ITV

Category: Technology

  • Broadcast Asia 2025 brings the heat to Singapore with AI, cloud and channel chaos control

    Broadcast Asia 2025 brings the heat to Singapore with AI, cloud and channel chaos control

    SINGAPORE: The lights are on, the mics are hot, and the future of broadcasting is rolling live from the Singapore Expo as Broadcast Asia 2025 kicks off from 27–29 May. Touted as Asia’s answer to IBC and NAB, the event expects close to 10,000 visitors and will be the centre stage for the latest in AI-driven tech, streaming disruption, and next-gen media delivery.

    Topping the charts is PlayBox Neo, making noise at booth 5A2-5 with its award-winning PlayBox Neo Suite. The modular solution bundles AirBox, Ingest, Media Gateway and the flagship Channel-in-a-Box, offering seamless playout, scheduling, graphics, and centralised control.

     “We’re redefining what ‘channel-ready’ means,” said Desmon Goh, md Asia-Pacific.
     CEO Pavlin Rahnev added, “From terrestrial to OTT, we power it all — stable, scalable, and smart.”

    Not far behind is Veset, the cloud playout powerhouse. Its Nimbus platform is currently being used to migrate ten channels of Telekom Malaysia to AWS. Meanwhile, its JPEG XS + Multicast integration and the AdWise contextual ad solution are pushing the envelope for live TV workflows and viewer-friendly monetisation.

    Bitmovin is bringing developer cred to the floor with fresh insights from its 8th Annual Video Developer Report. Expect new features like SSAI Analytics and Real-Time Observability, plus a tie-up with Ad Insertion Platform. It’s already powering Japan’s public sector via Akamai Cloud and partnering with 24i to serve Revry’s advanced ad formats.

    Accedo is flexing its streaming smarts with the newly minted One Design Studio, XR consultancy upgrades, and a new partnership with FloSports. With clients from Paramount to Tata Play, it’s all about boosting UX across screens.

    CDNetworks is delivering the goods at booth 5J3-1, offering media delivery that’s fast, secure, and globally scalable. Neighbouring partner The Northern Alliance is showcasing everything from Ecreso FM AiO Series transmitters to the Audemat MC6 — the Swiss Army knife for FM & DAB measurement.

    Meanwhile, TSL (on booth 5D1-1) is serving serious control-room swagger: think software-driven control, market-leading audio monitoring units, and intelligent power distribution. Their recent role in helping Sony Pictures Networks India nab Tier 4 certification is earning applause.

    Strawberry (yes, that’s the name) is sweetening post-production with its Skies platform. Real-time teamwork, cloud-on-prem integration, and an exclusive €100/month pilot offer make it a tempting pick for creative teams tired of workflow gridlock.

    Broadpeak is serving adtech with bite — personalised SSAI, Click2® formats, and mABR-powered EdgePeak™ to scale streaming without breaking the bank. MediaPrima and K+ are already on board.

    SES is taking it to the skies at booth 4B3-1 with demos on multi-orbit orchestration, satellite case studies, and a clear mission: deliver performance and reliability, wherever your broadcast ambitions lie.

    Elsewhere, Actus Digital is showcasing its all-in-one Intelligent Monitoring Platform, Cobalt Digital is flaunting IPMX-compliant gear at booth 5F1-1, AxelTech is revealing updates to its XRadio automation system, and Magna Systems is hosting a flurry of action with its stacked stand.

    Broadcast Asia 2025, part of Asia Tech x Singapore, remains the crown jewel for broadcasters, creators, and tech providers across the region. Whether it’s cloud-native control, AI in playout, or rethinking ad delivery, Singapore is where the future of media gets its next big upgrade — no buffering required.

