The Inquisitr » panasonic

Panasonic says: Use our batteries or we brick your camera

Steven Hodson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Okay, this is going to be interesting to watch and see what kind of blowback Panasonic is going to get over this. As of your next firmware update for your Panasonic digital still camera you won’t be able to use third party battery packs. From the press release

Panasonic Digital Still Cameras now include a technology that can identify a genuine Panasonic battery. For the protection of our customers Panasonic developed this technology after it was discovered that some aftermarket 3rd party batteries do not meet the rigid safety standards Panasonic uses.

Some of these aftermarket batteries are not equipped with internal protective devices to guard against overcharging, internal heating and short circuit. If these aftermarket battery packs were used, it could lead to an accident causing damage to your camera or personal injury.

Panasonic’s Digital Camera firmware has been updated on this website to detect these aftermarket 3rd party batteries so such serious safety issues can be avoided.

[ Warning ]
After this firmware update your Panasonic Digital Camera cannot be operated by 3rd party batteries (non genuine Panasonic batteries).

Let the erupting blogosphere commence …..

The Future of Television has Arrived: CES Internet TV Roundup

Duncan Riley — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:25:55 +0000

As we covered extensively last year, most major TV manufacturers were planning to launch internet enabled television in 2009; the future is here.

Here’s a round up of what’s been released at CES. The biggest question last year was how open the platforms would be; or more precisely how closed they would be. Details included where available.

Sharp

Along with new screen technology, Sharp Internet enabled televisions will have access to the “Sharp Aquos Network portal” that will included widgets from includes a Navteq traffic report map. The Aquos Network doesn’t include web video yet, but there’s a reason: the new line of TV’s includes built in Bluray players.

Internet TV score: FAIL.

Toshiba

The new internet enabled televisions from Toshiba pack a punch: the cell processor best known for being the power behind the PlayStation 3. Primarily the chip will deliver ultra-high definition viewing, but it also opens the TV up to a number of other features. According to specs, as well as offering DVR functionality built in, the televisions will support the Intel/ Yahoo Widgets platform. The platform isn’t as open as say a web browser, but does allow developers to build on it, and when first launched last year included promised on video on demand. The down size is costs, with the new sets to be offered in the $5-10,000 price range. Toshiba though is going to offer a box to attach to existing sets, price isn’t known.

Internet TV score: Nice, but costly.

Panasonic

Panasonic was the first major manufacturer to launch an internet enabled television, although one model only in 2008. The lineup for 2009 expands three series – The Z1 series, the V10 series and the G10 series. Panasonic offers its own internet platform under the VEIRACAST brand. Content includes YouTube, Picasa Web Albums, Bloomberg and weather service; an newly announced HD movie rental via Amazon Video-on-Demand. Nice line up, but similar to the Apple TV, and sadly closed to general browsing

Internet TV score: a reasonable start well priced.

LG was the mystery playing coming in to CES. There was some rumors of that they’d play, and I’d speculated they would as well, although earlier announcements said they were more focused on internet enabling Bluray players. LG made the announcement of an internet enabled TV Jan 5 (details here). The sets will offer the Intel/ Yahoo Widget engine and content from YouTube and Netflix. Still a closed system, but appealing.

Internet TV score: win, but wish it wasn’t closed

Windows Media Extender

Add to the list Samsung and Toshiba’s pledge to support for Windows Media Extender, although it’s not clear if this will be available immediately. This will open up both to extra content, although a little fussy.

Conclusion

It’s a nice start to the beginning of the internet television era. The problem with all the sets so far though is that they remain closed; users can’t for example go to Hulu or a similar service for shows, and this will limit their appeal. However eventually having these features as standard means that they’ll be purchased anyway, and that’s where the space is headed. The only issue now is getting people to buy televisions at all given the economic crisis. The roll out will be slow, but it will happen.

By 2015, every new television will be internet enabled

Duncan Riley — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:00:34 +0000

From the sublime to the ridiculous, years of promise in bringing the internet to the television screen is finally starting to deliver. We’ve covered Sony and Samsung entering the race to deliver internet to the lounge room, now add Panasonic and Phillips to the list.

