"Bondoogle" is a brand new web-based card trick I'm working on, I just got it working today (August 22) and thought you might enjoy playing with it.

This is the ultimate "Google Hack" for magicians.

The effect:

1. Ask a spectator to pick a card.
2. Fail to ascertain what it is.
3. Turn to Google for help. In Google, you type in "What is it?"
4. Google reveals the card (also works with Google Image Search, in which case you get images of the card).

How it works.

1. Bookmark the following URL on your browser (or set your home page to it). This is a fake Google of my own (devious) construction.

http://ipolygraph.com/google/

Note: If you like, you may hide the address bar in your browser, but when performed properly, no one will notice that the address is different.

The URL is temporary - I will eventually move this effect to a more suitable URL.

2. Have the user select a card and covertly determine what the card is, using your favorite method. I use an ordered deck. You use any method you like.

3. Make a few bad guesses.

4. Go to the fake Google page. If you like, you can click on the "Images" button to do an image search (this way you get pictures of the card). Otherwise, it does a regular google search that returns text results.

5. In the input field, type a slash (/), a two-letter card code (codes are explained below), and another slash (/).

For example, if the card is the four of clubs, you would type:

/4c/

but to the user it will appear as if you typed "What".

Then finish the rest of the question, phrasing it any way you like, such as "What is it?"

When you hit the search button, Google will perform a search on the phrase "four of clubs", or whatever card you covertly input.

The two letter card code is a rank, followed by a suit. Ranks are a,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1,j,q,k. Suits are h,d,c,s (first letter of the suit). For example to encode "ten of diamonds" you might type:

/1d/ is the card?

6. You may use either the web search, or the image search. I haven't enabled the other searches, yet, such as Groups, News and Froogle.

Note that this page will behave more or less like normal Google if you don't type the slash.

* * *

Sick of card tricks? The trick can also be used for a mind-reading effect, using the same technique (originaly used in my 1995 program "Orville"). If the secret phrase you type is longer than 2 letters, Bondoogle will search for that phrase, whatever it is. You can use this for a good visual mind-reading act.

For example:

Magician: "Name your favorite movie star".
Spectator: "Charlize Theron"
Magician types (to Google): "What is it that I am thinking of?"
Google shows images of Charlize Theron.

This effect is brand new and probably still a little buggy. I've only tested it on Mozilla Firefox and IE on Windows.

Soon I'll be adding additional features, including the ability for users to customize it with their own pre-canned questions & results.

If you like Bondoogle, check out some of my other online effects

- Jim Bumgardner

Very nice idea, Jim. Just tried it and works very nicely indeed!

Not sure it would be to practical though for a performance, unless of course you brought a laptop or something with you!

-Nik

Yeah, none of my stuff is practical for regular performances, in my opinion. Even if you have a video projector, it's really not the right setting for it.

I mostly use it for impromptu silliness at the office, although I imagine it might be useful for wagering in internet Cafés, or obtaining grant monies.

Jim, great thinking "out of the box". Really nice! Great "performing item" ideas can come from this type of creativity!

Another great idea and effect.

Top thinking. I like your direction and deception. This effect will come into its own with mobile phone internet expansion.

Great effect

Thanks

That's awesome, Jim! That's definitely the coolest online card trick I've ever seen! (I haven't seen your others, though)

This is absolutely brilliant!

Great idea! I loved it. Thank you very much for sharing this.

All the best magic,

Pablo Tejero

Thanks Jim for this IDEA!!!!! Great Job!

I lecture frequently to local computer clubs and tech groups and I always slip in a little magic. Your programs are absolutely wonderful! Thank you very much for your talent and dedication - and for making them free!

Already have an old program in my Language called Lúcifer you digit (;) and when you finish your answer click on enter and finish the question and click on enter again and the program answer.

Here is the link

http://netpage.estaminas.com.br/mcjardim/lucifer.swf

Small comment. I work/live/hide from folks who notice things like this:

http://www.google.com/search?q="five%20of%20spades" in the address bar on the browser.

The keystroke masker is great. Any chance you could manage this as well?

Jim,
Thank you. The trick is great and your generosity very much appreciated!
Regards,
Gary

yeah, it also shows up in the search box on the google results page...

I just tried 2H (at random) and none of the results were very good, at least image wise...

>> Any chance of hiding the stuff in the address bar or the search box?

I'm noodling on it, but don't get your hopes up.

I'm currently retrieving the search results directly from Google. The good thing about this is that once the user is ready to detect something fishy, you are already on the real google, but the bad thing is that user does see those things. Thus far, the folks I've performed the trick for don't seem to mind.

It's possible I can do a more elaborate version in which the search is performed server side and filtered so some of that stuff is removed or cleaned up, but then the address bar would show a bogus domain name, just it does when you initiate the search.

Sadly, most of the domain names that closely resemble google, such as qooqle and g00gle are already taken (no doubt by folks doing things far less worthy

>> I just tried 2H (at random) and none of the results were very good, at least image wise...

I would suggest trying lots of others (you can search for the cards directly in Google image sarch) and find some ones you like, and then use those as force cards. I think the images on some of the face cards are outstanding.

I've also considered delivering pristine "canned" images, but I kind of like that the effect works with real google data.

It just occured to me that I could probably deal with both of these issues by hard-coding the google name resolution on my computer to point to the ip-address of my site. This would enable me to fix the domain name issue, and filter the results server-side. That would be an awful lot of work for a free program though

I just floored two guys at work, killed them, good work!

Duxx

This looks really cool. I'm going to try it out now. Thanks!