5 Halloween tech toys, apps and gadgets

Halloween need not be about hurriedly putting on crappy face paint and a makeshift costume you just threw together on the night.Feast your eyes on this techy trinkets, gadgets and apps that’ll be sure to make the annual ghoul fest a terrifically scary one.

Scare passers-by outside your house with The Superior Holiday Scene Projector that displays animated, three-dimensional paranormal Halloween scenes out a window or on a wall, making trick-or-treaters think your home is being overrun by the paranormal.

The nifty gizmo displays lifelike zombies, skeletons, and apparitions up to six feet tall (182.88cm). The video footage also features sound effects like ghouls releasing a primal and bloodcurdling scream.Available at hammacher.com, $99.95

Arachnaphobes, look away now: the Elenco Mechanical R/C Black Widow will be sure to have you jump out of your skin. The remote-controlled spider can scurry forward, backwards, and in circles – and will indeed bring an element of hilarity to your Halloween party. The furry texture and crawling movement of the device make it seem just like a real arachnid.Available at Amazon, $51

Zombies are the most popular scary characters thanks to the TV series “The Walking Dead” and movies like “World War Z.” This Halloween you can follow that trend in a fun way with the help of The Glow In The Dark Zombie Blast. With this fun toy, the defenders of humanity have only 30 seconds to score nine shots between the zombie’s eyes as it lurches forward with a guttural groan that emanates from a speaker built into its chest. Creepy.Available at hammacher.com, $39.95

With the new Star Wars movie set for release later this year, why not get into the intergalactic spirit with these Star Wars Light-Up Pumpkins? Decorate your homesteads with these sci-fi Jack O’ Lanterns, which feature an amber nightlight bulb that gives an appropriate glow without the risk of fire. Choose Darth Vader or Yoda, you must. The novelty lamp is for both indoor and outdoor use. Available at thinkgeek.com, $9.99

If you’re a fan of zombies and want to freak out a few of your friends on social media, ZombieBooth is for you. This app developed by Motion Portrait instantly transmogrifies your profile pic into a 3D, animated zombie.

This app can also make your pet’s photo into the undead and even to record and share videos of your zombified friends. Scare your friends from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all your social network profiles with this app.Available for Android and iOS, $2.99