Considering the popularity of wizard books and movies, like Harry Potter, it's no surprise that magic wands are easy to find. There are cheap plastic ones for kids, expensive hand-carved wooden ones for adults, replica wands from movies, and even wands that light up and make sounds! This wand, however, actually works!
The Kymera Magic Wand can learn commands from household remote controls. Just like the controller for a Wii, a simple wave of the wand can control TVs, DVD players, and nearly anything that has a remote control! It can learn up to 13 commands, an appropriate number for a magic wand.
Programming the Magic Wand Remote
The wand is simple to program and can be reprogrammed as well. Each command has a unique moment such as flicking left or right, swishing down, twirling, or tapping. All you have to do is put it into "Learning Mode" and hold it up to an existing remote. Wave the wand for the motion you want to program and then press the corresponding button on the remote control. Abracadabra, the wand has learned it!
Before it is programmed the wand is in "Practice Mode". All 13 commands are assigned a number, like five for a left flick, and the wand will pulse with the corresponding number when the movement is made correctly. It's a good idea to practice and be certain that you can do each movement correctly before programming the wand.
Problems and Tips for a Better Wand Remote
Unfortunately, the wand can be a bit fussy. The downward swish and the downward flick can be mixed up if not done properly. The wand is very sensitive and a flick in any direction can instead perform the action of a backwards jab. There are also four different finger taps, a single and double on top and a single and double on the side. All four are prone to getting mixed up and a hard tap may even move the wand and do a flick instead!
Before programming the wand, write down which action corresponds to which motion. Be careful to choose actions and motions that won't be annoying when mixed up! If you want a motion that turns the TV on and off, don't pick something like the single tap if your double tap is something you'd use more often.
- Using the Wand Remote on Only One Device
If you want to use the wand for, say, only the TV, carefully plan out the new controls to minimize confusion. Some controls, such as browsing channels in the Guide, won't do anything unless the guide is open. Use an uncommon movement, like a double tap, to open the guide, then have some of the more commonly mixed up ones as channel browsers. Then, even if you frequently mix up two motions, it won't matter unless the guide is open when you do it.
- Program the Wand Remote for More than One Device
The best idea is to use the remote for multiple devices. As neat as it would be to watch TV using nothing but a wand, the novelty will wear off soon. A big swish to turn on the TV in front of friends who haven't seen it yet is fun, but it only works a few times. Programming the remote to control more than just the TV will not only be more useful in the long run, but it will minimize movement confusion. If you almost always jab backwards when you try to flick, it won't matter if the back jab controls something you aren't pointing the wand at.
For example, my 13 controls are:
- Television On/Off
- Cable box On/Off
- Guide Open/Closed
- Browse Channels Up
- Browse Channels Down
- Select Station
- Volume Up
- Volume Down
- Fan On/Slow/Fast/Off
- Fan Light On/Off
- iPod Dock On/Off
- iPod Play/Pause
- DVD Player On/Off
I set it up so that I never get commands confused! My single tap on top turns on my fan, and my double tap on top browses cable channels. Unless I'm pointing my wand up at the fan, accidentally single tapping never does anything!
A Wand For More than Harry Potter Fans
This wand is, of course, the perfect gift for any Harry Potter fan. However, it makes a great gift for more than just aspiring witches and wizards! Do you know somebody who can never remember where the buttons on the remote are? Have you ever just growled in frustration and grabbed it to do it yourself? Maybe you've really wanted to pause or mute something, but have taken a moment to find the button and missed something important. Being able to grab the wand and give it a quick flick is the solution! Teaching it a few simple commands can make life much easier for the hunt-and-peck folks who can just never seem to find the input button on their remote.
It's also great for people, even Harry Potter haters, at night! Imagine yourself cuddled in bed; the TV and the DVD player are on and you're starting to fall asleep. Instead of fumbling for two remotes and then finding the buttons, you grab your wand and with a swish and flick, the devices are off! You wake up shivering and realize the fan is still on. Grab the wand and wave it: the fan is off. It's dark, the phone is ringing and you can't find your glasses! No more getting up and stumbling to the light switch, flick the wand and turn on the light!
The wand is a bit expensive for a novelty toy, but if programmed with a bit of thought, it really can be useful! It's good fun to give it a tap and surprise friends when the TV comes to life. The magic wand is also a clever solution to juggling remotes at night or searching for the elusive mute button. The bottom line? This is not for the hardcore channel flicker or the easily frustrated. However, it's the perfect gift for the tech-savvy Harry Potter fan and anybody else who wants to add a bit of novelty and convenience to TV watching.
Katie Ouderkirk - Katie Ouderkirk started working at a barn when she was ten. As the years went on she worked at a number of different barns, two zoos, and ...
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