Apple's iPhone arrives in tech-savvy South Korea

Apple's iPhone arrives in tech-savvy South Korea
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15745/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=1qesVlBr

KELLY OLSEN

Published: Yesterday

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Koreans got their first taste of the iPhone on Saturday as the multifunctional communication and entertainment device made its long awaited debut in one of the world's most technologically sophisticated societies.

Though already available in other Asian countries such as Japan - where it went on sale last year - the slim smartphone got a late start in South Korea amid regulatory hurdles and tough negotiations between manufacturer Apple Inc. and a local telecommunications company.

But the waiting finally came to an end for about 850 South Koreans who took possession of their coveted iPhones at a boisterous official launching event in Seoul characterized by blaring music and flashing lights.

"I'm really happy because I waited for a long time," said Kim Min-ju, a dentist who traveled to Seoul from the regional city of Cheongju. Kim said she planned to use her iPhone to study English.

Huh Jin-seok, the first recipient of the iPhone, had waited in line more than 26 hours outside the arena where the event took place. The 25-year-old university student expressed joy, though acknowledged being "a little bit tired."

South Korea is home to world-beating technology corporations including Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. The country is also known for its high penetration rate for broadband Internet as well as government encouragement for IT-related innovation.

But Smartphones - which are advanced mobile phones with computer-like capabilities - are just taking off.

"We're hoping that this iPhone will be a trigger point for the smartphone market in Korea," said Yang Hyun-mi, chief strategy officer at KT Corp., Apple's local partner. Smartphones make up just 1 percent of all cell phones in South Korea, she said.

Yang declined to offer a sales forecast for the iPhone, but said KT was optimistic given higher-than-expected advance orders.

"We just think it will be really huge," she said.

About 65,000 people placed orders since Nov. 22, according to KT.

Steve Park, Apple's spokesman in South Korea, declined to comment on the launch of the iPhone.

The Korea Communications Commission - South Korea's telecommunications regulator - paved the way for the iPhone's introduction by granting a license to Apple earlier this month to offer so-called location-based services, which include functions such as maps and direction finders that are available on the iPhone. South Korean law requires companies that provide such applications to obtain government permission.

The commission earlier this year also abolished a rule that required all mobile devices to carry special software adapted to South Korea's wireless Internet platform, which was an added cost for foreign manufacturers and viewed as a trade barrier.

KT's Yang said another factor contributing to the delay was a complicated negotiating process with Apple over what she described as the Cupertino, California-based company's strict standards and policies.

The iPhone is expected to pose a challenge to Samsung and LG, which dominate the market for mobile phones in South Korea and also make smartphones. They are also major players globally in mobile phones, ranking No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, behind Finland's Nokia Corp.

KT, South Korea's second-largest mobile carrier, already offers service plans for smartphones made by Samsung, LG, Nokia and a Taiwanese manufacturer, said KT spokeswoman Alice Park.

Also available in South Korea is Research in Motion Ltd.'s Blackberry, which is offered by SK Telecom Co., the country's largest mobile carrier.

Moon Chang-soo, a computer programmer, said he plans to mostly use the iPhone to keep his life organized.

"It's amazing," he said, describing his feelings at finally getting one. But despite its fame as a smartphone, Moon used it in a more basic way.

"I just made a call to my wife," he said with a laugh.


http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15745/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=1qesVlBr 

Game on: Korea conquers WCG
Country wins World Cyber Games competition for second year in a row

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912638

November 17, 2009

Players at the World Cyber Games 2009 held in Chengdu, China celebrate the close of the four-day game competition on Sunday. Korea won the event this year, bringing home the most medals. Sweden and Germany came in second and third, respectively. Provided by the company

For the fourth time, Korea led the pack in medals at the World Cyber Games, the largest computer game festival on the globe.

Throughout the four-day competition - held this year from Nov. 11 to 15 in Chengdu, China - the Korean team managed to net three gold, two silver and three bronze medals in games including “Warcraft,” “StarCraft” and “Dungeon Fighter,” among others.

Sweden and Germany came in second and third place in the medal haul, respectively.

A total of 600 players from 65 countries gathered in Chengdu for the event, which also drew 82,000 spectators from around the world.

Korea won the competition for the second consecutive year and the fourth time overall in the nine years the games have been held. This year marked the first time that the World Cyber Games were held in China.

“The response in China was phenomenal,” said Kim Hyoung-seok, chief executive officer of World Cyber Games Inc., which operates WCG.

Kim said that although tickets were 50 yuan (8,455 won, $7.32) per person - compared to free admission at WCG competitions held last year in Germany and two years ago in Seattle - three to four times more spectators attended.

The Chinese government designated e-sports as the country’s 99th official competitive sport.

Gaming certainly seems to be growing in popularity in China. Chinese fans even greeted Korean professional gamers as if they were Korean wave celebrities.

This was particularly noticeable during the “Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne” matches, when Korean player Jang Jae-ho - nicknamed “Android Jang” - was greeted by several dozen fans everywhere he went.

Some devotees even held cardboard signs bearing his name, while others sidestepped Jang’s bodyguards and even snuck into the room he was staying in during the games.

