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Panasonic has revealed a pair of new cameras in the Lumix line. The Lumix DMC-LF1 is a 12-megapixel compact camera with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, while the Lumix DMC-G6 is a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds shooter capable of a high-speed burst mode at 7 frames per second, and a half-second booting time.
Reports that Panasonic will halt plasma-based HDTV production has been refuted by an executive as incorrect. Henry Hauser, vice president of merchandising at Panasonic USA has said that plasma panel development is still taking place, contradicting comments made by Panasonic Display vice president Kiyoshi Okamoto that the company had researched its last plasma panel.
Panasonic has stopped development of plasma-based HD television panels, and is unlikely to start up research on the display technology again. Panasonic Display Vice President Kiyoshi Okamoto confirmed the closure of plasma research and development during an event where the company revealed the pricing for its line of HDTVs for 2013.
Electronics manufacturer Panasonic announced on Tuesday pricing and availability of its first-ever line of Streaming Media Players. The line-up, which were unveiled last month at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, features two models -- the DMP-MST60 with Viera Connect and Miracast, along with the DMP-MS10 featuring IP video on demand.
Panasonic has formally unveiled the Lumix GF6 Micro Four Thirds camera. As previously leaked, the new Lumix GF6 offers a number of improvements over the GF5 from last year, including the introduction of Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, alongside an upgrade from the GF5's 12.1-megapixel sensor to a 16-megapixel Live MOS version.
Details relating to an upcoming Panasonic camera have leaked online. The Lumix GF6, an upcoming mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera expected to be announced on April 9th, is seen to have the same 16-megapixel sensor as used in the Lumix GX1, improving on the Lumix GF5, as well as built-in NFC for quick sharing of photos and videos between the camera and other devices.
Panasonic is considering reducing its number of televisions over the next few years, according to reports. The Japanese electronics company is apparently looking at downsizing its entire TV business over a three-year period, starting next fiscal year, with the first casualty being Panasonic's plasma-based productions.
Panasonic will be making a number of home theater systems available to order later this month. The SC-HTB770, SC-HTB370, SC-HTB70, and SC-HTB65, forming the company's 2013 range of systems, were initially revealed at CES in January alongside its 56-inch Ultra HD OLED TV, but are only now coming up for order through retail stores and through Panasonic itself.
Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic made a profit of 61.4 billion yen ($667 million) in the last quarter of 2012, according to recently released results. The profit comes after a turbulent year for the company, with a combination of a weak yen and various cost cutting measures helping to offset the continued slide of its product sales figures.
Electronics manufacturer Panasonic announced today the new KV-S1026C and KV-S1015C personal workgroup document scanners, aimed at small and medium businesses looking to organize, sync and share documents or protect important physical records with digital archives. The KV-S1026C and KV-S1015C offer high-speed scanning of up to 30 pages per minute and 20 pages per minute, both at 200 DPI.
Panasonic has updated its Toughpad range of tablets with a pair of ruggedized offerings. The Toughpad FZ-G1, aimed at outdoor and vehicle-based users, is the company's first to run Windows 8 Pro, while the Toughpad JT-B1 is a heavily protected 7-inch Android tablet for use by mobile workers in public-facing and heavy-duty industries.
Panasonic was among the many tech giants focusing on Ultra HD and OLED display technology this week at CES. While other companies vied for industry records such as largest Ultra HD TV or largest OLED TV, Panasonic claims to have built the world's largest TV that combines both technologies. Electronista took a look at the prototype television on the CES show floor.
Panasonic has outlined its 2103 Viera lines of LCD and plasma HDTVs, with a wide array of options available for future TV buyers. A total of 32 televisions have been detailed by the company, divided equally between plasma-based and non-plasma, and have been split into five plasma screen series and seven LED-based LCD display ranges.
Panasonic has had another handset approved by the FCC, with filings from the regulatory body revealing what appears to be a high-end Android device. The P-02E sports a recent version of Jelly Bean, NFC, LTE, and a high-resolution screen. It doesn't appear to be coming to the United States any time soon, though; the filing has the device headed for Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo.
