Short of actually being able to hear, this
headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a
cat ’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your
brain and left
earlobe .
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Short of actually being able to hear, this headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a cat’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your brain and left earlobe.
The Brainwave Cat Ears have been around a few years already, but this was the first chance I’ve had to get some brains-on time. You put them on your head, place the
hands-free -mic-like bar on your forehead, clip another thing to your
ear , and they’re supposedly ready to read your mind. Based on what you’re feeling, the ears move around in certain patterns. In my brief time with them, the ears did move around on their own, but the movements didn’t seem to be connected to my inner thoughts of existential turmoil or cravings a saucer of milk. Still, they cost $70 and are a lot of fun. They’re modeled here by Joseph Martinez of
Elope , a company that sells the ears (and a bunch of other interesting hats) online.
Tiggly offers a modern spin on the classic shape-block puzzles. The accompanying
iPad apps let toddlers draw complex pictures that combine simple shapes as well as create animated stories with their own
voice overs .
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Tiggly is one of many toys we saw designed to interact with an iPad. But this one is aimed at
really little kids. It basically takes those classic shape-block puzzles and moves them into the modern age. Tiggly’s accompanying apps encourage toddlers to place the corresponding rubber-and-silicone shapes on the screen, and lets them draw complex pictures that combine simple shapes. The apps even have more-complicated games and activities built into them so that adults can cold play with shapes too. The set of four Tiggly shapes costs $30, while the accompanying iPad apps are free.
Ozobots are tiny,
ping-pong-ball -size robots that respond to both hand-drawn lines in the real world as well as those on digital screens. Sensors on their underside respond to different colored lines and alter how these tiny automatons speed, spin, stop, and blink. You can also buy a racetrack toy and pair it with the OzoRace app (see above).
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Ozobots are tiny, ping-pong-ball-size robots that respond to both hand-drawn lines in the real world as well as those on digital screens. Sensors on their underside respond to different colored lines and alter how these tiny automatons speed, spin, stop, and blink. You can also buy a racetrack toy and pair it with the OzoRace app (see above). While the Ozobots are scooting around the track, the iPad center section changes dynamically, meaning you’ll rarely get the same track twice. There are various paths and mini-games to keep things interesting when the robots hit the center of the track. Each Ozobot will cost $60 when they become available this summer; no pricing information has been announced for the OzoRace track.
A well-crafted sled is good for more than just occasional winter fun. It can also be a family heirloom, worthy of Charles Foster Kane’s dying words. These
Mountain Boy models are hand-crafted in Colorado and built to last.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
A well-crafted sled is good for more than just occasional winter fun. It can be a family heirloom, worthy of Charles Foster Kane’s dying words. These
Mountain Boy models are hand-crafted in Colorado and built to last.
Your child could be the next Alexander Calder. Actually, forget about your child for a moment. These mobiles would look great hanging in your office. The
Modern Mobiles packages are mix-and-match sets that can be readjusted and rearranged to your eye’s content.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Your child could be the next Alexander Calder. Actually, forget about your child for a moment. These mobiles would look great hanging in your office. The
Modern Mobiles packages are mix-and-match sets that can be readjusted and rearranged to your eye’s content. Each 11-piece package costs $42, and you can combine the separate white/red/black and yellow/blue/red sets if you want to get crazy colorful.
These little
MOSS components are destined to be the Lego blocks of the future, as they combine motors, controllers, and Bluetooth modules in little snap-together bits.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
These little
MOSS components are destined to be the Lego blocks of the future, as they combine motors, controllers, and Bluetooth modules in little snap-together bits. They use a combination of magnets and steel ball bearings to snap together with ingenious flexibility. Depending on whether you connect single corners together, two corners, or stack them like bricks, the constructions offer completely different dynamics. The Basic Builder Kit ($150) is a decent starter set. To get the full-on experience with a Bluetooth module that lets you control your robot from a phone, a microphone module that lets you control it with sounds, and a flashlight to illuminate its path, you’ll need the $400 Advanced Builder Kit. Both kits are available for preorder now and slated to ship in April.
