Japan is probably one of the biggest markets for portable TVs in the world, but because the digital standard used in those devices (1Seg) has only been adopted by Japan and a few South American countries so far, I usually don’t cover new models coming out. But Panasonic’s SV-ME970, announced [JP] today, is different: it has Android 2.1 on board and lets users surf the web. → Read More
We will see more of these devices coming in the next few years, I am sure: Panasonic today announced [JP] the BG-BL01, a portable and solar-powered LED light that doubles as a charger for USB gadgets. The device is sized at just 152×104×24mm, weighs 150g, can house two AA batteries and is splash proof. → Read More
Panasonic’s compact micro four-thirds GF series has received an update, and yes, it’s the one we saw last week. The GF3 is lighter, smaller, and simpler than its predecessor. It also forgoes a hot shoe in favor of a pop-up flash, something which may anger serious photographers but makes sense given the direction in which they’ve taken the camera line. → Read More
Panasonic Japan announced [JP] a special Lumix camera yesterday, the LUMIX DMC-FP7D (where the “D” stands for Disney). Unlike many other cute special edition cameras from Japan, the design on this model is rather subtle. → Read More
Panasonic announced [JP, PDF] a new electric bike for the Japanese market yesterday, the so-called Lithium Bibi F BE-ENSF63. And while the bicycle looks rather bland, it has own distinct selling point: at just 19.9kg, it’s the lightest e-bike out there, according to Panasonic (among those that come with a shopping basket, at least). → Read More
They have dropped the Xacti brand name, but the three new camcorders Panasonic (which bought Xacti maker Sanyo in 2009) announced [JP] today are essentially Xactis. All models feature full HD resolution and will be released in Japan on June 25. → Read More
Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) is something various electronics companies have been working on for years, but now Panasonic seems to be ready to be the first to start mass-producing the next-generation memory chips, according to a report in Japan’s biggest business daily The Nikkei. → Read More
We covered NTT Docomo‘s smartphone line-up for this summer here, but Japan’s leading mobile carrier also revealed 11 new feature phones today. And here are all of them listed up. → Read More
Japan’s biggest mobile carrier NTT Docomo has announced its summer line-up of cell phones today, and we have squeezed all their nine new smartphones (plus Fujitsu’s Windows 7/Symbian hybrid) into this article for your reading pleasure (click here for a list of all new feature phones). → Read More
It kind of leaked yesterday, but now Panasonic made the Lumix DMC-G3 official. The micro four-thirds camera is the successor to the DMC-G2, and apart from improving just about every technical feature, the new model is more compact and now boasts a touch-based UI. → Read More
A new Panasonic micro four-thirds camera, successor to the DMC-G2, is scheduled to be announced tomorrow in London, according to 4/3 Rumors. It’ll have a new 15.8-megapixel sensor, a 3″ articulating LCD, a more compact body, and a few other notable features. It’s supposed to hit the wire at 8AM in London, which is midnight here in Seattle. We’ll have all the juicy details then, so stay tuned! → Read More
If you have been watching TechCrunch TV interviews lately, you may have noticed the videos are much sharper, crisper and much higher quality. The reason: we’ve gone HD. We are now using a new workflow with HD cameras and HD video switcher. Our shows from New York (Fly or Die and Founder Stories) have always been produced in HD at AOL Studios. But, now our San Francisco studio has gotten the upgrade.
You might be saying, “Wait a minute, high definition today means 720 or 1080 lines of resolution. I’m only watching the videos on a smaller-than-HD window on the TechCrunch website or smartphone. That’s not HD, so what’s the point.” Well, there is a big point. → Read More
First a sporty model, now this family-friendly one: Panasonic announced [JP, PDF] the Gyutto, an electric bike that can carry two children (one in the front, another in the back), and which actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it. The Gyutto will come with 22- (front) and 26-inch (back) wheels. → Read More
A little bird has told Reuters that Panasonic’s earnings call, due to start shortly, will bring news of huge layoffs in the works. The company is expected to announce 40,000 jobs will be cut from its 380,000-strong workforce. The cuts, which would take place over the next two years, would be the result of continuing “streamlining” in the face of tough competition. Just a little bad news to end the night! Update: The report was updated; Panasonic will be cutting 35,000 jobs over two years, as a result of restructuring, competition, and quake-related earnings drops. → Read More
While electric bikes per se are a good, eco-friendly concept, a lot of the models out there actually look pretty boring. Not so Panasonic’s BE-ENZ032 [JP], a sports e-bike that just went on sale in Japan (Panasonic says that the design was inspired by Motocross bikes). → Read More
If you’re like me, you don’t leave the house without a mobile charger in case the cell phone battery goes dry. And that’s exactly the target group for the so-called Chargepad Panasonic announced [JP] today: it’s essentially a device that charges mobile chargers wirelessly (also compare this to Hitachi’s approach by which you charge gadgets, in that case the iPhone, directly). → Read More
Panasonic‘s subsidiary, Panasonic Healthcare, has developed the “Let’s Chat” [JP], a tablet-like device that helps people who can’t speak or use their hands anymore to communicate with others. According to the company, the target group includes, for example, people suffering from sclerosis or those recovering from serious accidents. → Read More
In July last year, Sharp showed the world’s first triple-layer BDXL discs with 100GB capacity. While the discs were great (and enough to store about 720 minutes of terrestrial digital broadcasting), they weren’t rewritable. But the LM-BE100J BDXL Blu-rays, announced [JP] by Panasonic today, are. → Read More
Granted, Panasonic’s so-called “Life Innovation Container” isn’t nearly as cool as the futuristic mobile robot house from Japan we’ve shown you back in January. But the victims of the big earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 still need any help they can get, which means Panasonic’s decision to send one unit of the container to Minami-Sanrikucho is good news. → Read More
