The number of car accidents related to smartphones has doubled over the past three years with the rise in the use of mobile digital devices, according to a research institute.The Traffic Climate and Environment Research Center, a research unit of Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co., said in a report it released Wednesday that the smartphone-related accident rate increased 1.9-fold from 437 in 2009 to 848 cases in 2012.The abrupt rise in such accidents is attributed to both phone calls and the us

Samsung Electronics decided to retain its current three business units and strengthen its camera business, officials said Wednesday.They said the three main business units ― device solutions, home appliance, and IT and mobile ― remain intact, and will be continued to be led by CEOs Kwon Oh-hyun, Yoon Boo-keun and Shin Jong-kyun, respectively.Because of last year’s major restructuring process in which Samsung Electronics split a division in charge of finished goods into mobile and consumer electr

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― The competition between Microsoft and Google is stretching to the North Pole as the Internet search rivals vie to be top Santa tracker this Christmas.Google on Wednesday launched a google.com/santatracker website offering reindeer games, elf antics and updates on beloved gift-giver Kris Kringle as children worldwide count down to Christmas eve.“A team of Google engineers are working hard to track Santa’s sleigh with the most advanced maps and holiday technology available,”

South Korea’s research and development spending was the sixth-highest worldwide last year, rising 11.1 percent from a year earlier, a report showed on Tuesday.The government, research institutes, universities and corporations spent a combined 55.45 trillion won ($52.7 billion) on R&D activity in 2012, up 5.56 trillion won from the previous year, according to the report compiled by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.The R&D spending, worth $49.23 billion, was the sixth-largest in th

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Comet ISON, once optimistically called the comet of the century, is dead, the victim of a way-too-close brush with the sun. It was barely a year old.The comet, which excited astronomers and the media as it zipped near the sun on Thanksgiving Day, was pronounced dead at a scientific conference Tuesday. Astronomers who had followed the ice ball mourned the loss of the sky show that once promised to light up during December.Naval Research Lab astronomer Karl Battams, who headed th

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s top smartphone maker, said Tuesday that global sales of its Galaxy Note 3 smartphones have surpassed the 10 million mark since its release in late September.The milestone comes two months earlier than its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 2. It took nine months and four months, respectively, for the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 2 to reach the mark, according to Samsung.The new Galaxy Note 3 phablet, with a 5.7-inch screen, is an upgraded version of the 5.5-inch Gal

India’s mobile phone makers are expanding their presence in the global smartphone market on the back of strong demand at home and sales of lower-priced devices, industry data showed on Tuesday.Micromax emerged as the world’s 11th-largest mobile phone maker in the third quarter, surpassing HTC, Motorola and Blackberry, and became the No. 2 smartphone brand in India, with a record 14 percent share, according to the latest data compiled by Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Technology Market Research.Sam

BEIJING (AP) ― A satellite jointly developed by China and Brazil failed to enter into orbit after the rocket carrying it malfunctioned after launch on Monday, state media reported.The high-resolution remote-sensing Ziyuan I-03 satellite was launched aboard a Chinese Long March 4B rocket in northern Shanxi province, the official Xinhua news agency said.Citing unidentified military sources, Xinhua said Chinese and Brazilian experts were analyzing the cause of the malfunction.China has a range of L

Kakao Corp., the operator of Korea’s largest mobile messenger Kakao Talk by subscriber base, denied news reports that the firm has considered acquiring the mobile application market T Store.“Kakao has not even discussed an acquisition plan for T Store. There is little chance of the purchase happening,” said Lee Sir-goo, co-CEO of Kakao Group.Kakao officials echoed Lee’s statement. “Even though the deal sounds attractive, the news of the acquisition is groundless,” said an official from the messe