  • Liqvd Asia opens a new dimension with Tesseract for AI search visibility

    Liqvd Asia opens a new dimension with Tesseract for AI search visibility

    MUMBAI: If SEO was your brand’s compass, meet Tesseract, the time machine marketers didn’t know they needed. Liqvd Asia, through its performance marketing arm AdLift, has launched Tesseract, a pioneering platform set to revolutionise how brands measure and optimise their presence in the brave new world of AI-driven search. From ChatGPT to Google’s AI Overviews to Perplexity, Tesseract gives marketers a peek into how their brand is surfacing across LLM-powered platforms, no keyword stuffing required.

    As traditional SEO gasps for relevance, Tesseract swoops in with real-time insights on where, how, and why a brand is being mentioned in AI-generated responses. It’s not just search engine rankings anymore, it’s conversation placement, contextual relevance, and AI-curated authority.

    “Organic marketing is undergoing a monumental shift,” said Adlift CEO & co-founder Prashant Puri. “With AI-native platforms challenging the dominance of traditional search engines, brands must adapt quickly. Tesseract enables companies to track their presence across emerging AI search tools and optimize their visibility in ways traditional SEO cannot.”

    Unlike legacy SEO dashboards that stop at backlinks and meta tags, Tesseract decodes the emerging AI language tracking your brand’s appearance in tools like ChatGPT and surfacing insights that would never appear in a Google Search Console report.

    “The impact has been transformative for our early adopters,” shared Adlift VP for client success & growth, Rishabh Mahendru shared, “In our pilot campaigns, Tesseract delivered remarkable results. Clients saw a significant increase in visibility and engagement across AI search platforms far exceeding what was possible through Google Search Console alone. This tool is a game-changer for the industry.”

    Liqvd Asia founder Arnab Mitra commented, “At Liqvd Asia, innovation is our core. With Tesseract, we’re not just responding to the AI revolution, we’re shaping it. This product reflects our commitment to empowering brands with cutting-edge solutions that anticipate the future of digital marketing. We believe Tesseract will be a game-changer, enabling brands to thrive in an AI-first world where visibility means everything.”

    Available in Basic, Pro and Enterprise plans, the tool has already caught the attention of brands across D2C, FMCG, healthcare, retail, and hospitality.

    With Tesseract, the AI search game isn’t about ranking anymore, it’s about being relevant, visible and remembered in the feeds and answers shaping tomorrow’s consumer decisions. Welcome to SEO 2.0 where the algorithm thinks, and your brand needs to think ahead.

  • Cobalt turns up the signal at Broadcastasia with sharp new tech tune-up

    Cobalt turns up the signal at Broadcastasia with sharp new tech tune-up

    MUMBAI: The signal is loud and clear, Cobalt Digital is making serious waves at Broadcastasia 2025. The award-winning signal processing pioneer has rolled into Singapore with a powerhouse lineup of gear that’s equal parts precision engineering and next-gen swagger.

    From debuting its ARIA Aud-Mon Audio Monitor, a sleek, rack-mounted unit designed for top-tier sound in tight spaces to showcasing its IPMX-ready Sapphire mini converters and Pacific encoders, Cobalt is proving it’s not just keeping pace with broadcast innovation, but setting it.

    The ARIA Aud-Mon, inspired by real-world operator feedback, comes with eight mixable audio channels, a touch display, class-D amp, and a buffet of input options including SDI, MADI, AES, and even GPI. And yes, there’s a live video thumbnail because why not?

    Also on the floor is Cobalt’s Sapphire BBG range of mini converters tiny titans capable of HDMI-to-IPMX wizardry. These featherweight champs can mount behind monitors, operate near-silently, and juggle formats with ease. Meanwhile, the Pacific 9992-ENC encoder keeps things spicy with support for 4K, ST 2110, JPEG-XS, and asynchronous IPMX feeds all on an openGear card.

    Not to be outdone, the UltraBlue IP-MV software multiviewer gives broadcasters a no-fuss, format-agnostic view of the action supporting compressed, uncompressed, and SDI inputs, complete with audio bars and captioning. It’s even cool with portrait mode if your display is feeling dramatic.

