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Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable join to manage software in STBs
NEW DELHI: Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable have joined hands to manage the Reference Design Kit (RDK) software being used in set-top boxes (STBs).
The new venture RDK Management will manage the RDK licensing, community support and training, as well as code management.
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Comcast will contribute RDK components into the new entity, including the RDK code and specifications, related intellectual property rights, associated contracts and licenses which will be transitioned to the RDK Management.
The RDK is a pre-integrated software bundle, developed and licensed by Comcast to create a common framework for powering tru2way, IP or hybrid STBs and gateway devices and accelerate the deployment of video services.
RDK works with the CableLabs OCAP Reference Implementation software along with other open source components.
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The new entity will provide continuity with the existing licensing program and continue to offer a licensing program similar to the existing program. In addition, the new entity will set up an expanded support program to provide technical support to RDK licensees as operators more broadly deploy the RDK solution.
Since its introduction in early 2012, more than 100 licensees have joined the RDK community, including OEMs, systems integrators, SOCs and software vendors as well as MVPDs to create a community of innovators focused on bringing rich, multi-screen TV home entertainment experiences to consumers faster.
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.
