Other specs include a 1.5GHz dual-core processor running Android 2.3, along with DLNA compliance and an HDMI port for hooking the Optimus LTE up to your HDTV. That combination of a speedy processor and LTE is likely to suck down power pretty darn quickly, so LG has slotted in a 1,830 mAh battery pack. The camera is an 8-megapixel unit supporting HD video recording.

Unfortunately that pushes the dimensions up to 10.4mm thick, though that’s still on the narrow side for a big-screen handset like this. The LG Optimus LTE will ship in South Korea on October 5, on SK Telecom; no word on international availability at this stage.

LG is positioning the Android 2.3 smartphone as a slimline balance of outdoor usability and pocketability. It measures just 9.65mm thick and weighs 127g, but there’s still HDMI connectivity (along with DLNA support for those who prefer to do their multimedia distribution wirelessly).

SK Telecom will be the first to get the Optimus EX, though we wouldn’t rule out North American and European versions of the smartphone as LG moves to replace the Optimus 2X and its carrier-branded variants. We wouldn’t argue with a screen bright enough to be used outdoors with no fear of direct sunlight, though it’s a shame LG couldn’t pack a few more pixels in there: qHD resolution doesn’t seem like too much to ask when Samsung is readying its 1280 x 720 Galaxy S II HD. No word on pricing at this stage.

[Thanks Alex!]

“FlashLinq’s direct discovery and distributed communications allows operators to naturally extend their cellular networks. The technology can efficiently support new and enhanced services in areas such as direct local advertising, geo-social networking and machine-to-machine communications” Ed Knapp, senior vice president of business development and engineering, Qualcomm

FlashLinq is a synchronous TDD OFDMA technology and can handle thousands of nearby devices; it also packs its own interference management. Qualcomm describes the technology being used to create “neighborhood-area networks” which consist of fixed and mobile devices – for instance, at a concert or festival, multiple phones could mesh together and exchange information, or reduce load on cellular base stations by routing calls more intelligently.

SK Telecom is signed up to trial FlashLinq in South Korea, with an eye on how they can commercialise the technology. Qualcomm will be demonstrating it next week at Mobile World Congress, so we’ll be sure to stop by and check out how well it works.

Press Release:

Qualcomm to Demonstrate New Peer-to-Peer Technology at Mobile World

SAN DIEGO – February 08, 2011 – Reflecting its continuing research and development into new connectivity models, Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) will demonstrate its newest advancement in peer-to-peer wireless technology at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Feb. 14-17 in Barcelona. The Company’s technology innovation, called FlashLinq™, enables devices to discover each other automatically and continuously, and to communicate, peer-to-peer, at broadband speeds without the need for intermediary infrastructure.

FlashLinq advances a concept known as proximal communications, whereby users can continuously connect, disconnect and communicate directly with other mobile users at broadband speeds based on their physical proximity. The technology is designed to complement traditional cellular-based services and serve as a scalable platform for new types of applications.

“By expanding the operator model of managed services to the frontier of proximal communications, Qualcomm continues to demonstrate its leadership in wireless technology and innovation” said Ed Knapp, senior vice president of business development and engineering for Qualcomm. “FlashLinq’s direct discovery and distributed communications allows operators to naturally extend their cellular networks. The technology can efficiently support new and enhanced services in areas such as direct local advertising, geo-social networking and machine-to-machine communications.”

FlashLinq is a synchronous TDD OFDMA technology operating on dedicated licensed spectrum and is distinguished by its high discovery range (up to a kilometer), discovery capacity (thousands of nearby devices) and distributed interference management. By enabling the simultaneous discovery and communication of thousands of proximal devices, FlashLinq can effectively create a “neighborhood-area network,” where fixed and mobile peer applications can interact directly.

Qualcomm plans to collaborate with SK Telecom to trial FlashLinq in South Korea and explore potential commercial uses.

“Throughout its 27-year history, SK Telecom has always embraced cutting-edge technologies because we are committed to giving our customers the most advanced capabilities and user experiences,” said Dr. Jong Tae Ihm, SK Telecom’s senior vice president and head of the Institute of Network Technology. “We see Qualcomm’s FlashLinq technology as a key enabler to a range of new and innovative services based on proximal networking.”

Qualcomm’s FlashLinq P2P technology will be demonstrated at Barcelona’s Fira Convention Center in the Company’s exhibit, located in Exhibit Hall 8, #8B53.

