Who is playing Pokémon Go?!
If you are, congratulations! Like me, you are a part of a revolution -- a revolution that has been consuming millennials for the past week or so. It's burgeoning and staggering. But like every "viral" trend, either it will kill us or it will die out in a few weeks. Likely the latter. Quick poll: Who remembers planking, the Harlem Shake, or Gangnam Style? Yeah, I thought so.
Recently, my roommates and I have been discussing the value of virtual reality and augmented reality (an in-depth explanation of each can be found on Wikipedia). Pretty soon, you'll be able to have a meeting with potential clients who are located out of state, hang out with your grandma who lives across the country, or wander around that awesome vacation spot halfway across the world. And all from your Lazy-Boy! Creepy...right?
Yeah, I mean, I'm just your standard, 25-year-old guy living in Chicago. Yes, I grew up collecting Pokémon cards. No, I don't really know how to play the card/app game, I just like catching Pokémon. #TeamValor. We (yes, millennials -- people just looove talking about us) are trying to "catch" these virtual animals to collect or battle. This past weekend, it brought me and a friend to the Lincoln Park Zoo where -- ironically -- a girl dropped her phone into the meerkat exhibit while playing. But hey, at least we are walking around...right? Not only are we focusing on nothing, we are burning through precious data and battery life. Yeah, it's a huge problem.
But all sarcasm aside, the real valuable component about Pokémon is that it created the first real mass implication for augmented reality (for better or worse). And we will continue seeing new game and apps that get people out of their homes and exploring their neighborhoods. Or quite the contrary, TBD. Here's to a new and exciting generation of exploring your local, and hopefully not pissing off the meerkats.
About me:
Bike everywhere, weather permitting (rain is less fun)
Coffee/art museums/architecture/ideas/middle eastern politics/Pixar/whiskey/travel/travel processes/good times (Yeah, yeah. I know. Kinda basic. It's fine.)
University of Wisconsin, class of 2013 (go Badgers!)
Shout out to my friend Emily G. for showing The Listserve to me over 4 years ago -- I got picked!
Always down to chat about any of the above! Special shout out to the Chicago city dwellers
Additionally! My roommate created an awesome all-in-one home security solution called Guardzilla. It is the best way to protect everything that is important to you for under $100. Check out Guardzilla online or in Best Buy/Target/Walmart/Bed Bath & Beyond/etc. and feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions!
Joel Pachefsky
@joelpach (twitter)
[email protected]
Chicago, IL