halloween

Funhouse of Horror 2012: Top 10 free scary games on Download.com (part 2)

As promised, we are here to deliver to you, our beloved readers, the second installment of last week's Funhouse of Horror 2012. If the following games can't get even a tiny whimper out of you, then you are made of sterner stuff than our editors or, most likely, are dead inside.

5. Which

This is a short indie game that pushes pixel-shading limits to create a unique atmosphere and provide an effective fright. Much shorter than most of the games on this list, Which takes place in a locked house from which you have to escape. Saw what … Read more

The 404 1,157: Where we live in a van down by the river (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Anthropologist says Apple is definitely a religion.

- Google brings Street View to the Grand Canyon.

- Apple now owns the trademark to The Beatles' Apple Corps Logo.

- What I learned while live-tweeting a friend's funeral.

Video voice mail: Mossimo has a positive update on a previous video voice mail.… Read more

Speck marks Halloween with three iPhone 5 cases

I can't say I'm that into Halloween that I'd buy a special Halloween iPhone case. But I guess there are enough people who are, because otherwise Speck wouldn't bother selling them.

The company has three "spooky" cases to choose from and I think the one with the skull on it (pictured above) probably has the most year-round appeal. I only mention that because these cases do retail for $34.95, which seems a bit steep for a case you'd have on your phone for only a few weeks.

But then again, there are … Read more

Five great Halloween-themed e-books for kids

Halloween is just over a week away, making this the perfect time to sit down with the kids and read them a spooky story, but not too spooky, of course.

Oh, you better believe there are apps for that. I've rounded up five Halloween-friendly e-books for young readers, all of them interactive in some way, and all of them able to pinch-hit as narrator when you're busy. Except where noted, they'll run on any iOS device; some are available for Android as well.… Read more

Funhouse of Horror 2012: Top 10 free scary games on Download.com (part 1)

It's the Halloween season, and Download.com has you covered with a collection of the greatest free horror games in our extensive (and unusual) catalog. If you're a fan of free games and/or horror, you've come to the right place. The games are in no particular order. Start with any one you feel like, or do a Halloween Gauntlet and run through them all in one night, alone in a dark room, with your back to an open door.

10. Inside

The story behind this game is as enigmatic as the game itself. From the developer'… Read more

What you need to know about Windows 8

Friday's CNET Update is charmed:

Brace yourselves: Windows 8 is coming. Today's tech news roundup goes over the new Windows operating system, available Friday Oct. 26. Be sure to read up on CNET's complete guide to using Windows 8 before upgrading. And if you are in the market for one of the many Windows 8 computers, don't get tripped up by the different versions of Windows 8. Just remember: Anything with "Windows RT" will not run your older Windows software. The Windows RT version of the Surface tablet is already facing shipping delays. However, … Read more

ThinkGeek 'sound costume' makes you a monster

Imagine the attention you'll command from higher-ups when you enter the boardroom sounding like a giant hydraulic robot crushing everything in its way. Or a zombie dragging a bunch of arms and legs. There is simply no way you will be ignored.

Just in time for Halloween -- or that big meeting where you really need to make an impression -- ThinkGeek is out with the new Mega Stomp Panic, an "audio reality costume" that lets you forgo masks and makeup and "dress up" in sound alone.

Just clip the two-piece gadget to your boring khaki pants, turn it on, and turn yourself into a monster, gunslinger, coin-collecting 8-bit gaming hero, or medieval knight. If you really want to mess with your pals, saunter up on a sunny day sounding like you're splashing in puddles during a rainstorm. … Read more

Contest: Carve a geeky pumpkin for Crave

We want to reward all the under-appreciated pumpkin artists out there by announcing the "Carve a pumpkin for Crave" contest. We're seeking the best reader-created pumpkin featuring a geeky or technology-inspired theme.

We won't judge too strictly on content (as long as it has a loose relation to tech and/or geek culture), but we wouldn't mind seeing submissions with subjects such as video game characters, sci-fi movies, techy art, and so on. As we've already seen from your Instagram photos and your entries in the biggest "Star Wars" fan contest, Crave readers have a seriously creative knack. … Read more

How to animate Halloween decorations

As someone who likes any excuse to tinker and build stuff, Halloween is my favorite time of the year.

Last year I had some fun creating a custom spooky sound effects board, and showed you how to add some cheap portable speakers to your decorations. This year I'm stepping things up with a basic tutorial on "keybanging."

Don't worry, keybanging isn't as gross or violent as it sounds. The term was introduced to me in volume 30 of Make Magazine. A "keybanger" is a rudimentary prop controller that can be used to automatically … Read more

Give trick-or-treaters a free copy of Plants vs. Zombies (PC/Mac)

Let's face it: Zombies have the worst oral hygiene. I mean, have you ever seen one floss?

Alas, kids run them a close second, especially around Halloween, when the candy piles up like zombies on a cheerleader pyramid.

To help thwart the totally made-up condition known as "Zombie Mouth," PopCap Games has teamed up with the American Dental Association for a seriously cool promotion: Halloween-night coupons for a free copy of Plants vs. Zombies (PC/Mac).

Just print as many copies of the coupon page (PDF) as you like, then cut each one into eight individual coupons … Read more