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Animatronic zombie that rises out of your garden and chases people, dragging its entrails

Cory Doctorow at 12:07 am Fri, Aug 8, 2008

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The Fright Catalog's Dead Fred runs on two 12V battery and sports four separate motors that allow it to sense passers-by, rise up out of the earth and chase them, howling and growling and dragging its entrails behind it. It's $2650, so it's a little pricey for Hallowe'en, but that sum does compare favorably with the total cost of ownership for a pet dog or cat, so when the kids start complaining that they need a companion who'll follow them around and do tricks, this might be a good choice. Dead Fred Zombie Chaser (via DVice)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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  • Shrdlu

    I’m going to dig a hole in my front yard and hire someone to play the zombie. In fact, I know some people who would likely do it for beer. I’m all about value.

  • Alkwerte

    Mix it with an automatic lawn mower !

  • GammaBlog

    Must be the economy, people are eager for the zombie-in-the-hole jobs. Cheaper than robots, we.

  • alisong76

    I’d steal it.

  • ployntabs

    A real zombie would be cheaper and more fun.

  • Drew Blood

    BizarroPippy has the right idea! Steal the concept, hire someone (or to share the fun have Halloween partygoers work in shifts), and the effect would be cheaper and more entertaining. Still and all, if you’ve got $3000 or so to throw about, it’s pretty fun. My car cost less than this thing though.

  • Shrdlu

    #10. I thought that was my idea.

  • GammaBlog

    Thoughts of instilling a bit of Wednesday Adams in the little one, Cory?

  • moonracer23

    I like the decorative robot lawnmower idea!

    I think the add might have worked better if it wasn’t so close up (at least half could have been a full lawn shot) and there wasn’t some person adding lame groan sounds in the background.

  • horseradishroad

    any reason the zombie sounds like a flabbergasted oliver hardy, or perhaps a horny scooby doo? more ridiculous than frightening.

  • BizarroPippy

    Wouldn’t any passer by worth their zombie survival salt just shoot it in the head or chop it to itty bits with the weapon they are inevitably carrying and you would be out $2650?

  • anthropomorphictoast

    Looks cool but…wtf is up with the SOUND? I make better zombie noises when I wake up too early. ;P

  • mr.skeleton

    Surely there must be a way to up the power and attach it to some sort of sinew and bone rickshaw.

  • Bobdotcom

    OMG I totally want this! But yeah, it *is* a bit pricey for our modest income.

    @1 Gammablog: nothing wrong with that. I for one, am always looking for ways to soothe my inner Gomez Addams.