Applications
Optibase to showcase encoder at Nab
MUMBAI: Optibase will unveil its new high performance MGES 6000 quad-channel encoding blade at the 2010 National Association of Broadcasters (Nab) show, taking place from 12-15 April in Las Vegas.
MGES 6000, the converged encoding module, provides 4 HD & SD channels in a single blade. Up to 13 blades may be combined for an unprecedented 52 channels in a single platform. Secondary stream functionality doubles streaming capacity to 104 streams at two different bit rates.
The flexible second generation MGES 6000 H.264 HD encoder offers a range of bit rates and resolutions that make it ideal for diverse applications. These include situation awareness for military forces; traffic monitoring, surveillance and collaboration between government agencies; and telco and broadcast services. The bandwidth-efficient second generation MGES 6000 maximizes available bandwidth with H.264 CBR encoding that enables delivery of more HD channels at superior quality. It provides a cost-effective solution for a wide range projects, from very small installations to large-scale deployments.
At Nab, Optibase will also demonstrate new features of its advanced EZ TV enterprise solution for delivering customised lineups of live and on-demand video content to every PC and TV throughout an organisation.
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.
