Geek Sightseeing In Seoul: Prada, Mobile TV And More

IMAGE_034Where else would a geek start sightseeing in Korea? I’m sitting in a very hospitable cell phone vendor’s booth at the Yongsan Electronics Market, gleaming white and fluorescent with Abba on the soundtrack. (I actually tried to kick off my journey at TechoMart with its seven floors of electronics but it’s closed today for vacation.) This is the fourth floor of a vast building stuffed with booths; each floor has a theme. Think CES or CTIA with fewer people. The 2G Prada touchscreen phone, one of the most expensive handsets at nearly 1 million won, is readily available. When I asked for something with a better camera and 3G, I was given a Samsung Blackjack (3 megapixels). So much for beating the prices by buying here — it’s more expensive than the Prada model. Nearly every booth offers a cluster of mobile TV phones, some playing with great reception. This kind of display may not be a big deal to a lot of you but it’s far more handset choice than we’re used to in the U.S.

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