Most Foosball players are faceless monochrome pegs, capable only of incessant backflipping. They don’t even feign injury like real soccer players. But
MiniGols are pretty ingenious because they’re both standalone soccer figurines and Foosball players that snap into the company’s specialized mini-table.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Most Foosball players are faceless monochrome pegs, capable only of incessant backflipping. They don’t even feign injury like real soccer players. But
MiniGols are pretty ingenious because they’re both standalone soccer figurines and Foosball players that snap into the company’s specialized mini-table. The MiniGols versions of Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets is pictured on the attack here. There’s no pricing information for the figures or the game table just yet, but several national teams and Champions League clubs will be available for the system.
Even at a Toy Fair, Heisenberg’s presence is felt.
Mezco Toyz’ line of
Breaking Bad action figures offer an impressive level of detail and costumery options.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
Even at a Toy Fair, Heisenberg’s presence is felt.
Mezco Toyz’ line of
Breaking Bad action figures offer an impressive level of detail and costumery options. There’s a version of Walter White in both casualwear and in his Heisenberg black-hat-and-jacket combo, as well as hazmat-suit and Vamonos Pest Control-outfitted versions of Jesse Pinkman. The six-inch figures go for around $20 each, and if your toddler is clamoring for
Breaking Bad -themed playthings, Mezco also has a line of plush, cuddly figures as well, including the one-eyed pink teddy bear from the Wayfarer 515 air disaster.
An Internet meme hasn’t truly arrived until there are competing stuffed-animals versions of it. At this year’s Toy Fair there were Gund (see above) and a Ganz versions of Grumpy Cat.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
An Internet meme hasn’t truly arrived until there are competing stuffed-animals versions of it. At this year’s Toy Fair there were Gund (see above) and a Ganz versions of Grumpy Cat.
The
Flybar 800 is a pogo stick’s pogo stick. You won’t find springs or pneumatic pistons inside of it, but you will find a series of “elastomeric thrusters” — essentially, a group of heavy duty rubber bands.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
The
Flybar 800 is a pogo stick’s pogo stick. You won’t find springs or pneumatic pistons inside of it, but you will find a series of “elastomeric thrusters” — essentially, a group of heavy duty rubber bands. According to Flybar, you can catch almost 10 feet of air on these things, but if that’s a little too high-altitude for your liking, you can remove some of the rubber thrusters to decrease the hang time. It also costs about 10 times as much as a normal pogo stick, at $350.
All the animatronic stuffed animals, autonomous robots, and interactive apps at Toy Fair can make anyone long for simpler times.
Candylab’s “Awesome Wood Cars” are perfectly named, paying tribute to the iconic aesthetic of late-1960s Mustangs and GTOs with minimalist wood carvings that somehow look ultra-modern.
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
1 / 11
All the animatronic stuffed animals, autonomous robots, and interactive apps at Toy Fair can make anyone long for simpler times.
Candylab’s “Awesome Wood Cars” are perfectly named, paying tribute to the iconic aesthetic of late-1960s Mustangs and GTOs with minimalist wood carvings that somehow look ultra-modern. There’s even a police cruiser, because these cars will need to be chased by something. Prices vary depending on the model of each car, but they each cost between $30 and $35.
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1 / 11
Short of actually being able to hear, this headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a cat’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your brain and left earlobe.
