Multimedia at the Tip of Hand “It’s IMT-2000”

`New generation IMT-2000 device that is capable of image communication, liquid crystal display of mobile phones that is as elaborate as PC monitors, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that can operate Internet wirelessly…`

The country’s largest international mobile communication exhibition, `Expo Comm Korea 2002`, was held on the 26th at Kangnam’s Samsung-dong COEX, Seoul, where latest Information Technology (IT)- related products and services gathered. Especially, third generation IMT-2000 mobile phone devices and services, which are to appear on full scale along with the World Cup, gained popular attention. As 130 enterprises from 10 different nations participated at the exhibition, high-tech mobile phones were the center of attention.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics displayed IMT-2000 (CDMA2000 1X EV-DO) devices that are capable of the Internet service faster than 2.4Mbps of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL).

Samsung Electronics exhibited an image cellular device with built-in camera, which enables users to communicate while seeing the others’ faces. The correspondent loaded an animation that was stored in a device, and it played smoothly. When an EV-DO mode device was connected to a laptop, Internet was usable much faster than ADSL.

LG Electronics exhibited EV-DO mode IMT-2000 devices that can actually operate communication. A picture taken by the built-in 110,000-resolution digital camera could be saved as the background picture of the mobile. Download speed of Video On Demand (VOD) was between 400 to 500 Kbps. It was also noticeable that mobile case could rotate 360 degrees, and VOD contents could be played in stereo.

Mobile enterprise SK Telecom displayed a variety of wireless Internet services that use the EV-DO mode IMT-2000, which was put in common usage on the day. Mobile phones were capable of services from movies and music to online games and traffic information. Until now, EV-DO devices could display images but were impossible to allow voice communication simultaneously.

`Nate Drive` service, which provides guide for driving courses when an automobile device is connected with a mobile phone, was popular among visitors.

KTF introduced a variety of wireless Internet contents- services of `Multipack` system that operate upon downloading programs via a mobile device, and KT displayed wireless-LAN service that utilizes PDAs.

Also, Samsung Electronics’ wireless-LAN PDA `Nexio` and Qualcomm’s Global Positioning System (GPS) gained much attention. Antenna and repeater products of domestic and foreign enterprises were also seen. The exhibition is sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Communication, and will continue until March 1.

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