Continue reading Panasonic debuts UT-PB1 e-reader tablet, spices it with Android flavor (video)

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Back in January, LG and Panasonic were the first companies to announce that they would build a Skype function into their future TVs, making it possible to video chat in HD quality without a computer. And today Panasonic in Japan unveiled the TY-CC10W [JP], a web camera that can be used to skype on some of the company’s VIERA TVs.

Panasonic says users just need to plug the camera into the USB 2.0 port of their web-enabled VIERA (which must have the latest firmware installed) and are then able to video chat in 1,280×720 (at 22fps) with their usual Skype account. The camera features a 1/4 CMOS sensor and four microphones. It’s sized at 210×43×76mm and weighs 200g.

Panasonic will start selling the TY-CC10W in Japan on June 11 (price: $190). The company hasn’t said anything yet regarding international sales plans.

Panasonic may have a penchant for plasma TVs, but that doesn’t mean they’ll abandon the production of LCD TVs anytime soon. The company announced [JP] a total of six new LCDs today, all of which are part of the new VIERA D2 series. According to Panasonic, the main selling points of these models are the design and the LED backlights.

Three of the new VIERAS will have a newly developed IPSα panel, namely the TH-L42D2 (42 inches, $2,400/pictured below), the TH-L37D2 (37 inches, $2,000) and the TH-L22D2 (32 inches, $1,800). The first two are full HD, while the 32-incher just features 1,366×768 resolution. All three offer Ethernet, three HDMI interfaces, two USB ports, an SD/SDXC slot, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and VIERA link.

The other three models just come with a regular IPS panel. Panasonic will offer the TH-L26D2 (26 inches, $1,500), the TH-L22D2 (22 inches, $900) and the TH-L19D2 (19 inches, $750). These smaller LCDs features 1,366×768 resolution, two HDMI ports (three in the case of the 26-incher), two USB ports, VIERA link and an SD/SDXC slot.

Panasonic plans to start selling all new VIERAs on the Japanese market on April 23 (except for the biggest model, which will be released on June 11). The company hasn’t said anything about international sales plans yet, but expect these TVs to be rolled out outside Japan soon, too.

We’ve covered plenty of electric bicycles from Japan in the past, but let’s be honest: Most of them are really ugly, for example these (technically interesting) models Sanyo introduced three weeks ago. But this new Panasonic e-bike, the BE-ENV [JP], looks rather cool and is something I could see the younger (and male) population actually using, too.

Based on the titanium frame, Panasonic is marketing the BE-ENV as a “high-class” electric bike. This new model is extremely light (15.7kg) and absorbs vibrations better than other e-bikes, according to the company. Panasonic says they especially focused on the general design and the lithium-ion battery to make the BE-ENV stand out of the crowd.

Buyers will be able to choose between three different driving modes, including an eco-mode, directly from an LCD monitor (see picture below), which can also be used to keep track of one’s average speed, distance travelled etc. Depending on which battery you choose, the eco-mode makes it possible to achieve a travel distance of up to 69km.

The BE-ENV is already available in Japan for $6,600 to $8,000 (build-to-order). There are no plans to sell the bike outside Japan at this point.

Open the “door” to find a dock in which you can put your iPhone or iPod, which you can then control remotely (Panasonic calls this “Direct Docking”). You can also take your Apple player into your hand, choose what you want to hear and listen to the music through the D-Dock speaker. The device supports the iPhone 3G and 3GS plus the iPod, iPod classic, touch, nano, and mini (various generations).

The SC-HC40 features Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and needless to say, comes with a remote control. Play music (or videos) from your Apple devices from your couch or choose tracks directly from your SD cards (in AAC, WMA, MP3 formats). It’s also possible to copy music from the radio or your CD player onto SD cards without a computer (this won’t work with music stored on your iPhone/iPod).

Panasonic plans to start selling the D-Dock SC-HC40 in Japan on March 12 for $420. I don’t think this pretty neat system will ever find its way out of Japan though.

