Two big Japanese electronics companies, namely Hitachi and Mitsubishi, are to stop producing parts of their product portfolio domestically: Hitachi announced [JP] it will end production of plasma and LCD TVs in Japan, marketed under the Wooo brand, by September this year.

The company owns a plant in Gifu prefecture in central Japan that churns out about 100,000 TVs per month (pictured: a Hitachi Wooo plasma from 2009). Citing price competition in the TV business as the main reason for the move, Hitachi said the plant will be used to produce projectors and chips instead.

The company will continue to offer Wooo TVs made by non-Japanese contractors.

On the same day as the Hitachi announcement, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun is reporting that Mitsubishi has decided to stop the domestic production of DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

According to the report, the main reasons for the decision are declining DVD sales and (still) weak Blu-ray sales. The company has been producing these discs in its own plants in Singapore and Okayama prefecture in Western Japan for years. Now Mitsubishi is planning to outsource optical disc production to partner companies in India and Taiwan in the future.

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2011, Mitsubishi took the wraps off EMIRAI, a near-future concept that will become reality in about 10 years (if the company is to be believed). The core element is a large-sized, curved dashboard that combines rear-projection to display various operations with touch control support.

The steering wheel features shape-changing buttons that only raise when the system expects the driver to push them. Cars equipped with EMIRAI identify drivers and keep track of their facial temperature and heart rate. Passengers sitting in the rear can kill time by using naked-eye 3D screens that are built into seats.

This video, shot by Diginfo TV, provides more insight:

The CEATEC 2011 exhibition started today in Chiba (just outside of Tokyo), and what I saw was either disappointing (like gear that’s already available in stores) or already widely covered, as most Japanese companies pre-announced almost all novelties (for example, Docomo’s awesome smartphone jackets).

One exception was Mitsubishi’s so-called “Diamond Vision OLED”, a semi-spherical display boasting a diameter of 2.7m. It’s very similar to their huge OLED globe that’s currently on display in Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

This new model consists of a total of  696 OLED panels, each sized at 32 x 32mm. Sized at 96 x 96mm, the OLEDs forming the aforementioned globe are considerably larger, but the panels share the same pixel pitch (3mm).

Mitsubishi said that the Diamond Vision OLED has a brightness of 1,200cd/m2 and consumes 11.2kW of power. The company plans to commercialize the display for digital signage systems.

Mitsubishi Electric yesterday showed a “Laser Backlight LCD TV” [JP] the company plans to release within this year. At the press conference in Tokyo, Mitsubishi showcased a 46-inch prototype TV with a red laser and a cyan LED integrated into the backlight unit.

The laser features an emission wavelength of 638nm and is, according to Mitsubishi, especially boosting the on-screen quality of the color red. The TV achieves a 126% color gamut and uses the cyan light for green and blue colors. Using the technology for 3D TVs in the future is apparently possible, too.

Comparison (Laser Backlight LCD TV on the left, regular Mitsubishi model on the right):

Mitsubishi is selling the Laservue, a TV using RGB color lasers in the US and elsewhere since last year. The company said it will offer the red laser backlit (actually edge-lit) model in Japan first.

Via AV Watch [JP]

Today, Mitsubishi announced that it plans to bring the Euro-spec i-MiEV to 15 European countries. As you know, production started last fall, and Mitsubishi is trying to make it out faster than the Volt or Leaf; and with the Leaf’s recent productions problems and Volt’s low December sales, it may not be too hard.

In addition to the initial 15 countries, there have been requests from the other Europeans, such as Finland, Serbia, Turkey, and Slovenia.

When the US gets hold of the little Jellybean, expect it to be priced around $30,000, and that would be before the tax credit.

The i-MiEV is going to be great for people in small – large cities, where parking is tight and often limited. The i-MiEV will fall under the EV priority category that many cities are implementing into parking spots that include charging stations. Quick charging on the little Mitsubishi will take only 30 min from 0-80% with a specific quick charging station. Max speed is 80 mph and max range is 80 miles.

Existing GPS systems usually achieve an accuracy of about 10m, but that will change soon, according to a recent report in Japanese business daily The Nikkei: a new technology developed by Mitsubishi and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) improves that number to an unbelievable 3cm.

