C'mon, you knew all those other telecommunications outfits in Korea wouldn't just sit around and let SK Telecom have all the WiBro fun, and while KT's WiBro-equipped NT-Q35 is fine and dandy for those needing a new machine, the company's latest offering is aimed at the ever-lucrative upgrader. The completely-not-DAP-related iPlug Premium will unsurprisingly offer up the same WiBro / HSDPA connectivity that existing alternatives already do, but the firm still insists on calling it the "world's first dual-mode USB modem." Of course, users lucky enough to be hovering in WiBro hotspots will enjoy even faster speeds than those poor souls that are forced to live with "just" HSDPA, and if all goes to plan, it'll be available for South Koreans on March 5th. Currently, the pricing structure looks to offer at least one flat-fee option and a based-on-usage plan as well, but potentially even more interesting than how much these luxuries will add to your monthly bill is the note that the company is already looking to kick out "various handsets" that simultaneously support NesPot and DMB after this. We dig the forward the forward thinking, KT. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

Sure, there are literally hundreds of apps to turn that otherwise limited-use IR window found on many phones into a remote control, but how many phones are designed from the ground up to serve double duty? Not many, we think -- especially ones with names like "Cutie." South Korea's Korea Telecom is introducing a handful of phones in its "Ann" series -- including the pictured "Ann Sweety" from Samsung -- that function both as cordless telephones and as remotes for all manner of home entertainment devices. The phones also handle SMS messages, meaning that it's finally possible to turn on the tube and immediately stop paying attention it while you send a text in one fluid motion.

Korea Telecom has introduced what it claims to be the world's first WiBro-equipped laptop -- not manufactured by KT mind you (they're big, but not that big), but by Samsung. The model in question is an updated version of Sammy's well-received Q35, with DMB capabilities also added to the mix in addition to that high-speed WiBro goodness. We presume the rest of the specs remain the same, however, with a 12-inch widescreen display, Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor, up to 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard drive in a lightweight four-pound package. Look for this one to come in between 1,600,000 and 2,000,000 won, or between $1,700 and $2,140 -- in Korea only, naturally.

Korea's largest telecom company KT recently announced that it has partnered with Microsoft to develop a low-cost "managed PC," although the level of Microsoft involvement is unclear beyond, we'd presume, providing the software. Unlike other low-cost PC initiatives from Intel and, of course, the OLPC, KT's effort looks to primarily be a network-based thin client, which'll give users access to a variety of applications and multimedia content when connected to KT's servers. KT is also touting the security benefits of the PC, which it says will be less vulnerable to viruses and whatnot since all the management is done at the server side. Unfortunately, that's about all KT seems to be saying about the device; we don't even know whether it's a laptop or a desktop, let alone what sort of specs it has. (If we had to guess, we'd estimate it's probably a chunky CRT with an anemic networked embedded box and ports enough for your basic input devices.)

If you're worried about intruders sneaking into your house while you're off at work, Korea Telecom has the answer. Or at least they think they do. The company is launching a service called Ann Eye, which is based around a heat sensor built into a landline phone. The 127,000 won ($134) phone can detect visitors based on body heat, and then sends a text message to the home's owner. At that point, KT suggests, the owner can call home to see whether the phone was triggered by a burglar (who, presumably, won't answer the phone) or just the kids coming home from school (who may not answer either, depending on whether they want you to know they snuck out early and have five friends over). We assume this could also be activated by an over-active household pet (who probably won't answer the phone either). It's an interesting idea, but it seems like it could only really be effective if tied to a camera, so that homeowners could catch thieves without actually having to call them up first.

[Via textually.org]