Halloween has always been my favourite time of the year. Nestled delicately between vacation breaks, the cheeky not-so-Hallmark holiday represents a rare opportunity to delve into the dark side. From odes to the undead to gothic novels, there is no shortage of material to sink your teeth into, and this month, the Man of Many team has channelled the occult in our own special way.
For the fifth straight year, we recounted the 20 scariest horror movies ever committed to film. Using data collected as part of the ‘Science of Scare’ study, we uncovered the biggest jump scares, bloodiest slashers, and most terrifying flicks filmmakers have dared to deliver. But for all of Hollywood’s efforts, it was truth that proved spookier than fiction this month.
In October, Samsung finally unveiled the long-awaited Ring wearable, and (as if Big Tech wasn’t scary enough already) it wants to watch you sleep. As journalist Rob Edwards explained in his comprehensive review, the Ring’s major benefit is its ability to analyse sleep patterns and assess overall health. The jury is still out on whether the Ring will be the next big thing in wearable technology, but some people aren’t waiting to find out.
Major competitor Apple didn’t waste any time responding, unveiling a string of new products as part of its ‘Week of Mac’ event. Naturally, AI technology featured prominently, with Apple’s new M4 chips reportedly capable of reading, writing, and rendering us completely redundant at our jobs.
If we learned anything about innovation this month, however, it’s that not everyone is a fan of change. Automotive marque Kia released its long-awaited Tasman ute, and watchmaker Patek Philippe launched its first new collection in 25 years; both of which drew mixed reactions for their design choices. Personally, I’m a fan of both, with the brash and bold aesthetics suggesting that 2025 will be the year that brands finally step out of their comfort zones.
Make no mistake, it’s a brave new world that we’re entering into and for some of us, that’s scarier than any horror movie Hollywood could conceive. I wonder if Richard Branson has any seats left on his stratospheric balloon?