    For routing needs, the Wave RTR-64×64 and RTR-32×32 models are Cobalt’s answer to the high-bandwidth prayer both built for 12G-SDI, web-controlled, and ready to tango with third-party protocols. Pair them with Cobalt’s smart control panels and you’ve got a broadcast ops room that runs like a dream.

    And because every great show needs a solid foundation, Cobalt’s new openGear-compatible frames the HPF-9500 and HPF-MAX pack serious power (360W and 600W respectively) while fitting right into the most demanding racks.

    Whether you’re into live production, digital transformation or just tired of juggling cables and converters, Cobalt’s BroadcastAsia booth (5F1-1) is clearly the place to tune in.

    One thing’s for sure: this is signal processing, amplified.

  • Bhawna Agarwal takes the reins as managing director of HPE India

    Bhawna Agarwal takes the reins as managing director of HPE India

    MUMBAI: Bhawna Agarwal has stepped up as the senior vice-president & managing director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) India, marking a new era for the technology giant in one of its most critical markets. With over 25 years of experience in digital strategy, e-commerce, and leadership, Agarwal is set to lead HPE India’s charge into the future.

    The leadership baton has been passed from industry veteran Som Satsangi, who spent 27 years building HPE’s formidable presence in India. Expressing gratitude for the strong foundation laid by Satsangi, Agarwal highlighted her excitement about the opportunities ahead, promising to drive innovation and growth with her “committed and agile team.”

    Having joined HPE in 2019, Agarwal’s journey with the company has been a blend of high-impact initiatives and strategic growth. Her track record includes transforming digital platforms and scaling businesses.

    Agarwal’s digital prowess extends beyond HPE, with leadership roles at NDTV Gadgets360, where she led the platform to become India’s top digital tech destination, and stints with Yatra.com, Seventymm, and Times Internet. She is also a board advisor, mentor, and active player in India’s start-up ecosystem.

    Thanking Antonio Neri and Heiko Meyer for their trust, Agarwal reaffirmed her commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers and partners. As she takes charge, all eyes are on HPE India’s next chapter—one that promises growth, transformation, and a dash of digital magic.

  • Alphabake launches AI-powered virtual try-ons to reshape online fashion shopping

    Alphabake launches AI-powered virtual try-ons to reshape online fashion shopping

    MUMBAI: In a bid to rewire the way fashion is bought online, Alphabake has launched a generative AI-powered virtual try-on feature for digital-first clothing brands. Touted as a leap over earlier mirror-kiosk-style tech, the solution blends Alphabake’s proprietary models with foundational generative AI to deliver photorealistic, hyper-personalised try-on experiences for shoppers.

    Already live on platforms like Prashanti Sarees, Jade Blue, and Maatshi, the tech allows users to upload real-world images and view how garments appear in different lighting and settings—indoor, outdoor, day, or night. The goal: to mimic real-life dressing room conditions, reduce purchase hesitation, and bridge the online-offline shopping divide.

    “In today’s fast-paced world, virtual try-ons are a boon helping customers see how clothes look on them in different settings”, said Alphabake founder & CEO Krishna Sumanth. “Close to 40 per cent of try-ons are shared on WhatsApp or Instagram and 15 per cent are added to carts. We’re on a mission to enable a trillion try-ons in the next three years”.

    Integrated with Shopify and available via API for non-Shopify platforms, the tool is built to scale quickly across D2C retailers. The result: higher conversions, improved top-of-funnel traffic, and lower customer acquisition costs.

    Prashanti Sarees CEO Anand Krishnamoorthy hailed the innovation. “Since we integrated Alphabake into our platform, the results have been very impressive. Engagement is up, and so are conversions. It genuinely feels like magic when you see the try-on outputs—realistic, intuitive, and easy to use”, he said.

