Great Ideas To Keep You Entertained While You’re On COVID-19 Lockdown

We are facing unprecedented times and as social creatures, we are finding it increasingly difficult to entertain ourselves while locked away. 

I have taken from my own personal experience to provide the ultimate entertainment package during this lockdown: 

Try your luck at an online casino 

From offline to online, slots are one of the most popular casino games around. They’re easy to learn and fun to play so why not try something new? You’ll be surprised what a boredom killer it can be. 

You should decide on your limits before playing. It’s important to make sure that you gamble responsibly. The reason for this is to ensure that the majority of your game time is about having fun. A cash prize is a bonus, do not let it ruin your enjoyment. 

Maximizing your fun is crucial, and finding the right casino is a big part of that. Try review pages on sites like Online Casinos and scan for offers that appeal to you. Remember free spins mean more fun without the risk. There are lots of 50 free spins casinos available, but there are many better deals around if you do the research.

Lose yourself in another world

As we stare from the window, the outside feels a step too close to dystopia. Comparable to the barren wasteland of Fallout and the eerie silence of The Last Of Us. Only we feel lost in the fold, as reality goes by. 

You may find solace in the ability to manipulate the virtual world. Here we are the survivor who champions the apocalypse and the hero who harmonizes evil with the good. Not to say we are not capable of impacting real-life — but if we’re honest — it’s more fun from the comfort of our home. 

In light of a worldwide lockdown, gaming platforms from Steam to the Playstation Store are producing some amazing Spring sales to keep gamers entertained. I recommend investing in the brilliant Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The game develops a fantastical yet believable world, ripe for complete emersion.  

Make a playlist

Are you working from home? Or seeking a soundtrack to the lockdown? Look no further than your phone. Take some time to build a playlist tailored for you, by you. A collaboration project between you and your favorite artists.

Music is a brilliant way to express your mood. All too often we become acclimated to the default playlists on streaming apps. The lockdown is the perfect excuse to discover new music. No more lucky dips into Hip Hop Caviar or Hot Hits UK. Create something of your own that will never get boring to listen to. 

There are many streaming services nowadays from Apple Music to Soundcloud (and each has its merits) yet the king remains Spotify. Tightening its grip in recent months by claiming streaming rights to the Jay Z catalog and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. There is strong depth represented on any streaming platform. So the user has a deal of freedom in creating a great playlist wherever they choose. 

Design a home cinema

The lockdown has taken away the cinema experience. But that does not mean we cannot enjoy a good movie (or hilariously bad ones) amongst great company. You can create a home cinema out of equipment dotted around the house. 

If anything like my housemates and me, you hold a great affinity to film. Nothing will stop you from watching the latest flick — particularly not the cinemas closing. 

You can build a DIY home cinema. All you need is an HDMI cable, A large monitor and your mate’s speakers. Soon you will be enjoying movies together again. Yet, many do not have the fortune to live with friends and family. Due to the wonders of technology you can watch along with each other online, by using services such as Netflix Party. 

The COVID-19 epidemic is a scary and uncertain time for everyone. So, all the better reason to find sanctuary in entertainment. Give these great ideas a shot and you may feel better for it. 

Dineout Survey Reveals where People would Like to Eat Post Lockdown

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  81% diners will prefer digital menus at restaurants in a post-COVID era

  
  


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  77% people want to dine out while 23% would prefer continuing with delivery/takeaway

  
  


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  Online payment becomes the most preferred option with 60% votes

  
  

As the world grapples with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyday interaction with the outside world - public & retail spaces, restaurants, educational institutions, and even with each other has been reoriented for the sake of personal hygiene and public health. These post-COVID sensibilities are leading to major enduring changes in how the country’s food service industry is expected to operate. Based on a recent consumer survey by India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout, Indian diners are now ranking safety assurance and premier hygiene as top factors when they choose a restaurant to dine in.

The report published by Dineout saw across 20 cities choosing their priorities while shortlisting a restaurant to dine out in a post-COVID world.

Diner's response to Contactless Dining:

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  Over 96% demand better waitlist management

  
  


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  81% consumers would rather scan a QR on their phone to place an order instead of handling physical menus or tablet-based digital menus.

