Tech Or Treat!
Madeleine Bruce explores how All Hallows’ Eve has been brought into the 21st Century.
When it comes to holidays, I would gladly forsake Christmas, The Fourth July and Thanksgiving for Halloween. I spend all year in preparation for the spookiest night of the year and it never disappoints. From dressing up as a toilet-papered mummy at 6 years old to my later efforts as Stephen King’s Carrie and Bellatrix Lestrange of the Harry Potter franchise, I’ve loved to transform for one night a year into someone (arguably) more terrifying. But that’s enough about me…
All Hallows’ Eve lies in the hearts of many an American. The thrill of the spook brings everyone together in a celebration of all things creepy. Pumpkins are transformed into beings with ghastly faces, children become ghouls, ghosts and vamps, and it’s fully acceptable for us adults to join in the fun.
As with pretty much everything, the digital boom has cast its spell over Halloween, giving it a high-tech spruce up. From costumes to household decor, the evolution of All Hallows’ Eve has gone into fast-forward over the past few years. Check out some of these spooky gadgets…
Digital Dudz
Designed by NASA scientist Mark Rober, Digital Dudz brings your Halloween costume to life with the help of your smartphone. Rober’s free app offers a plethora of interactive costume enhancers from life-like beating hearts to shifty eyes. Attaching your screen to his clothing designs makes for a spook-tastic outfit!
Nextdoor’s Treat Map
Kinda like the social network for Trick or Tweeters, Nextdoor maps out your neighborhood showing you the trick or treating hotspots. With the Halloween Treat Map, you can connect with others in your neighborhood who are giving out candy, out collecting said candy, or those rife for a bit of trickery! Celebrate this year’s scaretacular in a safe and monitored environment.
Hack-o-lantern
Pumpkin carving is to Halloween what turkey is to Thanksgiving. Young and old alike get involved and compete to carve out the scariest monster possible. Here in the Midphase office, we’re having our very own pumpkin carving competition! The Hack-o-lantern is a piece of trickery that’s a treat to behold; engineered to light up as it is activated by noise around, you can spook your trick or treaters as it comes to life before their eyes!
You can keep an eye on our Halloween celebrations through the Midphase Blog!