LAS VEGAS (AP) ― Some of the oddest items on display last week at the International CES gadget show were edible, origami-like sculptures made of sugar, their shapes so convoluted as to baffle the eye.The treats are one of many signs that we’ll all be getting a taste of 3-D printing soon ― and the phenomenon won’t be relegated to the realm of engineers and tech enthusiasts.The sugar sculptures are the output of the ChefJet Pro, the first commercial, kitchen-ready food printer. It looks like an ov

Jan. 12, 2014

Speculation is mounting on Hyundai Motor’s possible acquisition of Dongbu HiTek, a Dongbu group semiconductor foundry that is on the sales block. The move would reflect Hyundai’s aims to reinforce its car electronics, insiders said.“Hyundai Motor is seriously weighing the move, and there have been reports within the company of a possible marriage,” said one source, declining to be identified. An anonymous source from Dongbu’s main creditor bank Korea Development Bank said, “If Hyundai acquires D

Jan. 12, 2014

LAS VEGAS ― Gary Shapiro, the president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, organizer of the International CES, said the support of the Korean government made it possible to plan an event attended by the world’s most innovative companies. “The South Korean government has clearly invested as a national policy in broadband Internet, and has a legal structure which encourages the formation of companies which are innovative,” said the president at a press meeting held last week during t

Jan. 12, 2014

Kim Dae-hoon, CEO of LG CNS, a Korean IT services provider, urged his executives and employees to zero in on expanding overseas by aggressively bidding for and securing projects this year.Some 600 executives, team managers and employees from headquarters and overseas offices of Korea’s biggest system integrator gathered in Seoul last Friday with CEO Kim, who asked them to accelerate their global efforts and achieve success.“Let us make new history this year,” Kim told his employees.He added that

Jan. 12, 2014

A drone-based delivery system currently under development has raised hopes for faster, more efficient services, but concerns over its feasibility linger due to legal and technical limitations.A series of major global firms such as Amazon have recently revealed their prototype services, which aim to reduce delivery time and labor costs to increase profits. But challenges such as safety concerns, logistics and potential invasion of privacy remain.Experts express concerns about flying drones in pop

Jan. 10, 2014

LAS VEGAS ― LG Electronics, the world’s second-largest maker of TVs, appeared to be determined to prove critics wrong by solidifying its position in the global market on all appliance fronts by focusing on premium lineups. “We will try to maintain our leadership over other competitors in the U.S. household appliances market by rolling out leading products and putting more focus on technology innovation,” said Jo Seong-jin, president of LG Electronics’ home appliance company during a press meetin

Jan. 9, 2014

LG Electronics vice chairman Koo Bon-joon paid a visit to the electronics firm’s booth and the exhibition venues of automotive companies at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas on Wednesday. “LG has to get itself ready for the automotive parts business as the transition from traditional vehicles to smart cars utilizing electronics technology is accelerating,” Koo said after visiting the exhibition wing for the vehicles.The company has long been preparing to jump into the automotive sector, as

Jan. 9, 2014

Thales Alenia Space, a French-Italian aerospace company that manufactured KT Corp.’s satellite Koreasat-5 ― a communication satellite also known as the Mugungwha 5 ― will most likely have to reimburse KT for a malfunction found in the solar panels, a source said on Wednesday.“KT will call for Thales Alenia to take responsibility, since (the satellite) is still within the design lifespan,” said the source, indicating that the insurance coverage has yet to expire. Thales Alenia's insurance is expe

Jan. 8, 2014

Despite the high expectations for advancements in car technology, namely in the form of autonomous or even unmanned vehicles, global carmakers said it would take at least another 10 years before people could experience such cars in their everyday lives. “Fully autonomous driving cannot be utilized right away due to safety reasons. It will likely remain as a driving assistance system for a while,” said Lee Bong-hwan, executive vice president of Hyundai Mobis, who paid a visit to exhibition booths

Jan. 8, 2014

The success of Kakao Talk, the most used mobile instant messaging service in Korea, has brought forth fast imitators as well as new players offering their own set of features for tech-savvy consumers.As Kakao Talk and Internet giant Naver’s Line grabbed a large share of the mass market, there has been no room for others to squeeze in and steal their thunder. A number of followers including Joyn, created by the country’s three telecom operators, have quickly lost their potential.Madsmart’s Tic To

Jan. 8, 2014

SK Planet, a wholly owned subsidiary of SK Telecom, could seek to merge two mobile messengers it has invested in, industry sources said.The two instant messengers are Tic Toc and Frankly, and their services could be integrated into “one” single platform when one of them achieves success overseas, they noted.SK Planet and the founders of Tic Toc invested in San Francisco-based Frankly, which provides messenger services similar to Snapchat. Frankly’s messages also disappear immediately after users

Jan. 8, 2014