Pogo Sticks of Doom and Other Gems From a Massive Toy Fair
<div data-slide-id=”363131″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/necomimi_brainwave_cat_ears-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>Short of actually being able to hear, this headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a cat’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your brain and left earlobe. <span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>Short of actually being able to hear, this headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a cat’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your brain and left earlobe. <a href=”http://www.necomimi.com/”>The Brainwave Cat Ears</a> have been around a few years already, but this was the first chance I’ve had to get some brains-on time. You put them on your head, place the hands-free-mic-like bar on your forehead, clip another thing to your ear, and they’re supposedly ready to read your mind. Based on what you’re feeling, the ears move around in certain patterns. In my brief time with them, the ears did move around on their own, but the movements didn’t seem to be connected to my inner thoughts of existential turmoil or cravings a saucer of milk. Still, they cost $70 and are a lot of fun. They’re modeled here by Joseph Martinez of <a href=”http://elope.com/”>Elope</a>, a company that sells the ears (and a bunch of other interesting hats) online.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363151″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/tiggly2-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>Tiggly offers a modern spin on the classic shape-block puzzles. The accompanying iPad apps let toddlers draw complex pictures that combine simple shapes as well as create animated stories with their own voice overs.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div><a href=”http://tiggly.com/”>Tiggly</a> is one of many toys we saw designed to interact with an iPad. But this one is aimed at <em>really</em> little kids. It basically takes those classic shape-block puzzles and moves them into the modern age. Tiggly’s accompanying apps encourage toddlers to place the corresponding rubber-and-silicone shapes on the screen, and lets them draw complex pictures that combine simple shapes. The apps even have more-complicated games and activities built into them so that adults can cold play with shapes too. The set of four Tiggly shapes costs $30, while the accompanying iPad apps are free.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363141″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/ozobot_racecourse-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p><a href=”http://ozobot.com/”>Ozobots</a> are tiny, ping-pong-ball-size robots that respond to both hand-drawn lines in the real world as well as those on digital screens. Sensors on their underside respond to different colored lines and alter how these tiny automatons speed, spin, stop, and blink. You can also buy a racetrack toy and pair it with the OzoRace app (see above). <span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div><a href=”http://ozobot.com/”>Ozobots</a> are tiny, ping-pong-ball-size robots that respond to both hand-drawn lines in the real world as well as those on digital screens. Sensors on their underside respond to different colored lines and alter how these tiny automatons speed, spin, stop, and blink. You can also buy a racetrack toy and pair it with the OzoRace app (see above). While the Ozobots are scooting around the track, the iPad center section changes dynamically, meaning you’ll rarely get the same track twice. There are various paths and mini-games to keep things interesting when the robots hit the center of the track. Each Ozobot will cost $60 when they become available this summer; no pricing information has been announced for the OzoRace track.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363121″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/mountain_boy_sledworks-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>A well-crafted sled is good for more than just occasional winter fun. It can also be a family heirloom, worthy of Charles Foster Kane’s dying words. These <a href=”http://www.mountainboysleds.com/”>Mountain Boy models</a> are hand-crafted in Colorado and built to last.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>A well-crafted sled is good for more than just occasional winter fun. It can be a family heirloom, worthy of Charles Foster Kane’s dying words. These <a href=”http://www.mountainboysleds.com/”>Mountain Boy models</a> are hand-crafted in Colorado and built to last.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363111″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/modern_mobiles-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>Your child could be the next Alexander Calder. Actually, forget about your child for a moment. These mobiles would look great hanging in your office. The <a href=”http://www.etsy.com/shop/jfjones”>Modern Mobiles packages</a> are mix-and-match sets that can be readjusted and rearranged to your eye’s content.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>Your child could be the next Alexander Calder. Actually, forget about your child for a moment. These mobiles would look great hanging in your office. The <a href=”http://www.etsy.com/shop/jfjones”>Modern Mobiles packages</a> are mix-and-match sets that can be readjusted and rearranged to your eye’s content. Each 11-piece package costs $42, and you can combine the separate white/red/black and yellow/blue/red sets if you want to get crazy colorful.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363101″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/modern_mobiles_alt-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>These little <a href=”http://www.modrobotics.com/”>MOSS components</a> are destined to be the Lego blocks of the future, as they combine motors, controllers, and Bluetooth modules in little snap-together bits.