Applications
IBC: Elemental streams 3D video over the net
AMSTERDAM: Elemental Technologies showcased the live streaming of 3D video in 1080p at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam.
Elemental is collaborating with Microsoft, Level 3 and TVN Group to deliver 3D content live over the Internet using Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) Smooth Streaming.
Microsoft senior product manager for Silverlight David Sayed says, “Microsoft is committed to delivering the richest, highest-definition video experiences on the Web. Elemental’s support for IIS Smooth Streaming brings the required encoding power needed for live, broadcast quality 3D adaptive video delivery over the Internet, enabling a seamless viewing experience for consumers with Microsoft Silverlight-based media players and other devices enabled by IIS7 Media Services 4.0.”
The demonstration features a real-world, end-to-end 3D workflow:
* A live 3D TV signal originates from a TVN Group television studio in Hamburg, Germany.
* Elemental Live performs high-density, multi-bit rate video encoding using the IIS Smooth Streaming architecture.
* Level 3 Communications provides content delivery via its global communications network to Amsterdam.
* On the show floor, attendees see live streaming 3D video content on a PC-based Silverlight player powered by an NVidia 3D active shutter display.
The massively parallel design of Elemental Live allows a single system to perform the heavy-duty encoding required for HTTP streaming of live 1920 x 1080 3D content. In the demonstration, a single system directly accepts an incoming 3D signal and performs simultaneous encoding of five output streams for multi-screen delivery.
The content is formatted for IIS Smooth Streaming, an adaptive bit rate protocol that enables the audience to experience a compelling, uninterrupted online viewing experience. With IIS Smooth Streaming and Elemental, viewers can enjoy live concerts, movies or popular sporting events in 3D through Silverlight clients on a variety of devices.
Elemental Technologies VP marketing Keith Wymbs says, “IIS Smooth Streaming provides a better way to make full HD 3D on the web a reality. For end users, the quality of the Elemental Live output, combined with the reliability and options available with IIS Smooth Streaming, bring a dramatically improved video viewing experience.”
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.