  
  


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  After a dining experience, 60% prefer seamless wallet-based digital payments over cash/cards

  
  


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  85% would choose a digital valet over waiting in possibly contaminated public spaces and

  
  


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  84% would prefer offering digital feedback over physical feedback collection.

  
  

What do people want to eat?

The report also revealed that most of India has been craving Pizza since the lockdown has been implemented, except Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata where their popular & indigenous Biryani recipes reign supreme.

Which restaurants are diners waiting to go to?

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  77% respondents claimed that they are waiting to dine out with friends and family once the COVID-19 lockdown is lifted

  
  


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  With Big Chill, Barbeque Nation and Social emerging as favorites in Delhi

  
  


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  Mumbaikars picked Global Fusion, Poptates and Asia Kitchen

  
  


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  Bangaloreans miss going to pubs like Toit, Vapour & Barbeque Nation

  
  


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  Aminia, Arsalan and Momo I Am emerge as the top picks in Kolkata.

  
  


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  Contrary to popular belief, Delhitties picked Veg over Non-Veg food

  
  


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  Bangaloreans & Lucknowis would rather have their drinks over food.

  
  

Ankit Mehrotra, Co-Founder & CEO - Dineout said, “The Indian restaurant industry is rapidly transforming before our eyes, and restaurants will have to rethink their daily operations to suit these post-COVID demands of their customers. While demand will return rapidly as millions of Indians are craving their favorite dishes, it’s also crucial to make the necessary changes to restore consumer confidence and trust by rapidly evolving the restaurant’s approach to using technology as means to implement Contactless Dining . These new adaptations will push the envelope of diner convenience, and we believe they are here to stay even after we survive the physical & economic after-effects of the pandemic."

Besides the new parameters for restaurant selection, the factors deciding consumer delight have also seen a major overhaul as hygiene takes precedence. Consumers would prefer that the total number of reservations in a certain period be limited with the option to pre-select the seating, ample amounts of sanitisers at tables along with UV sanitised utensils whenever possible. Hygiene ratings with detailed hygiene information, regular hygiene checks & usage of mask and disposable gloves by waiters are likely to be the new standard, with diners expecting service personnel to sanitise tables & chairs after every use.

Dineout has recently unveiled the country’s first end-to-end ‘contactless dining suite’ to help restaurants survive and thrive in a post-COVID-19 world. The brand will also provide PPE Safety Kits to Restaurants to help ensure hygiene measures and is facilitating COVID free certification for restaurants through a licensed lab to ensure all microbiological tests are in place before restaurants restart post the lockdown. Users can see the certified restaurants on the Dineout App with their audit rating. This will help diners make an informed decision and are assured of the safety and hygiene standards, which will help regain consumer confidence in a post-COVID scenario.

Dineout is India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech solutions platform in B2C and B2B front with InResto & Torqus, processing more than 100M diners and $900M worth of transactions for its partner restaurants across its network of 50,000 restaurants in 20 cities, providing a collective savings of more than $100M on restaurant bills annually. Founded in 2012 by Ankit Mehrotra, Nikhil Bakshi, Sahil Jain and Vivek Kapoor, Dineout is the easiest way to discover the best restaurants in the city, save time & hassle by booking a table in advance, get discounts, enjoy 1+1 privileges on Food, Drink & Buffets through Gourmet Passport, as well as earn cashback on every restaurant bill payment via Dineout Pay.

 

Cosmopolitan India Launches the World's First-ever #WorkFromHome Issue

Cosmopolitan India magazine has launched a one-of-its-kind initiative - the first-ever Work from Home Issue. The free-for-consumption digital issue will be available for viewing on Cosmopolitan India's Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages, as well as the publications website, Cosmopolitan.in.

As we battle a tumultuous situation, millions of Indian millennials are living in isolation - working, connecting, and consuming large volumes of digital content. Cosmopolitan India, the worlds largest-read magazine for young women, believes this is an important time to reach out to its readers and discuss topics that matter, including mental health, positivity, productivity, and the very important subject of charity and doing our best to help those who are most vulnerable.