    As fashion brands look to differentiate in an increasingly crowded e-commerce landscape, Alphabake’s technology promises a more immersive, interactive shopping journey that keeps users coming back. With machine learning models evolving fast, the company believes virtual try-ons will become the default experience for fashion e-tail.

  • Reel to real returns as Moving Bramha plots box-office breakthroughs

    Reel to real returns as Moving Bramha plots box-office breakthroughs

    MUMBAI: In a world where trailers trend but tickets don’t always sell, a new player is aiming to flip the script, one click at a time. Vatsal Rajgor, the founder of Digimaze and AI-powered SaaS platform Strique, has launched Moving Bramha, a full-stack, performance-driven marketing engine for the film and entertainment industry. But this isn’t just another agency jumping on the film bandwagon, this one is all about turning impressions into income.

    “There’s no industry more culturally influential than films but the way movies are marketed hasn’t kept pace with how audiences consume or convert. The gap between creative buzz and business results is vast. While film content creation has evolved, performance marketing is still treated like an afterthought. We want to change that.” says Rajgor.

    “For us, marketing means sales. Every penny spent should drive measurable outcomes whether it’s ticket sales, OTT streams or pre-bookings. The tools and data exist. What’s missing is the mindset.”  Rajgor adds.

    “Every reel, every poster, every launch has a job to do and Moving Bramha is built to ensure that job is done with precision and performance.”  Rajgor adds.

    From geo-targeted campaigns and influencer-led buzz to AI-powered media spends that adjust in real time, the platform is designed for accountability, agility and automation. Its USP? A system that ties creative collateral be it teaser, trailer or poster directly to performance metrics like ticket sales, footfalls and OTT streams.

    “Every reel has a role,” Rajgor adds. “And our job is to make sure it does its job.”

    The launch marks Rajgor’s third major venture, following the success of DigiMaze, which scaled brand growth through performance-led strategies, and Strique, which streamlined media operations with AI. But Moving Bramha feels more personal, a nod to Rajgor’s passion for storytelling and his belief that cinema deserves more than vanity metrics.

    Among the marquee offerings:

    1    AI-led media buying that reallocates budget on the fly, based on viewer traction

    2    Audience building based on genre history, regional data and behavioural insights

    3    Creative evolution frameworks that pivot from buzz to bookings

    4    Integrated ROI mapping from release weekend to OTT shelf life

    At a time when the film industry is seeking smarter, sharper ways to reach audiences beyond billboards and breaking news, Moving Bramha arrives with a bold promise not just to market movies, but to move them.

  • Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses make stylish AI debut in India with voice, camera and livestream power

    Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses make stylish AI debut in India with voice, camera and livestream power

    MUMBAI: Meta Platforms and Essilorluxottica have officially launched their Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in India, combining iconic design with high-tech performance. The AI-powered eyewear offers voice-activated assistance, live translation (coming soon), real-time video capture, and livestreaming capabilities—all without needing to lift a finger.

    Starting at Rs 29,900, the Ray-Ban Meta collection enters the Indian market with the promise of making smart eyewear more accessible, stylish and useful. Pre-orders are live at india.ray-ban.com, and the glasses hit stores on 19 May 2025.

    The new collection comes equipped with a 12MP ultra-wide camera for high-quality stills and immersive 1080p vertical videos. Five microphones allow seamless transitions between calls and music, while discreet open-ear speakers boost audio with better bass response and noise suppression—without blocking ambient sounds.

    Users can now livestream directly to Instagram or Facebook Live using voice commands, with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes. They can toggle between the phone and glasses camera mid-stream, delivering content with an eye-level POV.

    “Hey Meta” voice prompts activate on-the-go AI support, enabling users to ask questions, get recommendations, or translate signs. Soon, the AI will support real-time conversations in Spanish, French, Italian, and English—even in airplane mode, provided language packs are pre-downloaded.

