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Tag: Panasonic

  • Panasonic Closing in on Site for US Battery Plant

    Panasonic Closing in on Site for US Battery Plant

    Panasonic is getting close to selecting a US state to host its new battery manufacturing plant.

    Panasonic makes batteries for Tesla’s electric vehicles and has been planning to expand its battery production with a new US-based plant. According to Reuters, Panasonic Energy CEO Kazuo Tadanobu said the company is closing in on a location.

    “We’ve been making various considerations, but we are starting to finalise,” said Tadanobu. He added that no final decision had been made.

    According to Reuters’ sources, the company is looking at sites in Kansas and Oklahoma. Either site would be relatively close to Tesla’s factory in Texas.

  • Teslas Poised to Get a Range Upgrade, Thanks to New Panasonic Batteries

    Teslas Poised to Get a Range Upgrade, Thanks to New Panasonic Batteries

    Teslas are poised to receive a significant range upgrade, as early as 2023, with new batteries from Panasonic.

    Panasonic has been working on new batteries for Tesla for some time, with the new batteries boasting five times more capacity, despite only being twice the size. In addition, Independent reports the new batteries will cost half as much as the current generation.

    Nikkei Asia is reporting that Panasonic is preparing to begin mass production, with the batteries expected to make their way into Teslas as early as 2023.

    With a 15% increase in range, this would take the Model S from roughly 404 miles to approximately 465 miles on a full charge, a significant, real-world increase for the average user.

  • Panasonic Ending Involvement In Tesla’s New York Solar Factory

    Panasonic Ending Involvement In Tesla’s New York Solar Factory

    Panasonic has announced it is winding down its involvement in Tesla’s solar factory in Buffalo, NY as there are increasing signs of a detonating partnership.

    “Panasonic Corporation will begin to wind down U.S. production of photovoltaic cells and modules at Gigafactory New York in Buffalo, NY, in line with the global solar strategy led by its Life Solutions Company,” the company said in a statement. “By the end of May 2020, Panasonic will cease U.S. solar manufacturing operations and is scheduled to exit the facility by the end of September 2020.

    “Panasonic is supporting Tesla in its efforts to identify and hire qualified applicants from Panasonic’s impacted workforce. Tesla plans to hire qualified applicants to new positions needed to support its solar and energy manufacturing operations in Buffalo.”

    The move comes as Panasonic is working to divest itself of some of its less profitable businesses and streamline its operations. There seems to be indication the two companies’ partnership is fraying, as U.S. News & World Report points out that Tesla is looking to diversify its battery supplies to include batteries from South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd.

    In its own statement, Panasonic downplayed any issues with its partnership with Tesla, pointing out that the two companies are continuing to work together at Tesla’s Nevada facilities.

    “This decision will have no impact on Panasonic and Tesla’s strong partnership in Nevada. The two companies will continue their industry-leading electric vehicle battery work taking place at Tesla’s Gigafactory outside of Reno, NV.”

  • Nuvoton Purchasing Panasonic Semiconductor Business For $250 Million

    Nuvoton Purchasing Panasonic Semiconductor Business For $250 Million

    Nuvoton Technology Corporation announced in a press release that it was purchasing Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions’ (PSCS) semiconductor business to the tune of $250 million.

    Panasonic has been aggressively trying to cut $920 million by the year ending March 2022. Its semiconductor business was a loss-making endeavor, according to Reuters, and the company had already divested itself of much of its chip-making business in previous deals. What was left was a joint venture with Israel’s Tower Semiconductor, and “currently focuses on designing power-management chips and sensors for smartphones, cars and security cameras.”

    According to Nuvoton, the deal is an all-cash deal “which is expected to close by June 2020, is subject to certain closing conditions including obtaining required regulatory and certain other approvals and consents in the relevant jurisdictions.”

    The company hopes the acquisition will give it a stronger position in the global semiconductor industry.

    “The acquisition of the semiconductor business mainly operated by PSCS will generate greater value for customers and shareholders of both companies, and will:

    • Increase Nuvoton’s presence in the global semiconductor industry through greater scale and volume of semiconductor solutions;
    • Position Nuvoton well to capture secular growth trends in the electrification and automation of automotive and industrial fields;
    • Broaden Nuvoton’s distribution channels and customer base to explore cross-selling opportunities; and
    • Strengthen Nuvoton’s technology platform via deeper R&D resources and a broader intellectual property portfolio.”
  • CES: Firefox OS Heads To Televisions

    CES: Firefox OS Heads To Televisions

    At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mozilla announced some new developments for Firefox OS to help expand it into more device categories. These include televisions, and Panasonic announced a lineup of 4K Ultra HD smart TVs powered by the operating system.