Panasonic’s VieraCast will incorporate content from EuroSport, Bloomberg, Google’s Picassa and YouTube, with more in the pipeline with the first sets to go on sale in the northern spring 2009. Phillips’ Net TV service will also be built into sets going on sale in 2009.

In terms of marketshare, the only company missing from the list is the US number three player LG. Although they have yet to demonstrate an internet enabled television, LG is the company that brought the world the internet refrigerator, and currently supports internet access in their Blu-ray players, allowing users to stream or download content from Netflix. It’s not a matter of if LG will join the party, it’s only a question of when.

2009 will be the year of internet television. All major players will offer internet connectivity in some form or another across parts of their product range.

But availability doesn’t deliver ubiquity.

Television sales are interesting in the context of the US downturn, actually rising as the economy slowed. Two factors today are driving sales: the affordability and desirability of large screen televisions, and the impeding switch to digital television. Both apply nearly equally across Western countries. We want our big screens, and word of mouth and clever marketing is driving demand for HD. Where as a television may have remained in the family for 20 years in the past, we willingly update our television sets every 5 years or so now to keep up with the Jones’.

The economics of replacement exist, if you don’t have a big screen now you may have budgeted it as a future purchase. If you have a big screen now, you may be wondering whether it’s big enough, a question I’ve already asked myself about our 18 month old 40″ Sony Bravia. I know I’m not about to go out and replace my set, but as prices continue to fall and screens get bigger, it’s conceivable that in the next 2-3 years, I’ll be upgrading again.

But what defines one set to another? Sony, Panasonic, Phillips and Samsung believe that internet access will be a selling point in driving future sales. Some will offer a more open platforms than others, and users will be given a variety of choices. If considering the same sized television, with the same screen resolution, inputs, at the same price, and one has internet access, it’s pretty obvious which one consumer will choose. The differentiation will then drive supply, as those not offering internet enabled televisions will scramble to match the competition. Features will improve, the range will expand, until ultimately we get to the point where every new television offered for sale will become internet enabled.

2015 will be 6 years after internet television hits the big time. Even if we take a television replacement cycle out to 6-8 years, enough people will be in the market to drive the adaption forward so that internet functionality won’t be a driver, it will become just another standard feature as technology such as OLED become the new focal points. Every television set will offer internet connectivity, as those that didn’t offer access have ceased selling, or been upgraded to keep up. In 2015, the idea that your new television set isn’t internet enabled will be foreign to general populous.

So long broadcast television

When I wrote about the death of broadcast television, I mentioned the rise of the internet enabled television as the driver of the nail into traditional televisions nail. What I didn’t know then was how quickly this change would come around, and even months ago I couldn’t have predicted that in 2009 internet enabled televisions would be everywhere. I’m still putting the death at 10 to 20 years, but what we are seeing now can only hasten the downfall of broadcast television. Take it as a given that by 2014 the majority of people will have an internet enabled television, and that by the end of the decade all bar a small few will have digital delivery of content in their lounge rooms. We can look no further than the content deals already being cut with this first generation of internet televisions that cable channels in particular are scrambling to offer their content on demand digitally, and smart television companies will follow, because they will realize that to reach their audience, digital content delivery will win out over broadcast television when everyone has access via their remote control.

Control Your Home From Your Car

JR — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:11:03 +0000

It’s no secret I’m a sucker for great gadgets, especially ones with advanced remote control features. Well, my friends, Japan has just made the mother of all remotes, and it’s attached to a car.

The new Panasonic Strada F-Class navigation system lets drivers use an icon-based panel to turn lights on and off, lock and unlock doors, and even adjust the air conditioning in their homes. It also provides the power to check out images captured from home security cameras. That’s all seriously cool, but it’s the final feature I like the most.

The Strada lets you control your DVR…from your car. That’s right, ladies and gents, no more evening commute anguish as you suddenly realize you forgot to set the TiVo for American Gladiators. Titan and Crush could be yours with the simple touch of a button on your dashboard. If, of course, they were Japanese. And you lived in Japan.

The Strada F-Class performs all those regular GPS-style duties, too — you know, unimportant little things like helping you figure out where you’re going.

This bad boy runs $3,400, and naturally, won’t be available in the U.S. any time soon.

Image: Panasonic