Known as an event filled with innovations and prototypes, the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has brought many new products and formats. One of the companies that came out with something new is Panasonic, presenting the first portable Blu-ray disc player.
The player is called DMP-B15 and features an 8.9-inch LCD screen and a rechargeable battery that lasts for three hours. It has a slot for a SD memory card, which allows the view of digital photos and also recorded HD video. The company included its Viera Cast application, providing customers with a broadband connection access to a wide selection of Web sites, which includes YouTube, Google’s Picasa photo service, Amazon’s video on demand service, the Bloomberg financial news site and also a weather channel.
Aside from its portable functions, the device can be connected to a digital TV using a HDMI cable and used like any other player. The DMP-B15 will be released on the market starting with May and the price will be announced over the next few months.
Other releases include three camcorders with a 70x optical ultra-zoom lens each, which apparently is not available from any of the company’s competitors. Until now, 50x was the maximum available zoom. Two of the camcorders, the SDR-H80 and the SDR-H90, use hard drives, while the third, the SDR-S26, uses an external SD memory card. "Panasonic understands that consumers sometimes need that extra zoom to truly capture dynamic colors, expressions and motions when the subject is far away, such as during an on-stage school play or sporting event," explained in a statement Mr. Dennis Eppel, VP of Panasonic's Network Business Group. One of the best features introduces is the Web recording mode, which allows users to record their videos in a certain format and resolution, considered optimal for posts on video sites like YouTube. The camcorders can transfer the Web-ready content to a PC through a USB port.
The three devices will be available starting with April, with the suggested retail price for the SDR-H90 standing at $500; the SDR-H80 will cost $450 and the SDR-S26 will be available for about $330.
The company also offers and optional DVD burner, the VW-BN1, which can be used to record the video on a DVD directly from the device.
Another big announcement is the release on the US market of Panasonic’s 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theatre System (3D FHD), which was presented last year at CEATEC Japan. The system brings a 103-inch Plasma HDTV, a Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc player, and also a pair of Active Shutter glasses developed to deliver full HD (1920 by 1080 lines) images. "This goes well beyond conventional 3D, and Panasonic is fully committed to making it a reality soon" stated Bob Perry, executive vice president of the Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, adding that "The integration of Hollywood's 3D content with Panasonic's industry-leading plasma, Blu-ray, and 3D FHD technologies deliver a truly immersive experience."