Panasonic Japan has announced [JP] two devices of a very different kind today: A massage device for your neck and one for your legs.  Both massagers are primarily targeted at women and marketed by Panasonic as “compact and portable”.

The neck massage device is cordless and weighing just 48g, it allows you to walk around in your house or office while you use it. It’s powered by CR2032 button cell batteries and offers four “massage programs” that you can choose from.

Walking around with the leg massager is obviously a little difficult, but it’s pretty compact (size: 20.3×51.8×1.5cm, weight: 450g), too. It’s not battery-powered though (you’ll need an AC adapter).

Both devices are Japan-only at this point. The neck massager will be released in Japan on March 1 (price: $80), while the device for the legs will go on sale March 15 (price: $170). If you’re interested but live outside Japan, I suggest to contact import/export specialist Geek Stuff 4U.

Two weeks ago, we reported about Amazon starting to sell white and red versions of Panasonic’s excellent GF1 digital camera in America (through a reseller). And today, Panasonic in Japan announced [JP] the camera will be available in two more body colors, namely “blade” silver and “fairy” pink.

Needless to say, Panasonic didn’t make any changes technically.

The cameras will go on sale in Japan on March 12 with an open price model. Panasonic hasn’t said yet whether the colors will be available outside this country as well, but maybe Amazon America can do something again. Panasonic plans to produce 5,000 units monthly.

It’s not everything about 3D for Panasonic these days. The company today announced the HDC-HS700 and HDC-TM700 [press release in English], which are the world’s first 1080/60p camcorders. Strangely enough, said press release mentions neither this bit of information nor release dates (the Japanese one does).

The biggest difference between both models is the 240GB HDD in the HS700 and the 32GB of built-in flash memory in the TM700. However, it seems the US will get a trimmed down TM700: The English press release linked to above speaks of 32GB of internal memory, while Japanese buyers will get 96GB (pictured). And to add confusion, the HS700 has not been announced by Panasonic Japan today.

The US-bound camcorders, according to Panasonic, use an advanced 3MOS technology “that produces vivid, true-to-life colors and excels in darkly-lit environments”. In addition to the built-in storage, both models feature a slot that supports SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards, which in the case of an SDXC card means a plus of up to 64GB of memory.

The HDC-HS700 stores 102 hours of recording (in HE mode) on its HDD, while the 32GB built into the HDC-TM700 are enough for 13 hours and 40 minutes of video recording (in HE mode).

Other specs include 12x optical zoom, 5.1 surround sound (five microphones are built into both models), a 3-inch touch screen, “Wind Noise Canceler”, and 35mm wide-angle Leica lenses.

Panasonic doesn’t say when and for how much the camcorders will hit American stores, but in Japan, the TM700 (with 96GB flash) will go on sale on March 10 for $1,680.

Panasonic Japan went on a 3D spree today, presenting a total of 6 3D products to be rolled out soon. And the company has priced and dated the new TVs, Blu-ray recorders and players, too (at least for the Japanese market). Some of them were shown last month during the CES, there’s no new word on their cool 3D camcorder, but anyway, here are the 3D TVs [JP] first.

The VIERA TH-P54VT (pictured above) and TH-P50VT2 feature 54 inches and 50 inches screen size, respectively. Both plasma TVs are full HD (the first with 3D) and need you to wear Active shutter glasses (63g) to get that 3D experience. Other specs include a (native) contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, VIERA link, web connectivity, 4 HDMI ports, multiple TV tuners, eco-mode, full range 16×4cm×2 speakers and a 10cm sub-woofer.

Both TVs will go on sale in Japan on April 23. Prices: $5,900 for the VIERA TH-P54VT and $4,800 for the smaller model. Panasonic has announced a few similar non-3D plasmas today, too, and it looks like the 3D function sets buyers back around $800.

The company hasn’t said yet when and for how much the 3D VIERAs will be sold internationally.