As COVID-19 grips the entire world, the demand for social distancing has stimulated and created the need for many people to shift from their offices to virtual workplaces. People are locked up in their houses to help prevent the spread of the virus and this inevitably means spending much more time at home than we’re normally used to. Given the circumstances, millions of people are finding ways for isolation-friendly activities to stay entertained during home quarantine and I feel that digital platforms are the safest cohorts for entertainment along with connecting them with the world beyond their windows. Amidst this, E-sports has seen a surge and found prospects that helps not only to entertain but also maintain a safe distance. Tournaments like Overwatch, League of Legends, PUBG, Dota2, Counterstrike, the fighting game community are some of the trendiest ones amongst the generation Y and Z. Currently, there are about 300 million online gamers in India and the number is expected to grow by 46% to 440 million in two years, according to online market researcher Statista. Gaming in India is growing rapidly and has become a bristling career option as well for many of the budding millennials. The growth in gaming among millennials has been dramatic and swift. In fact, there are several options available to enjoy gaming divergently through PCs and with the addition of AR and VR, joystick, motion play, etc which have undergone many avatars. I remember, as a retro kid, I seemed to have developed an interest playing Super Mario, Pac-Man around 80’s when these games were just introduced in India. However, this was quite different than what we see today, with millennials dedicated to it and choosing it a career option. Back in 2020, in my newfound free time, I like bestowing some bit of it playing games on my PC while I take few short breaks from my regular work hours and this isn’t just out of boredom but an intrinsic desire to be engaged. But now as we fight boredom at home during this quarantine, there are some productive and fun things to do at home. You can utilise this opportunity to realign your goals, learn something new and change your life’s path. Here are a few ideas you can look at to entertain yourselves. Projectors can be your perfect companion: We have been seeing projectors for many years. However, some latest ones embedded with new technologies have been dominating the market and is being considered as the best companion, especially during this lockdown period. They are handy enough to be carried anywhere with ease. You can also set up a home movie theatre and by projecting a new release or family classic on any blank wall. Just ensure you pop up some popcorns and enjoy the show! Enhance your photography/editing skills: Over the years I have come to consider myself a bit of a technology nerd, perhaps it’s because I spend more time with my PC that allows me to keep track of the latest trends in the industry. But this doesn’t stop you to explore your hobby or something you are passionate about besides your usual day to day work. Off late, we see a lot of people who are obsessed with creativity and are finding ways to explore that. Well, there are some amazing laptops available with powerful processors and graphics that can help bring out the hidden talent in you and what best time than this to learn and explore more on it. Become a pro gamer: We can’t deny that there are so many amazing gaming PCs available in the market right now and this could be a good chance for all you budding gamers out there to practice gaming and play along with your friends which also gives you a chance to stay safe and stay connected. There are many gaming PCs that provides you with an immersive experience and packed with the most cutting-edge internals possible such as the RTX graphic cards, processors etc. So, grab hold of one and start gaming! WiFi: That’s the base of everything we do while working. Internet is important and the faster it is, the better. A good Wi-Fi router with wide coverage and anything above 60mbps is probably good to do most of your work. Wearable Gaming: VR is likely to seep into the mainstream now. Gaming has reached to us through the formats of virtual headsets, AR/VR, Myo Gaming, I-wear, Hand machines interface, etc. which can be worn and experienced for exciting know-how. While this is a challenging time for all of us, digitalization has proved a welcome diversion for many people in this time of the pandemic. Hopefully, these practices can help you navigate this new terrain and make the most out of at-home. Author: Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date with the Gadget Bridge Android App.