Today's deals from DealNN include price cuts on HDTVs, digital cameras, printers, and more. At BestBuy's online site today, save big on two great HDTV deals. The Panasonic 32-inch LCD HDTV has been reduced by $70 from $300 down to $230. That's about $50 less than the lowest price we have seen on this HDTV anywhere else. Also, there is a whopping $230 price drop on the Sharp 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV which lowers the price down to $400, which is about $100 less than the lowest price offered anywhere else. Free shipping is included with both of these offers, and these prices are available for today only.
Apple has released a Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update, version 4.02, for Aperture 3.x and iPhoto '11. The new version improves the compatibility of the two applications with a number of new camera models that take pictures in RAW format. Models from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, and Sony are among those included in the update, which is just 5.04MB in size. The update works with the now-combined iPhoto and Aperture libraries, meaning only one update needs to be issued for users of both -- or either -- programs.
South Korean electronics conglomerate Samsung continues to surge even as other Asian manufacturers are slumping, posting a significant jump in market cap over the past few days in the wake of bad news for Sony and Panasonic. Those two companies saw their credit ratings downgraded to junk status by rating company Fitch, with the rating agency expressing doubt in the ability of either to generate strong profits in the face of increasing competition. Meanwhile, Samsung's continually surging profits have pushed the company's stock up 36 percent this year, giving it a total market value of around $195 billion.
Panasonic has lined up a new professional HD camcorder for release in Japan. The AG-AF105A is an upgrade to the AF105, originally released in Japan in 2010, and can use Micro Four Thirds-compatible DSLR lenses as well as normally used Cinema lenses, thanks to its Micro Four Thirds mount.
Panasonic is to withdraw from European mobile phone sales within the next six months, according to reports. If true, the exit would see the company move out from the continent, with leaks suggesting that it will most likely miss its self-set target of 1.5 million smartphone sales this financial year.
Panasonic on Friday revealed its latest Toughbook-series convertible notebook, the C2. It runs on Windows 8 Pro 64-bit and is powered by an 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3427U vPro CPU and 4GB of RAM, which can be doubled. The 12.5-inch notebook is semi-rugged and promises to withstand drops from 30 inches without any ill effects. The computer is aimed for workers in the field, and thus offers a claimed 11-hour battery life.
Panasonic has announced when it will start selling the Lumix GH3 in Japan. A release date for mid-December suggests that the Micro Four Thirds, mirrorless camera will be making its way to other markets, if not close to the end of the year, then at the start of 2013. Details of camera-bundles and launch-day accessories have also been revealed.
Panasonic is reportedly preparing to cease television production and revamp its manufacturing efforts for smaller displays sold to third parties. The report, originating from the Japanese newspaper Diamond Online and noted by AppleInsider, points to a particular focus on contracts with Apple to produce displays for the iPad, though the company is said to be open to build displays for competing tablets and other devices.
A prototype projector by Panasonic is claimed to be the world's thinnest. Demonstrated at CEATEC 2012 to Engadget, the laser projector measures 7.5 millimeters (0.29 inches) thick and can project an 800x480 resolution image at 100 lumens. The use of a laser, instead of an LCD filter other projectors use, allows the image to be displayed without needing to refocus a lens. A future release date and the potential price are currently unknown.
Panasonic has made some upgrades to its catalog of rugged mobile computer systems. The Toughbook 31 notebook now comes with options for Intel Core i5 processors running at up to 3.5GHz, increased touchscreen responsiveness, and a battery claimed to last more than 14 hours on a single charge, along with other improvements.
Panasonic has finally revealed the Lumix GH3 mirrorless micro four thirds camera. The official announcement ahead of Photokina effectively confirms the specifications leak that took place two weeks ago, and follows another leak of the camera's promotional video by the company's own YouTube account late last week.
A video showing off the Lumix GH3 has appeared online earlier than intended. The video, demonstrating the mirrorless micro four thirds camera in various shooting scenarios, appeared on the official Panasonic YouTube channel before being quickly pulled from view, but not before being mirrored by other users of the video streaming service.
