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The Magic Hallowing is a maker project that turns an Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express into a shake-to-answer fortune teller. Ask a yes-or-no question, shake the board, and its screen displays a response. It is an Arduino sketch using the board’s built-in TFT display and accelerometer—not a commercial product. The project is intended for fun, not real-life decisions.
What is The Magic Hallowing?
Dan The Geek published The Magic Hallowing on Hackster.io on January 2, 2019. It adapts the familiar Magic 8-Ball idea to Adafruit’s HalloWing M0 Express: pose a yes-or-no question, shake the device, and read the answer on its display. The project article says its responses are the same ones used by the original Magic 8-Ball.
The sketch uses the HalloWing’s accelerometer to detect shaking and its TFT screen to show a response. Dan The Geek’s article includes this disclaimer: “Disclaimer: this is for recreational purposes only and should not be used to answer real life questions (but you already knew that).”
What hardware and software does the original build use?
Hardware
The project lists one Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express board and one 3.7V 500 mAh LiPo battery. The article also says 350 mAh and 400 mAh LiPo batteries work. Those capacities are the alternatives the project names; they do not establish that every battery with one of those ratings will fit or connect correctly.
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- Activity LED lights up when the SD card is being read or written
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- Works great with Arduino, with tons of example code and wiring diagrams
- Skill Level: Component or Part
Before choosing a battery, check the specific listing for the JST connector, dimensions, and compatibility with the board. The project article identifies the board’s microcontroller as a Microchip ATSAMD21G18.
Arduino libraries and sketch
The Hackster article names four Arduino libraries for the setup: Adafruit ST7735, Adafruit GFX, Adafruit LIS3DH, and Adafruit Unified Sensor. It also points readers to Adafruit’s HalloWing setup article and links the sketch in the Adafruit_Magic_Hallowing GitHub repository. The project page’s indexed information labels the code GPL3+; further code-version or licensing details are not established here.
Rank #2
- Skill Level: Component or Part
How does it differ from Adafruit’s Magic 9 Ball build?
Adafruit has a related HalloWing Magic 9 Ball guide, authored by John Park and published September 22, 2018, with a last edit dated January 22, 2025. It also uses a HalloWing, but adds a globe enclosure and mounting hardware. It is a separate, more elaborate construction project—not a requirement for running The Magic Hallowing sketch.
| Build | What it adds | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| The Magic Hallowing | HalloWing board, LiPo battery, Arduino sketch, and the board’s display and accelerometer | A shake-to-answer fortune teller |
| Adafruit HalloWing Magic 9 Ball | A water-filled globe with food coloring, pearl dust and optional glycerin; 3D-printed PLA cap, spacer and mount; and two 10 mm M2.5 nylon screws and nuts | An orb-style enclosure and fluid effect for a related build |
For the globe, Adafruit’s guide says the stopper can be secured with silicone sealant or E6000 glue. These globe materials and fasteners belong to that build, not the original sketch-only project.
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- Gold plate won't get oxidation like with bare copper perf
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- Pack of 3
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