Applications
Tvara launches customer interactive solution with streaming ads
BANGALORE: Bangalore-based startup Tvara Tech solutions announced the launch of an interactive mobile solution that is a combination of a convergence device with streaming ads. The device can handle voice, data and video.
At present, the device has a high degree of customization for the hospitality and the automotive travel industry.
Consisting of a 8.9 inch proprietary touch screen, the device has a built-in payment gateway to enable swiping of credit and debit cards; GPS-based location aware applications which can be customized to beam ad content depending upon the location or interaction – the company has the framework in place for content deployment; mobile communication and data access, which at present is limited to GSM and GPRS.
The device has the capability of channeling third party services – this could be travel, shopping and entertainment; industry specific software applications for the hospitality and automotive industries, hosted, multi-tenant web based applications.
For the hospitality segment, there is menu automation software designed to upsell, and hence enhance billing, while in the case of the automotive sector, the device enables access to infotainment and card swiping for payment. A fare in a taxi could use the device to book tickets, if they are available online, or watch a movie, during a cab ride.
There is a clutter of devices in the automotive industry which have a number of convergence capabilities. The differentiator that Tvara offers at present is that it is focusing the product as a B2B solution rather than the direct consumer who uses such devices as a car computer.
Tvara also wants to have alliances with media buying companies for using a part of the screen as a sort of a ‘live’ digital signage that could have some degree of intelligence to determine the type of ads that can be beamed based on the browsing patterns or the inputs of a person.
Another differentiator is the price – Tvara is looking at a price point of Rs 35,000 to Rs. 40,000 each for the B2B segment; similar devices cost up to $2,000 in the case of a car buyer.
Once 3G services are launched on a much larger scale, a chip for enabling 3G services can be added to the device, say company officials. Modules for other applications can also be built or added, depending upon specific requirements. The company is looking at introducing 10,000 devices during the first year and claims that the market potential for such devices could be as high as $500 million over the next three to five years.
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.
