Contending that legalizing sports betting was one way to deal with the paucity of funds faced by sports bodies in the country, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) is mulling petitioning the Niti Aayog in this regard.

The newly-launched apex body to manage the gaming industry in the country has already sent recommendations in this regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cited the example of Britain, which finished second in the Rio Olympics medals tally, benefitting from betting-permitting laws, an AIGF release said on Friday.

This comes close on the heels of Niti Mayo’s 20-point plan of action, which identifies 10 priority sports with a target to win 50 medals at the 2024 Olympics.

“While I glanced through media reports, one headline which caught my interest was about the Sports budget allocated to Agra school kids by the government, which comes to 30 paise per student for approximately 3 lakh students. No wonder, with a budget allocation like this, India gets to witness the kind of performance we saw at the Rio Olympics this year,” AIGF CEO Roland Landers told IANS.

“This clearly indicates that we have learned nothing from the latest Olympics fiasco. If things don’t change, we will have another appalling performance in the next Olympics even though the country holds an immense talent base.”

According to Landers, the legalization of betting will help the government earn a revenue of Rs.19,000 crore per year which can then be utilized for training Indian athletes and for various talent development programs at the grassroots level Blog Express.

“It is important to note that various industry bodies and jurists like Justice R.M. Lodha have recommended legalizing sports betting as an important measure to improve sporting facilities and eliminate fraud/cheating in sports. A report prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) indicates that Rs.19,000 crore can be earned annually by imposing a 20 percent tax on sports betting and gaming activities,” he said.

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“Although sports, betting, and gambling fall in the state list, the central government can provide advisories/suggestions to all the states and implement this idea. Further, the central government can also start the process of framing a model law under Article 252 of the Constitution on regulating sports betting and providing better sporting facilities,” Landers added.

“What we are proposing is nothing inimitable, and we have already seen countries like Britain benefit from such collection of funds which are utilized for the promotion of sport in Britain. It targeted 350 million pounds ($454.3 million) on supporting participants in the Rio Olympics and Paralympics.”

Reviewing a new iPhone is always a long-term affair. After all, with several new features packed into each iteration–from its processing prowess to the new camera to an improved display–there is much to dissect and experience over the course of discovering and using each new capability.

We spent quality time with the flagship iPhone 7 Plus 256GB variant in the all-new black color this time around. It so happens that the bulk of the phone’s capabilities ups the ante by way of dual cameras, the faster A10 Fusion processor, a brighter and more colorful screen, stereo sound, and more. We decided to first deep dive into two key areas of use. These specifications are honed toward photography and gaming.

The all-new camera(s)

Clearly, the most standout feature of the iPhone 7 Plus is its dual-lens camera system. With a 12MP resolution, the camera is actually composed of two separate f/1.8 lenses–one wide-angle and the other telephoto. Switching between the two is a simple matter of tapping the ‘1x’/’2x’ icon on the camera interface, enabling re-composing your subject in two different frames. The camera also features a wider color gamut that lets it capture more hues than most smartphone cameras and our of a marketplace at noon, the camera impressed with its ability to reproduce natural tones while nailing the exposure even during challenging lighting situations such as backlit subjects or mottled light that shines through trees. Also, the optical image stabilization made for razor-sharp shots of fast-moving subjects (a toddler, in my case), which would otherwise result in blurry pictures in cameras without this feature.

And when roaming around the outdoors hunting for the next photo op, the one new feature that unexpectedly came in handy is its IP67 dust and water resistance. A sudden downpour? Passing lorry kicked up a dust cloud? The ability to use this phone in such scenarios is a huge plus–more for peace of mind than anything else.
Even the front camera made for vivid selfies with its support for its sensor’s wide color gamut capabilities. Apple does state that about 100 billion computer operations go into the capture of each photo. And while it’s not really possible to verify this, the results certainly do reflect.

High-def gaming

The new A10 Fusion processor in this phone is supposedly twice as fast as the iPhone 6, with higher battery efficiency to boot. To put it through its paces, I played a fair bit of the new Oz: Broken Kingdom game–one that is known for its intense graphics and character detail. This became especially evident in the phone’s HD screen and wide color gamut capability–the fight sequences seemed to pop with the specular lighting effects and in the hundreds of flying monkeys Blogging Kits.

