Experts divided over human-AI Go battle

With the battle between a top-notch baduk player from South Korea and Google's state-of-the-art program slated for this week, industry watchers on Sunday cast divided predictions of the game, which may write a new chapter in the development of artificial intelligence.The board game "baduk," also known globally as Go, originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. Although it is similar to chess in that two players take turns playing on a board with lines, baduk is considered to be more complicat

March 6, 2016

[Photo News] Best TV in Russia

BEST TV IN RUSSIA -- LG Electronics’ 55-inch (140 centimeters) Ultra OLED TV (product name 55EG960V) has been named “Flagship of the Year” by Russia’s leading information technology website Hi-Tech Mail, the company said Sunday. The Korean tech giant has won the top honor for the second consecutive year. (LGE)

March 6, 2016

CrucialTec rolls out optical mouse with fingerprint scanner

Fingerprint module maker CrucialTec has developed an optical computer mouse equipped with a fingerprint scanner, said the firm on Friday. Given that financial technology, or fintech, businesses, have gained momentum in recent years, security and authentication solutions have become important in protecting data from hacking attempts. CrucialTec’s optical mouse equipped with a fingerprint scanner. (CrucialTec)“CrucialTech’s new product, dubbed the Biometric TrackPad, or BTP, Mouse, will be a good

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] The chips are down: Human-AI Go battle

A showdown will take place next week in Seoul. Google’s artificial intelligence program AlphaGo will take on top Go player Lee Se-dol for a $1 million prize. Amid mixed outlook for the outcome, the five-day match has already become a global media sensation. Go, called “baduk” in Korea, is considered a more complicated game than chess because of its large choice of 200 moves compared to about 20 moves in chess. Go player Lee Se-dol(left) and DeepMind's CEO Demis Hassabis (Google)Experts say Go is

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] History of man-versus-machine matches

Smart computers directing chessmen to slash through bishops and knights to capture a chess grandmaster’s king no longer raise exclamations of awe. Computers’ ability to outwit professional chess players has long been accepted as a fact of life. But this was not always the case. Machines have made alarming progress since the first computers programmed to defeat amateur players in chess-like games were introduced in 1956. Slowly but steadily higher-ranked players were defeated, culminating in Deep

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] Deep learning paves way for new era of AI

Coupled with artificial intelligence, deep learning has been making headlines recently with tech giants such as Google and Facebook turning to the technology to come up with futuristic solutions.Some have expressed concerns about computers ultimately outsmarting and dominating humans, as in many science-fiction scenarios. But as the saying by Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu goes, if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.So, with that in mind,

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] Unconventional talent Lee Se-dol

Go players Cho Hun-hyun, Lee Chang-ho and Lee Se-dol are familiar names even to Koreans who are not well-versed with the game. The three have dominated international Go competitions since the 1980s, one after another, starting from the eldest Cho. Lee Se-dol, 33, the newest generation of the three, is still making a name for himself as one of the highest earners in the world. Lee, born to a father who was a five dan player, began to learn Go when he was five. He dropped out of middle school to c

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] AlphaGo’s win would mark AI watershed

Expectations are running high in the technology sector with the upcoming battle between a human Go champion and a computer program. Go is a board game in which two players place black and white stones on empty intersections or points of a board that is lined with a 19-by-19 grid. Google’s artificial-intelligence program AlphaGo garnered media attention after defeating a professional Go player in October for the first time in an even match.(123rf)It has been about six months since that first vict

March 4, 2016

[Weekender] Mixed outlook for human-versus-AI match

In the lead up to the historic match between the world’s top Go player Lee Se-dol and Google DeepMind’s artificial intelligence computer AlphaGo, there are mixed views among experts about who will emerge victorious. Experts in the Go field -- including Lee Se-dol himself – said that the human will be the winner of the five-game match, which kicks off on March 9. The professional Go player predicted a 5-0 or 4-1 victory in his favor during a press briefing on Feb. 22. Showing confidence in winnin

