Panasonic

September 12, 2006 – Panasonic Computer Solutions Company, the leading provider of durable, reliable wireless mobile PCs, today introduced three new business-rugged Panasonic Toughbook notebook computers: The ultraportable CF-W5, tablet alternative CF-T5, and the thin-and-light desktop replacement CF-Y5.

The three new Panasonic Toughbooks, the next generation of Panasonic’s world-class durable, lightweight notebooks, are engineered and built by Panasonic for maximum reliability. As with all Toughbooks, designed for field service or business environments, the new series of notebooks include magnesium alloy cases, flexible internal connectors and shock-mounted and removable hard drives. Business-rugged Toughbooks are tested to withstand a one foot drop, while the hard drives themselves are rated to survive a fall of thirty inches. Read more

Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic is working to develop a Panasonic Wi-Fi phone for use with Skype. This is the first Wi-Fi product in a series of planned products for use with Skype's service. With this new product, consumers will be able to make and receive Skype calls to Skype users from Wi-Fi Access points in the home, office or elsewhere.

"This new Wi-Fi phone for use with Skype follows the shift toward Internet calling entering the mainstream consumer market," said Mike Timar, national marketing manager, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "This exciting product will enable greater flexibility in communications for home and business users." Read more

September 1, 2006 – Panasonic just announced that it is supplying NBC Universal with two 103” full high definition professional plasma displays (TH-103PF9UK) to be integrated into the set of NBC's "Football Night in America” studio show, premiering Sunday, September 10 at 7 p.m. ET. The Panasonic TH-103PF9UK, which recently made its worldwide debut, is the world's largest plasma television available. NBC Universal is the first commercial customer to purchase the 103” plasma display.

With industry leading 16-bit color reproduction, the super-size TH-103PF9UK provides stunning widescreen progressive display featuring full HD pixel resolution of 1,920 horizontal x 1,080 vertical, a contrast ratio of 5,000:1, and 4,096 equivalent steps of color gradation, delivering clear, crisp and impactful fast action video images. This 1080p display's screen resolution, which amounts to about 2 million pixels, equals twice the resolution of high-definition televisions that are commonly available today and boasts an effective display area of approximately 89” wide by 50” high, which is equivalent in size to four 50” Panasonic plasma displays. Read more

Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- APCO 2006 -- Panasonic Computer Solutions Company and Cingular Wireless today introduced the Panasonic Toughbook CF-29, the first Toughbook targeted to public safety with Cingular's 3G BroadbandConnect service built-in. The two companies announced the availability of the rugged, wireless clamshell notebook today at the APCO 2006 show in Orlando.

Using the Toughbook CF-29, public safety officers can wirelessly access criminal databases and other mission critical information at broadband speeds while sitting in their patrol cars when in UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect coverage areas. The Toughbook 29 provides seamless, high-speed EDGE network coverage outside of those areas. In addition to public safety, the Toughbook 29 is ideal for military and commercial field environments. Read more

Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, the leader in plasma TV and the best selling plasma brand in the United States, is continuing to build upon last year's successful launch of its line of custom-built frames with the debut of eight new designs compatible with select Panasonic plasma models. The complete line of Panasonic Plasma Frames are now available exclusively at www.panasonicdirect.com/masterpiece. Individual frames range in price from $399.95 to $499.95 SRP*.

The new Plasma TV frames add an elegant, personalized accent to the designated Panasonic plasma TV and transform it into a functional piece of art. Users can now enjoy the breathtaking images provided by plasma technology, from high-definition broadcasts to digital photos, surrounded by a custom frame that will fit in with their decor and enhance the viewing experience. When introduced last year Panasonic was the first television manufacturer to offer this innovative option. Read more

July 2006-- Panasonic today announced a promotion making it easier than ever for music lovers to take their music on the road. From August through December 2006, consumers get a $15 or $25 iTunes gift card for music downloads simply by purchasing a Panasonic iPod ready car CD receiver. The promotion applies to 15 different Panasonic models currently available at retail.

To support this five month promotion, Panasonic is launching an innovative campaign using website, podcasts and drive time radio advertising. The extensive on-line campaign, appearing on 3,500 unique websites, along with sponsored sports news podcasts, is designed to strategically reach iPod users and prospective customers and channel them to a dealer locator or a direct purchase site. The radio campaign sponsors Shadow Traffic in 8 key markets and features a tie-in with a local retailer. Read more

July 2006 -- Panasonic, one of the key developers of HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) technology announced that it is now producing and shipping high quality HDMI cables under the Panasonic brand name.

HDMI cables conveniently connect home theater products and allow easy controllability through one cable. The Panasonic HDMI cables are available in five different lengths with prices ranging from $49.99 to $399.99 to provide a variety of consumer and professional custom installation options. Read more

July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, the market and technology leader in Plasma TV, today announced U.S. pricing and availability of it's much anticipated 103-inch diagonal High Definition Plasma TV -- the world's largest. The TH-103PZ600U with 1080p capability will have an SRP of $69,999.95 and is expected to be available for delivery in time for Christmas 2006. It will also offer a three-year in-home limited warranty*, unprecedented in the industry. Read more

June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic, the brand for which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, announced today that it will commence Blu-ray Disc entertainment title (for Blu-ray Disc read-only media, or BD-ROM) authoring service for movie studios at Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) in Universal City, California on July 1. Optical discs, like Blu-ray Disc, or conventional DVDs, need to have their content authored as a step toward physical replication of the disc as an entertainment title. Read more

June 21, 2006 -- Panasonic today announced the availability of its first digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera with an interchangeable lens, the DMC-L1, in the United States. The camera will be available beginning early September for a suggested retail price of $1,999. The camera comes equipped with a LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT lens featuring the industry's first optical image stabilization system MEGA O.I.S designed specifically for the Leica lens. Read more