About SK Telecom
SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, KSE: 017670) is Korea’s leading telecommunications provider with more than 25 million subscribers, which accounts for more than 50% of the total market. The company, established in 1984, reached KRW 12.46 trillion in revenue in 2010. SK Telecom was the first to launch and commercialize CDMA, CDMA2000 1x, CDMA EV-DO and HSDPA networks, and it currently provides cellular, wireless Internet, mobile media, global roaming service and more. For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com or email press@sktelecom.com.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of wireless communications, connecting people more closely to information, entertainment and each other. Today, Qualcomm technologies are powering the convergence of mobile communications and consumer electronics, making wireless devices and services more personal, affordable and accessible to people everywhere. For more information, visit Qualcomm around the Web:
www.qualcomm.com

Creating a mobile phone platform is one thing, but it’s an entirely different thing to immediately start dropping then names of your future competitors. But that’s what SK Telecom’s chief did during the announcement, saying that the eventual goal of this, as of now unnamed, platform would be to “eventually compete against Google, Apple, and Nokia.” They plan on doing that by setting aside one trillion Won, which is about $897 million, over the course of three years for the development of the platform. While it may seem like dreaming in the clouds to some, it wouldn’t even be worth the time of SK Telecom to develop this idea if they didn’t plan on competing with the hottest names in the mobile phone OS market.

To sweeten the deal, the new platform would be built on the idea of “open.” It would also be built to support third-party applications. It would also expand existing services, like T Store and T Map, and let developers build on them to make them better, and include more features. And, SK Telecom isn’t just focusing on their market, either. They announced that the future platform would be available not only in Southeast Asia, but also China and the United States of America.

SK Telecom, at the announcement of the platform, also unveiled the brand new Open Innovation Center, which is meant to kick start the development aspect of the platform. It will aide developers in their time with the platform, as well as reflect the company’s strategy. Furthermore, SK Telecom hopes to open up the APIs for the platform by the end of 2010, so that developers can get a jump start on developing for it. Only time will tell if the new platform from SK Telecom will have any relevance in the market, especially in three years’ time.

[via Electronista]

Speaking to the Yonhap News Agency, a spokesman for KT Corp., the local distributor for Apple’s iPhone, said that they hope to be selling the iPad by the end of November, but was unable to provide a specific date as to when customers could expect to see the tablet device launch. As of now, it looks like Apple is just going through the process to get the iPad approved for the regional launch, and if the spokesman for KT Corp. is accurate, then it looks like that’s the method that the iPad would make its debut.

As for Samsung, who are aiming to launch their own tablet device, the Galaxy Tab, in South Korea by the end of the year, it looks like their decision to use SK Telecom may pay off. SK Telecom is the direct competitor to KT Corp., and having the iPad available on one network, while the Tab is available on the other should do well to boost tablet sales in the region, as well as continue to fuel an on going mobile platform battle.

[via Yahoo! News]

Other specs include GPS and DivX playback, a 3.5mm headphone socket and – unfortunately – Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI.  They’ve also added a social networking app, though that’s not fully detailed, and the M100S will get access both to the regular Android Market and SK Telecom’s own T Store.

No news on pricing for the phone, nor whether it might make it over to the US or Europe.  We won’t argue with more Android 2.1 devices – even if we do have to suffer through TouchWiz on them – so our fingers are crossed for a broader launch.

[via Android Community]

There’s also an HDMI port, 720p HD video recording and of course the usual 3.5mm headphone socket and microSD card slot.  Motorola have also stuffed in 8GB of internal memory, and will be offering a docking station – similar, we’re guessing, to that available for the Motorola DROID – that turns the MOTOROI into a desk clock.

While there’s no hardware keyboard, the MOTOROI has a variety of text-input methods including – so far relatively rare on Android devices – handwriting recognition.  It’ll arrive in South Korea in February 2010, on the SK Telecom network, price unknown.

Press Release:

Motorola Introduces MOTOROI(TM), Korea’s First Smart Phone Powered by Android 2.0

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ — Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a global leader in mobile telecommunications, today inaugurated a new era in Korea’s mobile lifestyle with the introduction of MOTOROI(TM), the first smart phone in Korea to be powered by Android(TM) version 2.0.

For people who want the ultimate smart phone experience, MOTOROI(TM) offers the ability to use multiple applications at the same time, effortless pinch-and-zoom browsing, and cinematic navigation through music, videos, and maps of the world.

“We are delighted to announce MOTOROI(TM), the first Android-based phone, with SK Telecom in Korea, a key partner in one of Motorola’s key markets in the world,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “MOTOROI(TM) is a smart phone without compromise, delivering a wiser, richer web and messaging experience with the most delightful touch-interface you have ever experienced, all made possible through the combination of Motorola’s expertise in design, a truly differentiated Android experience, and the power of SK Telecom’s network.”

“Motorola’s smart phones powered by Android are receiving tremendous response around the world, and it is our pleasure to introduce one of them for the first time in Korea,” said Ha Sung-min, MNO president of SK Telecom(TM). “MOTOROI(TM) by Motorola will bring a paradigm shift in the domestic mobile market with outstanding Internet, multimedia features and access to the fast-growing Android Market(TM).”

Thousands of Android-Based Applications

Android is widely recognized as the most exciting mobile platform in part because of its unequalled openness. Anyone can develop Android applications and make them available through Android Market, and you can download them on MOTOROI(TM).

