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KT's Egg gives your WiFi device access to the wonderful world of WiBro
Korea Telecom really wants to get you on the WiBro tip. The aptly-named (if a wee bit uninspired) Egg is essentially a router for connecting WiFi devices (such as the Nintendo DS or iPod Touch) to the company's wireless broadband network. According to the Korea Times, both KT and SK Telecom (the country's two main WiBro operators) have mere 170,000 WiBro customers total, "making a mockery" of its "most wired nation" aspirations -- so they can certainly stand to expand their customer base a little bit. Subscribers to the company's flat-rate data plan will get the device for free (trust us, they've paid enough). Or you can pick one up for yourself at the Apple store in Samseong-dong or Myeong-dong, the next time you're in Seoul. This guy should be hitting the shelves sometime in May for ₩220,000 (that's about $163). [Thanks, Stafford]
Motorola's RAZR Lk is gilded, worthy of open letter
Apparently Motorola hasn't deep-sixed the RAZR thing as we've just caught a glimpse of another version that's oh so golden, white, and headed for Korea. The new RAZR features 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, a QVGA display, Bluetooth, video calling, 18k gold plating, and a design aesthetic that hearkens back to 2004. Otherwise, specs are as thin as interest may be in this phone, but follow the read link if you're handy with Korean and just need to know more.[Via Electronicpulp]
LG Incite gets official for South Korea
Mark this day down folks, 'cause it ain't often that you see a handset released in the US of A months ahead of South Korea / Japan / elsewhere in Asia. LG's Incite -- the same one loosed on AT&T's network in November of 2008 -- just got official alongside the new Arena today in South Korea. As expected, it's launching with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, a full touchscreen, WiFi, a multimedia player and that all-important 3.5 millimeter headphone jack. It'll be made available in both black and wine red, and if all goes well, it should hit SK Telecom and KTF in the near future for next to nothing.[Via UnwiredView]
Samsung's AMOLED-packin' SCH-W690 clamshell heads for South Korea
If our hunches are correct, Samsung's snazzy little SCH-W690 flip phone is actually destined for arrival in the US as well, but at least for now, we're forced to be content with a South Korean debut. Reportedly, the handset packs a swank 2.6-inch AMOLED display (320 x 240) underneath the classic black (or silver) exterior, and it also touts GSM / HSDPA connectivity, GPS, a 1.5-inch external OLED, multimedia player, Bluetooth, a 2-megapixel camera and an 800mAh battery. There's no mention of price just yet, but we'd expect to pay a small premium for the pixels.
RIM's Blackberry Bold makes South Korean debut
It's a good day to be in South Korea. While your evil neighbor to the north has likely been importing BlackBerrys of all flavors for years now, it has remained essentially impossible to own anything other than an LG or Samsung handset in your own nation. Today, that changes. RIM and SK Telecom have finally come together to launch the BlackBerry Bold, with sales expected to begin before the end of the year. There is a catch, however: as of now, "only corporate customers will be allowed to sign up for service." Thankfully, the rule requiring cellular devices to "carry special software adapted to South Korea's wireless internet platform" will be axed on April 1st of next year (no joke!), which should open things up quite nicely for mere mortals. Dare we say it's party time?
LG goes insanely retro with Franklin Planner branding on SU100 phone
What do an old-school paper day planner and a phone with a 3-inch OLED have in common? If you answered "absolutely nothing," you'd be correct -- but LG apparently didn't get the memo, because they've decided to grace their latest domestic superphone, the SU100, with the rather unusual Franklin Planner branding. Besides the presumably gorgeous display, other totally un-Franklin features include a 3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and an S-DMB TV tuner, which should all make for a nice, smooth transition for anyone still committing appointments and contacts to paper in the year 2008. The SU100's launching on South Korea's SKT for about 700,000 won ($475) with a white version following on next month.
