The Campfire Project

We have two stories this week: a little one and a big one. Both are about social networking. Both are about storytelling. And both have the chance to bring about a fundamental shift in how we communicate with friends and strangers alike. Or, both could fall flat.

Earlier this week, Apple released iOS 9, the latest edition of its popular operating system that powers millions of iPhones, iPads and iPod touches around the world. While most would be excited about the countless new features the new software brings, there’s one in particular that has set the web on fire – the ability to install content blockers. The ability for millions of people to block things like advertisements on their mobile browser and within apps – something they couldn’t do before – has publishers and pundits worried. Did Apple just sentence publishers to death by a thousand cuts?

In a jam-packed Apple event last week, the world got its first glimpse at the latest and greatest iPhones. This being an “S” year, surprise - they look the same, but are better, strong, faster. We also got to see what else Apple has been working on: new Watch accessories, and new TV box and a gigantic version of the iPad meant to be a workhorse. The story of the iPhone is clear, but these other devices? Not so much. So today, on Episode 67, a deeper look at the stories behind these products. Who are they for, and do their stories hit home?

Netflix is a giant. At peak hours, the streaming video service accounts for nearly 40% of web traffic in North America. It’s name is synonymous with cool – the tech company that saved us from bad cable and then gave us House of Cards. Netflix’s story, going from a DVD-by-mail operation to a streaming video juggernaut with Emmy award-winning programming, has become a blueprint for like-minded operations. Hulu, Amazon, and possibly even Apple now seem to be working to create, and monetize, original content. The hope is to stand out in a marketplace where Netflix stands apart. At first glance this may seem great for an audience eager to give up cable cable boxes, but is it that simple? Is it even worth it? Or will the story of streaming be just how annoying the whole thing becomes?

Earlier this week WDBJ news reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward were killed in Virginia by an angry ex-coworker. The two were shot several times while conducting an interview for their local morning show. In an case this would be a tragic event, but their murders have been compounded by the fact that it was carried out live, on-air. The killer also filmed the event from his own perspective, posting it to other social media sites along with several other tweets as he tried to escape. This lead in the immediate aftermath of the public alternating between being sad and outraged, yet craving more information about what happened - even if it was from the assailant himself. It’s also pushed news organizations and tech companies to rethink their approach to online forums like Facebook and Twitter. So today, on Episode 65 of The Campfire Project – is there a time of turn the feeds off? And what role do the companies play in keeping content off the streams?

Cars are beautiful. And elegant. And kind of boring. The modern automobile is at the same time a marvel of engineering and utterly mundane. For their part, the big manufacturers have tried to appeal to a new kind of consumer by adding sleek designs and fancy touchscreens, but so far, few of these have broken from the pack. It’s lead to people clamouring for tech companies to apply the same form/function approach to vehicles as they have to smartphones and computers, privileging the experience above all else. So this week, on Episode 64 of The Campfire Project, the story of the car: where it’s been, and where it’s going.

Technology can help us tell better stories, but often times its technology companies that have the most interesting stories to tell. In past episodes, we’ve discussed Sony, Amazon, and Apple ad nauseum, but there’s one that we’ve never really focused on, despite being one of the biggest and most influential companies on the planet. Google. That ends today, on Episode 63 of The Campfire Project, as we take a deep dive into the stories of some of Google’s most well-known successes…and failures.

Some of my fondest memories involve video games. I’d spend hours in the living room, in arcades, and up all night at basement sleepovers playing anything any game I could get my hands on – from Super Mario to GoldenEye to Bushido Blade 2, among countless others. Those days are long gone now, of course. But playing games had and still has a profound effect on me and many others who grew up with them. Which is why, in 2015, at the height of its popularity, gaming seems to be at a turning point, with all eyes on an open future, but with one foot set in the past. Today, on episode 62 of The Campfire Project, a bit of gaming’s past, its mainstream break, and the culture that surrounds it.

It's annoying, aggravating and sometimes downright infuriating. In its relentless efforts to dominate the social web, Facebook's flagship product, the News Feed and profile pages, have become inundated with content. Some of its good, some is great, but a lot...isn't. There are clickbait headlines, far-flung ideologies, and auto playing video ads interspersed with photos from your friends' updates. And increasingly, as Facebook becomes THE way to socialize online, our experiences there become more difficult to separate from the real world. Is it possible to quit Facebook? Would you really want to? Today on Episode 61 of The Campfire Project, we tug of the thread of your online social life.

We like to think our individual stories are unique, perfectly formed snowflakes that are ours to own and can never be copied. But the truth is, the good stories? They have a lot in common. Interesting narratives, the ones that really capture the imagination, all hit on key points that propel the story forward and keep us interested. This is true in film, television, music and books. But the same can even be said for entire companies. This week, on Episode 60 of The Campfire Project, a look at how a company’s story marches forward like a ticking clock.