Korean players for StarCraft including Lee Jae-dong, Song Byung-gu and Kim Taek-yong also were greeted with the same enthusiasm, as fans of the players held signs with their names throughout the games.

“I was surprised that the fans met us as if we were some kind of celebrities,” Lee said.

Next year’s World Cyber Games will be held in Los Angeles, California in the United States.

By Kim Chang-woo, Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912638

Korea iPhone..

KT aims to sell 500,000 iPhone units

November 21, 2009

KT Corp., the Korean distributor of Apple Inc.’s iPhone, is shooting for total sales of 500,000 units of the smartphone slated to hit the local market next week, an analyst said yesterday.
KT, Korea’s second-largest mobile carrier, is scheduled to begin local sales of the world’s most popular multimedia handset on Nov. 28. The launch comes after Apple received regulatory approval Wednesday.
“KT insiders expect 100,000 to 500,000 units of the iPhone will be sold on the domestic market,” Hwang Sung-jin, an analyst at Prudential Investment and Securities Co. said in a research note.

Despite KT’s rosy outlook, analysts are divided over whether the iPhone will become a hit in Korea, he said.
The iPhone failed to win the hearts and minds of consumers in other Asian markets. According market data, some 200,000 units of the iPhone were sold within two months of its launch last year in Japan, one of the world’s most advanced mobile markets. Since its debut on Oct. 30, 2009, only 30,000 units have been sold in China.
Hwang predicted that the success of the iPhone in South Korea will hinge on KT’s rate plans. Yonhap

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912865 

==============================

iPhone orders pour in

November 23, 2009

Early orders for the long-awaited Apple iPhone have lived up to the hype, with reservations for 15,000 units already submitted to mobile operator KT since it began accepting applications for the phones earlier today.
The handsets themselves will go on sale on Saturday, when those who made reservations on the KT online Phone Store at phonestore.show.co.kr will receive their iPhones.
And the number of pre-orders could be even higher, as KT is also accepting reservations at its brick-and-mortar stores, which were not included in the online tally.
KT will sell the 3GS iPhone model in three hard drive sizes: 3, 16 or 32 gigabytes

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912926

Korea. iPhone’s Debut May Spark Mobile Internet Usage

iPhone’s Debut May Spark Mobile Internet Usage

11-23-2009 20:03  By Kim Tong-hyung  Staff Reporter

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2009/11/129_56003.html

No one would dispute that the iPhone, the most anticipated mobile device to hit the South Korean market in years, has the makings of becoming a game-changer in the local technology scene.

And considering the massive pre-launch hype for Apple's do-it-all ``smart'' phone, anything less than sparking the country's muted mobile Internet explosion would be considered a disappointment.

KT, the local mobile telephony carrier that is releasing the iPhone, said it had received more than 15,000 advanced orders for the handset after the first day of online reservations Sunday.

Considering that Apple is separately accepting reservations on its official online site, Frisbee (www.frisbeekorea.com), it looks like the iPhone has already booked the title as the country's most popular imported premium phone, although it won't be appearing on shelves until Saturday.

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Sony-Ericsson's Xperia X1 has been considered a success here, despite its local carrier, SK Telecom, managing to sell just around 30,000 handsets.

KT projects the sales of iPhones to fall anywhere between 200,000 to 500,000, which would be more than enough to compete with the top products of local handset giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

However, guessing the number of iPhones to be sold in Korea is almost missing the point, industry analysts say.

The debut of the iPhone will fuel competition among handset vendors to develop smart phones with better capabilities and value for price.

This will be critical for mobile telephony carriers, who have yet to see significant return on their massive third-generation (3G) networks, and have been clamoring for sexier devices to convince subscribers to use their data networks more often.

Internet companies, which have yet to hit the gold trail in the mobile Internet market, will also benefit, as well as banks and credit card companies that are already gaining significant returns from investment in ``mobile wallets.''

``Rather than counting how many iPhones are sold here, the more interesting point is how the changes brought by its release will affect mobile telephony carriers and Internet content makers,'' said Kim Dong-joon, an analyst from Eugene Securities.

``The explosion of Korea's mobile Internet market will be dependent on some key factors, including the spread of smart phones, wireless carriers introducing more fixed-rate monthly data plans, the advancement of wireless networks and the increase of online applications stores. We seem to have reached a point where all four of these factors are clicking at the same time.''

Internet companies such as NHN, the operator of the popular Naver (www.naver.com) Web portal, and online game developers like Game Vil (www.gamevil.com), are hoping that the increasing use of smart phones will give them a new platform for revenue and add to their profit from search, advertising and fee-based services.

The finance industry is also betting heavily on the smart phone era. The Mobile Financial Council (MFC), a joint organization of 17 local banks and the Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute (KFTC), on Monday announced plans for a standardized approach on smart phone-based mobile banking services.

The country's three mobile telephony carriers ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Telecom ― are generating around 2.8 trillion won in combined mobile data revenue.

With smart phones becoming more conventional, and a growing number of wireless users subscribing to fixed-rate data plans, the industry's mobile Internet revenue could grow up to as much as 11 trillion won by the end of next year, according to Eugene Securities' Kim.