This record for a non-military system was achieved during a recent public test in Japan, with a car driving at 20km/h. The car (see picture above) was equipped with a conventional GPS system, but signals from Michibiki were complementing the GPS readings (Michibiki is one of JAXA’s satellites currently orbiting Earth).

JAXA and Mitsubishi claim former tests have shown their system maintains its accuracy with cars even driving up to 80km/h. The makers also say that because Michibiki can cover Japan for just eight hours a day, two more satellites are needed to provide high-quality GPS for 24 hours straight.

Not too surprisingly, JAXA and Mitsubishi see the new tech used for future car navigation systems but also for advanced construction machines, child monitoring systems or travel guidance solutions.

The i will be available next fall, with pricing “around $30,000,” and certainly less once you apply the EV credit. Interestingly, they’re not going big, and only plan to sell 20,000 of the things over the next few years. A Mitsubishi spokesman told Autoblog that “the main purpose of this car for us is to get us in as a stakeholder in the electric vehicle game and to help pave the way for our future products.” Meaning that the i is just a prototype, essentially. Better and more consumer-oriented cars will likely follow in 2012.

It shares some of its DNA with the i-MiEV, which we heard would be rolling out to US markets in 2011, as the i is. But some body changes have been made, and of course the MiEV has been dropped from the name. I’m guessing because they did focus groups and only 15% of consumers know how to pronounce “i-MiEV”. I’m sure I don’t. The name seems to live on in their electric bike series, though.

Some specs on this little guy:

• Range: 85mi
• 16kWh battery charge
• 16hr charge at 120V, 8hrs at 240V (quick charger available)
• 63hp equivalent
• 2584lbs curb weight

No info on top speed or 0-60, since really, as long as it goes 60 at some point, that’s all you really need to get around the city.

Here’s the press release:

[image: Autoblog]

3D TVs that don’t require without glasses, short-focus projectors that work with touch screens and dual touchscreen phones: all these gadgets are currently being showcased at CEATEC 2010 in Japan, and all of these might be cool, but nothing can beat big sized screens. What you see on the picture (and in the video embedded below) is Mitsubishi’s so-called Diamond Vision OLED display.

This monster, which actually went on sale world-wide [PDF] last month, is actually “just” a modular display that’s made up of smaller screens. Each of these modules is 384mm high and wide (thickness: 99m) and weighs 8kg. The upside is that buyers can order it in any size they want. The display has a viewing angle of 80 degrees (horizontal and vertical) and produces images with 1,200 cd/m2.

A 155-inch model will apparently set you back $400,000, but you wouldn’t want to watch TV or movies with it. The picture quality is OK (8.5dpi pixel density), but you can’t expect the same awesome images Sony’s XEL-1 is producing, for instance. The Mitsubishi display is primarily designed to be used for digital signage anyway.

I forgot to ask the Mitsubishi staff at the booth how big the display currently showcased is, but I didn’t forget to take a video:
http://blip.tv/play/hMQ5goLiAQA%2Em4v

It was just a matter of time, and now we are about to get them: Mitsubishi Japan announced [JP] TVs that not only are 3D-enabled but also come with an integrated Blu-ray recorder and an HDD. The TVs in the so-called REAL MDR1 series will be available in three sizes: 40, 46, and 55 inches (the biggest is pictured again below).

Spec-wise, all models are identical:

• full HD LCD panel (dubbed “Diamond Panel”)
• LED backlight
• a Blu-ray burner that also plays 3D Blu-rays
• a 1TB HDD
• the DIATONE speaker system (which consists of ten speakers)
• a USB slot, an HDMI interface, an SD card slot
• a pair of 3D glasses

Mitsubishi will start selling the 3D TVs in Japan on October 21. But overkill comes with a high price: $3,500 for the 40-inch model, $4,700 for the 46-incher, and $5,900 for the biggest TV.

Via AV Watch [JP]

The projector produces images sized at 80cm from 2.4m away and features 1,200 lumens brightness, a 230W lamp, an HDMI port, and an RGB interface. It’s sized at 345 x 270 x 129mm and weighs 3.6kg.

Mitsubishi plans to start selling the LVP-HC4000 on the Japanese market on September 27 for $2,580. The company is yet to announce international sales plans for the device.

