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Panasonic GT50 plasma boasts improved picture and design

LAS VEGAS--In the past, Panasonic's GT variants have been almost as good as the flagships they supported, and at much more affordable prices. We anticipate that this trend will continue with the new GT50.

The GT50 will come in four sizes from 50 inches to 65 inches and ships with an "Infinite Black Pro" panel. The full-HD 3D panel features 2D-to-3D conversion and a new louver filter designed to provide better contrast in lit environments.

With the exception of the Z1, design wasn't a key consideration for Panasonic plasmas until last year, with the "metallic … Read more

Will the Panasonic ST50 be the best TV value ever?

In 2011, Panasonic's ST30 was our favorite TV priced at less than $1,000 and perhaps the best value of any TV we've ever reviewed, demonstrating top-of-its-class performance for the money.

But all good things must come to an end, and the ST30 is moving aside for the ST50.

The ST50 sits in the middle of Panasonic's 2012 range with four sizes starting at 50 inches and includes most of the goodies found in the more-expensive GT50 and VT50 televisions. It's the least-expensive to boast the "Infinite Black Pro" panel, which, if last year … Read more

Five cars too awesome for stereos

DriverSide Inc.

It goes without saying that listening to music in the car is popular amongst most drivers. In fact, it's so popular that in most cars today, there are countless ways to avoid a silent drive: AM/FM radio, CD players, iPod connectors, auxiliary inputs and even satellite radio have become common across the entire spectrum of the automotive market. We personally refuse to drive more than a block without some decent music.

But today, we're focusing on the other guys - the cars that won't play any music for you, no matter how nicely you ask. These aren't cars for the layman, as the layman loves his Bruce Springsteen and wouldn't buy a car without speakers even if it did his taxes for him. These are among a highly specialized breed of automobile.

5. The Peel P50

This is it - the car so small and amenity-free that it makes a Smart Car look like a Hummer limo with a Jacuzzi in the back. The makers of this 52-inch-long car didn't even include a reverse gear, so it's no surprise they skipped the stereo completely. But what to do if you just can't live without tunes, and you happen to have a Peel P50? We'd put in a single speaker and have it play the Benny Hill Show theme song on repeat (at a top speed of a breakneck 38 mph). That way, whenever we had to get out of the car to lift it up and turn it around or yank it out of a pothole, we'd at least have appropriate music. Check out this classic Top Gear clip to see what it's like to drive.

4. The Popemobile

Okay, you can probably tell just by looking at it that the Popemobile (here a modified Mercedes M-Class) most likely has a stereo up in the front cabin, which should immediately disqualify it from this list. But this car is called the Popemobile, not the Chauffermobile, so as long as the Pope doesn't get to rock out while waving politely to all of Christendom, we consider the Pope's oddity of a vehicle stereo-free. After all, it's vitally important that the Pope isn't distracted by music when making appearances - especially considering he didn't seem to notice this. Maybe he had his headphones in?

… Read more

Own the world's smallest car, the Peel

There's every likelihood I won't be able to fold myself into what could be the world's most Lilliputian motorcar. The toy-car-like Peel P-50 could easily give Japan's 7-foot-tall microcar, the Daihatsu Copen, and the Smart car a run for their money.

Just know that this selfish little three-wheeler can seat only "one adult and a shopping bag," and you'll have to get in on the left side where the door is. To keep the car compact, there's just a single windshield wiper and one headlight.

Stats-wise, this road-legal model measures a tiny … Read more

Panasonic, Best Buy double down on 3D TV

Panasonic has announced its first 3D TV bundle available exclusively at Best Buy stores, featuring a plasma TV and 3D-compatible Blu-ray player. The bundle will cost $2,900 for a 50-inch TC-P50VT20 TV (a $2,500 value by itself) and 3D-compatible DMP-BDT300 Blu-ray player ($400), and also include one pair of 3D glasses (model TY-EW3D10U, $149). The Panasonic bundle and TVs will be "sold exclusively at select Best Buy stores via Magnolia Home Theater," according to Panasonic. The 50-inch model will be followed by 54-, 58-, and 65-inch versions later this year, though pricing has yet to be determined.

If the TC-P50VT20 sounds different from the TC-P50VT25 model that was CNET's Best of CES pick earlier this year, that's because it is--albeit just slightly. The two models are nearly identical: the VT25 has minor external styling differences (different color bezel) and includes an RS232 port and ISF calibration mode not found on the Best Buy version, but it's slightly more expensive. (See an early hands-on evaluation here.)

To drum up excitement for the 3D launch, the companies held a joint press event at the Best Buy store in Manhattan's Union Square. Immediately following the press conference, the first bundle was sold to customers Brad and Ashley, a couple from Manhattan's Upper West Side. (The timing of the sale had been pre-arranged by Best Buy beforehand.) With New York sales tax, the total came to about $3,100. Immediately afterward, they were bombarded by questions and interviews from the large group of media who had shown up to document the event.

In the end, despite the hype, this wasn't the first 3D TV actually sold in 2010.… Read more

Quick Take: Panasonic TC-PC1 series

Panasonic's TC-PC1 series is available in two screen sizes: the 42-inch TC-P42C1 and the 50-inch TC-P50C1.

While CNET has not reviewed the Panasonic TC-PC1 series, we have reviewed the company's slightly more expensive TC-PX1 series. The two series of 720p plasma HDTVs are very similar similar aside from a few key differences. The X1 series has a higher native contrast ratio spec (30,000:1 vs. 15,000:1) so we expect it to exhibit slightly better black levels than the C1. The X1 also has an additional HDMI input (for a total of three, while the C1 … Read more