The iPhone is distinctive for its advanced Internet capabilities such as e-mail, Web browsing and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as the wealth of software provided through Apple's App Store.

The price of the 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS was set at 369,000 won (about $341) for customers subscribing to monthly plans based on the basic rate of 45,000 won, KT said.

Subscribers paying 65,000 won in basic rates can buy the phone for 264,000 won, while premium users signing up for the monthly plan based on a 132,000 won basic rate, for more data usage and multimedia features, won't have to pay separately for the handset.

The eight-gigabyte model will be priced at 132,000 won for subscribers who signed the 45,000 won basic rate, while those who agree to more expensive monthly plans will get the handset for free.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2009/11/129_56003.html

Durable Roll-Up Mobile Phones Coming to Market

Durable Roll-Up Mobile Phones Coming to Market

Flexible OLED Display
Nowadays, traditional paperback dictionaries are seemingly becoming obsolete as more consumers are turning to electronic dictionaries for their portability as well as versatility. With the emergence of next-generation flexible displays, experts predict that heavy notebook computers may also become outdated in the near future.

Recently, a Korean firm unveiled an ultra-thin flat panel that allows users to access information rolled up in e-papers. Developed by Samsung Mobile Display, the full-color flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel is thin, light, and can be rolled up like paper. The new display is 0.02mm thick, which is 1/10 of thickness of human hair, and weighs 0.29g, which is roughly 1/3 of weight of a bank note. Their new product is reported to be the slimmest and the lightest phone in the world as it incorporates a durable display panel. Even when dropped or hammered, the ultra thin display panel does not break and has the ability to show vivid color range.

Rolled-Up Electronic Appliances
How is it possible that the OLED enhances durability and aesthetic appeal of high-end gadgets? Experts claim that the answer lies in the special plastic component that is used instead of glass plates.
The liquid crystal display (LCD) is widely used in a variety of electronic appliances like mobile phones, MP3 players, televisions, washers, and more. Despite its wide use, LCD has its drawbacks. The liquid crystal of LCDs cannot produce light on its own, and thus must depend on backlights. In addition, the surface of LCD panel is made up of glass plate, and is thus subject to frequent damage. In order to make up for such shortcomings, Samsung Mobile Display chose to manufacture next generation flat panels by switching the glass plate into plastic.

Use of Plastic In Lieu of Glass
The process of making LCDs involves converting the silicon into a semiconductor, which produces a great amount of heat at 500 degrees Celsius. Naturally, it makes it difficult for plastic to survive the extremely high temperature. But with the use of plastic instead of glass plates, next-generation flat screens can be bent or rolled up like a scroll. Given these rewards, many leading flat panel suppliers have invested time and their tireless efforts to produce flexible OLED panels. Applying the innovative technology, those produced by the Korean firm do not come with glass plates as frames. Before the recent technology was introduced, flat panel suppliers had to undergo heating the displays at low temperatures to make sure the glue did not melt. Without the plates, it is unnecessary to go through such complicated processes anymore; the new technology allows suppliers to produce wearable displays including watch-like mobile phones, electronic books and passports at lower costs.
The OLED offers clearer image

http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_science_detail.htm?no=9078&current_page=

Italian dishes coupled with makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine)

Italian dishes coupled with 'makgeolli'

makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine) http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/11/10/2009111000722.html


This is the fourth installment of a series that will delve into the current movement towards the globalization of Korean cuisine from a variety of perspectives. The series will explore hansik's past and present, its global potential, and efforts that are being made to promote it to the world. - Ed

By Jean Oh

"Why does makgeolli need to go outside Korea?"

When asked about the global potential of makgeolli, Giuseppe Barone, owner of the Sicilian restaurant Fattoria delle Torri, stayed true to his "Slow Food" roots, stressing the importance of locality.

"Eat Sicilian in Sicily and Korean in Korea."

Barone, who reputedly helped found the Slow Food organization's Sicily branch, was in Korea last week to take part in a number of events, one of which was a dinner that coupled his tapas with the traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, makgeolli.

The dinner took place on Nov. 6 at the makgeolli bar Chin Chin near Hongik University. According to Chin Chin Executive Chef Kim Hak-soo, the dinner featured seven of Barone's creations and five of Chin Chin's own concoctions. A makgeolli named after Barone was also served at the dinner.

"It was founded on Giuseppe's philosophy," Chin Chin owner Zhang Ki-chul said of the newly-released drink.

Christened Giuseppe macgallery Nouveau 2009, the bottled beverage, according to Zhang, is made from newly harvested rice and has no aspartame (an artificial sweetener) in it.

"80 percent is made from eco-friendly rice from Jincheon-gun, 20 percent is made from domestic flour," he said.

So how did people respond to the coupling of tapas and the new makgeolli?

"The response was good," said Kim over the phone. According to him, around 120 people showed up for the event.

At the dinner, Barone showcased tapas that coupled soft persimmons with prosciutto, raw octopus with tomato sauce and fried beef dumplings with an orange dressing. He also whipped up an almond risotto, a nod it seems, to his initial impressions of makgeolli.

"If one put almonds in makgeolli, it might taste good," Barone, 49, had said several days earlier.

For Friday's dinner, he applied Italian techniques to local ingredients.

"If you are in a region, you need to use regional products," he explained.

That does not mean that he restricted the pairing of the Korean alcoholic beverage to domestic ingredients. Barone also considered potential pairings of makgeolli with classic Italian ingredients.

"If I made a pizza that would go well with makgeolli, I would use tomatoes, because they are sweet, soft and sour," he theorized. "And buffalo mozzarella. To give it a bitter taste I would use asparagus. Prosciutto crudo from Parma is famed for its softness. I would probably add that."

"There are two types of makgeolli," he continued. Barone then explained that he put makgeolli with an acidic or tart taste in the dry category.

"If it is dry, I think it will go well with a fish carpaccio."

When asked if he would consider making makgeolli with Italian rice, he answered: "Well, I guess it is worth a try."

Barone then voiced an interest in introducing the alcoholic beverage at the next Terra Madre meeting, which is coordinated by the Slow Food organization, in Italy's Turin.

When asked about the global potential of Korean cuisine, Barone responded positively to Korean temple cuisine, stating that it exhibited "international characteristics." On the flipside, it seems that Barone was not a huge fan of dishes that incorporated a lot of red chili powder.

"Focus more on the original flavors," said Barone, as he stressed the importance of using spices to enhance the produce's essential taste.

(oh_jean@heraldm.com) 2009.11.13
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/11/13/200911130053.asp

Second Life withdraws from local market

Second Life withdraws from local market

The virtual world community game Second Life has effectively withdrawn from the local market.

According to industry sources, the U.S.-based developer of Second Life, Linden Lab, failed to extend the contract with the local game company Barunson Games Corp. Barunson Games was first contracted to operate Second Life services in Korea in October 2007.

However, the Korean Second Life community Sera Korea will continue to be serviced.

Linden Lab's official position is said to be temporarily closing local operations. However, the company is reported to have no plans to revive the operations as yet.

In addition, Linden Lab seems to have been preparing to withdraw from the local market before the contract expired.

Before the contract expired, Linden Lab stopped providing Second Life in Korean and closed the Korean language site kr.secondlife.com and directed traffic to the English-language site.

As with other social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter that have proved hugely popular in the global market but failed to establish a significant presence in Korea, Second Life appears to have failed to adapt to the characteristics of the local market.

According to industry officials, Korean users tend to prefer more closed environments where they can interact with people they already know or relatively small groups of people, and are used to fast-paced online games.

In addition, the lack of localization efforts from Linden Lab is also said to have held Second Life back from attracting a larger number of users here.

Second Life's withdrawal from the local market also comes only a few months before the launch of a locally developed virtual world.

According to industry sources, a local developer Tri-d Communications is planning to begin testing its virtual world C2Town in February.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)
By Choi He-suk
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/11/14/200911140010.asp

Maps Central to Mobile Plans of Internet Firms

Maps Central to Mobile Plans of Internet Firms 11-09-2009 20:57

Internet companies like Naver believe their digital map services to be the key in their mobile Web offerings. / Korea Times

By Kim Tong-hyung

Staff Reporter

The South Korean technology industry has been waiting for the mobile Internet explosion for years.

However, with the competitive pricing pressure on mobile telephony operators finally forcing them to budge and lower their data rates, there seems to be real hope that the average wireless user will begin to use his handset to surf the Web at last.

The stronger mobile Web will benefit the telecommunications companies, who could get more significant returns on their massive third-generation (3G) investment, and electronics makers, who may see bigger shipments of ``smart'' phones, which allow Web browsing and multimedia features on top of voice and provide larger margins than conventional handsets.

The rise of the mobile Internet is also critical for Internet companies, who are seeking to leverage their desktop-based business models to the quickly expanding market of the wireless.

Web sites such as Daum (www.daum.net), NHN, the operator of the search leader, Naver (www.naver.com) and SK Communications, which owns Nate (www.nate.com) and the popular social networking service, Cyworld (www.cyworld.com), are now racing to reprogram their existing Web services for mobile devices.

And the clear emphasis seems to be on their digital map services, as location-based applications may emerge as the killer content for smart phones.

Daum has been struggling to compete with Naver in traffic, with the latter enjoying a 70-percent-plus share in search queries, but in the arena of digital maps, the No.2 Web portal is considered to have the top game.

Daum spent a massive amount of money to introduce its digital map services, which include ``Sky View,'' a detailed photographic map of the country, and ``Road View,'' a ground-level image service.

The crystal-clear views of landscapes, roads, streets and buildings are impressive, even allowing a diner an up-close view of the sushi restaurant he reserved for diner, and Daum is hoping that its digital maps will become even more useful when wireless users can access them on their Web-enabled handsets.

Daum officials say the company is nearing the completion of the mobile version of their map services, optimized for Apple's iPhone and other popular smart phone models. Device makers are expecting location-based services to become a crucial application on smart phones, and Daum is hoping that its leadership in maps will give them a spurt ahead of rivals in mobile competition.

Daum soon plans to introduce ``i-Buddy,'' a handset-based social networking service that allows users to track the location of friends on Daum's map.

