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The popular app TikTok could be banned in the U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says. Perhaps he's not into the "Savage" challenge.

We're Worse Off Without TikTok

By Jacob Reyes

Aug 11, 2020

Some may see it as a threat to American democracy (because China?), but TikTok is instead an organic platform that is bringing out the best in American creativity, activism and other cultural efforts. The truth is, we would be worse off without it. President Donald Trump signed an executive order...

TikTok Users Respond to a Potential Nationwide Ban on the App

By Alexandra Lang

Jul 27, 2020

They look like nice neighborhoods, but a lot of members on the Nextdoor neighborhood app out themselves as racist.

Is Nextdoor an Open Forum for Snitch Culture and Covert Racism?

By Karen Gavis and Eva Raggio

Jun 22, 2020

Although Nextdoor's purpose is to unite communities, the digital platform has come under fire for what some see as cultivating a snitch culture among neighbors who aren’t always welcoming. The virtual neighborhood, where members sometimes encourage others to call the police on those who look "out of place" in their...

Do you know the right hashtags to use? Are you even #quarantiming right?

How to Quarantine Like an Influencer or Celebrity

By Paige Skinner

Mar 20, 2020

Coronavirus has taken over the world and to help stop the spread of the deadly virus, the government has advised everyone stay inside. But there's no way you're quarantining as fabulously as social media influencers are. Have you seen their posts? They're wearing makeup and they're on boats in thong...

1UpOnCancer's Dallas office is always open for anyone with questions about applying for aid or volunteering their time.

A Family Affected by Cancer Uses Games to Give Back

By Chase Carter

Feb 4, 2020

In 2015, the lives of Chris and Christina Haslage changed the moment a friend forgot where he had parked his car. While it's a relatable mishap for many, the couple from Ohio said the level of confusion in their friend was uncharacteristic. Worse, it sparked an all-too-familiar feeling of dread...

Creature in the Well pits players against an ancient machine with pinball-esque mechanics.

From Giant Poop Emojis to Trench Memoirs, Flight School Studio Lets Passion Lead

By Chase Carter

Feb 3, 2020

What does a giant poop emoji in Klyde Warren Park and an award-nominated console game about pinball and swords have in common? Both projects, along with a slew of other creative endeavors, spring from the minds at Flight School Studio.

Dallas Magician Trigg Watson Served as a Consultant to Netflix’s Magic Show

By Brad LaCour

Jan 22, 2020

The next time you find yourself being amazed while watching Magic for Humans on Netflix, know that Dallas magician extraordinaire Trigg Watson had a hand in those stunning tricks. Magic for Humans, now in its second season on Netflix, stars magician Justin Willman as he explores themes like love, self-control...

The PY1 Pyramid in Arlington Is Even Cooler Than We Thought

By Eva Raggio

Jan 9, 2020

Earlier in December, a mysterious pyramid popped up in Arlington’s Globe Life Park parking lot. And while pyramids are all automatically mysterious, PY1 is a creation by Lune Rouge Entertainment, a production company founded by Cirque du Soleil creator Guy Laliberté. Even with that flashy calling card, the space exceeded...

Tolu Augustine Falana, a DFW/Houston influencer, says he's in the creativity business, not the chasing-likes business.

Dallas Influencers Unfazed by Instagram’s Plan to Remove Public ‘Likes’

By Ryann Gordon

Nov 25, 2019

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced last week upcoming plans to remove the ability to see others’ likes from the platform in the U.S. On their quest to become the safest place on the internet, Mosseri provided reasoning to BuzzFeed that the decision was “about creating a less pressurized environment where...

The Dallas Puiblic Library is opening three maker spaces this weekend.

Dallas Public Library Staged to Open Podcasting Studio, Sewing Rooms and Other Maker Spaces

By Micah Moore

Sep 13, 2019

Now is the time to get your creative projects off the ground. The Dallas Public Library is opening three maker spaces for creative types and novices to launch storytelling projects, make their own clothing and preserve their family history. Dubbed Creative Spaces, the three studios, a Story Center, Fiber Arts Workroom...

How Are They Single? The Best Dating Profiles in North Texas and Beyond

By Alex Gonzalez

Sep 12, 2019

The days of the rom-com fairy tale illusions are over. In this day and age, the possibilities of meeting the love of your life via a chance encounter on the train or in a grocery store are slim to none, because love at first sight can't exist if our eyes...