    The collection includes styles like Wayfarer, Wayfarer Large, and Skyler in finishes such as Shiny Chalky Grey and lens options ranging from Transitions®, prescription, polarised, to sun and clear. Lenses promise advanced clarity and comfort with added UV protection.

    The compact glasses come with a classic charging case and improved Meta View app (iOS and Android), which allows users to manage multiple glasses, import and edit photos and videos, apply effects, and post to social platforms in seconds.

    The Meta AI features will receive ongoing updates, making the eyewear smarter over time. The blend of fashion and function positions the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses as a new tech-lifestyle hybrid for Indian consumers.

     

  • Motorola razr 60 ultra flips the script with AI muscle, Alcantara finish and triple 50MP cameras

    Motorola razr 60 ultra flips the script with AI muscle, Alcantara finish and triple 50MP cameras

    MUMBAI: Motorola has launched the razr 60 ultra, setting a bold new benchmark in the premium flip phone segment. With a Snapdragon® 8 Elite processor, moto AI-powered capabilities, triple 50MP camera system, and the world’s first Alcantara finish on a smartphone, the new razr blends design with raw AI horsepower. Priced at an effective Rs 89,999 (launch price Rs 99,999), the device will go on sale starting 21 May on Amazon, Reliance Digital, and leading retailers.

    Built for the AI age, the razr 60 ultra features moto AI tools like Look & Talk, Catch Me Up, Remember This, and Next Move—turning the phone into a true personal assistant. Its Snapdragon® 8 Elite chipset delivers an AnTuTu score of 2.7 million, and the 3nm architecture fuels its CPU, GPU, and NPU cores for elite-level performance across apps, games, and voice/image recognition.

    Design-wise, the razr 60 ultra breaks ground with three finishes: Alcantara (Pantone Scarab), real wood (Mountain Trail), and vegan leather (Rio Red). Its new hinge, made from titanium and tested for 800,000 flips, is stronger and smoother. The phone is also IP48-rated and features Corning® Gorilla™ Glass-Ceramic on its 4.0” external pOLED display, offering 10x better drop resistance.

    The foldable device boasts a 7.0” 165Hz pOLED main display—the world’s first Pantone™ Validated flip screen. Users get Super HD (1220p) visuals, 464ppi sharpness, and peak brightness of 4500 nits, enhanced by Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and SGS Eye Comfort Certification. The external display mirrors that capability, supporting full app interaction, games, and Google Gemini assistant—without even flipping open.

    For photography, the phone features the world’s first 3 x 50MP flip camera system. This includes a 50MP main lens with OIS and 2x optical-quality zoom, a 50MP ultrawide + macro lens, and a 50MP internal selfie camera. Enhanced by moto AI and Pantone™ colour validation, the cameras support Dolby Vision video capture, 8K and 4K HDR, Horizon Lock, and AI Adaptive Stabilisation for cinematic content.

    The razr 60 ultra also includes a 4700mAh battery with 68W TurboPower charging—delivering a day’s power in 8 minutes—and 30W wireless charging with reverse power share. Connectivity spans 17 5G bands, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and UWB.

    The phone runs Android 15 with three years of OS updates and four years of security patches. Its Hello UI offers customisation, Smart Connect for cross-device synergy, and Moto Secure for privacy control. Features like Pay Attention, AI Image Studio, and AI Playlist Studio enrich creative and productivity workflows.

    According to Motorola India MD T.M. Narasimhan, “With the motorola razr 60 ultra, we’re proud to introduce a device that perfectly blends iconic design with next-gen intelligence. This launch is a bold stride in our mission to deliver meaningful innovation to the flagship smartphone segment”.

    Motorola is offering an instant Rs 10,000 bank discount and 12-month no-cost EMI options. Operator benefits via Jio include Rs 15,000 in bundled content, data and partner coupons, making the deal even sweeter for early adopters.

