The Tesla Roadster is quite simply without any shadow of a doubt one of the most stunning electric cars on the planet today, and the new sedan looks to be following exactly the same path. Not only does the new Model S seat up to 7 passengers, but it also offers a performance model that [...]
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The internet was abuzz with Samsung NX10 rumors for quite a while last year, due to it simply being displayed at a trade show behind glass, with no specs or information at all. I don’t know why more companies don’t do mysterious stuff like that, it starts the equivalent of a wildfire on the internet. At any rate, the NX10 came out and is apparently only the first in a whole line of NX-mount cameras, the next of which will be the NX5, if this slip-up on a Samsung flash compatibility notice is to be believed. The NX5 is rumored to be a competitor with the Olympus E-PL1 (which we just reviewed), just as its big brother competes with the likes of the Panasonic G2 and GH1. Note these are all digital shutter cameras, not to be confused with DSLRs, though they share some similarities, most important of which is interchangeable lenses. Here are the rumored specs for the NX5: 14MPx CMOS sensor ISO 100-3200 3FPS burst shooting Built-in flash and obviously a shoe for the flash shown 3″ LCD (640
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We’ve covered plenty of electric bicycles from Japan in the past, but let’s be honest: Most of them are really ugly, for example these (technically interesting) models Sanyo introduced three weeks ago. But this new Panasonic e-bike, the BE-ENV [JP], looks rather cool and is something I could see the younger (and male) population actually using, too. Based on the titanium frame, Panasonic is marketing the BE-ENV as a “high-class” electric bike. This new model is extremely light (15.7kg) and absorbs vibrations better than other e-bikes, according to the company. Panasonic says they especially focused on the general design and the lithium-ion battery to make the BE-ENV stand out of the crowd. Buyers will be able to choose between three different driving modes, including an eco-mode, directly from an LCD monitor (see picture below), which can also be used to keep track of one’s average speed, distance travelled etc. Depending on which battery you choose, the eco-mode makes it possible to achieve a travel distance of up to 69km. The BE-ENV is already available in Japan for $6,600 to $8,000 (build-to-order). There are no plans to sell the bike outside Japan at this point.
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If there’s new TVs or coffee makers, Consumer Reports will test them out. That’s the case with the new Samsung and Panasonic 3D TVs and the company just posted a early hands-on look that actually reveals some differences. It’s totally worth your time even if you don’t plan on jumping on the 3D bandwagon this early on.
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Well, well! Every single Panasonic 3D TV has been sold , meaning, I guess, that 3D TV is a hit, despite what some people think . They’re on back order now, so if you weren’t among the first to plop down nearly $3,000 for a 50-inch set you get a late slip. You’re late to the party. Last week called, and it wants to know why you didn’t buy a TV? This is good news for probably two camps: Panasonic, obviously, and TV companies that have invested in 3D technology. Here in the U.S., ESPN will launch a 3D channel in time for the World Cup. Nobody knows who’s going to carry the channel—DirecTV doesn’t even have Fox Soccer Channel in HD yet!—but this sales report should only encourage ESPN. Sky in Germany broadcast a soccer match last week in 3D. Der Kaiser liked it . For the millionth time, Panasonic isn’t the only one selling 3D TVs. Samsung has a 55-inch one for $3,300, and Sony plans to launch its own line of 3D TVs in a few months. Yes, in time for the World Cup. The World Cup is going to be 3D TVs “big moment,” if you will. Analysts and pretend analysts believe that sports will be the compelling 3D content, even more so than movies&mash;just like they were during the transition to HDTV. How many times can you see Avatar and still be impressed? It’s always exciting to see Real Madrid crash out of the Champions League, or to see the Yankees lose to some random team from the mid-west. I’d ask if any of y’all bought a 3D TV, but I’m going to assume that none of you did. It helps me sleep at night. That’s not to say that if ESPN hosted some sort of World Cup 3D party I wouldn’t try to weasel my way in, so whatever.
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Samsung will soon have a bit of competition in Best Buy’s 3D TV department. A $2,899 Panasonic VT20 plasma, Blu-ray player and 3D glasses bundle will go on sale tomorrow expect not all Best Buy stores. It’s a Magnolia exclusive. What’s strange is that the $3,299 55-inch Samsung 3D is in stock most Best Buy locations, including the none-Magnolia stores. It’s not clear whether Best Buy or Panasonic decided that the product should be an exclusive. Perhaps the model will roll out to the entire chain, but that’s not been announced as of yet. VT20 plasma, however, is just Best Buy exclusive model and is the same thing as the VT25 that will be available in other retail outlets in the same bundle package and separate.
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You might want to take a different approach when shopping for a 3D TV than a standard HDTV. Instead of just looking at the picture quality, you should also take a serious look at the brand’s 3D glasses. Some show some clear advantages to purchase that brand’s 3D TV and until there’s a standard format for 3D glasses, each brand requires its own unique glasses, thereby locking you into that manufacturer’s products. Yeah, it’s a bit messy right now. Click through for details on all of them. Samsung There are three different models currently available. $150 gets you the SSG-2100AB with a user-replaceable battery, while the $200 set is rechargeable. (SSG-2200AR) There is a rechargeable pair for children priced at $180. ( SSG-2200KR ) Samsung 3D TVs come bundled with two glasses and a 3D Blu-ray movie. Sony Sony hasn’t official announced its US 3D TV accessories, but it’s probably safe to say that the Japanese-market versions will be available here, too. The standard size TDG-BR100 gray model, along with the smaller blue and pink TDG-BR50 glasses will sell for 12,000 yen in Japan. That translates to $132 USD. The glasses also require the TMR-BR100 IR emitter, too. (5,000 yen, $55 USD) Only the LX900, which retails for 290,000 yen or $3,204 USD, comes with glasses — two, in fact. Panasonic The Panasonic TY-EW3D10U glasses clearly win the “most radical” award. Each Panasonic 3D TV comes with a set and they retail for $149.99. Nvidia 3D content can also be seen on computers with the right gear from Nvidia. The $199 Nvidia 3D Vision kit includes one pair of glasses, IR emitter, and connection cables. Additional glasses can be purchased for $149 each. Keep in mind, though, that a 3D-ready monitor/projector, GPU, and operating system like Vista or Win7 is also required.
