links for 2009-02-19

I think we all sort of half-know this story by now, but there's some really nice motion graphics going on here that illustrate it smartly.

And the last Mold-a-Rama link for now: a nice visual catalog of the different toys from throughout the past few decades. I definitely had the Gorilla (Brookfield Zoo model), and it's nice to see him again after 25 years.

Related to the last: the original Mold-a-Rama toys/machines. I see the related tags are all chicago/brookfield/illinois, so it may only be a relic from my own yoot. But look how phenomenal that machine is.

OH. BRILLIANT IDEA. Chicago superstore Rotofugi is bringing back those old "make your own plastic molded toy" vending machines from the 50-80s (maybe we only had them in the midwest), only with new designer/artist toy molds.

Brilliant stuff on product/usability design — the measuring cup explanation starts at about 16:20, but the rest was fascinating too. My favorite quote is the bit where he says the cup presented both the recognition of the pet peeve and the solution at the same time.

God damn I wish I would have known about this place when I was there, though The Lazy Dog seems like it was a passable alternative.

Oh yes, attn: toy companies, someone PLEASE do this. It's amazing how, even reduced to 🙂 faces, I know who everyone is! No one does Mad Men like Dyna Moe does.