Hasta La Gadget!

The debate over active and passive 3DTV glasses has, for the most part, been riddled with biased claims (and more than a little mudslinging) from TV manufacturers on both sides of the aisle. Now, however, an independent study from TCO Development has finally shed some light on how the two glasses can actually affect a user’s viewing experience — and yes, there are some differences. When researchers tilted the passive, film pattern retarder (FPR) above or below a vertical viewing angle of 15-degrees, 3D images tended to bleed into one another at a higher rate. Active glasses, meanwhile, transmitted white images at a luminance that was three times lower than what FPR-equipped shades delivered. But because passive 3D glasses display images at different polarizations for each eye, they don’t offer as much vertical resolution as their active counterparts. Unfortunately, TCO didn’t look into how each pair of glasses affects a viewer’s health and comfort — which, for most of us, would probably be the deciding factor. But as soon as it does, expect either Panasonic or LG to jump all over the results. Dive into the full PR after the break.

Continue reading TCO study compares active and passive 3DTV glasses, doesn’t really favor one over the other

TCO study compares active and passive 3DTV glasses, doesn’t really favor one over the other originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 18:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A cardboard cut-out, really? You pasted a 50-inch rectangle of stiffened paper to the wall in order to preview the flatscreen of your dreams within your new Vitsoe shelving system? For shame. A true nerd, nay, a real man would have cast aside those arts and crafts for Panasonic’s new Viera AR Setup Simulator app. Just grab the wall or pedestal AR marker from the printer and place it wherever you hope to showcase that new Panny. Then watch the app augment your reality through the iPhone’s camera. Don’t cost nothin’ but your time, starting with the 60 second video embedded after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic Viera AR Setup Simulator app augments the reality of your TV dream (video)

Panasonic Viera AR Setup Simulator app augments the reality of your TV dream (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Okay, so the pic only shows one child seat on this new power-assisted bike from Panasonic, but the designers reckon you can fit another one on the back. It’s called the Gyutto and it packs some nifty technology to make it safe for a trio. For a start, to prevent the bike toppling when you park up, the kickstand activates a lock on the handle bar, making the front wheel rigid. And to keep you travelling in the right direction up a steep hill, the 8Ah lithium-ion battery delivers some high-torque power assist, good for 36km on a single charge — better than some others. Talking about steep, the price will work out at around $1,780 (including the two child seats) when the bike is released in Japan on May 23rd. The same money will get you a Mini version with smaller (20-inch) wheels. It’s a lot to spend on a couple of ungrateful rugrats, but at least you won’t have to pump those pedals so hard.

Panasonic’s Gyutto e-bike has room for two, actually even three originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve never questioned the rigidity of Panasonic’s Toughbook line — after all, we’ve been shown just how rugged these things are time and time again — but a new video from the company is just too clever to pass over. Sure, it hardly makes any clearer what’s already clear, but just in case you were still having doubts, Panny’s Toughbook line is mighty tough. As in, tough enough to survive being towed behind a snowmobile in bitterly cold conditions. Unfortunately, the company only shows the screen lighting up after the ride’s done, so there’s still the possibility that the keyboard is totally shot — but hey, props for being alive at all, right? Have a look yourself in the video above.

[Thanks, Tsuyoshi]

Panasonic chains Toughbook to a snowmobile, shows signs of life post-torture (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA’s Robonaut 2 is something of a celebrity around these parts, owing to his dashing good looks and insatiable appetite for publicity, which can now be put to good use with a new toy the landlubbers are sending his way: a professional 3D camera. The human-aiding robot that presently calls the International Space Station home will soon be joined by Panasonic’s AG-3DA1, a full 1080p 3D video recorder with twin lenses and dual 2 megapixel 3MOS sensors. Panasonic is also loading up the next Space Shuttle Atlantis flight to the ISS (scheduled for June 28th) with 25.5-inch 3D LCD monitors and rugged Toughbook laptops to help with documenting proceedings aboard the research vessel. The new shooter costs a whopping $21,000, and though it’s not clear whether NASA paid for it or Panasonic just decided to be charitable, the space agency should have the cash to splash after deciding to shelve the James Cameron-approved project to slap a zoom-equipped 3D imager on its next Mars rover. We’re just wondering if the human world is quite ready for 3D video blogs from its favorite robotic astronaut.

Continue reading Panasonic’s AG-3DA1 camera will shoot 3D video, Robonaut vlogs on the International Space Station

Panasonic’s AG-3DA1 camera will shoot 3D video, Robonaut vlogs on the International Space Station originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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