    “Mozilla and Panasonic collaborated to create a new innovative, interactive and customizable user interface powered by Firefox OS, which will be available on Panasonic’s new Life+ Screen TVs starting this spring,” Mozilla said. “Through the collaboration, Panasonic’s 2015 TV user interface has advanced significantly from last year, making it even easier for users to quickly access their favorite content – including live TV, applications, websites and content on other devices. Also, for the first time, these Panasonic TVs powered by Firefox OS will allow TV on-screen notifications from applications, and, in the future, from compatible connected appliances.”

    “We’ve made it easy to find your favorite content and applications or customize the user interface on our Life+ Screen 4K Ultra HD Smart TVs, powered by Firefox OS,” said Yuki Kusumi, Director of the Home Entertainment Business Division of Appliances Company of Panasonic. “Firefox OS uses open Web technologies, which allow us to maximize compatibility with other devices like smartphones and laptops to send content (such as your favorite photos or videos) to your TV.”

    Matchstick also launched a new open source streaming platform with new hardware partnerships with Philips/AOC and TCL for devices that utilize Firefox OS.

    Image via YouTube

  • Best Buy Black Friday 2014 Deals

    Best Buy Black Friday 2014 Deals

    Black Friday, a ritual when ravenous consumers hoard big-box retailers to secure their deals, is right around the corner, and Best Buy is offering deals online now, and will commence in-store deals on Thanksgiving day.

    The online deals are now live, and the in-store doorbusters begin on Thursday at 5 p.m., local time, and over 1,000 stores in 47 states (Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have laws against this) will be open until 1 a.m. on Black Friday. The stores will reopen at 8 a.m., and close at 10 p.m.

    On Monday, employees of roughly 1,400 Best Buy stores were running mock drills of how to handle the hoards of consumers that will be present on Black Friday. About ten sales associates per store are designated to plainly replenish holes in stock laid out on the sales floor, and all employees are permitted to wear their most comfortable footwear, as opposed to their normal black shoes.

    Online electronics deals include:

    – An LG 49″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $399.99
    – A VIZIO P-Series 65″ Class LED 2160p Smart 4K Ultra HDTV for $1499.99
    – A GoPro HERO4 Black 4K Action Camera & Free $20 Best Buy Gift Card for $499.99
    – A Sony 40″ Class LED 1080p 60Hz HDTV for $299.99

    In-store deals will include:

    – A Panasonic 50″ Class LED 1080p HDTV for $199.99
    – A 15.6″ Dell Touch Screen Laptop for $299.99
    – A 7″ DigiLand Quad-Core Tablet for $39.99
    – A Samsung 55″ Class LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV for $899.99

    Regarding the 50″ Panasonic HDTV for $199.99, a Greenville, South Carolina man has been spotted camping outside a Best Buy store since Monday, in hopes of snagging the television. Brian McCauley, who is posted up in a lawn chair, commented, “Well, it’s a spur of the moment thing for me. I just packed a bag with some ravioli in it, some Chef Boyardee, a couple of hoodies, a jacket, that’s about it.”

    Below is a clip of some Black Friday mayhem, as enthusiastic customers hope to achieve shopping success:

  • Best TV Deals for Shoppers on Black Friday

    Best TV Deals for Shoppers on Black Friday

    The best TV deals for Black Friday, according to Consumer Reports, include 40 to 55-inch models.

    Black Friday has long been a huge day for electronics sales, with TVs at the top of the list. What better way is there to get a new TV than to seek out the best TV deals on the biggest retail shopping day of the year?

    Consumer Reports lists the following five options as this year’s Black Friday best TV deals:

    “Yes, we’re starting off with a tie for what we think might be the best TV deals this season, mainly because the two sets seem comparable and are only $1 apart in price. We already reported that Best Buy will have a 50-inch Panasonic 1080p LED/LCD TV (TC-50A400U) for only $200. But Amazon has countered with a 50-inch Toshiba 1080p LED/LCD set for $199. There’s little info about this set right now, but we expect to hear more soon. Panasonic and Toshiba LCD TVs have done well in our Ratings, but neither brand has scored especially well in terms of sound.

