Apr 10
Police have raided one of Samsung’s offices in Asan, South Korea, after being tipped off about the possible theft of OLED TV technology from rivals LG. More »
Apr 09
Taxis in Asia: Part One
Posted in: Today's ChiliHaving lived and travelled around different parts of Asia we thought it would be good to give a round-up of how things operate in these very distinct markets. From Thai tuk-tuks to doily-adorned Japanese cabs, Asia has a wide variety of options for getting from A to B. This is Part 1!
1-Hong Kong
Image via flickr
Overview: Fast, convenient and cheap; it is easy to hail a taxi from almost anywhere and you wont have to stop at an ATM to pay for the rest of your fare. An affordable and quicker alternative to public transport especially for first time visitors!
Price: HK$20 ($US2.6) for the first 2 kilometers and then HK$1.50 (US$0.2) for every subsequent 200m.
Hong Kong’s red, green and blue taxis service different locations in the territory. Image via HK Transport Department.
Bonuses: Most Hong Kong cabbies are friendly, chatty and speak some English and very patient considering all the drunken, vomiting and rowdy people they have to deal with coming back from Lan Kwai Fong (the party district) in the early hours.
Pimped up HK Taxi Driver’s dashboard. Image via shanghaibutter.com
Warnings: It is illegal for a Hong Kong cab driver to refuse to take you somewhere unless they have a valid excuse. That said you can probably always find another cab quite soon.
Hong Kong Cabbie. Jus’ Chillin’ image via Geographically Yours
Average price of a taxi from Hong Kong Airport to Central (downtown): HK$300 (US$39) and takes just less than an hour.
2- Singapore
Image via onsingapore.com
Overview: Singapore is small, so if you don’t have much time just take a taxi!
Price: between SG$3-4 (US$2.4- 3.2) for the first kilometer depending on which type of taxi you take.
Bonuses: Since Singapore is small you are unlikely to ever rack up a crazy taxi fare unless you get the driver to ride around in circles all night. Very talkative and opinionated drivers will ensure an enteraining ride; I recommend checking this out humorous and insightful blog by Singapore cabbie James Lim.
Singaporean Cabbie who returned $1m found in his taxi. Image via Jakarta Globe.
Warnings: If you are staying or visiting just outside the downtown/business district of Singapore then be aware that since cab drivers can get an extra three dollars picking someone up from inside the business district they are unlikely to stop for you. So you will have to walk the extra block to get a cab.
An average taxi journey from Changi Airport to downtown Singapore: ranges from SG$18.00-38.00 ($US14-30) and takes about 30 minutes.
3- Seoul
Seoul International Taxis (Image via Seoul.go.kr)
Overview: Getting around Seoul by taxi can be a cheaper and quicker option than by public transport and there are a variety of taxi types on offer including the deluxe taxis and International Taxis which speak English and Japanese.
Price: Seoul Regular taxi fares begin at ￦2,400 (US$2.15) for the first 2 kilometers and go up by ￦100 (US$0.9) every additional 144 meters.
Seoul Taxi. Image via Seoul Navi.
Bonuses: You can pay using t-money, credit card and cash, drivers are direct but friendly and you don’t have to speak Korean.
Image via Starsandstripes.com
Warnings: Hailing a taxi in Seoul at night can be difficult with some taxi drivers reluctant to take you to certain districts or on routes which are not economical enough for them. If you are a tourist or new to Seoul then Seoulistic provides some tips on avoiding getting ripped off by Seoul cabbies.
An average fare from Incheon International Airport to downtown Seoul: ￦50,000 (US$45).
4- Tokyo
Tokyo Taxi (Image via National Geographic)
Overview: Taking a taxi in Tokyo is an expensive luxury but of course every now and again you will find yourself missing the last train, completely lost or just tired and fed up of walking around.
Price: fares start at JPY 710 (US$7.4) for the first 2.1 kilometers taxi and increase by ¥90 (US$0.9) for every extra 288m.
Tokyo Taxi Driver. Image via news.com.au.
Bonuses: All Tokyo taxi drivers wear suits with waist-coats, white gloves and decorate the taxi interiors with laced seat covers like an old lady’s living room. They also open the doors for you which in a way seems to justify the price, but…
Image via wired.com
Warnings: Most Tokyo taxi drivers are not from Tokyo so don’t know the city that well and often don’t know how to use their satellite navigators so even if you have a copy of the address written in Japanese you might end up having to give the driver directions!
If you are crazy enough to consider taking a taxi from Narita airport to Tokyo station: you will be set back around JPY 20,000 ($US 209).
Check out Taxis in Asia: Part two coming soon!