[caption id="attachment_143947" align="alignright" width="466"] How to Manage Your Mental Health In Isolation by Shaheen Bhatt[/caption]

For this first #WorkFromHome Issue, several celebrities and influencers have come together to create exclusive content - including video content-for Cosmopolitan India, from their own homes. Covergirl and 'Made In Heaven' actor Sobhita Dhulipala styled her own hair, make-up, and outfits, and conceptualised and art directed her covershoot for Cosmo India. The result is a striking image of the actor, sitting on her terrace, a book lying by her side.

[caption id="attachment_143948" align="aligncenter" width="476"] Aditi Rao Hydari Shares Secrets for Flawless, Healthy Skin[/caption]

"When I first heard about the idea of a #WorkfromHome cover, I thought it was so cool," says Sobhita. "Magazine covershoots tend to involve large teams, so this was completely different. I used this as an opportunity to create a cover image that is close to how I would like to present myself to the world. Ive had so much fun doing this with limited resources. I did my hair and make-up in the way I understand it, ironed my own clothes, and explored new corners in my home to take photographs. The experience was empowering, really!"

The #WorkfromHome Issue also features exclusive videos and content created by several other celebrities and influencers, including actors Aditi Rao Hydari, Huma Qureshi, Richa Chadda, and Sonali Bendre; writers and directors Tahira Kashyap and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari; fitness experts Yasmin Karachiwala and Mandira Bedi; chefs Pooja Dhingra and Amrita Raichand, amongst dozens of other content creators.

Speaking about this initiative, Cosmopolitan India Editor Nandini Bhalla says, "We understand that these are complex times, which come with a variety of emotions and needs. There are questions around anxiety and mental health, critical conversations around sustainability and consumerism, and worries about what the future might hold. There is the very important issue of charity, and doing everything we can to help the most vulnerable, a cause each one of us at Cosmo stands for. And then there are thoughts around productivity, self-care, at-home beauty and fitness rituals, and what to cook for dinner tonight. Our #WorkfromHome issue aims to echo all thoughts and cover all topics, with a splash of fashion and beauty content to add little sparks of joy and hope."

Nandini adds, "This issue celebrates the spirit of collaboration and synergy, and all our contributors have created exclusive content for Cosmopolitan, from their own homes, including videos, interviews, short stories, and more. In the end, our message is about hope. We hope for a better future and we hope for safety and security and kindness and happiness."

Karen Wilson, Publisher LSG Magazines, says, "The safety of our teams, partners, and readers is paramount, and we appreciate how everyone is doing their bit to protect themselves and each one of us, by staying home. Cosmopolitan India has always believed in nurturing a strong relationship and bond with its readers and partners, and this Work from Home initiative is our way of reaching out, connecting, and engaging with our audience through a special line-up thats both informative and entertaining."

Tune in to Cosmopolitan's Instagram handle (@cosmoindia) and website (cosmopolitan.in) now (and throughout the week) to view the exclusive content created for this first-ever #WorkFromHome Issue.

About Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan India, part of the India Today Group, is the worlds largest-selling womens magazine. In India, the magazine, which also has a powerful online presence, has initiated many firsts. From being the only magazine to launch a Real Girl Issue and print-based Digital Theme Issue, to recognising modern feminism with the country's first Feminist Issue, championing the cause of body positivity and supporting and fighting for the LGBTQIA+ community, Cosmopolitan has reinvented itself with the times, while holding on to the core values it stands for - to celebrate women and encourage them to be the best versions of themselves.

~ Newsvoir

Get To Know Everything About Casino X Before You Start Playing

If you are into casino and gambling for a long time, you must have either played on or come across Casino X at some point. The online casino has been around for quite a long time as its conception took place in 2005. Since then, the casino has been rolling out various sorts of games and features for its players.  

 

The things that make the players comfortable and give them enough entertainment as they go on playing games on the online casino site is how the game interacts with you and its graphics. For this purpose, the Casino X has joined hands with worlds top mort renowned software providers who work to produce user-friendly and very advanced games. 

Among these top-notch providers are Microgaming, Nextgen, Playson, Quickspin, Netent, and many others. There is no denying the fact that when Microgaming is involved in the business, you will see one of the hottest and popular slot games in the entire online casino gaming world. This is true in the Casino X case as well, as they feature many amazing slot games such as Playboy, Break da Bank Again, etc. 

