Applications
STMicroelectronics launches new TV System-on-Chip
MUMBAI: TSTMicroelectronics has announced a new TV System-on-Chip (SoC) offering an integrated 3D graphics accelerator (OpenGL-ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1 compliant).
This enables next-generation Internet TV services, exciting user interfaces and casual gaming.
ST‘s new FLI7540, representing the ‘Freeman Ultra‘ line of products, powers high-performance TVs that demand exceptional video, audio, and user-interface capabilities.
The FLI7540 delivers exceptionally high performance (1700+ DMIPS CPU with 256 kbytes of Level 2 cache), strong security dedicated for advanced middleware/Internet TV applications, and is compatible with worldwide digital terrestrial television (DTT) standards.
ST has also introduced a high-quality Faroudja video-enhancement IC that dramatically reduces TV power consumption and boosts video quality for LED TVs while offering best-in-class experience for 2D/3DTV.
The FLI2520 ‘Diamond‘ video-enhancement IC delivers the industry‘s first single-chip 2D/3D@200/240Hz with advanced MCTi(1) motion judder and blur reduction, plus 240Hz LED backlight adaptive local dimming and 480Hz backlight scanning for motion-blur reduction.
The FLI2520 is also the first TV IC offering the royalty-free VESA interconnect standard iDP (internal DisplayPort) output to the panel timing controller. For TV set and panel manufacturers, iDP substantially reduces BOM cost and system complexity, in comparison to alternative approaches.
ST‘s TV and Monitor Division GM Luigi Mantellassi says, “Our TV customers demand powerful solutions to meet the requirements in next-generation products to support extensive processing for the enhanced Internet TV and 3D video experiences.
The FLI7540 is software compatible with other products in the Freeman product line, and is the culmination of the integration of world-class technologies from ST‘s industry-leading set-top-box chips and the Faroudja video-processing technologies.
Applications
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.