Apparently, Naver has no intention of surrendering its No.1 spot to its rival just because the competition is moving to smaller screens.

In comparison to Daum's ambitious splurge on its Web map services, Naver had maintained a more cautious approach in upgrading its own map services, citing the lack of a clear business model.

However, with the focus moving increasingly toward the mobile Web, Naver has now started to strengthen its map investment.

Naver recently released a traffic information application embedded upon its map services, allowing users to find the quickest road route and public transportation connection to a given location, and is also planning to achieve nationwide coverage of its digital photomap that provides images at the 50 centimeters per pixel level.

Naver is also planning to connect its map services with the content of Wingbus, a travel and leisure Web site, allowing users to search for popular tourism attractions and restaurants.

``Maps will be the essential application for the mobile Internet, as navigation features and other location-based services become critical when people are accessing the Web while on the move,'' said an industry official.

``Business models are still an issue, as fee-based services are unlikely to get off and it remains to be seen whether maps and other location-based services could draw a sufficient amount of advertisement money. Still, Internet companies can't afford to be laid back in maps, when they could influence the outcome of the traffic competition in the mobile Web.''

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2009/11/129_55181.html

Samsung Electronics strikes new WiMAX deals

Samsung Electronics strikes new WiMAX deals
November 12, 2009
As Asia’s demand for the next-generation wireless Internet network WiMAX rises, Samsung Electronics announced yesterday that it has struck additional deals with Japan’s leading WiMAX provider, UQ Communications, to supply WiMAX equipment.

Samsung supplied equipment to UQ Communications for WiMAX networks in Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, with which the Japanese company first started commercial mobile WiMAX service this July.

With these additional deals with Samsung, UQ Communications plans to expand its mobile WiMAX network in Japan to cover more than 90 percent of the country’s population.

UQ Communications has been aggressive in expanding WiMAX in Japan recently, joining forces with 15 mobile device firms to launch various mobile WiMAX devices. Six companies are invested in UQ Communications including KDDI Corp., Japan’s second-largest mobile operator, and Intel Capital Corporation.

“Many governments in Asia are pushing for the introduction of a mobile WiMAX network, and Samsung Electronics will lead the mobile broadband era with our advanced mobile WiMAX technology,” said Kim Woon-sub, vice president and head of the telecommunication systems division.

The company also announced that it has joined the “WiMAX Innovation Network,” an alliance of global mobile communications companies to support WiMAX development, led by Malaysian WiMAX provider YTL Communications. Other companies in this group include U.S.-based Clearwire, Cisco and GCT Semiconductor.

WiMAX, or worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is a leading candidate to become the next-generation, 4G wireless technology standard along with LTE, or long-term evolution technology. It is a wireless Internet standard similar to Korean-developed WiBro, a third-generation technology.


By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2912436

naver map commercial film.

naver map commercial film.

naver map promotion film.

Korean Research Offers Hope of Cutting PC Boot-Up Time

Korean Research Offers Hope of Cutting PC Boot-Up Time

Korean scientists have developed technology that will allow computers to be switched on without the long, tedious booting time. A research team led by Chang Joon-yeon and Koo Hyun-cheol at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology said Thursday they developed a so-called "spin-injected field effect transistor" that can use not only the flow of electrons but also the spinning direction of electrons as computerized information for the first time in the world. Their work is published in Science Magazine on Friday.

"After the theory of spintronics and use of semiconductor in the field emerged in 1990 in the United States, many countries tried to develop technologies to put the theory into practice with a commercial prospect," the team said. "But this is the first time that a spin electron device that can be electrically operated was developed. The repercussions of commercial production throughout information industry would be huge. It will then be possible to turn on a computer without going through the long booting process, and put memory and CPU in one chip."

The researchers have applied for a patent in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

englishnews@chosun.com / Sep. 18, 2009 11:53 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/09/18/2009091800648.html

Korea Among World's Top 10 for Wi-Fi Hotspots

Korea Among World's Top 10 for Wi-Fi Hotspots


Korea has the seventh largest number of Wi-Fi locations in the world with 12,814 hotspots as of the first half of this year, a report released on Sunday reveals. 
Wi-Fi hotspots are public areas such as hotel lobbies, airports and cafes where a wireless Internet connection is available for wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) devices. 
In the list compiled by JiWire, a U.S. mobile media company, the U.S. ranked first with 68,059 Wi-Fi hotspots, followed by China, the U.K., France, Russia and Germany.
englishnews@chosun.com / Oct. 26, 2009 09:07 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/26/2009102600282.html

Korea Cell providers offer new packages.

Cell providers offer new packages

October 22, 2009

Local mobile phone operators are showcasing package deals that include mobile, Internet and landline services at a discount.

SK Telecom said yesterday it would launch a “fixed mobile substitution,” or FMS, service starting next month. Customers will be able to designate certain areas in which they can make calls on their cell phones at cheaper landline rates. When in the pre-selected areas, 10 seconds on the phone will cost 13 won ($0.01) instead of the usual 18 won. “We intend to use our competitiveness in mobile services and merge this with landlines to provide a high-quality, low-cost telecom service for our customers,” said Lee Sun-gun, head of marketing at SKT.