Panasonic just took the wraps off its latest home theater projector, the 3D-capable PT-AE8000U. Offering 1080p resolution, the beamer also has 2,400 lumens of brightness and a 500,000:1 contrast ratio. The device is said to offer images that are 20 percent brighter and have less crosstalk than those offered by its predecessor, the PT-AE7000U.
The specifications for the Panasonic GH3 have allegedly leaked online. According to sources trusted by 43Rumors, the Micro Four Thirds camera will have a 16-megapixel "Wide dynamic range" CMOS sensor using a new Venus 7 engine, a maximum ISO of 12,800, and the "Fastest AF of any interchangeable lens system camera."
Panasonic has expanded its Smart Home Appliance range with the arrival of full cloud support, NFC functionality and a new Android app [Free, Google Play. The range of connected appliances will include air conditioners, refrigerators, kitchen appliances and healthcare products. These join will join its NFC-enabled microwave oven and rice cooker that can have programming instructions for recipes found online automatically enabled with the swipe of a NFC-enabled Android smartphone.
Panasonic announced today the impending release of its AG-AC90 memory card camera recorder, an addition to its AVCCAM series. The AG-AC90 will have a zoom lens capable of extending from 29.8mm wide angle to 12x optical zoom, and it will include a number of professional-grade features while remaining easy to operate. The camera will be available in October of this year, and Panasonic will be showing it off at the Beijing International Radio, TV & Film Equipment Exhibition in late August.
Today's deals from DealNN include price breaks on digital cameras, printers, and more. Amazon.com today is offering a discount on the Panasonic Lumix 16.1MP Waterproof Digital Camera, complete with 2.7-inch LCD display, four outdoor scene-modes, and support for 720p HD video recording. Currently featured at DealNN, the camera has dropped $80 off its original list price and can be purchased for only $99.
A new invention dubbed X-Cap aims to protect the lenses of DSLR and other interchangeable lens cameras. Working just like the built-in lens caps in point-and-shoot cameras, the X-Cap mounts onto the lenses and automatically shuts to protect them. The inventor, Mr. Tsang, is based in Taiwan and hopes to create his own company Freestyle Model Work along with a Freemod brand.
Japanese telecommunications provider KDDI has shown off a Panasonic-built smart box that connects to users' TVs and enables them to connect to the web. The device isn't a Google TV box, but does have some similarities to those devices. The box will be sold to cable providers in Japan, with testing due to start in August.
Panasonic has announced four new cameras in its Lumix range. One of the new models, the SZ5, is a compact camera with Wi-Fi connectivity. While it can connect to a wireless router, it can also use iOS and Android apps on mobile devices for remote shooting, using the handset display as a monitor and viewfinder, with controls for focus and zoom functions. It also has 10x optical zoom, "Sonic Speed" autofocus, a three-inch LCD with a high angle mode that adjusts the backlighting based on the environment, and a 14.1-megapixel CCD aided by Panasonic's Venus engine for image processing.
Sony and Panasonic have reportedly signed an agreement to jointly develop next-generation OLED panels. The deal, previously rumored last month, would help the companies share the costs of manufacturing the advanced panels destined for HDTVs, as the current costs for large OLED panels has proven too high for mass production.
Panasonic's Toughbook line has joined the ranks of Ivy Bridge-enhanced computers. The improved CF-19 features a 3.3GHz Core i5 processor inside a ruggedized magnesium case, which also protects a 10.1-inch touchscreen with 6000-nit brightness for use in direct sunlight.
Panasonic President Fumio Ohtsubo has gone on record to say that his company isn't planning on investing into ailing Olympus with some $632m in funds, denying a recent report. The original news came from the Kyodo news agency on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. According to the latest Reuters story, Ohtsubo not only denied the report, but also confirmed there are no plans by Panasonic to invest into Olympus.
Despite recent rumors to the contrary, Nokia won't be releasing waterproof Lumia- or PureView-series handsets anytime soon, The Verge has learned. The indications came from Nokia VP for Western Europe, Conor Pierce, during a presentation on Nokia's research work. He simply mentioned work of a waterproof coating being done in-house, similar to that found in Motorola's Droid Razr and Panasonic's Eluga.
