Apr 02

Panasonic adds native iPod dock to D-Docks, drinks the Kool-Aid

Posted in: ipod, ipod dock, IpodDock, Japan, Panasonic, sd, Today's Chili

Sony gave up on ATRAC (outside of Japan anyway) and to being an iPod accessory shill long, long ago. But Panasonic, through its own inertia or arrogance has persevered with its D-SNAP and D-DOCK rigs long after its market share was doomed. After all, there’s no need for Panasonic to continue pushing the SD card, they’ve won. Still, it does a Japanese heart good to know that it can now coax its fleshy keeper into buying a D-Dock with a native iPod dock connector and sliding panel that reveals a preference for 90’s- or noughts-era music media. SD and SDHC card too, of course, this is Panasonic.

[Via Akihabara News]

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Panasonic adds native iPod dock to D-Docks, drinks the Kool-Aid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 01

Toshiba to buy Panasonic’s shares in LCD joint venture

Posted in: business, industry, LCD, Panasonic, Today's Chili, Toshiba

Around seven years after it was originally established, Toshiba has decided it best to stop waiting for Panasonic’s input on decisions regarding Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Company. If all goes to plan, Toshiba — which currently owns a 60 percent stake in the joint venture — will buy out Panasonic’s 40 percent stake on April 28th. For those unaware, the venture was responsible for developing, manufacturing and selling LCDs and OLEDs, most of which were classified as “small to medium-sized.” After the share transfer is finalized, TMD will change its name to Toshiba Mobile Display Company, and according to the jointly-issued release, it’ll allow Tosh to “further accelerate decision-making and promote comprehensive restructuring of TMD’s business.” The consumer takeaway here? “Looking to the future, TMD aims to establish OLEDs as an engine for growth and to enhance its display business in the medium- to long-term.” Boom.

[Via Wall Street Journal]

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Toshiba to buy Panasonic’s shares in LCD joint venture originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 31

Panasonic DMC-GH1 handled on video, coming to North America in May

Posted in: 1080p, lumix, micro four thirds, MicroFourThirds, Panasonic, price, pricing, Today's Chili

Panasonic’s HD Micro Four Thirds shooter honestly can’t arrive soon enough, with its continual autofocus while shooting, on-the-fly aperture switching and all around loveliness. Thus, it’s with a heavy heart that we present to you the following tidbit: according to Doug Borbath, a senior project manager at Panasonic Canada, the DMC-GH1 won’t ship to North America until “late May,” though the pricing remains pretty much in line with what we’ve been hearing. It’ll sticker at $1,899CDN, which equates to just over $1,500 here in the United States. That price does include the pretty astounding 14-140mm (28-280mm in Four Thirds terminology) stock lens, though it doesn’t include the optional external microphone ($200; available “around the same time”) nor the super wide angle Lumix G Vario 7-14mm/f4.0 ASPH (price unknown; available at GH1 launch). Check the read link for some seriously enviable footage.

[Thanks, Jive]

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Panasonic DMC-GH1 handled on video, coming to North America in May originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 27

Panasonic DMC-GH1 Micro Four Thirds shooter with 1080p video landing April 24th

Posted in: 1080p, dslr, Panasonic, Today's Chili

While we patiently wait for the Micro Four Thirds format DMC-GH1 with 1080p video to pop for purchase, we have to feed on whatever retail crumbs we can grub off Panasonic. As usual, our Japanese camera overlords will have first dibs on this ¥150,000 (less than $1,500 when it arrives Stateside) bundle that includes a 14-140mm lens starting April 24th. Think about it; we’ve gone from zero to four HD-capable video DSLRs in six months. Ok, ok, three-plus actually, since Micro Four Thirds cams are technically not DSLRs due to the lack of an internal mirror and prism — just humor us with GH1’s interchangeable lens mount, DSLR-sized sensor, and bevy of manual controls ok? Geesh.

[Via PC World],

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Panasonic DMC-GH1 Micro Four Thirds shooter with 1080p video landing April 24th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 26

Panasonic’s DMC-TZ7 reviewed, offers great quality stills and vids

Posted in: 720p, lumix, Panasonic, Today's Chili
Panasonic's DMC-TZ7 reviewed, offers great quality stills and vids

This is a great time to be shopping for a high-end pocketable digital camera — assuming you’re the sort who doesn’t get overwhelmed when faced with plenty of options. With recent offerings like Fuji’s F200EXR, Ricoh’s CX1, and Casio’s EC-FX100, it’s a busy market, and now the arrival of Panasonic’s DMC-TZ7 makes it even more so. Reviewed by Photography Blog, the 10 megapixel cam was found to offer great image quality at both ends of its 12x, 25 – 300mm Leica lens, functional image stabilization, and minimal noise up to ISO 400 (though it does go all the way to 1600). Even the 720p video recording impressed, which you can see for yourself in the sample vid embedded below. At the end it nabs a perfect rating, which might make it perfect for your pocket — if you don’t mind that $400 MSRP.

