Panasonic

January 7, 2008 – Panasonic today announced that the company has developed three prototype plasma display panels (PDPs) using ground-breaking technologies. The prototypes include a 42-inch panel with double efficiency technology that halves energy consumption while maintaining the same brightness*, a less than one-inch super-thin 50-inch PDP and the world’s largest 150-inch advanced high definition (HD) PDP. The three prototypes are on display at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that starts on January 7 in Las Vegas.

At the core of these cutting edge PDP's lies the double efficiency technology used in the 42-inch prototype. After thoroughly reviewing its existing IC technology and panel structures, Panasonic developed new phosphors and cell design technology for improved discharge and new circuit and drive technology to significantly reduce power loss. As a result, the 42-inch prototype has twice the luminance efficiency and provides the same brightness as the existing 42-inch 1080p full HD PDP, while cutting the power consumption by half. Read more

January 7, 2008– Panasonic and YouTube today announced plans to bring big screen High Definition TV viewers quick and easy access to millions of originally created videos from YouTube directly from Panasonic’s new VIERA PZ850 line of Plasma Internet-connected HDTV’s. The new VIERA HDTV’s, equipped with VIERA CAST, also include easy and seamless access to Picasa Web Albums, a free online photo-sharing service from Google.

Panasonic’s new VIERA PZ850 series Plasma HDTV’s with VIERA CAST will enable consumers, using the new and elegant Panasonic VIERA CAST interface, to easily browse, find and watch free videos from YouTube and view photos from their Picasa Web Albums in the comfort of their living room. Read more

December 7, 2007 – Panasonic, a market and technology leader in flat panel HDTV’s, announced today that it will again offer consumers access to its Plasma Concierge toll-free information service this holiday season. The Panasonic Plasma Concierge program, normally open exclusively to Panasonic Plasma HDTV owners, will be accessible to any consumer who would like to learn more about flat panel televisions from a live expert beginning today through February 3, 2008.

Panasonic first offered open access to their Plasma Concierge HDTV experts last year during the 2006 holiday season and again leading up to Father’s Day 2007. Read more

November 13, 2007 – Panasonic Computer Solutions Company, manufacturer of durable, reliable Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers, today introduced three new business-rugged notebook computers designed to meet the demands of mobile executives, walking workers and road warriors: the ultraportable W7, the tablet alternative T7, and the thin-and-light Y7.

The new suite of business computing solutions are based on Panasonic’s 15 year history of engineering and manufacturing robust notebook computers that deliver the durability, reliability and connectivity essential to keeping government and business professionals working wherever and whenever they need to. Read more

Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic just announced the introduction of the DMP-BD30, the next generation High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player. The DMP-BD30 is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final Standard Profile, which adds a variety of new and enhanced features to the Blu-ray arena and one that separates the Panasonic Blu-ray player from the rest of the field. Also unique to the DMP-BD30 is the inclusion of an SD Memory Card slot for playback of High Definition content recorded in the AVCHD format. The SD slot also allows for viewing of digital still images recorded to an SD Memory Card.

Final Standard Profile is an advanced function added to the Blu-ray standard, which opens the door to new functions such as Picture-in-Picture (which displays a second image in a sub window) and Audio Mixing (allows the consumer to switch the sound between the main and sub windows). Read more

Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, the market and technology leader in Plasma HDTVs, announced today at the opening of the 2007 CEDIA convention, that it has expanded its already industry leading line of 1080p High Definition Plasma TVs, to include two new, more affordable models -- the TH-42PZ77 and the TH-50PZ77. Scheduled to ship this month, the new 42-inch and 50-inch class Plasmas have SRPs of $1799.95 and $2799.95 respectively.

The introduction of the PZ77 series increases Panasonic's already deep line of 1080p Plasmas to eight -- the widest selection of Plasma TVs in the industry -- and further demonstrates Panasonic's industry leadership and cutting edge technology in big screen Plasma entertainment. The two new 1080p TVs join the critically acclaimed 700 and 750 series providing consumers with a wide selection of Plasmas with the highest, to date, possible resolution. Panasonic's top rated Plasmas are available in 42-inch, 50-inch, 58-inch and 65-inch class models, all of which include the unique SD memory card slot, a feature that allows consumers to view images from an SD Memory Card on the big screen Panasonic Plasma, rather than the camera's small screen or a computer monitor. Read more

September 6, 2007 -- Panasonic Projector Systems Company, Unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today announced the debut of its newest LCD home theater projector with 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) native resolution: the PT-AE2000U. Designed for savvy home theater enthusiasts and audio video professionals who desire an immersive home entertainment viewing experience, the new projector delivers 1080p images with a carefully-tuned lens system to reproduce remarkable detail and clarity with 1,500 lumen brightness and 16,000:1 contrast ratio.

The new PT-AE2000U model is the next evolution of its predecessor, the PT-AE1000U, which has been widely accepted and used to display professional movies. The new projector reproduces the original picture quality intended by Hollywood movie and television directors – all within the comfort of consumers’ home theaters. Read more

Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic today introduced the newest member of its digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera line, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-L10, the company's first SLR with Face Detection. The DMC-L10 also offers an advanced 2.5 inch Live View LCD which can rotate 270 degrees, enabling versatile shooting options, and making it easy and convenient to shoot from high or low angles. Complete with a 10.1-megapixel Live MOS Sensor, the DMC-L10 includes an advanced, Supersonic Wave Filter system that prevents dust from collecting on the sensor and degrading photo quality.

"Panasonic's advanced digital imaging technologies, including Optical Image Stabilization and Intelligent ISO control settings, are helping LUMIX compact digital cameras make a name for themselves in this industry, "said Alex Fried, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "Now, we expand our SLR line with the LUMIX DMC-L10, which is especially designed for the consumer who is familiar with compact digital cameras, but also wants to further experience the enjoyment of digital SLR photography." Read more

Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic has started to ship a new line of High Definition LCD Rear Projection Display televisions featuring the revolutionary long-life LIFI, a first-of-its kind light fidelity projection display application that ensures image brightness over an extended period of time as well as greatly reduced start-up time. The Panasonic LIFI High Definition line includes two series - the LCZ and LCX. The LCZ series, available in three large-screen screen sizes, 61-inches, 56-inches and 50- inches, feature 1080p resolution and an elegant glossy black finish with a new floating panel design. The PT-61LCX70 and PT-56LCX70 offer 720p resolution.

"The unique LIFI technology provides the consumer with a viable, affordable option for big screen, 1080p High Definition entertainment," said Dennis Eppel, Vice President of Panasonic Display Company. "The fact that the bulb will virtually never need to be replaced is a great benefit to the consumer and one of the reasons we strongly believe that LIFI will be successful. From our Plasma and LCD TVs to the LIFI HDTVs, we want Panasonic consumers to experience the absolute best in High-Definition home theater. With our breadth of High Definition choices we are confident that Panasonic can provide that experience." Read more

July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic today expanded its LUMIX family of digital still cameras with the introduction of the LUMIX DMC-FZ18, an 8.1 Megapixel compact camera with an impressive 18x optical zoom. In addition to a premium 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC lens, the DMC-FX18 joins the LUMIX DMC-FX33 and DMC-FX55 as the first Panasonic digital cameras to offer the revolutionary Intelligent Auto Mode, which include Face Detection, Intelligent Scene Selector and Continuous Auto-focus functions, allowing users to easily capture clear, professional-quality images in any situation or setting. Read more

When this powerful camera, with an optical zoom up to 18x, is put into Intelligent Auto Mode, the multi-faceted functions engage automatically, so there is no need to adjust settings every time conditions change.