Last week, KT, SKT’s biggest rival, launched its fixed mobile convergence, or FMC, product, combining mobile and Internet phone functions in one device, with the aim of cutting the cost to customers. Using FMC, a client can make a call on his or her mobile phone using a regular WCDMA connection - but when in range of a wireless Wi-Fi Internet router, he or she can switch to Internet phone mode on the same device.

There is a downside, however. While SKT’s FMS service allows users to subscribe to the service using their current phone, the FMC package will require users to buy a special new handset.

Comparing the prices of the two packages is difficult. However, KT said that if users that spend, on average, 170 minutes per month on their cell phones were to make 50 percent of those calls through a Wi-Fi connection, they would save around 6,000 won per month.

SKT said that subscribers who pay the basic fee of 21,600 won per month and make half of their calls in their designated areas using FMS will be able to save around 8,640 won per month. The cost to add SKT’s FMS service is 2,000 won per month.

LG Telecom is also planning to launch its own version of the FMC package in January, while SKT said it would introduce a new service that combines the two concepts in one mobile phone.

By Cho Jae-eun, Kim Chang-woo [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2911595&cat_code=050501

Korea bicycle map from Naver map

Korea bicycle map from Naver map

http://map.naver.com/

COEX. Seoul Korea

COEX. Seoul Korea

2009.10.22 | 지도 크게 보기 ©  NHN Corp.

What's Korean FMC ? FMS ?

What's Korean FMC ? FMS ? 

FMC is an abbreviation for "Fixed Mobile Convergence" of KT
and FMS is stand for "Fixed Mobile Substitution" of SKT.
They are not free calls on the internet.

Korean will make use cell-phone as a internet call service or at internet call service cost.

The user of KT'S FMC(Fixed Mobile Convergence) will has 2 phone number, `010-xxx~~~' & `070-xxx~~~'
And he will can change & use internet call service in Wi-Fi area.

SKT FMS(Fixed Mobile Substitution) is a concept that transfer fixed phone to wi-fi mobile phone Wi-Fi range on the other hand.

There are a lot of views that they are not a new service, they are charge fee table of Telecommunication companies.
Some people anticipate that the merging of "FMC+FMS" will come out.

Photo.October.2009

Today's Photo: October 20, 2009

A tourist rides a bike along a path on Nami Island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. /Yonhap

englishnews@chosun.com / Oct. 20, 2009 08:06 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/20/2009102000259.html

map.naver.com

Panorama service !! WOW !!

http://map.naver.com/?lat=37.7909&lng=127.5283&level=1&panoid=1059582

large view

google maps

Qualcomm to Build R&D Center in Korea

Qualcomm to Build R&D Center in Korea

Mobile chip maker Qualcomm wants to set up a research and development center in Korea, a Qualcomm Korea executive said Sunday.

Qualcomm Korea already has researchers and developers in wireless communication and semiconductors, but there is no R&D center built by San Diego headquarters.

englishnews@chosun.com / Oct. 19, 2009 10:51 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/19/2009101900535.html

Korean Mobile Manufacturers Close in on Nokia

Korean Mobile Manufacturers Close in on Nokia

Korea's mobile phone manufacturing giants, Samsung and LG Electronics, are fiercely chasing the global market leader, Nokia, which has stumbled after changing its focus to the service sector amid the global economic downturn.

The two Korean companies are expected to mark their highest sales number ever in the third quarter with a total of 90 million phones sold. Samsung's market share is forecast to reach 21 percent, a 4 percent increase from the same period last year. Samsung officials say the surge in sales and market share comes from rapidly growing demand in Europe and China and increased sales of high-end mobile phones.
Nokia's third quarter sales plunged by 20 percent to US$15 billion compared to a year ago, recording a deficit for the first time in 13 years. Its market share dropped to 37.8 percent, the first time since 2007 it has been below 38 percent.

Sony Ericsson and Motorola have failed to show signs of recovery with their market shares both at a mere 5 percent, allowing Korean companies to gain more influence in the global market.
Analysts forecast the difference between Samsung and Nokia's market shares will narrow to a single digit by 2011. If the gap decreases as predicted, experts say it is highly possible the global industry will be led by the top two competitors.

Arirang News / Oct. 20, 2009 12:18 KST
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/10/20/2009102000788.html

Korea Women dying to look good

Women dying to look good

October 21, 2009

Women have put their lives on the line for thousands of years in the pursuit of beauty.
During Roman times, women would apply cosmetics derived from lead to their faces to make themselves looker fairer, even though they must have known the possible dangers. The lead was capable of poisoning and paralyzing, often leading to death. Yet the use of lead in this way persisted for 2,000 years.

Trying to look as thin as possible has also been predominant through the ages. In many cultures, the hourglass shape has long been revered. “Han Feitzi,” a classical Chinese book written in the second century B.C., reports that many women died from hunger because the emperor was said to favor women with slim waists. And in 19th century Europe, women would die if their corsets were bound too tightly, as it was possible for a splintered rib bone to pierce their intestines.