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Teamed with the phone’s Haptic feedback, stereo sound (a first for the iPhone, with speakers at both ends of the device) was responsive and immersive. With its increased abilities as a gaming platform, it’s clear that the iPhone 7 will enable game developers to push the limits on what they can deliver.

There’s plenty more to talk about on this phone, but my initial experience has been very positive. There happens to be a forthcoming update–iOS 10.1–which will add the much-anticipated ‘Portrait’ feature to the camera, enabling the kind of depth of field otherwise only reserved for DLSR photos.

We’ll be covering this and more as we continue to experience the new iPhone–stay tuned for more.

It’s day two of Amazon’s Great Indian Festival sale, and there are still many deals one can take advantage of. Buyers have access to deals across categories like smartphones, mobile accessories, home appliances, and even gaming, among others. Amazon India offers buyers additional discounts if they use a Citibank credit or debit card to buy a product — 10 percent on a website and 15 percent on the app. If you are looking to buy electronics like mobiles, tablets, laptops, or even home appliances, you can take advantage of exchange bonuses of up to Rs 15,000. Other offers include no-cost EMIs for Bajaj FinServ cardholders and early access to deals for Amazon Prime users. Following are some of the deals you shouldn’t miss out on day two of Amazon’s Great Indian Festival sale.

Coolpad Note 5: Coolpad launched the Note 5 last month, and the smartphone is available for the first time today on Amazon India. It is on sale for Rs 10,999, and in this segment, it competes against the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, LeEco Le 2, and Lenovo Vibe K5 Note, to name a few. The new smartphone features a 1080p display, Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, fingerprint scanner, and a 4,010mAh battery. Amazon India also offers an exchange bonus of up to Rs 8,325 that can potentially bring the price tag down to Rs 2,674. Buy the Coolpad Note 5 for Rs 10,999.

Lenovo Vibe K4 Note: The Lenovo Vibe K4 Note was available on Amazon India yesterday with a 17 percent discount, which brought the price tag down from Rs 11,999 to Rs 9,999. The e-commerce company is today offering Rs 1,000 worth of gift cards with the purchase of the smartphone. An exchange bonus of up to Rs 7,793 could bring the price tag down to Rs 2,206. At this price tag, you get a device that offers a 1080p display, MediaTek octa-core SoC, 3GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, and fingerprint scanner. Buy the Lenovo Vibe K4 Note for Rs 9,999.

Apple iPad mini 2 (16GB Wi-Fi): If you are looking for a tablet that is not too heavy in your pockets, you can’t miss out on Apple‘s iPad mini 2. After the 32GB variant was listed on Amazon India yesterday with a discount, today it is the turn of the 16GB variant. With a 19 percent discount, the price tag comes down from Rs 21,990 to Rs 17,599. This discount is only applicable on the 16GB Wi-Fi only variant in Space Grey color. Buy the Apple iPad mini 2 16GB Wi-Fi Space Grey for Rs 17,599.

Lenovo A8-50 Tablet: If you are on the lookout for a budget tablet with voice-calling capabilities, you should consider Lenovo‘s A8-50. Available on Amazon India with a 37 percent discount, the tablet’s price has come down from Rs 14,990 to Rs 9,499. For this price, you get an 8-inch tablet with MediaTek quad-core SoC, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, 4,200mAh battery, and Wi-Fi, LTE, and voice calling support. Buy the Lenovo A8-50 for Rs 9,499.

Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160: Micromax launched the Canvas Lapbook L1160 earlier this year, which is among the cheapest Windows 10 netbooks available in India. Launched for Rs 10,499, the laptop is currently listed on Amazon India with a 29 percent discount, bringing the price tag down to Rs 8,990. The 11.6-inch laptop features an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 4,100mAh battery. Buy the Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160 for Rs 8,990.