SK Telecom no longer casting glances in Sprint's direction
We've been hearing about a possible SK Telecom-Sprint tie-up since July of 2007, but if either firm ever hoped to actually tie the proverbial knot -- well, let's just say that ship has sailed. Given the weakening economy and the general tendency to resist taking risks right about now, the Korean giant has dropped its plans to partner with Sprint in any form or fashion. In related news, Sprint is looking to hop on the quickly expanding layoff bandwagon, but given its humongous Q3 loss, we suppose that's not totally illogical. We're told that the carrier is offering "voluntary buyout packages" to an unspecified number of employees, which is far more awesome than the "thanks, now get the hell out of here" line that's being handed down by so many other firms. Crazy times, we tell you.[Via Boy Genius Report]
Virgin Mobile USA posts 8% subscriber growth, $4.1 million net profit in Q3
Hey, who says everyone loses during tough times? After Virgin Mobile USA crawled through a miserable Q2, things are looking up for the recent acquirer of Helio. The outfit reported 821,491 gross additions to its subscriber list, which marks a respectable 8% year-over-year increase. Furthermore, the company somehow managed to amass a Q3 net profit of $4.1 million, which contrasts starkly with the $7.4 million loss that it posted a year ago. The only down news of the day was that its average revenue per user in the third quarter fell 2% from a year earlier to $20.19, but given that its Q4 forecast shows it notching a revenue increase from 6% to 9%, we suppose it's all good in the neighborhood.[Via RCRWireless]
Virgin Mobile formally seals the deal on Helio acquisition
We know, the little possibility that the whole deal could fall apart has been keeping you wide awake for months, but at long last, you can push aside your anxiety and hit the sack. Virgin Mobile USA announced today that it had "completed its acquisition of Helio," and all of the terms put forth on June 27th were used in the final close. Aside from garnering all the necessary regulatory approvals, Helio shareholders SK Telecom and EarthLink have received 13 million shares of Virgin Mobile USA Class A common stock, with a value of around $38 million. It's also noted that both SK Telecom and Virgin Group will each invest a cool $25 million in Virgin Mobile USA for preferred shares. And then, there was one.
Samsung launches BlackJack III -- in South Korea
Sorry if we got your hopes up for a second there, AT&Ters; we're still not sure if this one's ever coming to the US, and today is most definitely not the day. Instead, the SCH-M480, which appears to be alternately known as the BlackJack III and Ultra Messaging 2, has been launched on Korea's own SK Telecom for something in the range of 600,000 won (about $592). The Windows Mobile 6 Professional handset is a dead ringer for the i780 that's been launched for a few months now, featuring a lovely 320 x 320 touchscreen, HSDPA, WiFi, and a 2 megapixel camera; not really a direct successor to the BlackJack II since the latter runs Standard, but we could still see a whole host of folks going for the upgrade -- if it ever comes to AT&T, that is.Separately, Boy Genius Report is claiming that AT&T will be getting its very own BlackJack III come October of this year, albeit with a 3 megapixel camera, up from the 2 megapixel sensor seen here. With these fancy new pink and blue versions of the BlackJack II, though, who the heck needs it? We kid, we kid.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]Read - Ultra Messaging IIRead - US BlackJack III in October?
SK Telecom still interested in scooping up Sprint?
Some particularly juicy rumors die hard, and this one certainly qualifies: CNBC is reporting that SK Telecom is looking to hook up with some private equity firms to buy out Sprint Nextel, though a deal is "not imminent." This one's been making the rounds since last year, though it's possible that SKT sees some new impetus for making a break into the US market now that it's sold off its share in Helio -- and buying the third largest carrier in the country would certainly qualify as "making a break." It's claimed that SKT's only interested in completing a friendly deal -- no crazy hostile takeovers here -- and some of Sprint's board members aren't keen on the idea at this point, so it's definitely a hit-or-miss proposition. If this all means we can get even half of Korea's domestic hardware on US airwaves, then hey, no complaints on this end.Update: The Wall Street Journal is now suggesting that Sprint and SKT are investigating some sort of joint venture -- not a full-on acquisition -- that would see the lovebirds work together on handsets and services. Possible, but we're curious to know what exactly Sprint brings to the table in that equation. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Helio stores shutting down
The future of Helio is still up in the air -- one minute it's about to be sold to Virgin, the next the Ocean 2 is popping up in videos -- and it looks like this week will end with some equally ambiguous news: Helio stores appear to be shutting down. That's the word according to Fierce Wireless, which took this shot of a Helio store in Denver with a sign in the window that reads "The Helio Store is closed. Contact their customer support." Hmm, that sounds like some part of Helio is going to keep running -- hopefully we'll find out how this soap opera ends sometime soon.
Helio sale to Virgin Mobile could happen this week?
Do you hear that, Helio? That [cue Sir Richard Branson's soothing voice] is the sound of inevitability. Rumors have been swirling for a few weeks now that SK Telecom -- Helio's majority owner -- is getting ready to cut, run, and offload its share to Virgin Mobile, rolling the scrappy MVNO into the one and only virtual network in the US that's been met with substantial, quantifiable success (more recent stock woes notwithstanding). Now, the Financial Times is reporting that a deal is cued up and ready for a public introduction as early as this week. The sooner, the better, because tons of questions remain about the fate of subscribers and the introduction of the pretty hotly anticipated Ocean 2, a device that at one time could've been Helio's savior; too late for that now, we guess.