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>These little <a href=”http://www.modrobotics.com/”>MOSS components</a> are destined to be the Lego blocks of the future, as they combine motors, controllers, and Bluetooth modules in little snap-together bits. They use a combination of magnets and steel ball bearings to snap together with ingenious flexibility. Depending on whether you connect single corners together, two corners, or stack them like bricks, the constructions offer completely different dynamics. The Basic Builder Kit ($150) is a decent starter set. To get the full-on experience with a Bluetooth module that lets you control your robot from a phone, a microphone module that lets you control it with sounds, and a flashlight to illuminate its path, you’ll need the $400 Advanced Builder Kit. Both kits are available for preorder now and slated to ship in April.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div><div><h6>ADVERTISEMENT</h6><div></div></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363091″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/minigols2-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>Most Foosball players are faceless monochrome pegs, capable only of incessant backflipping. They don’t even feign injury like real soccer players. But <a href=”http://minigols.com/promo/indexhome.php?idioma=eng”>MiniGols</a> are pretty ingenious because they’re both standalone soccer figurines and Foosball players that snap into the company’s specialized mini-table.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>Most Foosball players are faceless monochrome pegs, capable only of incessant backflipping. They don’t even feign injury like real soccer players. But <a href=”http://minigols.com/promo/indexhome.php?idioma=eng”>MiniGols</a> are pretty ingenious because they’re both standalone soccer figurines and Foosball players that snap into the company’s specialized mini-table. The MiniGols versions of Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets is pictured on the attack here. There’s no pricing information for the figures or the game table just yet, but several national teams and Champions League clubs will be available for the system.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363081″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/mezco_heisenberg-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>Even at a Toy Fair, Heisenberg’s presence is felt. <a href=”http://www.mezcotoyz.com/brands/breakingbad?p=1”>Mezco Toyz’</a> line of <em>Breaking Bad</em> action figures offer an impressive level of detail and costumery options. <span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>Even at a Toy Fair, Heisenberg’s presence is felt. <a href=”http://www.mezcotoyz.com/brands/breakingbad?p=1”>Mezco Toyz’</a> line of <em>Breaking Bad</em> action figures offer an impressive level of detail and costumery options. There’s a version of Walter White in both casualwear and in his Heisenberg black-hat-and-jacket combo, as well as hazmat-suit and Vamonos Pest Control-outfitted versions of Jesse Pinkman. The six-inch figures go for around $20 each, and if your toddler is clamoring for <em>Breaking Bad</em>-themed playthings, Mezco also has a line of plush, cuddly figures as well, including the one-eyed pink teddy bear from the Wayfarer 515 air disaster. </div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363061″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/gund_grumpycat2-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>An Internet meme hasn’t truly arrived until there are competing stuffed-animals versions of it. At this year’s Toy Fair there were Gund (see above) and a Ganz versions of Grumpy Cat. <span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>An Internet meme hasn’t truly arrived until there are competing stuffed-animals versions of it. At this year’s Toy Fair there were Gund (see above) and a Ganz versions of Grumpy Cat. </div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363051″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/flybar-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>The <a href=”http://www.flybar.com/pages/inside-the-800”>Flybar 800</a> is a pogo stick’s pogo stick. You won’t find springs or pneumatic pistons inside of it, but you will find a series of “elastomeric thrusters” — essentially, a group of heavy duty rubber bands.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>The <a href=”http://www.flybar.com/pages/inside-the-800”>Flybar 800</a> is a pogo stick’s pogo stick. You won’t find springs or pneumatic pistons inside of it, but you will find a series of “elastomeric thrusters” — essentially, a group of heavy duty rubber bands. According to Flybar, you can catch almost 10 feet of air on these things, but if that’s a little too high-altitude for your liking, you can remove some of the rubber thrusters to decrease the hang time. It also costs about 10 times as much as a normal pogo stick, at $350.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div><div data-slide-id=”363041″ ><img title=”” alt=”” width=”650px” src=”http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2014/02/candylab_toy_cars-edit.jpg” data-image-width=”1000″ data-image-height=”750″ /><p>All the animatronic stuffed animals, autonomous robots, and interactive apps at Toy Fair can make anyone long for simpler times. <a href=”http://candylabtoys.com/index.html”>Candylab’s</a> “Awesome Wood Cars” are perfectly named, paying tribute to the iconic aesthetic of late-1960s Mustangs and GTOs with minimalist wood carvings that somehow look ultra-modern.<span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></p><div><div></div><div>All the animatronic stuffed animals, autonomous robots, and interactive apps at Toy Fair can make anyone long for simpler times. <a href=”http://candylabtoys.com/index.html”>Candylab’s</a> “Awesome Wood Cars” are perfectly named, paying tribute to the iconic aesthetic of late-1960s Mustangs and GTOs with minimalist wood carvings that somehow look ultra-modern. There’s even a police cruiser, because these cars will need to be chased by something. Prices vary depending on the model of each car, but they each cost between $30 and $35.</div><span> Photos by Tim Moynihan/WIRED </span></div></div> The Toy Fair is exactly what it sounds like. It’s been going on for 111 years, and it’s huge. This year, more than 1,150 toy companies squeezed into New York City’s Javits Convention Center to show off the new things kids will be clamoring for later this year. Toy traditionalists and forward-thinkers have much to get excited about: While apps, robots, and meme-based toys are all trending, plenty of old-school playthings are in the mix, too.