Designed to take full advantage of the power of Android 2.0, MOTOROI(TM) gives you a full touch screen with a huge 3.7 inch, high-definition WVGA (480X854) display, making it easier than ever to view full page websites, videos, games, or photos. The display uses a powerful combination of Motorola’s touch user interface (UI) and a capacitive touch sensor for smooth screen flipping and scrolling, and five main displays let you customize your MOTOROI(TM) with various widgets with more freedom than ever before.

Google Mobile Services in Your Hand

MOTOROI(TM) delivers fast and powerful mobile versions of Google(TM)’s most popular services. High speed web-browsing(1) is possible at home or outdoors with MOTOROI(TM)’s Wi-Fi support and Android Web Kit Browser, supporting up to eight open browser windows(1) and giving you the greatest possible freedom in using Google(TM)’s various mobile services(1), including:

Google Maps(TM): Search for places near your location, get driving directions, view map with Street View and satellite imagery
Gmail(TM): Integrates and supports multiple accounts
YouTube(TM): Enables one-touch playback from home screen widget or app
Google Talk(TM): Provides messenger service by Google
Imaging Technology for Digital Camera Experience & Premium Multimedia Features

You expect a Motorola device to offer superb imaging, and MOTOROI(TM) breaks new ground, offering an 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash and a 720p HD camcorder – the first of its kind in Korea. Your new MOTOROI(TM) not only lets you capture, view and share(2) high quality photos and videos, it helps you make them look better than ever:

Smart image capture: Includes easy panorama, face detection, multi-shot (6 shots in a row), face filter, red eye reduction, camera shake prevention and many more elements designed to improve the quality and variety of your photos
HDMI(TM) (High Definition Multimedia Interface): With Korea’s first HDMI(TM) capable phone, play your HD video from your phone directly to your HDTV.
MOTOROI delivers an upgraded mobile entertainment experience from the company that pioneered mobile entertainment:

MP3 player: Enables you to send and listen to MP3 files without the need to convert files
Terrestrial DMB(1): Enjoy up to 24 TV and audio channels for free
3.5mm ear jack: Listen to music through connecting your favorite head phones
Storage up to 8GB(3) and Micro SD support up to 32GB(3)
Unique docking station: Enjoy movies by setting the phone on the docking station designed exclusively for the MOTOROI(TM), or use the phone as table clock or digital frame
User-Friendly and Innovative UI

MOTOROI(TM) adds a host of small touches to your user interface to help make using a powerful smart phone easy and intuitive:

Smart widgets let you use your content more conveniently, adjusting the size of the calendar, memo pad, contacts, e-mail and other widgets and shortcut icons on the home screen as you are using them
Pinch to zoom in and out lets you enlarge or reduce the size of web pages with ease
MOTOROI(TM) offers five distinct text-input methods, including a 3X4 keypad, full QWERTY, half QWERTY, hand writing and writing pad
The screen lock with proximity sensor lets you talk on your phone with ease as the screen automatically locks when the touch screen gets near your face
Advanced Mobile Office for Efficient Working

We all have to work sometime, and MOTOROI TM supports management of multiple accounts and document editing to ensure you work more efficiently with cutting-edge text recognition and true multi-tasking, which lets you run multiple applications at once:

Synchronize and manage multiple email accounts simultaneously, letting you separate your work and personal inboxes
Gmail Contacts sync: Synchronize contacts from the accounts that are added on the device.
Microsoft and PDF document viewer
Optical Character Recognition: Optical dictionary that translates immediately through quick scanning, business card reader which recognizes contact information on business cards and automatically stores information to your phonebook; and document reader which easily scrap books or articles to your phone as text files
The MOTOROI(TM) by Motorola will be available at SK Telecom(TM) retailers throughout Korea beginning in early February. For more information on MOTOROI(TM), please visit the Motorola website www.motorola.com/kr/consumer.

The app store will launch in parts beginning in June and will feature applications for Symbian, Windows Mobile, Linux and Android. The great thing here is that any phone running on these systems will be able to access the store, regardless of their carrier or phone type.

The only real problem here is that only a small percentage of people with cell phones in South Korea have smartphones. That means they’ll have to download content on their computers and then transfer the apps to their phones. SK Telecom subscribers will have access to the store for free. An SDK is available already though a revenue model is not yet known.

[via FierceMobileContent]

Due to a new card that SanDisk and SK Telecom have come up with you can now record mobile TV on this flash card and it is automatically DRM’ed with OMA DRM version 2.0 on SanDisk’s TrustedFlash capable cards. This will allow you to take the content with you regardless of whether you are using the device you recorded it with or not.

Along with this mobile content recording they also plan to apply the technology to other types of distributable content including videos, games, and e-books. Plus, with SK Telecom, the leading Mobile Network Operator in Korea and a major share holder in Helio partnering up with SanDisk the company that is the best at what they do, flash memory, how can you go wrong?

[via BusinessWire]