One of the biggest hurdles on the road to make electric vehicles attractive for the mass market is the long time it usually takes to charge batteries. But a Japanese company called JFE Engineering now claims it has found a solution for that problem. According to JFE, even so-called “quick battery chargers” often take 30 minutes to charge a car’s battery to 80% of its capacity.

But their self-developed charger apparently needs just three minutes for a 50% charge, or five minutes for a 70% charge. In tests JFE conducted with the device, Mitsubishi’s electric car i-MiEV (pictured above) was able to drive for 80km continuously after a 5-minute charge (the vehicle has a driving range of 160km on a full charge).

JFE also developed a low-cost version of its charger, which doesn’t require a power transformer and therefore costs just $60,000 to install (roughly half the usual amount). Both that device and the high-cost model meet the specifications of the CHAdeMo standard for electric cars that was brought to life by a group of Japanese and international companies back in March.

JFE expects its charger to be used mainly at gas stations and convenience stores all over Japan by the end of March 2011.

Via 47News [JP]

Mitsubishi Electric has announced [JP] the LPV-HC3800 for the Japanese market today, a full HD DLP projector that features a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, 1,200 lumens brightness and a DDP3021 full 10-bit panel driver. The device comes with a 230W lamp that has a lifespan of 5,000 hours and depending on the operating mode, it can be as quiet as 25dB.

Mitsubishi plans to start selling the LPV-HC3800 in Japan starting November 20 for $2,200. The company hasn’t said yet whether the projector will make its way outside Japan as well (but Mitsubishi Electric does sell projectors in the US, for example, so chances are they will export this one, too).

Update:
This projector will go on sale in the US by the end of this month (even though the press release [PDF] states Q3 this year).

Mitsubishi Electric organized a big press conference today in Tokyo, unveiling two new series of LCD TVs, three Blu-ray DVRs and a new full HD video projector. The two TVs of the BHR series are the world’s first featuring both a built-in Blu-ray recorder and an HDD. No announcements regarding release dates outside Japan were made, but here are the main details for every device, all prices and release dates and some pictures.

Mitsubishi Electric LCD-TVs (REAL MZW300 series [JP])

• 3 sizes will be offered (40/46 and 52 inches (pictured above) for $2,000/$3,000 and $3,500)
• all MZW300 models are full HD and come with 4 HDMI ports
• contrast ratio: 20,000:1 for the 52-incher
• “Diamond HD” technology for better picture quality
• “Diatone surround sound” (5.1)
• release date in Japan: October 21

Mitsubishi Electric LCD-TVs (REAL BHR300 series [JP])

• 2 sizes will be offered (32 and 37 inches for $2,000  and $2,500)
• the 37-inch model is full HD, while the 32 incher just features 1366×768 resolution
• built-in 320 GB HDD
• built-in Blu-ray recorder
• release date in Japan:  October 30

Mitsubishi Electric Blu-ray DVRs [JP]

• three models will be sold: the BZ330 (1TB) for $1,800, the BZ-320 (500GB) for $1,400 and the DVR-BV530 (320GB) for $1,200 (pictured above)
• all come with a combination of a Blu-ray recorder/player and HDD
• the DVR-BV530 also features a VHS recorder/player
• release date in Japan: October 21 for the model with the VHS deck, October 1 for the other two DVRs

Mitsubishi Electric video projector (LVP-HC6800) [JP]

• resolution: 1,920×1,080
• brightness: 1,300 lumens
• contrast ratio: 20,000:1
• two HDMI ports
• release date in Japan: September 15 (price: $2,500)

Credit top picture: Phileweb [JP]

Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries (along with Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO)) yesterday announced the set up of a committee in the near future with the aim of spreading and standardizing charging machines.

All three automakers have their own electric vehicles in place: Nissan’s electric car, the Leaf, is scheduled for release in Japan, the US and the Europe in late 2010. Mitsubishi’s i-Miev is already available in Japan. Subaru’s Plug-In Stella (pictured above) went on sale in Nippon just recently.

Apart from Japanese companies, Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW, Ford, Fiat, General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroën are working on the streamlining the infrastructure for electric vehicles. Earlier this year, some major automakers announced an electric car plug standard (three points, 400 volt), for example.

In Japan, convenience store chain operator Lawson has begun setting up charging stations for customers owning electric vehicles at selected stores just last Monday. Charging will be completely free.