Sony and Panasonic are rumored to be in talks on teaming up to produce OLED panels for HDTVs, the Wall Street Journal revealed on Tuesday. This will help the two companies share the hefty production costs related to the manufacturing of the advanced panels. The negotiations are still in the early stage, the unnamed sources said, and may end up falling apart altogether or see other potential partners jump onboard the partnership.
Panasonic and Japanese broadcaster NHK have worked together on a 145-inch plasma TV with a native resolution of 7680x4320. The 8K display, referred to as "Super Hi-Vision" in Japan, is a marked increase in size compared to another NHK collaboration of 85 inches.
UK electronics retailer Expansys is now offering the Panasonic Eluga smartphone for sale as an unlocked device. Introduced at MWC, the Android 2.3-powered smartphone is powered by a dual-core, 1GHz TI OMAP processor and 1GB of RAM. It is entirely waterproof, however, and an upgrade from the current Android 2.3.5 to Android 4.0 is promised to come this summer.
Smartphones have broken the reign of the traditional Japanese cellphone for the first time, comScore found late Monday. As of February, smartphones were overall more popular than keitais, the often feature-heavy but complicated basic phones that have dominated Japanese use for more than a decade. Local brands like Sharp still led at 23.5 percent, but they were either flat or down slightly as frequently foreign smartphone brands took hold.
Panasonic upgraded its pro video lineup in large fashion at the NAB media show with new camcorders, displays, and storage. Heading up the group is the AG-HPX600, what it calls the lightest-ever shoulder-mounted camcorder at under seven pounds. The camera also touts a new 2/3 CMOS sensor and is even upgradeable to add features like AVC-Ultra support, wireless metadata, recording by proxy, and variable frame rates.
The Panasonic Eluga is now on sale in Germany, with the UK receiving it on April 24. Amazon.de shows the first smartphone outside of Japan from the manufacturer as available for €406 ($531) unlocked, and in the UK at around £390 ($618).
Panasonic took an unusual step into mobile accessories Monday through the unveiling of a new external battery pack. The flagship QE-QL301 can share its maximum 10,260mAh of power between two USB devices at once. At four times the power of even a well-equipped smartphone, it has both the power to give meaningful extra battery life to two devices, including to tablets like the iPad.
Panasonic has announced six new DECT 6.0 Plus cordless landline phones for 2012. Two of the phones, the KX-TG7740 and KX-TG7730 Link2Cell series, let users make and receive either wired or cell calls through their handsets using Bluetooth. The two also let iPhone owners import their cellphone ringtones to provide a consistent ring sound.
Panasonic has formally revealed its GF3 revamp, the Lumix GF5 Micro Four Thirds camera, confirming the leaks that preceded its announcement. The camera incorporates a number of advancements over the GF3, but largely retains the same design. On the inside, the GF5 now sports a completely revised 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor paired with the latest Venus processor.
Lensbaby has begun shipping its Composer Pro special effects attachment for mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. With it, a photographer can reproduce tilt-shift or another specific effect without having to turn to a full DSLR. The Composer Pro works with Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, Sony's NEX line, and Samsung NX cameras.
In a rare instance of backing off of a major deal, NTT DoCoMo said Monday that it had broken up its planned 4G chip alliance. The Japanese carrier along with Fujitsu, NEC, Panasonic, and Samsung had ended their joint venture in chips after an agreement on exact terms "could not be reached" by the end of the fiscal year, at the end of March. The company NTT DoCoMo had made to get ready for the alliance, Communication Platform Planning Co., was being closed and liquidated as a result.
In a sign of the times for the struggling Japanese tech giants, Panasonic is said to be offshoring all of its cellphone manufacturing. According to the Nikkei, the shift in production (sub. req.) could happen as soon as this summer, as the company looks to re-enter international markets over the coming fiscal year. Panasonic is aiming to get a competitive edge on manufacturing costs by having its cellphones made in China and Malaysia as currently half of its output is still produced domestically.
