Continue reading Panasonic, Tesla rekindle romance, strike supply agreement for Model S batteries

Panasonic, Tesla rekindle romance, strike supply agreement for Model S batteries originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic’s little battery-powered bot that could, the Evolta, has garnered our attention several times over the years. It’s already climbed out of the Grand Canyon and walked 500km from Tokyo to Kyoto, but apparently neither was enough to prove it and its namesake batteries’ true mettle. This time, Panasonic’s putting three of the robots through the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, and they’ve got a week to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112, and run a 26.2 mile marathon. Unlike the meatbags running the race who have a day to finish, the robots get a week — though they’ll be doing their thing 24 hours a day while only taking breaks to recharge their three AA batteries. Intrigued? The race starts on October 23rd, so there’s plenty of time to watch the appropriately dramatic video explaining the challenge facing the triumvirate of tiny triathletes after the break.

Continue reading Evolta robot to take on the Ironman Triathlon, conquer the course in a week

Evolta robot to take on the Ironman Triathlon, conquer the course in a week originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jonesin’ to shoot some radder-than-usual HD video with that Lumix G-series lens? You’re in luck. Panasonic released a firmware update for the family of lenses that gives them a needed level-up — bringing ‘em to version 1.1 — to shoot higher quality video. Added features include enhanced tracking focus for videos, silent auto focus, improved stability for the optical image stabilizer and exposure control. The update applies to seven slabs of metal and glass, and every single unit in the 2011 line is also covered. Hit the source if you’re ready to update, but don’t expect that 720p ceiling to magically raise to 1080p — it’s just a poor attempt at marketing genius.

Continue reading Panasonic G-series lenses get firmware update, performance boosts aplenty

Panasonic G-series lenses get firmware update, performance boosts aplenty originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 07:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For many photographers, in-camera WiFi may be an attractive feature before you leave the store, but confusing setup and limited functionality reduce its appeal once you actually go and try to use it. Panasonic sets out to better take advantage of wireless connectivity with its Lumix FX90, adding Android and iPhone app support for transferring pictures and video directly to a mobile device, then uploading them to Lumix Club — a cloud-based photo-sharing service — and on to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. You can also share photos directly from the camera — a dedicated WiFi button launches a menu prompting you to select a sharing service — but app support brings the added benefit of your phone’s data connection. Beyond those new wireless features, the FX90 includes a 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 5x, 24-120mm optical zoom lens, 3-inch touchscreen, and 1080i AVCHD video capture. The FX90 will ship this fall with pricing yet to be announced, but jump past the break for the full rundown from Panasonic in the meantime.

Continue reading Panasonic Lumix FX90 point-and-shoot packs built-in WiFi, Android / iPhone app compatibility

Panasonic Lumix FX90 point-and-shoot packs built-in WiFi, Android / iPhone app compatibility originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It may not be a slick as Panasonic’s dream-TV AR app, but at least Sony’s keeping up with the competition. Live from the company’s UK outfit is an online AR tool enabling you, dear reader, to visualize all sorts of boob tubes you can (and can’t) afford. After printing, affixing and photographing a marker, prospective buyers can get a better sense of what sets fit in their humble abodes. Interested in giving it a go? Mosey on past the break for PR and a video, and then hop beyond the source link to begin your adventure.

[Thanks, Matt]

Continue reading Sony’s AR tool lets you put big screens in small apartments (video)

Sony’s AR tool lets you put big screens in small apartments (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Japan, a certain hallowed distinction has been garnered by all ephemera cute and pretty. So, it goes without saying that this pair of oblong flip phones, with their familiar animated sponsors, should have the Harajuku hordes rushing in with charm straps at the ready. For its particular crack at kawaii, Panasonic’s P-06C gets an understated splash of Snoopy cool, visible only through two available built-in themes. The clamshell entry comes with a 3-inch display, 5.1 megapixel camera and retails for about 28,560 yen (or $375). But, let’s face it folks, the real stunner of the two is the Softbank-designed model Ms. Kitty-chan adorns. The Antique Berry-shaded 007SH KT packs a 3.4-inch display, 6.1 megapixel camera and Android 2.3 into a 180 degree foldable handset, and can be yours when it goes on sale next month. Be sure to jump past the break for a double dose of this wireless adorability.

Continue reading Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause

Hello Kitty, Snoopy lend their brand equity to the cute clamshell phone cause originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Panasonic outs Toughbook S10 with Sandy Bridge, USB 3.0, and 12.5-hour battery life

Panasonic outs Toughbook S10 with Sandy Bridge, USB 3.0, and 12.5-hour battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The lack of a universal standard for active shutter 3D glasses became painfully clear during our 3D TV shootout last year, and gave plenty of reasons for buyers to skip the pricey specs altogether. Nine months later we see that LG has jumped onto passive 3D and CEA is playing catch up on the IR glasses problem, but many of the new HDTVs for 2011 are using Bluetooth technology to keep their glasses in sync — again without any promise of cross-manufacturer compatibility. A day late and a few dollars short, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and universal glasses maker XpanD are announcing the “Full HD Glasses Initiative” which should lay down a standard for consumer active shutter glasses to communicate over Bluetooth or IR. The new glasses should be backwards compatible with this year’s TVs, although early adopters from 2010 have no such guarantee. The press release (included after the break) indicates we can expect the new models to arrive in 2012, assuming they haven’t lost more ground to the FPR army and can still convince buyers to even look at 3D by then.

Continue reading Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard

Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, these days nearly all digital cameras can shoot video, but only a small handful give you the power to manually select aperture and shutter speed while doing so. The Lumix FZ47 is Panasonic’s latest high-end point-and-shoot to sport this functionality, providing full control over both video and still photo capture with its Creative Control mode. The 12.1-megapixel superzoom can shoot 1080i HD at 30 fps, though it’s notably lacking in the 1080p department. There’s also a 3-inch LCD, 24x Leica zoom lens with a 25mm wide-angle focal length, and an option to shoot 3.5-megapixel stills while recording video. For photographers wiling to settle for a good deal less power, Panasonic also just announced its entry-level Lumix LS5, which includes a 14.1-megapixel sensor, optical image stabilization, and 720p video, all powered by a pair of AA batteries. The $400 FZ47 will ship next month, while the LS5 hits stores in November, with pricing yet to be announced. Jump past the break for the complete rundown from Panasonic.

Continue reading Panasonic reveals Lumix FZ47 superzoom, lets you shoot 1080i video with full manual control

Panasonic reveals Lumix FZ47 superzoom, lets you shoot 1080i video with full manual control originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic has already lured some big names to its Viera Connect platform, like MLB and Hulu, now the company is opening up to smaller devs who want to see their creations blown up for the big screen without the aid of additional hardware. The SDK went live back in January, but now the company is providing an easy path from creation to release for its smart TV ecosystem. Of course, Panasonic still maintains final control over what apps make it to the Viera market, but expect new games and streaming video sources to start popping up soon. Check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic’s Viera Connect developer portal opens to eager TV app creators

Panasonic’s Viera Connect developer portal opens to eager TV app creators originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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