    A 60-inch 120Hz 1080p Element LED/LCD TV for $498, at Walmart. This is a great price for a TV this size. We haven’t tested this set so we can’t comment on its picture quality, but other Element sets we’ve tested haven’t done all that well in our Ratings. Still, it might be fine for less-discriminating viewers, or as a secondary big-screen TV in a den, bedroom, or kid’s play room.”

    “A 40-inch Element 1080p TV for $119 at Target, Amazon, and probably Walmart. No specific model has been named, but we think it might be the Element LF401EM5. If so, we expect that Walmart will try to match this price, or beat it by a dollar or two. Amazon also has an unnamed 40-inch set for this price. We don’t expect it to be a top performer, but it’s hard to believe you can buy a 40-inch TV for less than you’d pay for an 8-inch tablet.

    A 50-inch Samsung 60Hz 1080p TV (model UN50EH5000FXZA) selling for $478 at Target. Samsung worked with several retailers to offer “Black Friday special” models that we haven’t seen at other times of the year. But Samsung has been among the top brands in our TV Ratings, so we expect these sets to perform well. For just $20 more, Walmart has a step-up 120Hz model with smart TV features—the UN50H5203 for $498. This may actually be a better deal, and it still falls within our budget cutoff.

    A 55-inch Vizio smart LED/LCD TV for $478 at Amazon. No model name was given, but it could be the Vizio E550i-B2, which was selling for about $650. We tested this TV, which is in Vizio’s entry-level E series, and it has excellent high-def picture quality and a good number of features, including a full-array LED backlight and Vizio’s smart TV platform.”

    Is a new TV on your Black Friday shopping list? Consumer Reports is often the way to go when looking for a good bargain for the least money. They have long been the go-to publication for shoppers seeking everything from televisions to cars. Might you consider one of these best TV deals they have shared with consumers?

  • Jeff Gordon Gets New Panasonic Sponsorship Deal

    The Hendrick Motorsports auto racing team this week announced a new, expanded multi-year sponsorship deal with Panasonic. The deal includes primary sponsorship of Jeff Gordon‘s number 24 car in two Sprint Cup races each year through 2016 and an associate-level sponsorship for other races. Panasonic and Hendrick Motorsports have had a technology partnership deal since 2007.

    Jeff Gordon is a four-time Sprint Cup Series winner and one of the most recognizable faces in NASCAR.

    The sponsorship also means a new paint job for Gordon’s number 24 car. The car, complete with a blue Panasonic paint job, will debut this weekend at the Sonoma Raceway in California. The car will also make an appearance on August 31 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. A die cast model of the new car and a new t-shirt featuring the same style are already available for pre-order through Gordon’s website.

    “We’re looking forward to working with Panasonic in a new way, and I can’t think of a better place for their debut with the number 24 team,” said Gordon. “This is the next step in what’s already been a successful partnership, and it’s going to be fun to take it to another level. We hope to kick it off with a win this weekend for Panasonic and Toughbook.”

    For Panasonic, the upside of the deal is promoting its cameras, computers, and displays. Panasonic’s “Toughbook” notebook brand will appear on the number 24 car’s quarter panels.

    “To maximize the value of a NASCAR sponsorship, you need to partner with proven teams and drivers that exemplify your brand,” said Rance Poehler, president of Panasonic System Communications Company in North America. “Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon have a record of excellence that is a perfect fit for Panasonic and its Toughbook brand. We’ve been a technology partner of Hendrick Motorsports for many years, and as our business evolves to solutions and deeper partnerships with our customers it is an excellent time to extend our relationship from behind the scenes to the car on the track.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Sony, Panasonic Announce Blu-ray Successor

    Sony, Panasonic Announce Blu-ray Successor

    Though cloud storage has become the preferred data storage and backup method for many consumers, the speed and convenience of a physical disc is still sometimes necessary. In that respect the Blu-ray format has been moderately successful as a storage format.

    Last summer Sony and Panasonic announced an agreement to jointly develop a new optical disc technology. This week those companies officially announced a next-generation Blu-ray successor disc-based storage technology. Called the “Archival Disc,” the technology would pack a full 300GB on to one DVD-sized disc.

    The projected launch for the format is sometime during summer 2015. The companies will initially be aiming to sell the storage format for the long-term digital storage market. In addition, Sony and Panasonic have agreed to continue development on the Archival Disc with an eye toward eventually increasing capacity to 500GB, then 1TB.