There was plenty for us older “kids” too. A home version of the classic Chexx bubble hockey table from the early 1980s — complete with customizable teams and your very own “Boo” button — was on display at the show. If you’ve always craved a 1965 Volkswagen Camper Van but want to avoid paying for gas, there was an actual-size, four-person Volkswagen Camper Van tent . And if you want to hone your ping-pong skills but don’t have anyone to compete against, the Joola iPong Pro is essentially a table-tennis pitching machine with a 100-ball hopper.
But enough banter. Let’s go look at some toys.
Short of actually being able to hear, this headwear purportedly mimics every other function of a cat’s ears by reading a steady stream of data from your brain and left earlobe. 
Tim Moynihan/WIRED
Tiggly offers a modern spin on the classic shape-block puzzles. The accompanying iPad apps let toddlers draw complex pictures that combine simple shapes as well as create animated stories with their own voice overs.
Ozobots are tiny, ping-pong-ball-size robots that respond to both hand-drawn lines in the real world as well as those on digital screens. Sensors on their underside respond to different colored lines and alter how these tiny automatons speed, spin, stop, and blink. You can also buy a racetrack toy and pair it with the OzoRace app (see above). 
A well-crafted sled is good for more than just occasional winter fun. It can also be a family heirloom, worthy of Charles Foster Kane’s dying words. These Mountain Boy models are hand-crafted in Colorado and built to last.
Your child could be the next Alexander Calder. Actually, forget about your child for a moment. These mobiles would look great hanging in your office. The Modern Mobiles packages are mix-and-match sets that can be readjusted and rearranged to your eye’s content.
These little MOSS components are destined to be the Lego blocks of the future, as they combine motors, controllers, and Bluetooth modules in little snap-together bits.
Most Foosball players are faceless monochrome pegs, capable only of incessant backflipping. They don’t even feign injury like real soccer players. But MiniGols are pretty ingenious because they’re both standalone soccer figurines and Foosball players that snap into the company’s specialized mini-table.
Even at a Toy Fair, Heisenberg’s presence is felt. Mezco Toyz’ line of Breaking Bad action figures offer an impressive level of detail and costumery options. 
An Internet meme hasn’t truly arrived until there are competing stuffed-animals versions of it. At this year’s Toy Fair there were Gund (see above) and a Ganz versions of Grumpy Cat. 
The Flybar 800 is a pogo stick’s pogo stick. You won’t find springs or pneumatic pistons inside of it, but you will find a series of “elastomeric thrusters” — essentially, a group of heavy duty rubber bands.
All the animatronic stuffed animals, autonomous robots, and interactive apps at Toy Fair can make anyone long for simpler times. Candylab’s “Awesome Wood Cars” are perfectly named, paying tribute to the iconic aesthetic of late-1960s Mustangs and GTOs with minimalist wood carvings that somehow look ultra-modern.
