Someone at Panasonic must think retro is back in fashion, as the DMR-BR630V – the company’s latest Blu-ray and DVR combo deck – also manages to include VHS functionality. Presumably intended for people wanting to archive their old VHS tapes onto Blu-ray (or maybe just continue to view a large back-catalogue), the BR630V has a 320GB hard-drive, digital and analog TV tuners and an SD slot.
Intel briefly stoked some curiosity in the unnamed Tablet PC concept they showed at the end of the first IDF keynote, but most people assumed it was merely another sort of medical assistant device. That assumption seems to be true, as Intel’s ultraportable surprise was somewhat spoilt by having a working prototype – confirming Panasonic as the manufacturer – elsewhere at IDF.
Panasonic’s CF-U1 UMPC is neither cheap nor particularly attractive, but if you’re looking for a rugged handheld with a 5.6-inch touchscreen, QWERTY keyboard (not shown in the version pictured) and the ability to survive four-foot drops and a variety of unpleasant environments then you may just have found your ideal machine. UMPC Portal’s Chippy has had some hands-on time with the U1 and the initial reports are very promising: smooth performance from the 1.33GHz Atom and “high efficiency build” of XP, “amazing” WiFi and Bluetooth, and the sort of hot-swappable battery options all notebooks should really have.
Panasonic’s Lumix range continues in its pleasingly classic styling with the new DMC-LX3K, a 10.1-megapixel point-and-shoot camera with a custom 1/1.63-inch CCD and many of the features and functionality previously limited to DSLR ranges. As well as a 2.5x optical zoom and 2.5fps image burst capture mode, it can capture images in the RAW format together with 720p high-definition video at 24fps.
Microsoft Research got some hack-kudos earlier on in the year when they demonstrated their low-cost TouchWall, a potentially far-cheaper (and larger, and vertical) version of their Surface multitouch table. Now Panasonic are here to steal their thunder, with their own imaginatively-titled “Digital Wall”.
Panasonic’s Toughbook range has always prioritised sturdy build above just about anything else, but in a welcome nod to processing power the company has announced that it will be upgrading the semi-rugged notebooks with Intel’s new Centrino 2 processor. Both the Toughbook CF-52 and Toughbook CF-74 will feature the new processor, as well as getting improvements in video performance, storage and networking.
As expected, Panasonic have released spec details for its upcoming Toughbook UMPC, the CF-U1. Based around a daylight-viewable 5.6-inch touchscreen with LED backlight, the CF-U1’s claim to fame is its ability to withstand a four-foot drop and to resist rain, spills, dust, and vibration. Grunt is courtesy of a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor (533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 cache), 1GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD (with 32GB an option).
Dell ,Apple, Fujitsu, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Nokia, Panasonic, Palm, Samsung, and Toshiba have all been added to Typhoon Touch Technologies hit list. Typhoon is accusing these companies of using their patented ideas that date back to 1995 for the touch computer. Their patents were so open ended and broad that they have been able to pull these companies in saying that all of their touch computing is in conflict with their ideas. They created the blueprints for their technology for the police departments based on touchscreen portable devices with built in computers.
Panasonic are readying their own Atom-based UMPC, although the device will bear little resemblance to the slick, compact handhelds we’re used to. Fitting into the company’s ToughBook range, the as-yet unnamed ultraportable will be a touchscreen-based ruggedized tablet, using rubber covers and a protective casing to keep the UMPC functional in extreme conditions.
I’ve always associated zirconia with cheap jewellery from TV shopping channels, but Panasonic have seemingly chosen it for its ability to quell sound-distortion rather than its faux-glamour. Their RP-HJE900 earphones feature zirconia casings that have particularly low resonance level, unlike traditional plastic shells. They’re also much stronger than plastic, and resistant to scratches.
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