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Friday, September 01, 2006

The Future's Here: Welcome to the Next Generation of Converging Technology

One Small Step for Mobiles, One Giant Leap for Your HealthA Glimpse of the Future of Mobile Telephony
A widescreen television as large as a wall, a mobile phone that receives live broadcasts in a moving vehicle and an apartment that will order fresh vegetables for its refrigerator - these are no longer half-imagined dreams of the future but impending realities.
Bigger and better visual displays, next-generation mobile communications and intelligent home networking are areas in which Korean companies have significant competitive edges.
"In the field of next-generation industrial developments, the competition is so intense that a single failure in terms of product development can change the position of who leads the business," said Professor Cho Dong-ho of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
¡ß Displays
Next-generation displays break down into plasma display panels (PDPs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which are used on televisions, personal computers and mobile phone handsets.
Samsung SDI recently developed the world's largest 102-inch PDP. Samsung is planning to unveil an even larger set at the international Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest exhibition of electronics, which will be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 6 to 9.
Samsung SDI executive Bae Hong-kyu said that, "Korea was able to take the top position in the PDP industry thanks to the rapid development of larger products. However, Japanese companies such as Matsushita, which recently developed a 65-inch PDP, are close behind. We always have to stay focused."
In the market for LCDs, which are mainly used as PC monitors, Samsung and LG Philips have assumed first and second place respectively. Nevertheless, Japanese firm Sharp is catching up rapidly with the development of a 65-inch LCD screen, which is eight inches larger than Samsung's biggest output.
OLEDs are gaining in popularity given the product's paper-thin compactness and high resolution. Samsung SDI, Japan's Pioneer, and Light Display in Taiwan are weighing in as contenders for the top three spots. Currently, OLEDs have limited use and are mostly restricted to small displays such as the ones found on mobile phones. Firms that find a way of successfully enlarging the products are expected to win out in this market.
¡ßNext-generation mobile communications
Next-generation mobile communications technology will enable the high-speed transfer of data while on the move. Samsung electronics, the Korean mobile-phone manufacturer that has become a household name around the world, ranks second now in terms of handset sales to Scandinavian firm Nokia. However, in the arena of technological breakthroughs, Samsung has stolen the lead.
Mobile phones have developed features such as text messaging, wireless Internet, camera phones, MP3 players, recreational software and multi-player games, PDA service, camcorder and health-measuring functions.
This year, broadcasting and video phone calling will be added to the list. The rate at which data can be transferred from a portable perspective has also grown, and the fully portable Internet service Wireless Broadband (Wibro) will soon be introduced to the market. The advent of Wibro will also give related businesses such as Telematics - a technology that lets users transfer information while driving - a significant boost.
¡ßIntelligent home network
With home networking, people will be able to turn off their television sets or gas ovens from halfway across town - as their telephone transforms into a long-distance remote control.
While the technology remains at an embryonic or nursery stage in many countries, in Korea, LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics have already introduced it to the market by installing home networking systems to 25,000 apartments in Seoul and Daegu.
"In ten years' time you will be able to monitor everything that is happening in your house, and services such as basic medical examinations and shopping will be available from the comfort of your own home," said Park Hyun of LG Electronics.

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