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Sony’s 80GB PS3 to offer VoD
MUMBAI: Sony is currently in negotiations with several Korean telecom companies to offer Video-On-Display (VOD) services with its 80GB PlayStation 3. According to a report in the Korean Times, at least two domestic landline telecom carriers, Hanaro Telecom and KT appear to be involved in the negotiations. “We are contacting some Korean firms in order to incorporate VOD applications into PlayStation 3 service line-up,” Sony spokeswoman Park Seo-yun said. The report also quotes a Hanaro spokesman saying, “We are negotiating with Sony and the atmosphere is pretty good. We hope we will be able to reach an agreement in June. Once a deal is struck, PlayStation 3 users can watch all the Hana TV programs after downloading software, without having to buy a dedicated set-top box.” |
The Korean move represents the first step in Sony‘s plans to roll out the VOD initiative on a larger scale in the near future. Although no details have been released on the launch or the pricing structure, consumers would be able to access full-length movies, music and TV programmes under the services available. Microsoft currently offers VOD services via Xbox Live for North American Xbox 360 users. Users can download movies, TV shows and other media content on a pay-per-item basis. |
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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.