A group of players including Dallas Observer writer Danny Gallagher (far left), wait for the unleashing of a zombie horde during a demo of the virtual gaming experience Zero Latency VR.

Zero Latency VR Lets You Take Aim at Virtual Enemies in a Wide Open Space

By Danny Gallagher

Sep 5, 2019

There's been a virtual reality boom in DFW's entertainment offerings, with story-driven experiences that put players in some of their favorite film franchises or in real world landscapes that would cost a fortune to actually visit. However, there hasn't been a place to do what all gamers truly wish they...

Artist Emmanuel Van der Auwera has a new time-based video sculpture at the Dallas Museum of Art that'll make you question everything.

Newfangled Magic: Time-Based Media at the Dallas Museum of Art

By Anna Lowery

Aug 28, 2019

Suppose that you are standing before a painting hanging on a wall. Perhaps you’ve been observing the painting for ten seconds and you’re about to move onto the one beside it; perhaps you've been entranced by the painting for ten minutes, maybe even an hour. It does not matter. Regardless...

Visitors to Dreamscape's Alien Zoo experience can see and interact with endangered creatures from across the galaxy in an immersive, virtual environment including some that might try to eat them.

Dreamscape Puts Audiences into Virtual Movies Without Auditions or Greedy Agents

By Danny Gallagher

Aug 19, 2019

One of the first attempts to make the movie-going experience more interactive happened way back in 1995 with a film called Mr. Payback. The experience put audiences in control of a robot named Payton Bach (get it?) designed to exact revenge on the world's biggest jerks like bike thieves and...

You and your prize-winning dog should not settle for anything but the best. A new app will help.

There’s an App for That: Dog Lovers Find Love Through a Tinder-Like Space for Dogs and Owners

By Isabel Arcellana

Aug 15, 2019

That’s it. You’ve found the one. As the sun sets in the horizon, you can hear a triumphant love ballad playing in your mind like the end of a rom-com as you stare into the eyes of your new forever. You feel like a freaking Disney Princess, it’s so perfect...

Dallas Influencers Explain Their Influence

By Augusta Rizzardini

Aug 8, 2019

The word "influencer" is quickly becoming one of the most polarizing words in the new millennium. Historically, a person with influence had political sway, or else made a mark in the world through sizable contributions to culture. In the last few years, we've had to rewire our brains to understand...

A Look at the Newest Bits of Gory Gaming Goodness from QuakeCon Including the New DOOM Eternal

By Danny Gallagher

Jul 31, 2019

DOOM took up the most time and real estate at this year's QuakeCon gathering at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center because of the iconic first-person shooter's 25th anniversary. But it wasn't the only game with a new or impending release on digital and retail store shelves. The Dallas-based game studios...

The Global Esports Awards Are Moving from London to Arlington’s Esports Stadium

By Danny Gallagher

Jul 12, 2019

Arlington has found another 1-up in the esports industry by landing the next Esports Awards ceremony for the city's massive esports stadium. The 2019 Esports Awards, a 3-year-old annual event that honors the work of teams, coaches, video game developers and many others in the esports industry, will hold its...

This sleep pod is just one way players can manage stress and pressure during training.

GameStop Performance Center Gives Esports Athletes the Dallas Cowboys Treatment

By Chase Carter

May 23, 2019

Complexity Gaming may not compete at the AT&T Stadium, but the new Gamestop Performance Center at The Star in Frisco means they will, at least, train like the Dallas Cowboys. Acquired by Jerry Jones in 2017, Complexity is one of the oldest organized esports leagues in the U.S. and boasts...

The 893 area students are taken line by line through the coding process.

Dallas High Schoolers Earn Guinness World Record for Largest AI Programming Lesson

By Danny Gallagher

Apr 22, 2019

The future of artificial intelligence may seem scary, with hypothetical horror stories about computers starting some kind of robot uprising, but so far it's in safe hands. Eight hundred forty-six pairs of safe hands to be exact. A "Basic TrAINing" bot camp of 893 area high school students held Wednesday...

Tech

A Rare Dallas Arcade Game Is Now for Sale

Dallas Cowboys' Jaylon Smith Invests in Local Minority Entrepreneurs

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