Price$87.50
Media TypeTrick
CategoryMentalism
Date AddedSep 11, 2008
ScanTastic
Larry Becker; Lee Earle
Mentalism Unlimited
(Based on 1 review)
As you riffle through a shuffled deck, a participant is asked say "Stop" at any time. When he does, the deck is broken at that point and the upper half lifted so only he can see the card on the face of the upper block of cards.
"Give me a thumbs up hand gesture, please," you request, "and place your thumb directly on the index at a corner of the card where both the value and the suit can be covered by your thumb. Now we need a way to see and process fingerprints. That's where technology lends a hand."
You displays small piece of electronic gear, about half the size of a deck of cards and not quite as thick, with a computer USB connecter extending from one side. You continue, "Absent a desktop computer, we'll use this in stand-alone mode, it scans and examines fingerprints."
With a push of a button the device turns on, displaying a small illuminated scanning surface where a finger or thumb can be placed to input it's biometric image. You instruct the participant, "Please use the same thumb with which you marked the card to register your thumbprint on the device." He complies and notices the printscan on the small screen.
As your participant holds ScanTastic, parts of his fingerprint seem to fade. Within fifteen seconds the only bits of the thumbprint that remain form a number and a letter - perfectly identifying the selected card.
The effect can immediately be repeated with a different selected card - again and again and again if you wish. Get two or three people each to take a card at the same time, then get them to pass ScanTastic to one another to register first their thumbprints and then their surprise when each card is precisely identified!
ScanTastic is completely self-contained and comes ready to amaze. Featuring a built-in rechareable Li-Ion battery, a standard USB connector allows it to be plugged into any computer to recharge. The unit will run for up to four hours per charge. Attach it to your keychain so you are ready to perform any time.
The detailed, illustrated instructions make ScanTastic a snap to perform. ScanTastic is ideal for table-hopping because there's no setup involved and if the folks at adjacent tables compare notes, they'll discover they all chose different cards!
Candidly, this amazing revelation does require that the card(s) be forced (how else?) so we include several different and easy methods - even though you probably already know them - so you can get started right away.
BONUS: ScanTastic also has the capability to display an X-ray of the card held between a person's hands - two for the price of one!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
If you've got a good imagination and an interest in premises that involve technology, this might be for you.
The imagination part is key because you don't get much with this item. There's the device (basically a keychain photo viewer) and a tiny bit of instructions. You'll find no suggested presentations, which could be problematic considering that the device is programmed with several possible "effects."
The instructions do include three "EZ" card forces, in case you don't already have some in your repertoire. Actually, I wouldn't call all of them "EZ." One requires that you reverse cull a card.
The instructions are terse, at best. There are numerous typos, including a misspelling of one of the creators' names! It really feels like this was put together in a hurry.
The photo sequences that have been programmed provide great starting points for some interesting routines. One involves taking a thumb print. Another acts as an X-ray. Each sequence has been rendered using multiple cards, so it can be repeated within earshot of a group that's already seen the effect. In addition, there are some fake "low battery warning" images that provide you with clues to which card to force and also allow you to beg out of repeating the trick.
You're provided with a USB cable for charging the Li-Ion battery, which means you'll need a computer to charge it (or an AC-powered USB hub might work). A built-in menu system allows you to change various settings like the time each picture is active and the fade rate.
I have one minor additional gripe. The creators have added a "ScanTech" sticker to the front of the device. This was obviously to cover up any markings that would tell the buyer what company actually made the device. Honestly, I have no problem with this. They found it. They did the research. Good for them. My beef is with the sticker, itself. It's multi-color text on silver. It makes it look like a child's toy, not an actual piece of advanced technology. Think Pokemon and not IBM. It kinda has that '80s Tron feel.
Which brings me to my last comment. You're going to need some serious acting skills to make any human living in 2008 believe that this is actually scanning your fingerprint or doing a x-ray. As long as you don't take it too seriously, you might be OK.
The imagination part is key because you don't get much with this item. There's the device (basically a keychain photo viewer) and a tiny bit of instructions. You'll find no suggested presentations, which could be problematic considering that the device is programmed with several possible "effects."
The instructions do include three "EZ" card forces, in case you don't already have some in your repertoire. Actually, I wouldn't call all of them "EZ." One requires that you reverse cull a card.
The instructions are terse, at best. There are numerous typos, including a misspelling of one of the creators' names! It really feels like this was put together in a hurry.
The photo sequences that have been programmed provide great starting points for some interesting routines. One involves taking a thumb print. Another acts as an X-ray. Each sequence has been rendered using multiple cards, so it can be repeated within earshot of a group that's already seen the effect. In addition, there are some fake "low battery warning" images that provide you with clues to which card to force and also allow you to beg out of repeating the trick.
You're provided with a USB cable for charging the Li-Ion battery, which means you'll need a computer to charge it (or an AC-powered USB hub might work). A built-in menu system allows you to change various settings like the time each picture is active and the fade rate.
I have one minor additional gripe. The creators have added a "ScanTech" sticker to the front of the device. This was obviously to cover up any markings that would tell the buyer what company actually made the device. Honestly, I have no problem with this. They found it. They did the research. Good for them. My beef is with the sticker, itself. It's multi-color text on silver. It makes it look like a child's toy, not an actual piece of advanced technology. Think Pokemon and not IBM. It kinda has that '80s Tron feel.
Which brings me to my last comment. You're going to need some serious acting skills to make any human living in 2008 believe that this is actually scanning your fingerprint or doing a x-ray. As long as you don't take it too seriously, you might be OK.