From Korea, with love: My visit with Samsung and LG

The roaring whir of a helicopter’s blades chopping through the air. A quartet of smartphones with digital googly eyes. An in-car navigator that warns of speed traps.

These made up some of the sights and sounds of a trip to Samsung and LG’s respective offices in and around Seoul, South Korea. Below are some of the smartphones I met and facts that I learned, with even more tech slideshows and stories to come in the next few weeks — so check back soon!

How the Galaxy Note Edge got its edge: Samsung designers tell all What inspired the Galaxy Edge’s swooshing shape and second screen? In an exclusive interview with the phone’s designers, CNET gets a look at what makes them tick and where they’re going next.

LG’s new Aka phone has its eyes on you.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Samsung Galaxy Note stylus could have been a toothpick Before the Samsung Galaxy Note had its S-Pen holster, designers and engineers had other ideas about the stylus’ shape and size. CNET sat down with a Samsung innovation VP for a peek into the past.

Samsung Galaxy A5, A3: Sleek, slim, fully metal Fully embracing the trend of an all-aluminum unibody design, these inaugural A-series phones seal the deal, along with the battery.

‘Aka’-awesome: LG’s new smartphones have backstories, names (hands-on) Bursting with character, the LG Aka phones channel Tamagotchi toys of the ’90s with digital eyes and four distinct personalities. CNET gets to know them all.

In-car navigator that turns safe driving into a game — or better yet, a discount What would it take for your car’s navigation system to turn you into a gold-star road warrior? Only the right kind of drive.

15 crazy old phones from a Korean museum (pictures)Want to see a really big, really old cell phone from the 1980s? Yes, you do. Don’t miss this unbelievable TV phone from back in the day, and a handset Neo would call his own.

Think you know Samsung’s first smartwatch and laptop? You don’t (pictures) Housed in Samsung’s sprawling South Korean headquarters are startling reminders of our gadget past. Check out old-school marvels like its first-ever smartwatch and a laptop with a music player.

All-metal Galaxy A5, A3 break new Samsung ground (pictures)

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LG G3 Screen is G3’s octa-core twin (hands-on) With its new G3 variant, LG gets into octa-core chipsets and gives it customers a cheaper local offer.

Flippable LG Wine Smart Android clamshell looks cooler than it sounds (hands-on) All the power of Android condensed into a 3.5-inch screen may be the best of both worlds for people who really love their flip phones.

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