panasonic

Panasonic's Bluetooth speaker plays nice with tablets, does faux surround

LAS VEGAS--Samsung and LG aren't the only major manufacturers getting in on the Bluetooth speaker market.

Panasonic introduced the SC-NP10 Bluetooth speaker at CES 2013, designed with tablets in mind. The 3.5-pound speaker is designed to prop up tablets for movie-watching, although it doesn't necessarily need to be used with a tablet.

The SC-NP10 also has a feature called "Near Field Stereo Sound," which is supposed to make audio sound better even though you're close to the speaker. There's virtual surround processing as well, to help widen the soundstage from the small speaker. … Read more

Panasonic sticks with plasma-heavy TV lineup

LAS VEGAS--There are still going to be three makers of plasma TVs in 2013 -- LG, Samsung, and Panasonic -- but the only one going all-out for the display technology is Panasonic.

The company has announced five full series of plasma TVs, and here they are in a nutshell.

TC-PZT60 series (65 and 60 inches) Panasonic's 2013 flagship promises "Beyond the Reference" picture quality, with an all-new Studio Master panel that has the thinnest gas layer yet, which the company says will remove dim and double images. There's a newly developed red phosphor, faster switching than … Read more

Panasonic bone-conduction headphones take tunes straight to the dome

LAS VEGAS--Music can serve as a great motivator in a long workout at the gym, but it's a universally bad idea to use headphones during outdoor exercises, especially if you live in a big city with traffic and obstructions coming at you from all angles.

For cyclists and runners who still want to jam to a soundtrack, Panasonic introduces the RP-BTGS10 wireless headphones at CES with a unique take on sound transmission, using your cheekbones to deliver audio straight to your head. (Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Calling this device an "earphone" is a misnomer, since they actually … Read more

Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga's CES 2013 keynote: Join us Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. PT (live blog)

The entire consumer-electronics world will be focused on Las Vegas this week as the 2013 International CES kicks off in Las Vegas. Today is about major press conferences from the industry's leading companies, but tomorrow, the eyes of the industry will be on the opening keynote address from incoming Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga, who will follow brief remarks on the state of the industry by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, January 8, and CNET will be there covering it live. We'll … Read more

Enter the Hidden Hashtag Sweeps

We decided to make this year's CES even more interesting. We've partnered with our friends at Sprint to bring the CNET audience a chance to win big in the Hidden #Hashtag Sweeps.

In the From the Floor series I'll be bringing an exclusive pass to the CES 2013 show floor for all of you who can't be there. We'll show you the big screens and the bright lights that you'll find only at CES. Plus, we'll get you a first look at products, and throw you right into the center of the action … Read more

Panasonic at CES 2013: Join us Monday, 10 a.m. PT (live blog)

The consumer electronics world will be focused on Panasonic during its press conference at the 2013 International CES. The event begins at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on Monday, January 7, and CNET will be there covering it live. We'll have a live video stream and a blog filled with news, photos, and analysis, as it happens.

You can tune in to the blog and video stream here:

CNET's live coverage of Panasonic's CES 2013 press conference

Panasonic joins LG's Smart TV Alliance

LAS VEGAS--Panasonic has joined LG's Smart TV Alliance, which was set up to develop and use a single connected platform for televisions from 2013 onward.

The Smart TV alliance was announced by LG in June 2012 in conjunction with Philips (TP Vision), but it has now grown to include Toshiba, Panasonic, and chipmakers such as Qualcomm and IBM.

LG's Smart TV interface is arguably one of the best on the market, and this agreement goes some way to creating an industry-standard platform, which is a boon for customers and developers.

The new platform allows for 3D video, MPEG-DASH … Read more

Actor, gadget fan Danny DeVito to talk tech at CES 2013

It's always sunny at CES.

Well, not really, but Danny DeVito, the film star and one of the actors who have helped make "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" a hit for FX, is scheduled to make an appearance in Las Vegas next week to talk technology and entertainment during CES 2013.

Besides being a film producer, director, and actor (his credits include "Hoffa," "LA Confidential," and "War of the Roses"), DeVito is also a big gadget fan. As part of the event, Hanno Basse and Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, the respective chief … Read more

Panasonic: LCD panel demand will bring us 'back to profit'

Panasonic says that rising demand for LCD panels will bring the company's display business back to profit in early 2013.

In the three months leading up to March 31, 2013 -- the end of its current fiscal year -- Japan-based Panasonic hopes that its panel display business will result in a profitable quarter due to rising demand from tablet and PC makers.

The ailing firm's display unit is expected to strengthen the fourth-quarter financial report as liquid crystal display (LCD) panels become a hotter commodity. In a change of business tactics, Panasonic is turning away from flat-screen displays … Read more

Embattled Panasonic eyes 10,000 layoffs to return to health

Panasonic will reportedly layoff more employees in an attempt to turn its business around.

Speaking to Reuters in an interview published today, Panasonic finance boss Hideaki Kawai said that his company will shed 10,000 more jobs by the end of March. During its last fiscal year, Panasonic axed 36,000 jobs. The layoffs are designed to bring the company's many ailing divisions back to health, according to Reuters.

That might not be so easy. According to Reuters, Kawai said that 20 percent of Panasonic's 88 business units are actually losing money. Half of all of its units … Read more