Is this thing useful for anything? Such as pushing remote buttons/switches across pits?

Or it's just another tongue-in-cheek item name from the creator (I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole!)

10 foot pole was standard adventurer gear in classic D&D for detecting traps.
You don't need it in MM so just sell it.

If you are interested, I have added the Sorcerer Spell 2/5 (Levitate) ability to the 10 Foot Pole (30 Charges). The Rope & Hooks have the Sorcerer Spell 2/4 (Jump) ability with 30 Charges, so I figured that maybe the 10 Foot Pole was supposed to have an ability added to it. Since there isn't a Detect Trap spell, I added the Levitate spell since it is the closest spell to what you could use a 10 Foot Pole for, e.g., checking the floor for trap doors and not falling down them. I have also made some other changes if anyone is interested in hearing about them.

How'd you do that? Hex editing?

Yes, I used a Hex editor to make the change to the 10 Foot Pole. I also made the following changes with a Hex editor as well:

Renamed OTTO'S TRAINING to WORG'S TRAINING to match the map in the back of the manual and the name of the trainer is Worg.
Renamed BAG OF GARBAGE to BAG OF COPPER. Bag of Garbage. Really? Just dumb.
Replaced BAG OF GARBAGE with BAG OF COPPER in chest (IRON BOX) at C-2 X=2 Y=10.
Removed cursed flag from BAG OF COPPER.
Renamed X!XX!X'S SWORD to SAPPHIRE SWORD. Same reason as Bag of Garbage. X!XX!X is just dumb.
Renamed X!XX!X'S PLATE to SAPPHIRE PLATE.
Renamed XX!XX!XX!XX!XX to SAPPHIRE GOLEM.
Changed XX!XX!XX!XX!XX icon from HEX 09 (SPRITE) to HEX 10 (GOLEM)