Our universe might be expanding, but our world is shrinking. Under the auspices of modern technology, we can span the globe in mere seconds these days, whether to marvel at the birth of a yak in a remote Nepalese village or video chat with our pals overseas.
We are a generation of interconnectedness and shrinking degrees of separation, and most of us regularly contribute to the virtual ties that bind us. From appetizing descriptions of our latest flu symptoms to recycled spiritual advisories, we document and mass distribute our every experience and thought. The world’s no longer just our stage—it’s become our audience.
What’s more, now that we’re no longer bound by cumbersome fiber optic cables, we consume information on the go, and our communications merge (not always seamlessly…) with practically everything we do in the day-to-day. Armed with our masterful smartphone, we text from the treadmill, check Facebook in the shower, schedule dentist appointments between dinner and dessert—the possibilities are endless. In fact, some might argue that the glorious modern-day gadget is the best thing that’s happened to us since the Model T. Long-distance relationships have never felt closer, boredom is practically obsolete, and creative documentation is standard fare. At the same time, the unrelenting onslaught of stimulation can be overwhelming. We grow greedy, get carried away, and become ultimately distracted from the original goal of simple interaction. And then we fall into fountains…
The following videos reflect our mobile world, for better or for worse…
Get the Gold
Filmmaker Casey Neistat documented i-groupies waiting in interminable lines for the iPhone 5s. Filming at three New York Apple Store locations, Neistat managed to track down some fans (read: zealots) who had guarded their spot for no less than 14 days. Not all of them could back their ardent dedication with proportional reasons, but they were all appropriately thrilled about the new device and certain that new technology and the pleasure of being first would be worth the wait. This kind of sensationalistic launch is no longer novel, however. Apple releases new iterations of the iPhone every year, and while everyone once clamored for the new “toy” like it was the seventh Harry Potter novel, today’s withering queues are mainly stand-ins who’ve been paid to wait or die-hard fanatics who live for Apple Store approval.
Stay Close
Let’s face it—most of us are suckers for nostalgia, and Apple is no stranger to the fact. iPhone 4’s FaceTime commercial is a well-played tribute to traditional “family first” values, strategically demonstrating how our smartphones connect us to homegrown virtues and once-in-a-lifetime moments. There’s no shortage of tear-jerking iPhone ads out there, to be sure, but this one grabs the spotlight because it beautifully and accurately reflects our multimedia approach to communication with our loved ones.
Hold Hands
In Improv Everywhere’s “Seeing Eye People” video, undercover prank participants posing as human “seeing eye” guides attempt to combat “texting and walking,” NYC’s latest public menace. The deadpan volunteers, sporting neon-orange vests complete with “I can help you walk and text” logos, offer to hook walking texters up to leashes and chaperone them across busy streets and crowded sidewalks. You know, so they can focus on their syntax without annoying interruptions from cars, metal poles, or fellow pedestrians…While only a hoax, this one has some real potential, if you think about it. I mean, what better way to ascend the levels of Candy Crush with astonishing efficiency and make it to work on time in one piece…
Pay Attention
While texting-and-walking may present minor bodily threat to large inanimate objects and brisk speed-walkers, texting while driving or operating heavy machinery literally kills. The potentially deadly practice, thankfully, is finally getting the attention it deserves. Personally, I would have handed this one over to Sheriff Joe Arpaio. As it stands, AT&T, in their “It Can Wait” campaign, has championed the anti-driving-and-texting initiative with videos like Werner Herzog’s documentary on the dangers of driving distracted. Let’s hope it works.
Live Large
Our smartphones allow us to be virtually everywhere at once. We can check out a friend’s birthday party, comment on photos of our gorgeous nieces and nephews, score virtual front-row seats at the Paris Fashion Week, and watch Louis CK’s latest stand-up act, all from the comforts of our ergonomic office chairs or subway seats, if we manage to get them. Facebook depicts this “constant engagement” in their unusual ad for Facebook Home. Some love the commercial, others hate it; whatever Zuckerberg had in mind, one thing’s for sure—the campaign has generated some serious buzz.
That concludes our video list for the day. Got any world-gone-mobile clips you want to recommend?
Hook us up in the comments below.
via Business 2 Community http://www.business2community.com/mobile-apps/5-cool-clips-world-gone-mobile-0668671?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-cool-clips-world-gone-mobile
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