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3D TVs are coming whether we want them to or not. TV makers and content providers aren’t testing the water – they’re jumping head-first and pulling consumers in, too. But like high definition a few years back, early adaptors will be forced to pay a high premium and suffer through a format war of sort before it really catches on. Take a look at Sony’s just-announced 3D lineup: The company announced eight 3D BRAVIA TVs for the Japanese market along with a set of necessary 3D accessories, which will compete against Panasonic and Samsung sets when they all eventually hit the market in the coming months. Nevermind that the US models might be slightly different. Let’s talk about the multiple steps needed to watch 3D content on your brand new 3D TV. First you have to get a 3D TV. That much is obvious and you’ll have a few options to choose from. Sears is already taking pre-orders for Samsung models and Best Buy is kicking off 3D TV with Panasonic this morning. At this point we really don’t know which brand or model is better, so let’s assume they are all nearly the same and go with the new Sony’s for the sake of moving forward. So you have your new Sony 3D TV. Good for you. But you might have noticed that your brand new TV didn’t come with 3D glasses. Those cost extra — $140 in Japan. At least they will be available in gray, blue, and pink. But you’re still not done. You’ll need to buy the $60 3D “synchro transmitter” that ensures the glasses stay synced with the TV. But you still can’t watch 3D content because there isn’t any right now. A few 3D Blu-ray movies are scheduled to come out this summer, but you’ll need a special Blu-ray player to watch them. Sony just started sell a few, but they can’t output the 3D content until they receive firmware that’s supposed to be out in a couple of months. It’s true that ESPN and Discovery announced that they both plan on launching a 3D TV station. ESPN will start broadcasting only special events like the World Cup this summer. Discovery 3D should be on the air sometime in 2011. But it’s up to your cable or satellite provider to get you the station. This is a hot mess, right? It gets worse, pal. Let’s say you jump in and spend the cash on a nice Sony 3D setup, complete with the Blu-ray player and pink glasses. Those same 3D glasses will not work on your buddies Samsung 3D TV or with your NVIDIA 3D Vision computer setup. You’re stuck watching the World Cup alone because each brand of 3D TV requires its own 3D glasses. There is no denying that 3D is here to stay. It’s the only viable option manufacturers have to get consumers to upgrade from their just-purchased HDTV. But it might be wise to sit on the sidelines for the first couple of rounds until the TV makers get some standards hammered out. You just saw Avatar in 3D anyway and soccer is probably just as boring in 3D as it is is in 2D.
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As everybody knows, 3D TVs are all the rage at the moment, with Panasonic being one of the most active electronics companies in that area . But until today, details on how and when those devices will be sold outside Japan were relatively scarce. Panasonic now announced it will partner up with Best Buy (the largest consumer electronics retailer in the US for those who don’t know) to market its 3D TVs in America. And Panasonic’s aim is nothing else than to become the No. 1 company in the future 3D TV segment, ahead of Samsung, the current leader in the global TV market . A total of 300 Best Buy stores in major American cities (1,000 locations by year end), i.e. New York, will create special 3D video sections to promote sales. In the US, Panasonic is undercutting Japanese MSRP by about 30%, with the first 3D TVs ready to hit Best Buy stores as early as the day after tomorrow. A 50-inch 3D TV is likely to retail for $2,500, while special bundles (TV+Blu-ray player+3D glasses) will cost around $500 more. The company confirmed the American models will have no web access functions (without which hardly any high-quality TV in Japan gets sold nowadays). Panasonic says the goal is to sell 1 million 3D TVs globally this fiscal year, half of them in America. The company calculates that selling 1 million of those 3D TVs is equal to capturing a global market share of 50% in this specific segment. Via The Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]
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You could argue massage chairs are something for old people, but after coming to Japan over 5 years ago, I had the chance to relax in more than one of these for a few hours. And let me tell you these chairs, especially those made by Japanese makers, are awesome, provided you don’t mind passing out while watching a movie. The problem is that these massage chairs are usually pretty expensive, just like this new model Panasonic announced [JP] yesterday. The main selling point of the EP-MA70 is the built-in ceramic heater that’s supposed to relieve fatigue. Special “balls” are used to heat up your back, waist, shoulders and neck area to up to 40C. There’s also a set of “airbags” that can massage the muscles located in your pelvis, a massage system for the feet and a special mechanism that makes sure your shoulders relax, too (see picture above). Overall, you can choose between six massage courses, which you can start by using a remote control. Panasonic plans to start selling the EP-MA70 in Japan on April 21 in two colors (black and white). Too bad the massage chair, which will cost a whopping $4,500, is Japan-only at this point.
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