    As the companies behind Blu-ray, Sony and Panasonic are well-positioned to make Archival Disc technology the follow-up to previous-generation consumer disc formats. Though Blu-ray was able to successfully defeat HD DVDs in a format war nearly a decade ago, the technology has since faced slower adoption that normal DVDs. As Blu-ray players and HDTVs have become more ubiquitous Blu-ray discs have found a significant place in the consumer market, particularly for disc-based video games.

    The advent of Ultra HD video and displays means that consumers may soon need larger-format discs that can hold higher-quality video. At the same time, however, internet companies such as Netflix and YouTube are already experimenting with providing consumers a streaming Ultra HD experience that could cut the consumer market for Archival Disc before it arrives next summer.

  • Firefox OS Expands To TVs, More Phones In 2014

    Last year, Mozilla became another combatant in the smartphone wars when it released its Firefox OS mobile operating system. The OS entered into a market dominated by iOS and Android, but sought to capitalize on the emerging markets that both of its larger rivals have left alone in favor of mature markets. It seems last year’s launch must have been successful as Mozilla is already gearing up to put Firefox OS on even more devices in 2014.

    At CES, Mozilla announced a number of new partnerships that will see Firefox OS’ reach expand beyond the smartphone. In perhaps the most surprising move, the non-profit says that it has partnered with Panasonic to promote Firefox OS on Panasonic TVs. In other words, you’ll soon see Firefox OS and all its HTML5 goodness pop up in Panasonic’s range of smart TVs.

    Through Panasonic’s partnership with Mozilla, we will create further innovation in smart TV technologies and features, which will take consumers to a whole new level of interaction and connectivity inside and outside of the home,” said Mr. Yuki Kusumi, Director of the TV Business Division of the AVC Networks Company of Panasonic.

    The smart TV is certainly a big step for Mozilla, but it’s still mostly focused on the mobile scene. One of its first hardware partners – ZTE – announced that it would be stepping up its commitment to the platform after the ZTE Open performed well beyond expectations. ZTE’s increased commitment will come in the form of two new phones that will give Firefox OS fans a more powerful smartphone experience in the form of the ZTE Open C and the Open II.

    Moving onto tablets, Mozilla has started what it calls the Firefox OS contribution program to help speed up the development of Firefox OS for tablets. Those who enlist in the program will gain access to a number of resources, including reference hardware from Foxconn that will help developers iron out the Firefox OS tablet software.

    Finally, hardware manufacturer VIA has partnered with Mozilla to produce a functioning preview of Firefox OS for its APC Paper and Rock computers. Both computers are envisioned as cheap desktop computers that put Internet access above all else, and Firefox OS’ focus on Web technologies seems like a perfect fit. You can find out more here.

    Image via Mozilla

  • Sony, Panasonic to Develop 300GB Discs

    Sony, Panasonic to Develop 300GB Discs

    Sony and Panasonic have announced that they will be partnering up to develop a next-generation optical disc for professional use. The companies have set a goal of an optical disc with a recording capacity of “at least” 300GB by the end of 2015.

    The joint announcement of the project states that the objective of the project is to expand each companies’ archive business. The market for archival solutions is expected to grow rapidly, and soon. The market is expected to be driven by cloud data centers, as well as the movie and broadcasting industries.

    Optical discs are being targeted for the initiative for their physical properties, which include dust, water, humidity, and temperature resistance.

    Sony and Panasonic both have worked on developing Blu-Ray disc technology, and both have offered archival solutions based on optical discs. Sony’s system offered cartridges holding up to twelve optical discs, each holding 25GB of data. Panasonic’s LB-DM9 products also used ‘magazines’ containing twelve optical discs, though each of theirs could hold up to 100GB.

  • Olympus to Slash Workforce and Sell Equity Stake

    After the discovery of a huge financial scandal back in October, Olympus Corporation is planning on laying off almost 7% of their total workforce in the months to come. Aside from slashing over 2500 jobs, the troubled corporation is also looking into selling a near ten percent share of their company to either Sony or Panasonic.

    A majority of the jobs being lost will be the result of consolidating overseas manufacturing efforts and reducing the size of their already troubled camera business. Depending on who wins out in the bidding over shares of Olympus, Either Sony or Panasonic will be dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the Company.