Continue reading Panasonic’s DMC-TZ7 reviewed, offers great quality stills and vids

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Panasonic’s DMC-TZ7 reviewed, offers great quality stills and vids originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 12

Panasonic’s ultra-thin 54Z1 plasma in the wild

Posted in: Features, hands-on, in the wild, InTheWild, Panasonic, plasma, Today's Chili

Now that it’s official and priced, Panasonic seems much happier to show off its wireless HD-sporting, ultra-thin Z1 series, and it’s quite the sight to behold. The 54Z1 we got to look at was very strikingly clad in brushed metal gray — compared to the regular black of most of Panasonic’s TV lineup — and of course incredibly thin. The wireless HD receiver box was across the room and working flawlessly, and it was nice to see that the included remote is an RF unit, capable of non-line-of-sight channel changing — it’s starting to feel like the 21st century around here! The plasma picture was of course very good, and we’re really feeling those Viera Tools icons across the bottom. $6,000 though? That’s your call.

Gallery: Panasonic’s ultra-thin 54Z1 plasma in the wild

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Panasonic’s ultra-thin 54Z1 plasma in the wild originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 12

Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on

Posted in: blu-ray, Features, hands-on, Panasonic, pics, pictures, Today's Chili

We were able to spot a few of Panasonic’s latest innovations in the home theater space back at CES 2009, but we got a much more intimate look at things during a recent New York showcase. The new Blu-ray decks look nice, if not a touch plain. Not that everyone wants an Alienware-esque BD deck or anything, but we digress. The Blu-ray HTIB systems were particularly of interest, as these things are perfect for sneaking BD into homes that are currently DVD-only, and while we longed for more information on the portable DMP-B15, the on-hand reps didn’t seem too anxious to gush over technical specifications with us. Their loss, totally.

Gallery: Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on

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Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 11

Panasonic’s 2009 VIERA Cast Blu-ray players priced, shipping in April

Posted in: blu-ray, Panasonic, Today's Chili

We first got a peek at Panasonic’s DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and VHS-packing DMP-BD70V at CES, and now they’ve got official pricetags ahead of their April release. Beyond the VIERA Cast support for Amazon VOD, YouTube and other Internet content, this year’s decks also include improvements in power consumption, with the BD60 drawing 16% less juice than last year’s DMP-BD35. The DMP-BD60 can be had for a suggested $299, while the BD80 and BD70V are both priced at $399, depending on whether you prefer VHS or 7.1 analog outputs. Check out the CES 2009 hands on for a better look before these show up at a retailer near you.

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Panasonic’s 2009 VIERA Cast Blu-ray players priced, shipping in April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 11

Panasonic 2009 VIERA HDTVs official pricing revealed

Posted in: Panasonic, Today's Chili

Just in case the HDGuru didn’t carry enough credibility for you, Panasonic has finally issued a press release with prices and shipping months for most of its 2009 VIERA brand lineup. We’ve taken a peek, and everything appears to line up with the leaked figures, including that slim wireless HD equipped Z1 and its $5,999 pricetag, while only copping to a summer ship date. The rest of the lineup proceeds downward in pricing and features from there, the wall-busting details are but a mere click of the read link away.

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Panasonic 2009 VIERA HDTVs official pricing revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 06

Engadget Podcast 136 – 03.06.2009: Who nerds the Nerdmen?

Posted in: amazon, Apple, ASUS, cebit, engadget podcast, EngadgetPodcast, kindle, msi, Panasonic, podcast, Today's Chili

Yes folks, it’s finally, really happening… again. The Engadget Podcast returns with Josh Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel, and a phantasmagoria of totally awesome awesomeness. Hear the guys wax excited about CeBIT, dish on the latest Apple spec bumps, reveal their innermost desires on the camcorder / DSLR front, and get seriously serious on a number of other heart-wrenching items of importance. Don’t miss out — listen now!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Forgot About Dre

00:01:50 – Jimmy Fallon and Engadget: together again, March 9th

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Engadget Podcast 136 – 03.06.2009: Who nerds the Nerdmen? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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