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Nikola Pelletier: Nomad Pad 2.0 Reviewed
One Nomad Pad, one pad refill, one "special" pen, a video download and $120 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect/Method
The ad copy claims that this is an update/improvement to the Nomad Pad [1.0]. So let's take a moment to understand what that is first.
Here's the ad trailer for the original:
After watching the demo, you now know that this is an impression device. The 2.0 version changed the workings slightly. First, there's no rubber band needed to hold the paper on the cover. You just flip the book open and use it. Second, the device that gets the impression is grey and looks a lot like those Magic Slates we had when we were wee lads.
The effect? Someone writes something down and tears out the paper after they write it. You divine it. The method? See the video above.
Ad Copy Integrity
First, I'm going to assume that when they use the word "stylet" that they really mean "stylus" by which they really mean "marker." A stylet is a medical probe. That was not included. Next, the ad copy is generally accurate with the exception of one MAJOR point . . . the actual functioning of the device. The claim that you have "better legibility of writing" is false. Well . . . technically I don't know if it's "better" than the 1.0, but it's so bad on the 2.0 that you can't see it. There's just no way that the other one could be worse. More to come in the Product Quality segment.
Product Quality
There are several components to address here
The Pad Itself
The only way I was able to get a legible reading of the information written by the spectator is if the marker pen was held perfectly vertical and 90 degrees perpendicular to the paper, and if I pushed super hard.
However, hold the pen the way a normal person would hold it would not allow the secret information to be copied, even if the marker was pushed super hard. It had to be perfectly straight AND pressed hard.
I followed the instructions several times on how to make sure the gimmick was properly magnetized, and still got little to nothing being captured on the secret part of the pad.
The Video Quality
The video is 15 minutes long and assumes that you know exactly what the product is. There is no performance demo. It just goes right into comparing it to the 1.0. I wasn't familiar with 1.0, so I didn't even realize what the product was supposed to do. Finally about half way through the video, I realize that it's a type of impression device. The video is voice-over English, or you can download the French version. The lighting is pretty bad and just feels like it was shot with a VHS cam-corder.
For about the same retail price of a single Nomad Pad 2.0, one can purchase a lighting/green screen kit to make vastly superior videos. The video of me reviewing this very product was done with said lighting kit and a first gen iPhone 5, so I'm sure the poor quality film is not a budget issue.
The Instruction Quality
The instructions weren't bad. Putting aside the fact that the device doesn't really work, the explanation for how to use it and reset, etc. was very good, though tough to follow sometimes with the distraction of the French voice being spoken in the background under the English translation.
The Website(s)
On the packaging, it says to go to MathieuBich.com for a demo of the product. I could not find the demo anywhere on the site. In fact I could not find a demo of this product anywhere, including Murphy's Magic and YouTube. As far as I can tell, no demo exists anywhere. Further, on the video download, it points you to another secret website that they claim will have more video downloads and a place to buy individual components and refills for the product.
However, upon visiting the site, there is a message that says "Under Construction" and that the site will be available in March. It doesn't say what year. This product came out a some time in the summer of 2014. That would imply that the March 2015 would be the March they were referring to. However, I checked the file dates for the web page. The last time they were edited was February of 2015. It's currenly November of 2015 . . . about a year an half since the product was released, but still no website.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately folks if you buy this, you're paying $120 bucks for a pocket steno-pad that would only cost you a buck (or less). Sure it's an imp-pad, but the imp part doesn't work, leaving us with simply a pad. Between the fact that the product doesn't work except under very strict and unrealistic circumstances and the fact that the websites they send you to mostly end in a wild goose chase, I just can't recommend this one.
Final Verdict:
1 Star with a Stone Status of Rubble.
6 Comments
WOW! If I was going to do this I would get the first one. But I probable wont use either one.
@Alan – Yep. I’d pass brother. It’s been a while since I’ve had a rubble.
Thorough and honest, Jeff. Sounds as if it was harder to find info on the product than it was to write the review! But yes, it’s obvious you spent time on the review too, and I do appreciate the way that you break things down, ie; the categories. Not much one can miss if a reader has questions. Do you think they ever sold any?
Thanks!
-Dan
@Dan – Thanks for the comment. Frankly, I doubt many of them sold. First, the price is too high. Second, I’ve had several people say that they were thinking about getting one, but they were waiting for the reviews. I really do think that the concept is brilliant. But the execution was a fail. If they made one where the “impression” worked, I’d use it. I don’t think I’d pay $120 bucks for it, however. I’d rather just hide some carbon paper in a notebook.
My first question is why not a ball point style pen? My next question is seriously…One hundred and twenty freakin dollars?
I like the idea but it just doesn’t seem to work.
@Steven – I think the idea of the felt pen was to make it seem less possible to get an impression. Either way, even if it worked . . . $120 is ridiculous.