    This comes at a bad time for Sony and Panasonic as both are currently recovering from considerable quarterly losses and poor sales performance. The decision as to who will control the ten percent stake at Olympus should be decided by the end of June.

    Olympus has been in a state of limbo since a scandal involving several ex-Olympus executives and bankers was exposed by, then fired, chief executive Michael Woodford. Apparently, ex-president Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, former executive vice president Hisashi Mori and former auditor Hideo Yamada conducted fraudulent dealing in order to cover up enormous losses incurred from high-risk investments during the late 1980’s financial bubble.

    In December, Olympus filed five years worth of corrected financial reports that revealed over $1 billion in losses from its balance sheets and an additional $410 million loss projected throughout the remained of 2012 for shortcomings in their existing camera business.

  • Panasonic Japan Installing Wireless Charging Stations

    Panasonic Japan is installing 90 wireless charging stations in that country, beginning this month. Charging stations will follow the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi standard, and will go in cafes, bars, nail salons, convenience stores and karaoke boxes.

    The Qi standard incorporates magnetic induction technology, which uses a transmitter coil and a receiver coil – an alternating current is pushed through the transmitter coil, which generates a magnetic field which induces a voltage in the receiver coil. Panasonic will provide its own moving coil system, which automatically detects where a device is sitting on the charging pad, and compensates accordingly.

    Below is a small clip describing Qi charging terminals:

    Panasonic is also developing Qi-compatible battery packs, for older devices that won’t take a charge from the wireless stations. The latest Eluga smartphones support the technology, and if the initial roll-out goes well, Japanese users will soon have a new way of charging up.

  • Panasonic Developing 145″ 8K Plasma TV

    Panasonic Japan has just announced that it’s developing a new “Super Hi-Vision” (as it’s called in that country) plasma screen that supports 8K resolution at 120 frames per second. The joint project with NHK Science and Research Laboratories will push 7680 x 4320 resolution without a backlight, the first to do so in existence.

    The detail of this new plasma screen that stuck out most to me is the mention of 120fps, a sort of increase that has been creating quite a stir as of late. Apparently, during a screening of some clips from the first of Peter Jackson’ new Hobbit movies, viewers were quite displeased with the director’s opting to shoot the entire movie at 48fps, double the traditional 24fps. The additional frames cause footage to look a bit odd in regards to the human persistence of vision – sequences look harsher in movement than standard sports video, and much of the cinematic glaze afforded by the emulsion of old is diminished. Presently available TV’s with 120Hz refresh rates hint at the unnatural quality I’m describing. It’s not ideal, and can even put off a bit of the uncanny valley. I don’t like the uncanny valley. Still, it’s not clear how the increase in frame rate will even affect the progressive signal of the new plasma.

    Panasonic and NHK have also developed a new drive method for stifling flicker that occurs at ultra-high resolutions, and the Super Hi-Vision TV is said to image maintain stability, even at 8K. Also, NHK plans to reveal it’s new 8K 120fps sensor sometime in May.

    The incorporation of of 48fps and 120fps content seems fine when one is cruising in a Jetta whilst listening to Coldplay on the way to a viewing of Avatar 2, in the acheivement of a sort of iLife trifecta of all that is slick, cold and dead – but when it comes to real things, like Middle Earth, the new concepts are… not ideal. Likewise, a new consideration for Hollywood in its war on movie piracy might involve talented encodists rendering this 48fps hocus-pocus back down to 24 in a seamless way, just to make things watchable.

  • Panasonic GF5 Specs Leaked On Instagram

    The iOS-specific photo-sharing app Instagram is used for lots of things, but it’s not usually in the news for being the outlet for a product leak. It appears that’s just what has happened recently, however, as Hong Kong’s face of Panasonic–model and spokesperson Angelababy–tweeted a picture of the company’s newest camera months before its release.

    The Panasonic Lumix GF5 is fairly close to the GF3–the most recent model–in appearance, but the specs are rumored to vary a bit; a 12MP sensor with “improved signal-to-noise ratio” (read: better low-light performance), a maximum ISO of 12,800, a 920k-dot touch screen and faster AF. The ISO sensitivity range of the GF3 starts at 160 as opposed to 100 in the previous model, the GF2.

    The reason the latest model is called the GF5 and not the GF4 is because the number four sounds like the word “death” in Japanese, and it is considered to be unlucky.