Motorola's RAZR 2 blushes for South Korea
For better or worse, the relentless barrage of RAZR 2 variants might only be getting started. Motorola's South Korean outpost has teamed up with SK Telecom to release the RAZR 2 Pink Silver, featuring an "espresso" hued keypad teamed with a light pink case for folks who want to whisper their fashion sense, not scream it -- or, in Motorola's words, for a "confident young generation." Look for it now in SKT retailers if you happen to be in the area.[Via Unwired View]
South Korea lifts ban on BlackBerrys, sort of
For some, living in a country where BlackBerrys were outright banned would be a fate far, far worse than death -- you know who you are -- but for South Koreans, that nightmarish scenario is a reality. Weird rules and regulations in the country make it difficult for foreign manufacturers to gain the same foothold that domestic powerhouses like Samsung and LG enjoy, and RIM in particular has been a total no-show. Turns out CEO Jim Balsillie is paying a little visit to Seoul for the Organization on Economic Cooperation and Development's Ministerial Meeting on the Future Internet Economy next month though (goodness, what a mouthful), and the Korea Communications Commission felt just a little silly about his visit in light of a nationwide RIM ban, lifting it just enough to allow SK Telecom to start selling the mobile email maestros to companies. Individual sales, not so much -- but you've got to start somewhere, we suppose. If all goes well, devices should go on sale some time in July or August with service running some 26,000 won (about $25) per month.
Virgin Mobile: okay, yeah, we're talking to SK Telecom
Looks like Virgin Mobile USA and Helio parent SK Telecom didn't bother to get their stories straight before turning to the press over recent rumors that they've been talking marriage. Right on the heels of an SKT statement that talks of a Virgin Mobile takeover were "groundless," Virgin Mobile has come out with a super-brief statement saying something quite to the contrary -- that the two are, in fact, in "preliminary discussions" over "possible strategic opportunities." That's about as vague and unhelpful as it gets -- a level of vagueness that's really only saved for situations where something big is about to go down, actually. The MVNO goes on to say that it's gonna stay mum on the subject at this point unless "a definitive agreement is reached," but at least we know they're chatting. [Via mocoNews]
New players team up with LiMo Foundation
Following a new round of partnership announcements back in February, LiMo Foundation today added 8 new members, bringing the grand total to 40 -- and perhaps most notably, Verizon Wireless becomes the first American carrier to team up with the group and the Foundation's final board member (in other words, they seem to be taking this initiative pretty seriously). Other new players include South Korea's SK Telecom, France's SFR, Sagem, chipmaker Infineon, and Mozilla, suggesting that there'll be plenty of mobile Firefox support for LiMo's nascent platform. LiMo represents the largest Linux-based threat to Android's plans for world domination, having announced its initiative some time before Google while collecting a veritable who's-who of world players from NTT DoCoMo to manufacturers like LG and Motorola -- and with the depth of Verizon's commitment to this, evident by its nabbing of an actual board seat, we wouldn't be surprised to see LiMo-based products actually go beyond its Any Apps, Any Device initiative and get real on the carrier's official lineup.
SK Telecom says talk of Virgin Mobile takeover of Helio is "groundless"
Well, it looks like the struggling Helio may not be falling under the Virgin Mobile umbrella quite just yet, with the MVNO's parent company, SK Telecom, now calling such speculation ""groundless." An SK Telecom spokesperson further added that it was not in "any sort of talks" with Virgin and that it remains "committed" to Helio, although the company did seemingly leave the door open somewhat by saying it is "actively seeking opportunities" to expand its service in the U.S. Muddling the situation a bit further, Reuters reported on Friday that the two companies were in fact in "early talks" about a deal, although the source behind that story was apparently unable to confirm whether the deal was actually a merger or a purchase, or one of a number of "other possibilities."
Virgin Mobile looking to merge with Helio?
Times haven't been so great at Helio, but it looks like the troubled MVNO could be snapped up by Virgin Mobile. mocoNews did a little digging after Virgin's recent Q1 conference call, and says that the two companies are currently in merger talks. Since both companies use Sprint's network, the tech would be compatible, and the deal would give SK Telecom a way to keep Helio going as it tries to gain a foothold in the US market. Nothing's set in stone yet and the two companies aren't talking, but we'll definitely keep an eye on this one.
Helio's Sky Dayton steps down as CEO
Sky Dayton, founder and chairman of the phantasmagorical Helio, has announced that he's stepping down as CEO to become chairman of the board of the last-man-standing MVNO. Helio's new CEO will be Wonhee Sull, formerly the company's president and COO, and obviously a direct conduit to co-owner SK Telecom. "Helio has reached a point in its development where I feel the timing is right for this change... As we have for the past three years, the two of us will continue to define Helio's direction and future," said Dayton. Whether Sky's really ready to move on or not we'll never know, but it's certainly possible that the recent influx of cash (and increased ownership) from its Korean parents and dwindling marketshare of US MVNOs led SK to step in and get things on track.Update: Lots of fun inaccuracies going on up in here, our bad. We ironed out the kinks, see above for the latest, correct edits to Helio's executive musical chairs.
