panasonic

Panasonic snubs HTIBs, offers three convertible sound bars

LAS VEGAS--Usually at CES time, you can expect Panasonic to roll out slightly updated versions of its Blu-ray home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) solutions, featuring six to eight plasticky speakers and a whole lot of proprietary speaker wire. But CES 2013 is different.

Panasonic is ditching its standard assortment of HTIBs, opting instead for three new sound bar and convertible sound bar models. The SC-HTB770 and SC-HTB370 both feature a similar design; you can use them in the traditional horizontal alignment or you can break apart the sound bar and use the pieces as separate speakers. The SC-HTB770 converts into a 3.1 … Read more

Panasonic Web site reveals preorder pricing on some 2013 TVs

LAS VEGAS--Pricing information is usually hard to come by at CES in January. Manufacturers have just debuted their newest products, and final suggested retail prices are usually subject to some jockeying before the products launch over the next few months.

That's why I was surprised when my colleague Matthew Moskovciak sent me a message saying that Panasonic's official site, shop.panasonic.com, was showing pricing and other details for TVs the company had just announced this morning.

Most of the company's TV series are listed on the site now, with the exception of the lowest-end X60 and … Read more

At CES, Panasonic leads with Viera smart TVs

LAS VEGAS--It was short and sweet, and if you blinked, you might have missed it. We're talking about Panasonic's press conference at CES today.

The star of the show, unsurprisingly, was Panasonic's 2013 line of Viera TVs. But the consumer electronics giant also showed off a range of other new products, from midrange LCD TVs, to new Blu-ray players, to Bluetooth speakers, to a range of micro home stereos, and finally a set of bone-conducting headphones.

It may not have been the shortest press conference of the day (Lexus called it quits at 13 minutes), but before … Read more

Panasonic's E series LCDs are feature-rich

LAS VEGAS--In 2013, Panasonic is releasing its largest line of LCDs yet, with seven different series to choose from. While the WT60 and DT60 sit at the high end, it's the three types of E series that make up the bulk of the company's offering.

The three E series include the 50-inch and 60-inch ET60; the E60 in four sizes (42-, 50-, 58-, and 65-inch screens); and the entry-level EM60 at 39 inches and 50 inches.

Unusually for Panasonic, the ET60 and E60 are blessed with an embarrassment of feature riches. The most "gadgety" addition is … Read more

Panasonic rolls out new Blu-ray players, high-end models get Miracast

LAS VEGAS--Panasonic (along with Sony) has been one of the the biggest Blu-ray supporters since the format's inception, and the company continues to heavily support the format even as its importance fades.

Panasonic unveiled four new Blu-ray models at CES 2013: two 3D models (DMP-BDT330 and DMP-BDT230) and two 2D models (DMP-BDT89 and DMP-BD79). All of the models save for the the DMP-BD79 include built-in Wi-Fi.

The 3D models include Panasonic full Viera Connect suite of streaming-media services, as well as 2D-3D conversion and a Web browser. Both models also support Miracast (Panasonic calls it Display Mirroring), which makes … Read more

Panasonic's Bluetooth speaker plays nice with tablets, does faux surround

LAS VEGAS--Samsung and LG aren't the only major manufacturers getting in on the Bluetooth speaker market.

Panasonic introduced the SC-NP10 Bluetooth speaker at CES 2013, designed with tablets in mind. The 3.5-pound speaker is designed to prop up tablets for movie-watching, although it doesn't necessarily need to be used with a tablet.

The SC-NP10 also has a feature called "Near Field Stereo Sound," which is supposed to make audio sound better even though you're close to the speaker. There's virtual surround processing as well, to help widen the soundstage from the small speaker. … Read more

Panasonic sticks with plasma-heavy TV lineup

LAS VEGAS--There are still going to be three makers of plasma TVs in 2013 -- LG, Samsung, and Panasonic -- but the only one going all-out for the display technology is Panasonic.

The company has announced five full series of plasma TVs, and here they are in a nutshell.

TC-PZT60 series (65 and 60 inches) Panasonic's 2013 flagship promises "Beyond the Reference" picture quality, with an all-new Studio Master panel that has the thinnest gas layer yet, which the company says will remove dim and double images. There's a newly developed red phosphor, faster switching than … Read more

Panasonic bone-conduction headphones take tunes straight to the dome

LAS VEGAS--Music can serve as a great motivator in a long workout at the gym, but it's a universally bad idea to use headphones during outdoor exercises, especially if you live in a big city with traffic and obstructions coming at you from all angles.

For cyclists and runners who still want to jam to a soundtrack, Panasonic introduces the RP-BTGS10 wireless headphones at CES with a unique take on sound transmission, using your cheekbones to deliver audio straight to your head. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Calling this device an "earphone" is a misnomer, since they actually … Read more

Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga's CES 2013 keynote: Join us Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. PT (live blog)

The entire consumer-electronics world will be focused on Las Vegas this week as the 2013 International CES kicks off in Las Vegas. Today is about major press conferences from the industry's leading companies, but tomorrow, the eyes of the industry will be on the opening keynote address from incoming Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga, who will follow brief remarks on the state of the industry by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, January 8, and CNET will be there covering it live. We'll … Read more

Enter the Hidden Hashtag Sweeps

We decided to make this year's CES even more interesting. We've partnered with our friends at Sprint to bring the CNET audience a chance to win big in the Hidden #Hashtag Sweeps.

In the From the Floor series I'll be bringing an exclusive pass to the CES 2013 show floor for all of you who can't be there. We'll show you the big screens and the bright lights that you'll find only at CES. Plus, we'll get you a first look at products, and throw you right into the center of the action … Read more