DIY Hacks: Digital Magic 8 Ball With Not-so-Vague Fortunes (VIDEO)

Magic 8 balls are integral parts of the lives of millions of people worldwide. They provide guidance and advice on an as-needed basis. They're cheaper than shrinks, way more understanding than overbearing parents, and more reliable than friends who might be too busy bonking someone to take your calls.

Unfortunately, they're also made with the primary function of being toys and don't provide the most concrete of answers to all your woes.

Breathing new life into the old concept of magic 8 balls is Jason Poel Smith and his digital magic 8 ball. With a handheld electric saw, a digital photo keychain, lots of glue, and of course, a regular old 8 ball, you too can make your very own.

It's actually a lot of work, hacking a regular magic 8 ball and turning it into a digital one, so if you're too lazy to try it out yourself, then just check out the clip to see how it's done and how it works. Since you're working with a digital photo keychain, you can save a bunch of fortune-giving and question-answering images that'll appear randomly on the display.

Pretty neat, huh? You can check out Jason's Instructables project page for more information.