With all these new mystery type boxes coming out such as the latest version of Vision Box is it still worth purchasing the original Kennedy mystery box or is it outdated ?

I have a clear box version but prefer the Kennedy box. After working for a while with both, I find that having an opaque box makes for a better finish as the spectators don’t see what’s coming.

I agree its an ideal card to impossible location , its still my go to item but I also love the Lego Box version by PropDog .
This has the added bonus that you assemble the 'empty' box in front of them . This is a double fooler as they know its empty and also don't see what's coming

I'm a heavy memorized-deck user so my signed & folded cards have to come from different decks

Along those lines, I've had good luck with a money clip holding a folded card with a clearly different back design out on the table all along

That way, you have the mystery of a closed box combined with the apparent fairness of a clear box

In case you haven't guessed, I use Sankey's Paperclipped move to effect the necessary change

There are a couple ways to look at this idea and both are different effects. The first is with the Kennedy Box where some how the card vanishes and appears inside the box. You are performing a vanish and appearance which is fantastic and is as strong as you could ask for. The overall effect is strong because they do not see what is going to happen even if you call attention to the box it has no direct correlation to the deck unless you give it one by saying "watch as I make a card appear inside" and I hope no one would do that as it is bad theatre.

The second effect is different and relies on knowing there is a correlation between it and the cards. you call attention to the card in the clear box at the start of the routine then you show this card was the signed card all along. This is puzzling in a different way by leaving the question of how this card could exist before it could possibly ever actually exist. This becomes less a vanish and appearance and more a dreamy type effect where the card exist in an ethereal type state.

You will get more from this idea if you choose your words wisely for each one as well. With each of the boxes you can use an ambiguous type statement that does not complete the thought process for them but rather allows them to draw their own conclusions as to what they just saw. By not saying that the card inside is the same card they selected they will need to determine this for themselves and this is doubly so with the clear box and sometimes its what you don't say in magic that gets the biggest reaction. This is also dependent on the performer because what I have found may not work for anyone else.

all this said these ideas are all theatre; the spectators at the base of it all know it is a magic trick but it is all in how you perform the theatrics. so no the Kennedy box will never be outdated because its not the prop its the affect you want to leave your audience the experience of remembering.

I agree its an ideal card to impossible location , its still my go to item but I also love the Lego Box version by PropDog .
This has the added bonus that you assemble the 'empty' box in front of them . This is a double fooler as they know its empty and also don't see what's coming

I also think Propdogs version is the best.

I'll stick with the version Kennedy came out with back in the 80s. It can use just about any small canister. I used a plastic Skoal can. I miss that routine and want to revisit it soon.

For a real-world audience, I consider how practical the box or device is and how it looks and fits my presentation. Built to last? Instant Reset? Wood vs plastic? Fits in pocket? Angles etc

The Kennedy box effect looks impossible and the innovations don't make the effect "more" impossible except maybe for some magicians

The Kennedy box ticks all these boxes except I wish it was easier to reset. I love the way the lego one resets but the wooden box fits my presentation better.