  • Truecaller makes all the right calls with solid growth in Q1 earnings

    Truecaller makes all the right calls with solid growth in Q1 earnings

    MUMBAI: If quarterly results were a missed call alert, Truecaller’s would be marked “important.” Truecaller has dialled into success once again, with its January–March 2025 quarter ending on a high note further cementing its reputation as the go-to app for caller verification and spam blocking. The company reported a 14 per cent year-on-year rise in net sales in India, with global revenues also making all the right noises.

    Worldwide net sales surged 16 per cent to 51.2 million dollars, up from 44 million dollars in Q1 2024. Meanwhile, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), excluding incentive costs, jumped 22 per cent to 20.4 million dollars, translating to a healthy 40 per cent margin.

    However, when incentive programme costs were factored in, EBITDA dipped slightly by 1 per cent to 15.3 million dollars. Profit after tax saw a drop from USD 13.7 million to USD 10.4 million.

    Where Truecaller truly rang loud was in user growth and business services. The platform’s active monthly users (non-iOS) grew by nearly 53 million, hitting a total of 411.9 million. Premium subscriptions surged 40 per cent, while Truecaller for Business racked up a 60 per cent jump in revenue led by strong gains in both Verified Business and Business Messaging segments.

    India remains the biggest market, clocking a 14 per cent growth, followed by the Middle East and Africa at 29 per cent, and the rest of the world at 19 per cent.

    As spam continues to plague digital communication, Truecaller appears to be not just answering the call, but leading the charge with a business model that blends user trust, tech innovation and timely monetisation.

  • Productivity SaaS for education is changing: a wake-up call for schools

    Productivity SaaS for education is changing: a wake-up call for schools

    For schools that have relied on productivity SaaS solutions for years, it’s a pivotal moment to reassess long-term needs. With providers like Google ending free unlimited storage in 2022 and Microsoft’s recent updates to their education offerings, institutions face significant challenges including increased costs and reduced functionality. These developments underscore the importance of adopting systems that provide stability, scalability, and control.

    After January 2025, Microsoft rolled out significant changes to its Microsoft 365 Education plans, including retiring the Office 365 A1 Plus plan, reducing storage pools to 100TB per tenant, and restricting some licenses to web-only applications without their counterpart desktop versions, including Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

    These adjustments may push schools toward higher-cost paid plans or force them to reallocate resources to maintain functionality, prompting many to reevaluate their reliance on SaaS solutions. Beyond financial implications, there are also rising concerns over data privacy and compliance. Educational institutions manage high loads of sensitive information such as student records, financial data, and research. This makes them prime targets of cyberattacks, which target nearly 80% of institutions annually (Netwrix, 2024). Furthermore, compliance with regulations such as FERPA and GDPR requires secure, private, and auditable data management practices, which some SaaS solutions may struggle to meet.

    Shifting to an on-premise productivity solution offers educational institutions increased control over their data, cost predictability, and storage scalability. Unlike SaaS offerings, prone to subscription price hikes and unpredictable removals to their service features, on-premise solutions can provide a stable framework more suited for long-term needs. Locally stored data also ensures privacy, helping schools meet compliance requirements while protecting sensitive information.

    Some on-premise productivity solutions like Synology Office Suite enhance collaboration and communication with tools for secure file storage, granular sharing permissions, real-time document editing and instant messaging, supporting both group projects for students and file management among faculty.

    Learn more | Synology Office Suite

    For IT administrators, these solutions simplify management with centralized dashboards, system health monitoring, and auditing tools for compliance. Advanced access controls also enable efficient delegation of tasks across IT teams, ensuring smoother workflows and stronger oversight of digital infrastructure.

    While changes from major SaaS providers might disrupt operations in the short term, they also provide an opportunity for educational institutions to reassess the suitability of their current systems. On-premise productivity solutions provide a sustainable pathway to address cost concerns, enhance security, and build a resilient digital foundation for evolving educational needs of educators and students alike.