Where does this focus on a woman’s looks come from?
David M. Buss, an evolutionary psychologist, says we have to start with looking at mating rituals from the earliest of times. Since reproduction fueled evolution, a female who looked like she was capable of bearing a number of children was the preferred choice of the male.

Healthy skin, bright and clear eyes, plump breasts and big hips were reckoned to be good signs that a woman was fertile and capable of reproducing.
So if you wanted a mate, you had to look good and beat out the competition, which is why women would take such risks to change their appearance.

The effort modern women put into their outward appearance is no less than in the old days. What has changed is that the standard of beauty is not related to the ability to bear lots of children anymore. Instead, healthy young women cling to a diet that they hope will make them look like celebrity entertainers who are often as thin as chopsticks.
There are tens of millions of young women aged 12 to 25 who don’t menstruate because they suffer from eating disorders that cause unhealthy diets. Some disorders such as anorexia are fatal, with around 5 to 10 percent of patients dying within 10 years.

This is the reason European countries have started to promote regulations on photo editing. They are going to make it mandatory to insert the warning, “This photo is graphically edited. Don’t be deceived.” - similar to the ones see on cigarette packs and liquor bottles.
The purpose lies in preventing young women from being conned into believing that they can obtain the digitally enhanced figures of models that they see on television and magazine covers.

Since plastic surgery is such a huge craze in Korea, I wonder if such warnings should be introduced here as well.

The writer is an editorial writer of the Joong-Ang Ilbo. 
By Shin Ye-ri
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2911507

korea portable device application store. app store

Before iTune KR, Korea internet users have met  jailbreaked portable device application at internet communities and P2P sites.

Recently,
Korean TeleCom., KT, SKT had formal announcement that we will service app store for our users.
( the target of this service is some smartphone only.)
SKT's app store is www.tstore.co.kr that is not PC application. and his developer site is dev.tstore.co.kr
KT's app store will be open at 11.Nov.2009. http://www.ebuzz.co.kr/content/buzz_view.html?m_id=0203&cat_id=&uid=82040&page=1

2 beginners, Korean app store advocate "open store"
but  2 new open store is made from the Korean alphabet ;Hangeul

AIR WI-FI..

BUT, Already,
Korea Airlines (like KAL, ASIANA ) have provided wi-fi to passengers in the air
that is a long air trip as seoul-New York, Paris, London..
maybe, you will be ask stewardess how to  insert a notebook plug in an airplane wall outlet.
I remember that she said "so sorrrry,  I regret to say that I am unable to help you. no plug in."

A few years ago, when I was back in Korea,
I made use a air wi-fi in the seoul-new york flight of KOREAN AIR. (economy class)
http://www.koreanair.com/

Google Korea, Daum Take Fight to Streets

Google, Daum Take Fight to Streets

By Kim Tong-hyung

Staff Reporter

Internet companies are racing to plug the real world into the Web, and Daum (www.daum.net) looked to distance itself from the pack with its absurdly detailed photographic map of the country.
However, Daum may get to see Google, appearing larger in its rear-view mirror, with the U.S. search giant ready to launch the Korean version of its Street View service, which allows users to browse a selection of pictures taken along urban streets.

Google Korea has been deploying photo-mapping vehicles to streets in Seoul since last week for the ground-level images, and will eventually scan other cities and regions. Although Google hasn't provided an exact date for Street View's debut here, the company expects the service to be up and running by the first-half of next year.
Street View will attempt to surpass Road View ― Daum's own ground-level image service that has so far set the bar in terms of quality.
Daum's service has been impressive with its crystal-clear views of landscapes, roads, streets and buildings, which can allow users to get an up-close view of the sushi restaurant they reserved for dinner.
Digital maps are becoming crucial for Internet companies, as they prepare to extend their competition into the mobile sector. With full-touch screens and Web browsing capabilities becoming conventional in the premium mobile phones released today, Web-based maps, navigation and other location-based features are expected to become imperative content.
It remains to be seen whether Google intends to compete with Daum in precision and coverage. Road View is distinctive for its clear and precise photo images of houses, apartment buildings and streets, as Daum eventually plans to use the service to generate business models for its online real estate information services.

A photo-mapping vehicle of Google Korea travels along the streets near Seoul Station, Thursday, to scan street images for the company’s Korean version of its Street View service

that is expected to debut next year. / Korea Times

The company is planning to expand Road View's coverage beyond Seoul and the Gyeonggi Province region, and scan the streets of other metropolitan cities and also specific leisure destinations such as golf courses or hiking trails at national parks.
Road View is already providing ground-level images of some popular tourist areas on Jeju Island.
``Google will probably provide Street View around the major roads and urban areas and it will be interesting to see if it plans to go toe-to-toe with Daum in terms of coverage,'' said an industry official.
``With the release of iPhone and other highly anticipated handsets generating a buzz for smart phones, Google needs to get its Street View service off to a good start to compete with other Web portals in the expanding mobile market. It will be interesting to see how Google seeks to achieve differentiation from Road View, which has the benefit of being there first, and from similar services.''
Naver (www.naver.com), the country's top Web site and search engine, is also preparing to launch a similar service.

