Applications
JVC launches HD hard disk drive camcorder
MUMBAI: JVC in the US has launched a new consumer high definition (HD) camcorder that combines a 3-CCD image sensor, high definition 1440 x 1080 recording and embedded 60GB hard disk storage in a compact size that fits in the palm of the hand. The new HD Everio GZ-HD3 follows the launch earlier this year of the HD Everio GZ-HD7, which combined the pristine image quality of high definition with the convenience and high capacity of recording to a built-in hard drive. With the new GZ-HD3, JVC brings these same benefits to a wider audience in a palm-sized camcorder that‘s easy to carry and offers The HD Everio GZ-HD3 uses a Konica Minolta HD lens that ensures optimum performance with JVC‘s 3-CCD and HD recording technologies. The zoom lens features an ultra-compact hybrid aspherical lens system using low dispersion glass that plays a role in reducing aberrations and captures HD images with colours and high resolution. The lens structure also contributes to the miniaturisation of the camera. In addition to an SP mode that allows up to about seven hours of HD recording, the GZ-HD3 is also equipped with an XP mode that records at a higher bit rate for those extra special scenes. There‘s also a 1440CBR mode, which is convenient for those who wish to edit using HDV-compatible software. JVC also equipped the GZ-HD3 with a wide range of interface terminals, including HDMI and component outputs so HD footage can be viewed on the latest HDTV displays. And standard AV-S terminals that output a down-converted SD signal provide connectivity to ordinary standard definition TVs. USB and i.Link connectors are included for transferring recordings to a personal computer for editing.
point-and-shoot simplicity.
The product has a 1. 3-CCD camera system for 1440×1080 HD Recording. By using three 16:9 progressive scan CCDs, each dedicated to one of the three primary colours – red, green, blue – the image sensor can capture truly lifelike images and deliver vivid and accurate color reproduction. Since the CCDs themselves are 16:9, they record a pixel array with native 16:9 dimensions for viewing on an HDTV and authoring to DVD or Blu-ray disc. The lens block also uses CCD pixel shift technology to increase horizontal and vertical resolution.
As is the case with the GZ-HD7, the GZ-HD3‘s image processing is driven by JVC‘s HD Gigabrid Engine, which processes images from the progressive CCDs in native progressive to maintain as much quality as possible while applying five different noise reduction technologies to improve vertical resolution by approximately 30 percent from previous JVC standard definition camcorders. Images are reproduced with the depth and richness only possible with HD television, and feature natural skin tones, and colours, especially green.
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.
