Ever since Home Depot released the original Skelly, a 12-foot-tall Halloween decoration, back in July 2020 (of all months), the internet hasn’t been able to get enough of him.
Since then, the Skelly family has grown to include a Skelly Dog, Skelly Cat, and uh, a Skelly Dog that’s sitting, which is a different thing for some reason.
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Now there’s Ultra Skelly. He may not have the massive height advantage that’d enable him to dunk on his older sibling, original Skelly, but he’s a lot smarter with his smartphone app controls and electrically controlled body parts.
But then that’s how it is with the younger generations, isn’t it? They grow up around technology and then use it to embarrass their forebears.
Home Depot’s reference to “Bluetooth” capabilities confused me when they mentioned that Ultra Skelly “can comment on each guest’s costume or greet them as they approach—striking excitement, wonder and a little bit of fear in their hearts.”
It turns out that the press release was referring to a set of five pre-set recordings, which you can also supplement with up to 30, 30-second recordings of your own through the smartphone app (there’s the Bluetooth connection)
Ultra Skelly’s eyes—er, eye sockets—can be programmed with any one of 18 selections. Some of my favorites are birthday confetti, frog, and USA flag, although none are as creepy as the too-realistic human eyes in various common eye colors (plus red).
You can also move the head, mouth, torso, and arms through the app. Electric servo motors let you control Ultra Skelly from out of sight. Scaring the s**t out of trick-or-treaters would think the decor is just decor? That’s an age-old Halloween tradition.
Ultra Skelly is rad. The only real problem I see is what to do with him during the other 11 months of the year. Did anyone say Santa Skelly?
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