Magnet Deform: Magnetic Sand

Magnet Deform is a magnetic sand toy for your phone: hold a real magnet near an edge and a screen full of dust flows to it, while dust shapes deform and spring back. It reads your phone's built-in compass sensor (magnetometer), so there is nothing to buy or plug in. Tens of thousands of tiny grains stream to the edge you touch, like iron filings or a tray of magic sand. REAL MAGNET, REAL MAGIC • Hold a small fridge or craft magnet to an edge of your phone and the dust rushes to it • The closer it gets, the stronger the pull: a gentle lean or a full pile • Works on every edge and corner, with a quick "teach the edges" step for your phone • Two effects: Stretch shape (the picture deforms toward the field and re-forms) or Gather dust (every speck piles into a dome) • No magnet? Your finger works too: touch near an edge or drag across a shape • Optional haptics: a soft tick when the pull reaches a new edge DUST SHAPES • 26 shapes drawn in stippled dust: a face lit from above, moon, apple, planet, sun, pine tree, leaf, water drop, lightning, cat, paw, butterfly, fish, people, heart, star, music note, diamond and more • Write your own word or name in dust, up to 14 letters • Turn your own photo into dust, in full colour or in grain • Scatter the dust with one tap and watch it settle back GRAIN STYLES • Film grain: white specks on black, or dark sand on warm paper by day • Teal glitter with copper glints • Golden sand with sunlit sparkles • Black volcanic sand with rainbow glints • Choose from 16,000 to 90,000 specks and set the speck size from fine to coarse SEE THE FIELD • Live field strength in microtesla (µT), with the active edge lit on a dot-matrix phone • Sensitivity control, recalibrate and flip-pole buttons • Clear tips on how the phone's compass sensor works WHO IT IS FOR • Fidget and calm: a slow, satisfying sand toy for a quiet minute • Curious minds and students: watch a magnetic field change live, in numbers and in sand • Makers and tinkerers: compare how strongly different magnets pull and which edge of your phone senses them best • Gifts and keepsakes: write a name in dust or turn a photo into a sand portrait HOW TO PLAY 1. Pick a shape, type a word or choose a photo on the Shapes tab 2. Bring a small magnet slowly to any edge of the phone 3. Watch the sand flow toward it, then pull away and let the picture re-form 4. If one edge feels weak, run "teach the edges" or press Recalibrate on the Sensor tab CALM AND PRIVATE • Night, Day and Auto themes • No account and no sign-in • Photos are turned into dust on your phone and never uploaded • Works offline; the internet is used only for ads and app statistics FAQ How does a phone detect a magnet? Most Android phones have a compass sensor (magnetometer). The app reads its field in microtesla and turns changes into motion of the dust. Do I need a magnet to play? No. You can touch or drag with your finger, but a real one is what makes the sand feel alive. Which magnet works best? A small fridge, craft or neodymium disc. Stronger ones reach further, so start a few centimetres away. Why does the dust go to the wrong edge? Phones place the sensor in different spots. Run "teach the edges" once, or use the flip-pole button. Does it work offline? Yes. Shapes, words, photos and the sensor all work without a connection. Is my photo uploaded? No. It is turned into a dust map on your phone and never leaves it. MAGNET SAFETY • Use small magnets and keep them away from the camera bump, as strong ones can briefly upset camera focus and stabilisation • Keep them away from bank cards and medical implants • Small magnets are dangerous if swallowed. Keep them away from young children Magnet Deform is a toy and sensor visualiser, not a metal detector. How far away a magnet can be detected depends on your phone's sensor and on its strength.