    Although Angelababy has already taken down the post from her Twitter account, the leak has spread like wildfire around the web and is garnering quite a bit of attention from shutterbugs, who are all speculating on the tech specs of the product.

    @BestDigicams
    Digital Camera Tips     More Panasonic Lumix GF5 images leak: If you’re a fan of digital cameras, you’ll appreciate the leaked photos th… http://t.co/n7nZCGyZ 1 hour ago via twitterfeed ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @faglmt
    Ferdinando L. M.    Panasonic GF5 picture leaked http://t.co/chd6olsI This is the first leaked picture of the upcoming Panasonic GF5 camera. The size and de… 1 day ago via ifttt ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @pafford
    Pafford    I love that Panasonic went from the GF3 to the GF5 because “four” sounds like death. 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @speakeroftruth
    Eric    Panasonic GF5 revealed in leaked photo?: It looks like the next entry in Panasonic’s GF series is coming pretty … http://t.co/ny5K4uU1 1 day ago via twitterfeed ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Europe Gets New Panasonic Eluga Power

    Europe is being treated to a new super-fast charging smartphone from Panasonic. The Eluga Power features a 1280 x 720 high-definition touch screen and can reach a 50% charge in 30 minutes! that’s impressive!

    Here’s the spec’s and features from Panasonic:

    Features

     A 1280×720 HD, 5.0 inch LCD screen with a 9.6mm thin frame.
     Slim form factor – 136..
     Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.0.
     International standard IP57 water and dustproofing.
     NFC – allowing for contactless payment and data transfer.
     Main camera with 8MP autofocus and 1080p Full video , including auto scene recognition and 8x digital zoom, as well as a front-facing camera.
     Superfast charging – 50% charge takes just 30 minutes, and 80% takes 57minutes (provided starts charging from a 10% charged status).
     8GB of internal memory, with Micro SD Card Slot supporting a further 32GB.

    Specifications

    Dimensions – 136 x 70 x 9.6mm
    Display – 5,0″, LCD, HD (1280×720), Full Touch screen
    Memory – 8 GB integrated memory
    Weight – 133g
    Battery – 1800 mAh battery
    Baseband – GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900, UMTS 900, 2100
    Internet Connection – EDGE / HSPA+ / HSDPA14Mbps / HSUPA 6Mbps
    Connectivity – Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS
    USB Connection – USB2.0 High Speed (Micro USB Connector)
    Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 1.5GHz dual-core CPU’s
    Operating System – Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
    Camera – 8MP-AF, digital zoom 8x
    Video Capability – Full HD (1080p) Record and Playback
    NFC – On board
    Waterproof & Dustproof – IP57
    GB-English Color – Black

    General Manager and Head of Mobile Communications at Panasonic System Communications in Europe,Toshiya Matsumura commented on the new phone:

    “The ELUGA power is a real landmark for us as it redefines everything a modern smartphone should be. For too long, smartphones have either compromised on looks to embrace new features or dropped functionality in the pursuit of the perfect form. The ELUGA power marks a true turning point – delivering both high performance and high-end style.”

    “In developing the ELUGA power, we refused to compromise and remained ambitious. That’s how we’ve managed to deliver the convenience of a 5-inch HD screen and superfast charging, make it water and dustproof, as well as add impressive features like NFC and a 1.5GHz processor. All in a slim, pocket-friendly and stylish smartphone.”

  • Panasonic Announces Eluga Smartphone

    Panasonic Europe has announced it’s new Android Smartphone called the Eluga, which combines sleekness and durability.

    The Eluga is IP 57 certified, meaning that it is water and dust proof, and weighs in at 3.6 ounces. Waterproof, as in it can be completely submerged, and still function. With it’s ultra-thin frame, it has the largest display area ratio around, at 68%. The Eluga also features a 4.3 inch capacitive OLED qHD screen, with a resolution of 960×540. It’s camera is 8 megapixels.

    The new device is also NFC ready, a feature rumored to be included with the iPhone 5, which is likewise rumored to be launched in the fall.

    Another Eluga feature, besides having a name reminiscent of a type of caviar, is it’s Eco Mode. This function shuts down background applications when the charge is running low, prolonging battery life. It is also said to be capable of operating as a remote control for Panasonic HDTV’s, as a bonus.

    The Eluga can be purchased at European Panasonic retailers in April, with pricing to be announced.

