Hasta La Gadget!

Today Panasonic unveiled a new HDD and BD Recorder combo with the DMR-BR130. This rather bland, at first, DVR comes with a 320GB HDD, a BR Recorder, USB Recording, DCTP-IP/DLNA, VOD, 3D… in a very small A4 package of just 297x199x49mm! Finally the DMR-BR130 will be introduce in Japan later this month at a price set around 40,000 Yen

While scanning through Panasonic’s booth at CEATEC 2012, we couldn’t help but notice a prototype of its world’s slimmest 100-lumen laser projector module (or OIU aka optical imaging unit, as the company prefers), which can beam out an 800 x 480 picture. It’s not clear when exactly we’ll see this 7.5mm-thick device getting into consumers’ hands, but there’s certainly room for improvement for the image quality. Likewise, the scan-type OIU (resolution at about 400 x 300) next to the slim projector is far from ready for mass consumption, as the company is hoping to actually shrink it down and integrate it into mobile phones. That said, the fact that this technology doesn’t require focusing makes it worth the wait — the light doesn’t go through an LCD filter like ordinary projectors do, and instead, it’s a single laser beam scanning out the picture, hence the name.

Also shown along side were the optical bay drive pico projector that’s already being offered by Fujitsu, as well as the PJ-SJ25U 854 × 480 DLP pico projector which was released in August this year. While the latter’s image quality was rather impressive even under the strong ambient lighting, we struggle to appreciate the ¥56,800 or $730 price tag. Anyhow, pricing is just a matter time, as always.

Update: The thickness of the slim laser OIU was originally mistyped as “75mm.” This has now been corrected. Many apologies.

Filed under: Displays

Panasonic’s 7.5mm-thick, 100-lumen laser projector module claims world’s thinnest title originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[CEATEC 2012] Windows 8 is just around the corner, and it’s no surprise that here at CEATEC 2012 we’re seeing tons of laptops and tablets running on the operating system. Panasonic is one of the manufacturers that will be competing for your dollar bills when Windows 8 goes on sale, and at their exhibition booth we managed to catch a glimpse of its AX Series ultrabooks. What’s neat about these ultrabooks is the fact that it features both a touchscreen and a regular keyboard. Let’s not forget an unconventional hinge that will let you flip the display all the way back, turning the ultrabook into a tablet. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook, Panasonic Smart Apps aim to make life easier,

[CEATEC 2012] A number of vendors have taken the opportunity of CEATEC this year to show off their up and coming products. While the predominant focus seems set on presenting different cutting-edge technologies, there are many who have unveiled products such as tablets and ultrabooks.

Among these is Panasonic who has taken the chance to showcase a new AX series Ultrabook. It is a Windows 8 Ultrabook which features an 11.6-inch display at a 1366 x 768 resolution. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Panasonic Smart Apps aim to make life easier, CEATEC Innovation Awards 2012,

Found along the sidelines of Panasonic’s CEATEC booth, the AX series Ultrabook is a foldable hybrid that will be arriving in Japanese stores later this month. Ready to launch with Windows 8 (both standard or Pro) built-in, the Ultrabook houses a 11.6-inch touch display at the ever-popular 1,366 x 768 resolution, although it feels a little on the thick side, and is unmistakably Panasonic in its styling. Connectivity options are legion, with two USB 3.0 ports on the right edge, accompanied by HDMI socket. On the other side, there’s an SD card reader, ethernet, power, mic and headphone ports. The hinge seems suitably solid, and while that touchscreen isn’t the most attractive we’ve seen on Windows 8 hardware, the keyboard felt pretty similar to existing business laptops and our fingertips had plenty of space. Otherwise, we were left to play with a Japanese iteration of Windows 8, which seemed nice and responsive in both tablet and notebook setups, although our playtime was limited.

The AX series will launch in Japan on October 26th in three different permutations, starting with an Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 1.7GHz or 1.8GHz, and a Core i7 at 1.9GHz. There’s 4GB of memory and a 128GB SDD in all three, while the hybrid bucks the trend by offering a removable battery, with both the faster Core i5 and the Core i7 models coming with an extra cell bundled in. That top-end processor will also arrive with connectable projector for business types. Check out our brief hands-on after the break, or hit the source for the full list of specs.

Continue reading Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook hybrid, launches October 26 (hands-on)

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

Panasonic shows off foldable Windows 8 Ultrabook hybrid, launches October 26 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 08:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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