March 4, 2016

KT aims for home IoT leadership

South Korean telecom carrier KT said Thursday that it aims to become a major force in the nascent Internet of Things market with its creative health care services that incorporate an element of fun. “With the IoT market getting bigger and bigger, it should be supported by related infrastructure. Based on its widespread telecom and IPTV network, KT aims to become No. 1 in the home IoT market,” said KT’s IoT chief Song Hee-kyung at a press conference in Seoul. KT’s IoT chief Song Hee-kyung (right)

March 3, 2016

[Photo News] IOT Partnership

IOT PARTNERSHIP -- Network operator LG Uplus teamed up with Samsung Electronics to release a refrigerator that can be operated by mobile devices. The two firms plan to release more connected home appliances in the future, including air conditioners, air purifiers and robotic vacuum cleaners. (LG Uplus)

March 3, 2016

LG's VR camera accredited by Google's Street View

LG Electronics, a latecomer to the virtual-reality (VR) segment, said Thursday its new smartphone camera that rotates 360-degrees officially connects to Google's Street View service, announcing its full-fledged debut in the industry.Korea's No. 2 tech giant said it marked the first time for a smartphone maker to win such recognition from the U.S. giant.Along with Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics introduced its first camera exclusively for VR content. LG 360 Cam (Yonhap)The LG 360 Cam comes wi

March 3, 2016

[Photo News] Samsung attracts Chinese consumers

SAMSUNG ATTRACTS CHINESE CONSUMERS -- Tech giant Samsung Electronics holds a showcase event to introduce its new product lineups, including for TVs, refrigerators and washers during the Samsung China Forum that opened in Shanghai on Wednesday. (Samsung Electronics)

March 3, 2016

LG Uplus combines IoT with security service

Mobile carrier LG Uplus on Wednesday rolled out a home security service, called IoT Caps, which incorporates Internet of Things technology.The mobile carrier partnered with security firm ADT Caps and digital door lock maker Gateman in August last year to develop the smart home security service, which allows users to remotely monitor their houses with smartphones and notify security guards when strangers trespass on private property. Security officers from ADT Caps pose with LG Uplus’ Internet of

March 2, 2016

OLED race heats up with increasing investment

Despite a number of advantages to organic light-emitting diode displays, the market for the light and flexible display has yet to bloom.Most major display and electronics makers have hesitated to jump on the OLED bandwagon, citing as main concerns the high production costs and low production yields of the promising OLED.Things will likely change as Korea’s electronics and display powerhouses, including Samsung Display, have rolled up their sleeves to push for the growth of OLED display business.

March 2, 2016

FITT released Beta Test Gym at SPOEX 2016

FITT (CEO: Andrew Hong), a startup that develops solutions for fitness tests, participated in SPOEX (Seoul International Sports & Leisure Industry Show) 2016 from February 25 to 28 at the COEX in Seoul. The startup is a software development company that creates software that measures and analyzes the user’s health indices based on statistical fitness tests and offers fitness solutions tailored to the user’s needs. The software developed by FITT utilizes ICT and data technology, including GPS.  F

March 2, 2016

[Photo News] KT's new mobile plan

KT’S NEW MOBILE PLAN -- Mobile carrier KT on Wednesday rolled out a mobile plan for those aged 24 and under, who consume a large amount of mobile data for multimedia services. The mobile plan, dubbed Y24, offers subscribers 2GB of bonus data for three hours every day and a 50 percent discount for music and video streaming services. The monthly fees range from 29,900 won ($24) to 59,900 won depending on data allowance. (KT)

March 2, 2016

[Photo News] LG OLED TV recognized for excellence

　CLEAR WINNER -- LG Electronics said Tuesday its high-end organic light-emitting diode TV has been recognized for excellent picture quality by Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker, or VDE, one of the largest technical and scientific associations in Europe. LG said its OLED TV boasts the industry’s highest level of contrast and color expression thanks to its high dynamic range technology. (LGE)

March 1, 2016

[Photo News] KT to develop smart farm solution

SMART FARMING -- Yoon Kyung-lim (left), the head of network operator KT’s future convergence office, and GNBio CEO Kim Young-chan pose after signing an agreement to collaborate on a project to develop IT solutions for mushroom farming in Seoul on Tuesday. (KT)

March 1, 2016