  • CES 2012: Panasonic And MySpace Team Up For MySpace TV

    Panasonic announced during its CES press conference yesterday that it will be teaming up with MySpace to bring a social media dimension to TV. The service, MySpace TV, will be part of the VIERA Connect platform on Panasonic’s HDTVs.

    Since MySpace has focused its attention on the music world in recent years, MySpace TV’s initial content will be center heavily on music. As the service expands, movies and TV programming – including news, sports, and more – will be included. MySpace TV is intended to work both with broadcast content and on-demand streaming content. Users will be able to invite friends to view with them and to chat about what they’re watching. There will also be MySpace TV apps for smartphone and tablet platforms.

    MySpace TV is currently in laptop-based invitation-only closed beta, but is expected to launch in the first half of 2012. It will be available to owners of Panasonic TVs equipped with the VIERA Connect system. People who want into the beta can request an invite from MySpace.

    [Source: Panasonic Press Release]

  • CES 2012: Panasonic Brings 3D Cameras To The Olympics

    Panasonic announced at their CES press conference that they were partnering with NBC Sports Group to bring the 2012 Olympics to American viewers in 3D. Many events in the London games will be filmed and produced in 3D by Olympic Broadcasting Services using Panasonic equipment, and will be distributed by NBC to American viewers on a next-day delay.

    Panasonic’s chairman and CEO Joseph Taylor said that “[f]ull HD 3D is ideal for capturing the true spectacle of Olympic competition and the pageantry of Olympic ceremonies,” and said that the partnership “will deliver to home viewers an unprecedented 3D Olympic experience that will make them feel as though they are right there with the world’s finest athletes as they compete.”

    Though it has been fairly popular at the movie theater, 3D technology in homes has been a bit slower to catch on. It is not entirely clear how many people will be able to watch the 3D broadcasts, especially with the events on a delay. It will be interesting to see how this remarkable experiment in 3D broadcasting turns out.

    [Source: Panasonic Press Release; Image: Panasonic]

  • Panasonic’s New Bluetooth Hearing Aid

    Panasonic launches a new Bluetooth hearing aid, making life easier than ever on the hearing impaired. Panasonic’s Healthcare Group introduces the R1-W available to the public today.

    What makes the R1-W so unique is that it appeals to the image-conscious consumer, the consumer who favors practicality, and even the consumer who wants something extra. For the image- conscious, the design is much more sophisticated than other hearing aids and is available in over eight different colors. For the practical consumer, the batteries last over 300 hours and are easily changed. For the gadget fans, the Bluetooth feature can automatically connect the wearer to their phones and can store up to 2 hours and 40 minutes of voice memos. Sounds great for both grandma and grandpa!


     

    Panasonic, a brand familiar to most for its TVs and keyboards, is demonstrating their interest in servicing a different kind of consumer- the consumer with special needs. This makes sense. If you are required to have a gadget on you at all times, why not get the most out of it? Yoshi Yuasa, Senior Vice President of Panasonic Corporation of North America states, “With the new R1-W series, Panasonic has introduced a line of hearing instruments with sound quality design that equals or exceeds anything we have seen in the industry. With Panasonic’s depth of research and design prowess in the audio field, our sights are set on new innovative solutions that are game changers for the end user and the Hearing Care Professional alike.”.

  • Netflix Button Coming To New Remote Controls

    Netflix said today it is working with major consumer electronics makers to develop  a Netflix-branded one-click buttons on remotes that operate Internet connected TVs, Blu-ray disc players and other devices.

    Beginning this Spring, buttons that specify "Netflix" – including some featuring the red Netflix logo – are planned to be on remote controls that operate certain new Blu-ray disc players from a variety of companies including Best Buy’s in-house Dynex brand, Haier, Memorex, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba.  Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba also will place the Netflix one-click button on remote controls for select new Internet-connected TVs.  Remote controls for the Boxee, Iomega and Roku set-top boxes also will feature the Netflix one-click remote.

    Netflix-Remote "For members who want even more convenience when instantly watching TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix, the answer is about to be right in their hands," said Netflix Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt.  

    "No more turning on the TV, going to a home screen and searching for the Netflix icon.  With the Netflix one-click remote, it’s simply a matter of pushing the Netflix button to instantly watch any of the vast selection of TV shows and movies available to stream from Netflix."

    Netflix said there are now more than 250 Netflix ready devices on the market and it has more than 16 million members in the United States and Canada.