Yahoo! Korea (www.yahoo.co.kr) and Paran (www.paran.com) are also providing digital maps.
Both Street View and Road View provide 360-degree panoramic views from a row of positions along the streets. Both Daum and Google have a team of engineers who blur faces and license plates for their Internet map services.
Google will provide a menu above its Street View images to allow users to report images they see as inappropriate or that infringe on privacy.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/10/123_53683.html

what's "open cast" ?

what's [open cast] ? http://opencast.naver.com/

It's not open casting for movie.

The concept of internet service changes according to the times.

[open cast] is a gorgeouuuuuuuus NAVER internet service that is a new conceptual ideas.

[open cast] has been made by FLASH, AJAX and enormous internet users.

whoever searching, sharing for one's interest.and whoever subscribing

this is [open cast]

[open cast] has not a great assortment of theme.

It has only (?) 13 classifications which are life, entertainments, sports, cooking, IT, book, travel, Movie, Learning, politics & society, hobby, biz, marketing.

Lack of Games May Hurt (Korea-)iPhone Popularity

Lack of Games May Hurt (Korea-)iPhone Popularity
Lack of Games May Hurt iPhone Popularity 

By Kim Tong-hyung/ Staff Reporter

After enduring two years of industry bickering and circular policy debate, South Korean tech geeks can finally start their countdown for the local release of the iPhone, the planet's hottest electronic gadget.

However, it remains to be seen whether Apple's iconic handset will be able to deliver on the enormous expectations when local regulations could prevent users from downloading mobile games content from Apple's online software store.

Games account for more than 50 percent of Apple's revenue from its App Store, which enables users to download applications such as games, multimedia files and office software for their iPhone and iPod Touch devices for free or at a small cost.

However, Korean iPhone users will be blocked from accessing App Store's games category, at least at first, as local law requires all game content to be reviewed and approved by the state before being made commercially available.

App Store allows developers from all over the world to upload and sell their software products through its Web site, and waves of new programs, many of them games, are pushed through the gate each day.

Apparently, there is no possible way for Korea's Games Rating Board to screen and stamp every game at the App Store.

The absence of Apple's game services thus far hasn't kept iPod Touch from becoming the country's most popular portable multimedia player.

However, some industry watchers predict that the trouble over securing game content could compromise the relevance of Apple products in the future, when users expect their devices to be more than just fashion items.

Korean tech geeks who have been waiting long for iPhone could be disappointed to hear that they may not be able to download games from App Store for their handsets. / Korea Times

``App Store is clearly the most distinctive competitive edge iPhone and iPod Touch have over other devices. It is expected that more phones will be released with Wi-Fi here and Korean Apple users have been complaining about having to reformat video files for use on iPod,'' said an official from Daum (www.daum.net), one of the many Internet companies currently devoted to converting their desktop offerings for use on iPhones.

``But, especially for non-English speakers who find little use of media applications, it remains to be seen how much App Store could matter when the availability of games is to be limited.''

Industry watchers worry that the country's restrictions on games would only encourage illegal activities by local developers looking to offer their products to iPhone users.

Not many individual developers or small companies could manage to spend the time and money required for the review process, and some developers are already beating the system by listing their games under App Store's entertainment category.

``All games that are commercially provided without consent from the Games Ratings Board are illegal. We know there are games provided from App Store's entertainment category and we are discussing how to approach them,'' said an official from the Games Ratings Board, although admitting the possibility of controversy over drawing a clear line between games and entertainment.

The Games Rating Board has been promising to improve its process, considering scrapping its current rules that allow only companies, not individual developers, to submit their products for review, and also shortening the reviewing process.

However, critics argue that the review-before-release concept could never be a good fit for Apple's App Store. At a time when Korean users can easily download games from foreign sites that the Games Ratings Board never managed to touch, some question whether the country's games review system is still relevant.
The success of Apple's App Store has other tech companies racing to produce me-too products.
Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest electronics maker, recently unveiled its online content market, while wireless carriers SK Telecom and KT, which will provide the iPhone locally by the end of the year, are also pushing their own versions of App Store.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2009/10/133_52644.html

Korea Broadband Internet users top 16 million

Korea Broadband Internet users top 16 million
Korea Broadband Internet users top 16 million

September 08, 2009

The number of high-speed Internet service users in Korea surpassed the 16 million mark for the first time in August, industry reports said yesterday.

Total broadband subscribers were estimated to number over 16 million as of the end of that month, accounting for 96 percent of all households in Korea, according to data collected from Internet service providers. That figure is up about 3.4 percent from December’s tally of 15.48 million.

Top fixed line operator KT Corp. held some 42 percent of all subscriptions, followed by SK Broadband Co. and LG Powercomm Corp., with 24 percent and 15.3 percent, respectively. Yonhap

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2909762

Bright lights

Bright lights: Samsung Electronics employees show the company’s new SCH-B890 handset, a second-generation (2G) phone that features digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) mobile television reception, a 2.8-inch active matrix (AM) OLED display and a 3-megapixel built-in camera. The handset is the company’s first 2G phone equipped with an AMOLED screen, which has clear advantages in high color saturation, response time and contrast ratio.

/ Korea Times 
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2009/10/131_50581.html