Hasta La Gadget!

Considering that Korea’s warring giants don’t get along too well, it’s amusing to see LG offering a Samsung-made tablet on LG U+, the latter’s domestic cellular network. The “Homeboy” is a re-branded Galaxy Tab 3 that plugs into U+’s services, including TV channels, music, video, e-book and educational software stores, oh, and it’ll double as a GPS while on the go. Leave the unit at home, however, and it’ll also guard the property, texting you if it senses an unwanted intruder — and is, according to the company’s Kang Hyun-ku, the first step in LG’s new connected home platform. That said, given that it’s nearly a nailed-on certainty that we’re going to see LG’s return to the tablet game in short order, we don’t expect the amusingly-titled slate to remain the favorite son in a couple of months.

Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Samsung, LG

Comments

Via: Android Beat

Source: Korea Herald

Here in the US, Samsung has consistently pushed the idea of using its HDTVs to watch cable / satellite without a set-top box at CES for the last several years. So far it has actually managed to launch support for DirecTV and Verizon FiOS video via IP although other providers demonstrated are still missing (Time Warner, Comcast), and now it’s launching IPTV support at home in Korea with LG U+. The app lets Smart TVs directly tune into any of 138 broadcast channels as well as video on-demand, apparently without any box in the house. While we wait for easier IP access stateside — and it’s going to be an even longer wait now — Samsung’s also rolling out IPTV access with Estonian provider Elion, while LG U+ has already announced a set-top box with integrated Google TV, NFC and more. Maybe next year really is the year we get to ditch the cable box — but also, maybe not.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

Comments

Source: Samsung Tomorrow (Flickr), Samsung Korea

HTC’s closure of its South Korean office may seem yet another blow to the company this year, but don’t be alarmed: we saw it coming. It’s a given that Peter Chou’s gang is cutting back in response to its recent weak performance, but the more interesting takeaway here is the fact that the South Korean smartphone market is one tough nut for foreign brands to crack open. Just walk into any carrier shop in Seoul and you’ll see the shelves dominated by devices from Samsung, LG and Pantech. If you’re lucky, you may spot the odd Sony, Motorola and HTC phones cowering in a corner. So why is that the case? Let’s take a look at the how it all started.

Continue reading Editorial: HTC’s departure from South Korea proves a tough fight for foreign brands

Filed under: Cellphones

Editorial: HTC’s departure from South Korea proves a tough fight for foreign brands originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments