Panasonic shares details on new TVs, Blu-rays, audio gear

Panasonic revealed the pricing of the new iPod/iPhone-docking compact audio systems and new soundbar in its 2011 audio lineup, and revealed more details about a variety of new features and technologies available for the first time on its new 3D Blu-ray HTiBs.

All four compact systems are thin, vertically-oriented single-chassis models, that range from 2.5 to 2.75 inches deep, of which two of the models can be wall-mounted. These four new compact systems, as well as, the three new 3G Blu-ray HTiBs, are the company's first products of its kind to take in music in PCM digital form, from a docked iPod/iPhone to improve sound quality. Meanwhile, two of four new docking compact stereo systems are the company's first with ability to select favorite Internet radio stations for playback, via the systems' included IR remote. Three of the four compact audio systems incorporate AM/FM tuner and MP3-CD players which retail between $99 and $199. The fourth system lacks CD-tuner, and retails for a suggested price of $179. Unfortunately, Panasonic's oversight in providing access to Internet radio in two of its systems leaves users having to pay $1.99 for a vTuner app that accesses Internet radio stations via Apple devices' embedded Wi-Fi radio. The music is then streamed to the compact systems via stereo Bluetooth.

The new soundbar, the SC-HTB520, features wireless outboard subwoofer, one 3D-capable HDMI 1.4 input, an HDMI 1.4 output with audio return channel, built-in Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 decoders, and Dolby Virtual Speaker to create virtual surround. The SC-HTB520 features a taller, thinner subwoofer, with downfiring driver.

Panasonic's new DVD HTiB launch is bringing 2D-to-3D conversion to the company's Blu-ray HTiB line, and offering a 3D Effect Controller for the first time. The 2D-to-3D conversion converts 2D video on DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and SD Cards to 3D. The new HTiBs upconvert streaming video-on-demand services to full 1080p, feature built-in WiFi, and allows users to customize the Blu-ray homescreen.The base price of a 3D-equipped HTiB retails at a suggested price of $399 to $499 The top two models priced at $499 and $599 priced are the company's first HTiBs with HDMI inputs. They are also the first two Panasonic HTiBs with optional Skype video chat. All three HTiBs feature 5.1-speaker systems, 1,000-watt outputs, faster loading integrated Blu-ray players, HDMI 1.4a input with audio return channel, and Cinema Surround Plus.

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Verizon on top of a huge trend - transforming the smartphone into a remote controller

I imagine that every service provider will soon be enabling remote control capabilities on smartphones and tablet computers; it just seems that Verizon's FiOS is ahead of the curve...as usual. The company reports that its Mobile Remote application is now available on more than forty devices.

The FiOS TV Mobile Remote app can be downloaded to Apple’s iPhone and iPod devices and will soon be available for download on tablet devices. Mobile Remote - which launched in February on DROID by Motorola - is also available on every device running Android software v.2.1 or above that supports Wi-Fi.

Verizon’s suite of applications is available for download - at no additional cost - in the Verizon Wireless Media Store, the Android Market, Apple’s App Store and BlackBerry App World. After just one year in the market, both Verizon’s DVR Manager, which lets customers manage DVR settings via their smart phone, and Mobile Remote have been downloaded more than 500,000 times.

In our Broadband, Communications & Entertainment Bundles study (press release here), we find that one-third of consumers in U.S. broadband households are highly interested in such a feature. So, yes, this one is going to be a difference-maker.

Panasonic Debuts Multimedia Audio System Photo Frame

Panasonic announced the debut of its first audio system with iPod dock and photo frame. The MW-10 sounds as good as it looks, pumping out audiophile-quality sound from its built-in CD player, and its FM/AM radio tuner has 45-station (30-FM/15-AM) Preset Memory.

Boasting a 9-inch WVGA LCD, the MW-10 can display photos from a CD, SD Memory Card and internal memory. The 4 GB of internal memory stores image data for up to 6,000 photos. In addition to a full-screen photo slideshow, the advanced display has the following: clock and iPod track menu, calendar and photos, clock and photos, and audio and calendar.

The MW-10 is Energy Star qualified, and its UniPhier LSI integrates all video signal processing circuits onto a single chip, which lowers power consumption and reduces the number of components.

For the full press release, please click here.

The funnest iPod ever? Yeah, after two hours of tech support

My wife's company had received some 8 GB iPod touch devices several weeks ago. While the young'uns got their iPods up and running in about two seconds, we struggled with ours. The home computer kept locking up during several stages of the registration process, and the device apparently didn't like the Christmas music that we had ripped. It kept locking up at either "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" or "Once in Royal David's City."

Dayna got on the phone with an Apple Genius at 7 p.m. last night. The session took 2+ hours, but she finally got it working! Of course, I learned this this morning, as I had fallen asleep by the time she got the iPod up and running, downloaded the right music, moved a few photos over, and downloaded a few apps. I guess she wasn't responsible for the billionth downloaded app.

Maybe Susan Boyle has never been kissed, but now it's safe to say that the Scherfs have finally downloaded music from iTunes. Welcome to the 21st Century!