Asia-Pac's 3G users to multiply

Asia-Pacific's 3G (third generation) market which has largely remained nascent up till 2005 is expected to exhibit strong growth on the heels of more advanced 3G markets such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.

The large developing markets of China and India are expected to contribute significantly to the robust growth of the region's 3G subscriber base after 2008. The price of 3G end-points and uptake of mobile content however remain less encouraging.

This, coupled with the fact that most markets in Asia-Pacific are generally price-conscious, may pose as the biggest challenge towards mass-scale adoption of 3G services in the near term.

A Frost & Sullivan report reveals that the 3G subscriber base - covering 12 major Asia-Pacific countries ex-Japan - totaled 15.6 million in 2005, representing a mere 2.3 percent of the total mobile subscribers.

The 3G subscriber base in Asia-Pacific is forecasted to grow at CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 50.1 percent (2005 - 2011) to reach 178 million subscribers by end-2011. China and India are expected to account for much of this growth and are expected to introduce 3G services in 2007.

Samsung robot guards military base

The Intelligent Surveillance & Security Guard Robot, indigenously developed by Samsung Techwin and being funded by the Korean government, has been entrusted with the task of protecting the major military base and national strategic site.

The system is designed to replace human-oriented guards, overcoming their limitation of discontinuous guarding mission due to its severe weather condition or fatigue, so that the perfect guarding operation is guaranteed.

But what about Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics - especially the first one which states: "A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm."