Hasta La Gadget!

You knew it was coming, and today it’s been activated: Skype calling is now available on 2010 Panasonic Viera Cast-enabled HDTVs. You can also now pick up Panasonic’s Skype-enabled communication camera (the TY-CC10W). This collaboration was announced back at CES in January, but is just becoming available today.

Owners of 2010 Viera Cast-enabled Plasmas (specifically the VT25, VT20, G25, and G20) can make video calls right through their sets. You’ll need that previously mentioned camera to do so, and it sells for a hefty $169.95. There’s no love in that price tag; even the best Logitech webcams go for $40 less than that.

I’ve argued that a Blu-ray player could soon be your only set-top box. These $200-$250 models, the four fullest-featured you’re likely to buy, all strive to be Swiss Army-like in their utility, but only one comes closest to the promise. More »

You know what we could always go for? A really good rugged laptop drop, and that’s exactly what we got tonight at the launch of the Toughbook 31. Panasonic not only flung its newest 13.1-inch fully-rugged portable off the stage, but also off the deck of the USS Intrepid. Oh, and you guessed it, Windows XP still booted after the 20-foot drop onto the pavement. While that may seem like all there is to the MIL-STD-810G certified, magnesium alloy laptop, it has got the internal strength to match. It will be available with Intel Core i3 / i5 processor options, a choice of 250GB or 160GB shock-mounted hard drives and ATI discrete graphics…did we mention it also has a touchscreen that’s viewable at wide angles, outdoors, and with night-vision goggles? We got to play around with the 8-pound system for a bit, and lived to tell that the thing is truly a beast of a machine. The ports can be sealed shut with a rubber coating — seriously, it took quite some effort to get to the HDMI port — and the screen can be locked with an aluminum latch when you want to carry it with the metal handle. But sadly, durability has it price — the Core i3 version starts at $3,799 and should be available immediately. Not willing to shell out that sort of cash just to throw your laptop out a window? At least you have the pictures and video below.

Continue reading Panasonic Toughbook 31 packs Core i3, i5 processors, tough inside and out

Panasonic Toughbook 31 packs Core i3, i5 processors, tough inside and out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aunt Fran out of focus? Bay Bridge a little blurry? Statue of Liberty a bit soft? If you’re having these issues with images captured through your Panasonic DMC-GF1, GH1, or G1, your fix is ready. We’re not seeing any surprises compared to what was previously said to be included, but no surprises is usually a good thing when it comes to firmware updates. Each is a little over 2MB in size, and you can get your downloads rolling at the source links below.

Panasonic’s autofocus fixin’ DMC-GF1 / GH1 / G1 firmware updates now live originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 09:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At a recent London shindig to promote its 3D television sets, Samsung revealed that the active shutter glasses used to view its glorious, mighty, breathtaking 3D content are based on the same technology as Panasonic’s, only they’re reversed. That is to say, using your Sammy 3D specs to view Panasonic’s 3DTVs won’t work — unless you flip them upside down. You read that right, the two companies have opted for different implementations of the same technology, resulting in the farcical outcome that glasses will be interchangeable between their sets only if you’re happy to wear them upside down. How that’s gonna help the 3D takeup effort, we don’t know, but Samsung R&D chief Simon Lee does see a light at the end of this dim, poorly focused tunnel, stating that manufacturers are likely to agree a common active shutter glasses standard “as early as next year.” You might wanna look XpanD’s way if you want universal compatibility before then, or away in disgust if you’re already tired of all the absurdity surrounding 3D.

Samsung and Panasonic 3DTVs use same active shutter glasses tech, but are (mostly) incompatible originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 May 2010 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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