It seems like every week there is a new social network or service vying for user’s attention. From Ello to Meerkat, and from Google+ to Apple’s Ping, many of these services fade into obscurity if they are unable to attain a critical mass of engaged users. Even once a critical mass is gained, retaining that user base has proven to be almost impossible (just ask My Space).
Though many fade into obscurity, the power given to users by all social media platforms is incredible. For example, recently I revived a notification on my phone here in New York City that a friend of mine was stuck in the middle of a lake in California on a boat and was live streaming video on Periscope while waiting for help to arrive. After firing up Periscope and joining his chat, it dawned on me how incredible Periscope is. 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago, streaming live video from a mobile device to thousands of people who can interact with you via chat was not even on the horizon. Only recently has video chat escaped the confines of Wi-Fi and can be done though mobile data connection.
This got me thinking, what if a caveman frozen in a block of ice was unthawed right now, could you explain to him Periscope and how it works. As a personal exercise, I have decided to give this challenge a go.
“A person can take this tool that can create perfect drawings of everything positioned in front of it, and use that tool to capture and save those drawings. These drawings can then be shared instantly and invisibly though the air to any other person with a similar tool/device. Now, as an audience member, I receive those pictures to my device and can look at them while his device is creating the images.”
It may not be perfect, but I am proud of that explanation. It is amazing how difficult it is to describe technology when you cannot use words like “wireless,” “phone,” “computer,” or “video.” Let me know if you have a better way to describe Periscope to a prehistoric person, and you cannot just say magic because that is cheating.
-Nate