some of the developments with everyone. 

First I'm redesigning the whole user interface. From scratch. 

Magic Stage started as an iPhone only app. Since then it's become a universal app with both a full and lite version available. The app grew organically on each platform (iPhone and iPad), which meant certain things weren't optimised. 

The next release is built from the ground-up to accommodate both platforms. Both the iPhone and iPad will share a very similar UI. 

So what's new about this new UI? Well, it looks loads better. I've listened to the feedback and designed something with a pro magician in-mind. 

Gone are stage curtains, magic tables and top hats (ok, there were never top hats). Magic Stage now resembles a  classy magic case. Each trick is represented by a small card. Tapping the card reveals all the options related to the specific trick. You can learn the secret, with an amazing new tutorial system, you can perform the trick and, you can "favourite" a trick 

The "favourite tricks" feature is really cool. Tricks you favourite can be viewed in an even more minimalist way. This is perfect for performance situations. 

I'll be sharing screens of these features on this blog in the coming weeks. 

The next major release of Magic Stage will also include two new tricks bringing the total to eleven. Check back soon for more details. 

I can't wait to share more information. This is going to be a major new release and it's scheduled for late summer, early autumn.

Thanks for reading,

Matt 

[illusionary-matt]

Featured Magic Trick - Photo Escape

Magically print a digital photograph of an escapologist onto a blank piece of paper.

[illusionary-matt]

Welcome to Alakazapps!

Well, it's been four months since I released my first iPhone app and I've not yet properly introduced myself! My name is Matt, I work n' play in Notting Hill, London and I develop apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. I've resisted starting a blog for Alakazapps because I didn't want to write unless I had something interesting to say. I'm still not sure that I have anything interesting to say but, at least I can use this space to thank the users of my apps. Thank you!  Thank you to the many thousands of you who have seen some worth in my apps. Special thanks are extended to those who have taken the time to write nice things about what I do. To keep this first entry as concise as possible I'll do the rest of it as a series of questions to myself. Why develop magic apps? I have been studying magic for about fifteen years and designing magic tricks for about the last eight. The iPhone and iPod Touch are pretty amazing on their own so it wasn't a huge leap to bring magic tricks to these devices. Magic apps allow me to fuse my love of magic with my love of showing off my favorite piece of technology. I hope they can do the same for you! What is your favorite app? I personally love ESP Vision, which interestingly is the least popular on iTunes. I think the idea of a randomly chosen symbol appearing on my palm is about as strong as magic gets.  Will you only make magic apps? For the moment, yes. I do have a few non-magic ideas in the pipeline but for now, I'm committed to bringing magic to the iPhone. What's next? I'm constantly trying to get the most out of the apps I develop. This means I can hopefully get at least one update out each month. New apps will be released as-and-when they're developed. I think I've covered a lot of ground in this introductory post. If there's anything else you'd like to know feel free to e-mail me. I hope you'll come back again soon!