Following the historic Go match last month, which ended in a 4-1 victory for the artificial intelligence software AlphaGo, the AI software’s developer Google DeepMind has said that its next target could be real-time strategy game StarCraft. Blizzard CEO Michael Morhaime (right) takes part in a media interview in Seoul, Friday. (Kim Young-won/The Korea Herald) Over the past weeks, top officials from DeepMind, an

Technology April 1, 2016

Korean electric component maker LG Innotek has unveiled its new wireless charging modules with a charging speed that is three times as fast as its conventional peers. LG Innotek’s new modules are capable of delivering 15 watts of output power, the same as wired charging modules. But they can be charged three times faster than existing 5-watt wireless charging modules.  A model poses with a wireless smartphone charger pad installed with LG Innotek’s 15-watt power-receiving modules. (LG Innotek)Th

Technology March 31, 2016

Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi on Thursday pledged to expand its presence in Korea by offering a wider variety of products. At a media event in Seoul on Thursday, the company showcased a diverse lineup that included flat and curved ultra-high definition TVs, a water dispenser, self-balancing electric scooter NineBot, air purifiers, and fitness bands. Lee Joon-sok, the chief executive of KomaTrade, one of the official Korean sales partners of Xiaomi, speaks at a press event in Seoul on Thursday.

Technology March 31, 2016

G5 HITS STORES -- Korea’s three main mobile carriers, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, started selling LG Electronics’ G5 marquee smartphone in Seoul on Thursday. (LG Uplus)

Technology March 31, 2016

Fridges are not just for storing food anymore. They now have features that allow consumers to order groceries online, watch TV shows and listen to music. 　Samsung Electronics released Wednesday a top-of-the-line refrigerator, called Family Hub, which has features that include voice control, screen mirroring and digital payment for online shopping. Samsung Electronics’ home appliance chief Seo Byung-sam poses with the firm’s Family Hub refrigerator, which features a 21.5-inch touch screen, in Seo

Technology March 30, 2016

Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi is ramping up efforts to infiltrate the Korean market, the home turf of tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.Xiaomi’s budget air purifiers and ultra-high definition TVs are poised to hit the domestic market this week. The Chinese company has also filed a patent for its mobile payment service Xiaomi Pay -- also known as Mi Pay -- in Korea. Lei Jun, the chief executive of Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi. (Yonhap)There is speculation that Xiaomi’s upcom

Technology March 30, 2016

LG G5 HITS KOREAN MARKET -- LG Electronics said Wednesday that its flagship smartphone G5 will soon hit 200 global markets, starting from Korea on Thursday. LG’s first modular phone, priced the same as Samsung Electronics’ 32-gigabyte Galaxy S7 at 836,000 won ($723), is compatible with the LG Friends lineup that includes a 360-degree camera and a portable audio system. (LGE)

Technology March 30, 2016

SAMSUNG PAY HITS CHINESE MARKET -- Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it has rolled out mobile payment solution Samsung Pay, currently available on premium Galaxy handsets including Galaxy S6 and Note 5, in the Chinese market. The mobile payment solution supports credit and debit cards issued by nine Chinese banks including China CITIC Bank, China Construction Bank, and China Everbright Bank. (Samsung Electronics)

Technology March 29, 2016

LG TEAMS UP WITH STATHAM FOR TV AD - LG Electronics has joined hands with movie actor Jason Statham and filmmaker Fredrik Bond to roll out a TV commercial for its latest flagship smartphone G5 and its accompanying device lineup “Friends.” (LGE)

Technology March 29, 2016

Network operator KT said on Wednesday it has started offering long-term evolution-machine -- or LTE-M -- services, which allow cost-effective communication among small sensors and devices.The machine-to-machine communication services can be deployed in a range of industries and have various applications, according to the firm. Models pose with a bicycle equipped with a GPS sensor running on KT’s networks. (KT)At a press event to showcase the LTE-M services in Seoul, the company displayed a bicyc

Technology March 29, 2016

Korean online game developers have often fallen prey to patent trolling.U.S. 3-D content firm Worlds.com filed a lawsuit against Korean game developer NCSoft in 2008, claiming the latter violated the U.S. firm’s patents for communication technology in the virtual space, while U.K game company King Digital Entertainment sued Avocado Entertainment of Korea in 2014 for infringing their game intellectual property rights.NHN Entertainment’s head office in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province (Yonhap)In order to

Technology March 29, 2016

Korea’s largest network operator SK Telecom said Monday it will team up with Samsung Electronics to build the Internet of Things test bed in Daegu, in their efforts to vitalize the local start-up sector and the nation’s sagging economy.The two partners further plan to transform the whole city into a state-of-the-art IoT hub where they will deploy their up-to-date network systems and connected technology.(From left) Kim Young-ky, president of Samsung Electronics’ network business, Lee Young-hee,

Technology March 28, 2016

KAKAO RUNS GLOBAL CSR PROGRAM -- Mobile messenger operator Kakao ran a volunteer program for nine days in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 18. A group of Kakao employees took part in a range of activities, including painting walls and watching 3-D movies with students there. (Kakao)

Technology March 28, 2016

Medical equipment-maker Medtronic is under investigation by Korea’s Fair Trade Commission for breaching contracts with local distributors, according to sources Sunday.Medtronic Korea, the local branch of the global medical equipment firm, has abruptly canceled contracts, which were still valid with local distributors who have maintained partnerships for more than a decade with the medical device giant.The logo of Medtronic.Some distributors, mostly small companies with several employees, claimed

Technology March 27, 2016

LG ROLLS OUT NEW SOFTWARE -- LG Electronics unveiled Sunday its whole new smartphone user-experience software, dubbed UX 5.0, which will be featured on its flagship smartphone, G5. The new UX allows users to connect the smartphone with LG’s Friends devices, including a rolling ball-shaped robot, and a 360-degree camera, and to use camera apps with ease. (LGE)LG ROLLS OUT NEW SOFTWARE -- LG Electronics unveiled Sunday its whole new smartphone user-experience software, dubbed UX 5.0, which will be

Technology March 27, 2016