With Matsushita Electric Industrial’s president Kunio Nakamura stressing the “ubiquitous” networking approach during his keynote speech at the CEATEC Japan show (TWICE, Oct. 11, p. 1), Panasonic’s booth also illustrated that theme.
The booth presentation featured the theme “Solutions For Comfortable Living” and showcased what it calls:
- “Seamless Entertainment Solution,” which includes MPEG-4 video being transmitted via wireless systems from a home audio/video server, and in-house multiple HD video streaming;
- “Visual Communications Solution” that features multiple wireless and wired video conferencing;
- and “Amenity/Safety Solution” which showed network-capable home appliances and integrated home security control.
Panasonic displayed the future “Solutions” along with a variety of advanced devices that have been announced over the past 18 months, such as a multimedia processor-based integrated system LSI platform for CE, quadruple-layer optical disc technology, and telecommunication modules for global-positioning systems and terrestrial digital broadcasting, among others.
Still, Panasonic did not forget the present, reminding CEATEC attendees of its “3D Value Chain,” which consists of plasma and LCD displays, DVD recorders and digital still camera and SD multicamera products.
Panasonic introduced its “Pro High Speed Series” 1GB and 512MB SD memory cards, which, the company claims, doubles the internal data transfer rates. The two cards use Panasonic’s new LSI architecture and proprietary high-speed technology to achieve a data transfer speed of up to 20MBps. The new memory cards will feature distinctive, newly-designed labels and packaging, said Panasonic.
Sale of the memory cards worldwide is scheduled to begin in October. In Japan, 1GB and 512MB SD memory cards will be available on Oct. 15. Pricing was not set at press time.
The new Pro High Speed Series SD memory card will also simultaneously launch a card bus-compatible PC card adapter as a host device to enable high-speed data transfer.
Designed for professional use and used by more than 40 broadcasters during the recent Summer Olympics in Athens, the cards can be used with current SD-enabled products to achieve the same maximum high-speed data transfer of up to 10MBps as that provided by the Super High Speed Series.
Other Panasonic products that were shown or shipped prior to CEATEC were also featured at the booth. They included the Viera 65-inch plasma display, along with other smaller plasma and LCD products, and the DIGA DVD recorder with a 400GB hard disk drive that stores 709 hours in DP mode, and SD memory card and PCMCIA card slots. Also shown were the company’s Blu-ray recorder and blank media, now available in Japan, and a full selection of LUMIX digital cameras, including D-snap models.