Apr 02
South Korea defense ministry reportedly crafts a cyber policy group to unify its security
Posted in: Today's Chili 
If you hadn’t heard, South Korea’s under a lot of pressure lately, including a spate of internet-based attacks against banks and broadcasters on March 20th that some worry (though can’t confirm) was the result of a large-scale hacking campaign. The country won’t simply stand idle and brace for another hit, according to the Yonhap News Agency. It understands from an unnamed senior official that South Korea’s Ministry of Defense is complementing its Cyber Command division with a policy group, not unlike a UK equivalent, that would coordinate online security across different military sections, including the refinement of a defensive cyberwarfare strategy and recruiting more people to bulk up the digital front lines. Provided the claim is accurate, the division would be up and running before the first half of the year is over — and likely not a moment too soon.
[Image credit: John Pavelka, Flickr]
Filed under: Networking, Internet
Via: The Next Web
Source: Yonhap News Agency
Apr 02
Falling somewhere between a compact Dustbuster and a full-sized floor vacuum, LG’s new VH9200DS is specifically designed to rid your bed and sheets of all the tiny critters hoping to spend the night with you. But it can also handle dust and crumbs, so you never need to feel bad about snacking in bed. More »
Mar 29
When Samsung’s Exynos 5 Octa was announced, it was believed to be compatible with 3G networks only. As such, the HSPA+ (global) version of the Galaxy S 4 was the only handset to feature the company’s eight-core SoC — the LTE model shipping with Qualcomm’s 4G-capable, quad-core Snapdragon 600 instead. That’s apparently changed, with the Korean giant tweeting that the Exynos 5 Octa now supports LTE on 20 bands. So why even make a Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S 4, then? Perhaps Samsung can’t produce as many chips as Qualcomm to meet the upcoming worldwide demand for its new flagship. This appears likely, with inews24 and new-samsunggalaxys4 reporting that the Exynos 5 Octa with LTE is currently reserved for Korean models only (SHV-E300S, SHV-E300K and SHV-E300L, to be exact). So, anyone fancy a trip to Seoul in the near future?
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Via: GSMArena
Source: SamsungExynos (Twitter)
Mar 28
We introduced this news about Sharp’s capital alliance with Samsung recently, and today, Sharp announced that they have received payment for their new shares equivalent to 10.4 billion yen (109.3 million USD) from Samsung.
Number of new shares issued: 35,804,000 shares
Issue price: 290 yen per share
Amount of proceeds: 10,383,160,000 yen
Method of offering/allotment: Third party allotment
Mar 14
Last month, on Valentine’s Day, I wrote that in Japan, it’s a good day – the gifts are for the guys…
But did you read the details in my post? In Japan (also in Korea) we have a special day called White Day. Please read the rules for that day about how to handle things with your girlfriend…
Let me also explain the concept of “giri choco” – translated to “obligation chocolate”. If you live in Japan, you probably received chocolate or some other …
Mar 06
Sharp / Samsung – Samsung Electronics invests 10.4 billion JPY for 3.08% stake in Sharp Electronics
Posted in: Today's ChiliBig news in the interplay of Japanese and Korean electronics, Sharp Corporation today announced that it will receive a 10.4 billion Japanese Yen (USD111.4m) investment from Samsung Electronics Japan Co., Ltd. and will issues shares equivalent to 3.08% of the voting rights of the company.
Sharp says it is currently supplying Samsung Electronics with LCD panels and through this alliance will be able “secure its source of revenue from LCD business forming the company’s …
Mar 05
The large-phone craze is rocking the world like a hurricane, and LG is no stranger to this trend: within the last year, the Korean manufacturer has launched two big-screened smartphones as Optimus Vus (three if you count the LG Intuition on Verizon) to mediocre fanfare worldwide. Given the growing competition in the category — most notably from its rival Samsung with the Galaxy Note series — it was inevitable that a stronger campaign, as well as a leader to drive it, was necessary.
This is where the LG Optimus G Pro comes in, taking advantage of a 5.5-inch, 1080p True HD-IPS + LCD panel while pulling in several design and feature cues from its smaller (yet elder) siblings, the Optimus G and Nexus 4. As if the display wasn’t enough, LG tops it off with one of the world’s first Snapdragon 600 quad-core processors, 2GB RAM and a 13MP rear camera with all the trimmings. It may not be LG’s current flagship, per se, but the laundry list of features indicates to us that it’s sure acting the part, at the very least. Should its reputation be as large as its screen, or is the Optimus G Pro using that extra size to compensate for something? Follow along as we explore the inner and outer beauty of LG’s large-on-life smartphone.
Gallery: LG Optimus G Pro review
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, LG
Mar 04
Samsung has formally (and publicly) apologized over the hydrofluoric acid leak that occurred in January. Alongside this, Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun said that the company will revoke its application to get its plants certified as green for another five years. He added that the company is now overhauling its existing system to prevent any similar accidents from recurring. Samsung’s ‘green’ plants were previously able to sidestep governmental checks on the facilities’ environmental impact. Meanwhile, police are still investigating seven people on charges of negligence over the incident.
Source: Yonhap News
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