Harry Potter fans have plenty of replica wands to choose from. Some are designed for children, with mystical sound effects and LED lights. Others hew closer to movie props with beautifully carved handles and tips. Few, however, replicate the art of learning and performing magic. Kano, a startup based in London, is hoping to change that with its new learn-to-code Harry Potter wand kit. Like the company's previous hardware, it comes with a companion app that teaches you programming through block-based logic. This time, though, the challenges produce spells that you control on screen with a build-it-yourself plastic wand.

Once the wand has been assembled, you'll need a Mac, PC, iPad or Android tablet to run the companion Harry Potter coding app. The design and functionality are similar to the existing Kano app, and Klein confirmed that the two versions will be merged eventually. You start by creating a profile and customizing a small wizard avatar with different clothes and glasses. You then traverse the wizarding world -- the top-down perspective looks a bit like the Marauder's Map -- completing tasks in iconic locales such as Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and, of course, Hogwarts.

Kano is promising more than 70 step-by-step challenges at launch. They're all delivered in a similar fashion, with pop-up instructions and a small circular blob that highlights the block-like piece you need next. The Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit will launch in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand for $99.99/£99 on October 1st.

dni24.com