Applications
Tivo launches Universal Swivel Search
MUMBAI: Tivo which creates television services for digital video recorders (DVRs) in the US has begun releasing the Tivo service’s universal Swivel Search. This provides broadband-connected TiVo subscribers the power to quickly find programming. |
Rather than starting with a title or keyword with universal Swivel Search on the Tivo service, TiVo subscribers can also search using the way they intuitively think about television; that is, by starting with a programme they currently enjoy and using elements of that program to find more of what they like. Universal Swivel Search allows viewers to seamlessly link from descriptions of one programme to all others that have common elements, including programme name, actors, or suggestions based on other viewers’ feedback. Additionally, users can find programmes related to a specific subject with ’tags,’ which are topic-related terms that might not be included in the programme‘s title or episode description, but fall under an over-arching subject of interest. |
Tivo CEO Tom Rogers said, “Universal Swivel Search is an easy way to find programming from virtually anywhere, any time the user wants. We know that as broadband video continues its rapid growth, and broadcast and cable programming continue to proliferate, consumers are finding it more and more difficult to find the content they want, when they want it. Now there is a fun and easy new way for TiVo subscribers to explore the few degrees of separation connecting content that they enjoy in a way that matches how the TV viewer thinks about programming.” For example, a user would start with a television show or movie that they enjoy, for instance Seinfeld. Seinfeld features Julia Louis-Dreyfus from the cast list. With the click of a button, the viewer can ’swivel’ and see other programmes that the actor appears in, for instance, The New Adventures of Old Christine, including both broadcast lineup and available for download. Additionally, from that cast list a user can select Clark Greg and discover that he was also in The West Wing. With universal Swivel Search, a TiVo subscriber’s search can jump from a show to an actor, to a second actor and then to another show, following a unique path through the content that interests them. The new ’swivel’ ability is not limited to actors, but available on topic tags, or even lists of similar programmes. |
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.
