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DDB Technology introduces digital entertainment platform
MUMBAI: Digital Direct Broadcast (DDB) Foundation, a conglomerate of seven technology entities from across the world, has introduced a digital entertainment platform – ‘Direct Digital Broadcast’ (DDB).
The companies involved are semiconductor company STMicroelectronics, software and application maker Irdeto, cloud computing brand Nivio, audio-video technology company Faroudja, Sound technology company Strata, DTH service provider Videocon d2h and Phillips.
The DDB Research Foundation also announced that Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra is the brand ambassador for the DDB technology platform across the Indian subcontinent.
The platform brings in features like ‘Cloud Computing’ which allows sharing of files, pictures or songs over the air, ‘2D to 3D Conversion’ which converts usual 2D images to life-like 3D images along with ‘Direct Satellite Reception’ which eliminates the need of a set-top box to the Indian television screens.
Enabling the televisions of today to compete against smartphones and tablets, the DDB platform will empower them to perform multiple functions on one single platform.
In today’s world where technology is on one’s fingertips, the DDB Technology brings in avant-garde features like ‘Internet Browsing’ featuring Facebook, Twitter, Google, Skype, Yahoo and other applications; ‘Over the Air Software Upgrades’ for updated technology; a ‘450 MHz Dual Core Processor’ integrated with 14 Bit Processor capable of creating a 4 Trillion Colour bandwidth along with ‘Motion Enhancement and Motion Correction (MEMC)’ capabilities; the HDMI-CEC
enabled DDB Platform devices will come loaded with a 10 Band Graphic Equalizer, Faroudja Audio-Video Optimised and Strata Certified Audio, for a better audio-video experience.
Envisioned as a platform to enhance available entertainment options for the masses, the DDB platform while setting global standards in Home Entertainment experiences will also eliminate the need of multiple devices across various platforms.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