Once you land on their site and start playing, you will notice that their gaming collection is a unique mix of various themes and features. You will also come across some of the amazing table games and roulette with all its super cool variations. Be it Baccarat or scratch cards, the site takes the gaming and wagering experience to the next level. 

Another great feature that adds to the wonders of Casino X is the highly generous welcome bonus offered to new players. You will get the glorious bonus of 500% deposit match which means if you first deposit 100 dollars, your account will be awarded with 500 dollars, and if you make a deposit of 200 dollars, you will receive 1000 dollars. 

What could be better than having your balance increased five times more than what you invest? Simply nothing, and this just the starting of what this casino has in line for you in the future. As you keep betting on, you discover many other remarkable promotional offers that can actually make you rich over the night if you are lucky enough and play right. 

Another online casino in the list of offering convenience when it comes to payment methods, the Casino X offers multiple options like E-wallets and Paysafecards for deposits. For withdrawal, along with E-wallet, you can also use methods like Bank Transfer and Cheque. 

The casino has good customer support and responds promptly. No matter what type of query you have related to the gaming on the website, you can hit their liv chat option any time and ask away whatever confusion you have. At Casino X, it is all about providing comfort to the players therefore when you start playing with them, you feel highly included. 

If you want to know further details, read more about casinox on Japan-101.

Huawei's Announces the Grand Launch of its Next Image Awards; World's Leading Online Mobile Photography Competition

Huawei has also announced the launch of the fourth edition of its legendary Next Image Awards. Huawei's Next Image Awards is one of the world's best online photography awards that is committed to broaden the horizon of visual culture and encourage mobile photography worldwide.

The "NEXT" in NEXT-IMAGE refers to the next generation of photographers using the next generation of tools to create and spread the next generation of visual content - all with new forms of interaction and feedback. The "IMAGE" part of the name refers to both static imagery and new forms of dynamic visual expression.

Huawei has proposed the "NEXT-IMAGE" concept not only to highlight the many years of innovative spirit it has brought to the field of visual expression, but also to create a new word that conveys its insight into what it believes is growing into a new school of photography. In 2019, more than 150 + countries participated and over 520,000 entries were received.

The competition requires the participants to send their best photograph, which will be meticulously judged by the jury members. Under the umbrella of the competition lies six categories, one of which a participant must stick to while submitting his/her entry. The participants have to send their entries and brownie points will be awarded to shots taken through a Huawei phone. Apart from the 3 grand prizes of USD $10,000 each, each of the 6 categories will have its own winners. Fifty runner ups can also win the flagship Huawei P40 Pro smartphone each.

The six categories are as follows -

1. Near Far - Discovering new places and new experiences thereby using new features of phone camera, for instance tele-photo, super-wide angle or macro-shooting lens.


2. Good Night - Capturing fun moments in low light.


3. Hello Life! - Sharing the emotion or the inspiration in everyday experiences.


4. Faces - Experimenting with identity and the power of portraiture of you yourself, her/him/it or them.


5. Live Moments - Filming stories in less than 10 minutes (at least 10 seconds, mp4 only).


6. Storyteller - Sequencing 3 to 9 photos to express the emotion, to record the changes or to find a trend.

The jury consists of eminent photographers such as Steven McCurry and Elizaveta Porodina, along with Li Changzhu, Vice President of Handsets Product Line of Huawei CBG and Andrew Garrihy, Western Europe CMO of Huawei CBG.

"Huawei's Next Image Awards is one of the world's most well-known online photography competitions. Since 2017, more than 150 countries have participated and we have received more than 1 million submissions. We extend the invitation to all photography enthusiasts worldwide to participate in the contest and win exciting prizes of upto USD $10,000. We truly believe that a photograph is worth a thousand words and has the ability to capture the beauty all around us," said Huawei's spokesperson.

The entries are open from March 26th 2020, and will close on 31st July, 2020.

About Huawei Consumer BG

Huawei's products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world's population. Fifteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei's three business units Smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. Huawei's global network is built on almost 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.

For more information, please visit: consumer.huawei.com/in.

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