Both Sharp and Mitsubishi have announced new LCD TVs for the Japanese market, and both devices seem to be pretty interesting. They will be available over here as early as next month, with neither Sharp nor Mitsubishi having said anything about an international release yet.

Sharp’s new 20-inch LCD TV, the AQUOS LC-20DX1 [JP] (pictured above), boasts a resolution of 1,366×768, 1,500:1 contrast ratio, 450cd/m2 brightness and 176° viewing angle. Most importantly, it comes with a built-in Blu-ray recorder that supports BD-R/R DL/RE/RE DL discs. Price in Japan: $1,500 (available in black and white).

Mitsubishi’s TV, the RDT241WEX [JP], is a 24-inch IPS LCD featuring a resolution of 1,900×1,200 (WUXGA), 900:1 contrast ratio, 380cd/m2 brightness and 178° viewing angle. For some reason, Mitsubishi Electric’s own Japanese web site isn’t mentioning the TV even though it goes on sale on June 5. Price in Japan: $700 (available in black and white).

Another day, another announcement for a projector. Today it’s Mitsubishi Electric Japan with their LVP-XD95ST [JP], a compact and (rather) inexpensive DLP Projector. The device goes on sale in Japan as early as next Monday and costs $1,000.

The projector features a maximum resolution of 1,024×768, can display 60-inch images from a distance of 1.1m, produces 2,200 lumens brightness and features a contrast ratio of 2,000:1. It’s sized at just 190×205×76.5mm and weighs 1.6kg.

Mitsubishi plans to ship 1,000 units monthly on the Japanese market but hasn’t said yet whether the projector will ever find its way outside Nippon.

The iMiEV (sport version shown above) is pretty much what you’d expect. Not high-performance like a Roadster, but not an oversized scooter like the Puma or slightly larger “urban transport” vehicles. You can see an older test drive here, which lays out the basics, but essentially it’s a practical electric vehicle with which a family might conceivably be able to replace their Subaru or whatever.

Others are biting at Mitsubishi’s heels, of course, so getting it out there fast is of prime importance. I’ve promised myself that I won’t buy a car until I can get a plug-in electric, but will this be it? And will I have to move to Portland to keep the thing charged?

[via VentureBeat]

The 737 series come 3D-ready and are available in large, big daddy sizes of 60-, 65-, 73-, and 82-inches. These sets include a whole range of features coded in Mitsubishi talk: JADE Activity Based User Interface, Improved DeepField™ Imager, SharpEdge™, Video Noise Reduction, UltraThin™ Frame and Mitsubishi’s Exclusive 6-Color Processor™. Yeah, these sets have that stuff in them, which basically boils down to “it looks good.”

The 837 series maintains all the stuff from the previous series but adds more picture quality specs, which notably includes an ISFccc Certification.

These sets are available now and start out at $1,499 for the 60-inch 737 and continue up through the 65 and 73 to the $4,199 82-incher. The higher quality 837 series contains a 65-inch with a $2,199 price, a 73-inch for $2,999, and a 82-inch for $4,999.

The new Unisen Mitsubishi lineup adds high quality sound to flat screens. Finally a manufacturer concluded that equiping a high-quality soundbar to a flat screen makes sense. These flat screens come with a 16 speaker soundbar that virtually creates surround sound. An on-screen GUI and microphone assists in the setup, which makes the system sound as advanced as many aftermarket solutions.

The Unisen series, of course, has all the video quality bells and whistles including 120Hz Film Motion Technology, Plush1080p 5G 18-bit digital video processing. This series should start shipping in the States next month and range in price from $1,799 for the 40-inch to $3,299 for the 52-inch.

Mitsubishi today in Japan announced it has begun selling the Minicab CNG, a small van that can run on compressed natural gas (CNG). Japanese buyers can choose between a two- seater ($21,130) and a version with four seats ($21,430).

The tank of the new vehicle holds 81 liters of compressed natural gas, which is enough to carry the vehicle 290km. Mitsubishi says drivers will save $1 every 100km in gasoline expenses and help protect the environment as the Minicab CNG emits 15% less C02 when compared with its gasoline-powered counterpart.

The new van features a 660cc engine, automatic transmission and two-wheel drive. Mitsubishi hasn’t said yet whether it will be available outside Japan as well.