Micromax 40-inch full HD LED TV: Micromax‘s 40-inch full HD LED TV is available on Amazon India at a tempting price tag of Rs 18,990. This is, in essence, a 53 percent discount on the launch price of Rs 39,990. The TV offers a 1920×1080 pixels resolution display with a contrast ratio of 3500:1. For connectivity, you get two HDMI ports, one VGA port, and two USB ports. Buy the Micromax 40-inch full HD LED TV for Rs 18,990.

TCL 40-inch full HD L40D2900 LED TV: If you do not manage to get your hands on the Micromax TV, you could check out the 40-inch full HD LED TV from TCL. The TV is available with an 18 percent discount that brings the price down from Rs 21,990 to Rs 17,990. At this price, you get a TV with 1920×1080 pixels resolution and a 3000:1 contrast ratio. As for connectivity, you get two HDMI ports, two USB ports, and one VGA port. Buy the TCL 40-inch full HD LED TV L40D2900 for Rs 17,990.

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Xbox One with Kinect – Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle: For gaming enthusiasts, the Xbox One with Kinect and Halo: The Master Chief Collection bundle is available after a discount of Rs 28,989. The console available on Amazon India is the 500GB variant, and the price will go down further if you are to use either a Citibank debit or credit card. Buy the 500GB Xbox One with Kinect – Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle for Rs 28,989.

ANTVR Headset: With the Vibe K3 Note, Lenovo had also launched the ANTVR headset. While the headset was launched for Rs 1,999, it is now available on Amazon India for just Rs 299. The VR headset is compatible with Lenovo’s smartphones like the Vibe K3 Note, Vibe K4 Note, Vibe K5, Vibe K5 Plus, and the Vibe X3. These smartphones support Lenovo’s TheaterMax technology. Buy the ANTVR Headset for Rs 299.

Iota Lite Smart LED Bulb: Cube 26 launched its ultra-affordable Iota Lite Smart LED bulb in India towards the end of last year with a price tag of only Rs 1,599. What impressed us was the Iota smart LED bulb offered much of the functionality offered by more expensive smart bulbs from the likes of Philips offer at a very pocket-friendly price. The smart bulb is currently on sale on Amazon India at a discount that brings the price tag down to Rs 1,499. Buy the Iota Lite Smart LED bulb for Rs 1,499.

Gears of Wars 4 is perhaps one of the most anticipated games of the year. HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology, has introduced its second official Xbox-licensed gaming headset, CloudX Revolver Gears of War.

The headset is co-designed with Microsoft and The Coalition (the studio developing Gears of War 2). In fact, the headset has also been tested and approved by Microsoft, with additional compatibility for Windows.

The head comes with a 3.5mm plug and a 2M PC extension cable. It is certified by Team Speak and Discord and is further compatible with SkypeTM, Ventrilo, Mumble, and RaidCall. The headset is backed by a 2-year warranty and is available on Amazon for Rs 11,999. Users can visit the company’s homepage HyperX for more information.

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It has been over three months since Niantic released its popular location-based augmented reality game Pokemon Go. Still, it is yet to come to several Asian countries, including India, China, and South Korea, which happen to be among the world’s biggest gaming markets. Now, there are high chances of gamers in these countries losing interest due to the delay.

Niantic has said that it would release Pokemon Go in about 200 countries, and it has released in over 100 nations so far. As many as 31 countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Mauritius, got the popular game earlier this month.

Pokemon Go has been released in several Asian countries, but not without running into issues. Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam have restricted gamers from playing it at select places. It has run into the problem in South Korea, as the country restricts the use of uncensored map data from overseas while the game requires real-time geospatial technologies and Google’s map data to play.

Pokemon Go is a free augmented reality (AR) mobile phone game that lets players catch virtual characters in a real-life environment.

The game has also run into problems in India even before its release, with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Gujarat High court seeking a ban claiming that its release in the country could create mayhem. It stated that Go eggs were spotted in places of worship, thus amounting to hurting religious sentiments of certain communities.

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There is no hurdle insight in China as far as the release of Pokemon Go is concerned, with Hong Kong already receiving it a couple of months ago. But it is not known why Niantic is holding back the release of the game in China.
The game could be released in more countries in the next few weeks, and it is inevitable with its popularly taking a nosedive in the West. Still, it appears like curiosity among gamers will vanish by the time it is launched.