Panasonic VIERA Smart TV Launch 2013


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Smart TVs and New Cool Gadgets

Now I always like the first few months of the year because all the tech companies start having their conventions and launching their new products so for once I jumped out of bed early to attend the Panasonic Smart VIERA TV launch in conjunction with their sales convention at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre on Wednesday 27 March 2013.

A TV to suit each home – the new Panasonic Smart VIERA TVs are launched!
My partner in crime for the day was MHB’s Esther Ng pictured here with some of the new Panasonic VIERA Smart Plasma TVs
And here’s Esther with the Panasonic Smart VIERA LED TVs
Now there are two (2) different types of TVs in the Panasonic Smart VIERA range – Plasma and LED. Both have some similar features and both have their own strengths.
For 2013, the Smart VIERA series of TVs was developed based on five pillars of evolution, namely easy operation, networking, better picture quality, eco-friendly (energy saving), and an updated modern design.
The key concept for this new line-up is called “Smart VIERA Made Easy” which emphasizes on smart technology made easy for the regular consumer and not just techies. While ensuring that the smart technology is easy to operate, the new range of Smart VIERA TVs can also be personalized to meet the individual’s needs thereby creating better user experience.
Now here are some features common to both the plasma and LED ranges:

My Home Screen
Now this screen is unique to different users. Yes you heard me correctly. It uses facial recognition to determine who is using the TV then loads that user’s home screen. Browse the web, watch YouTube, play Facebook and even leave messages for other users using this screen.
Of course to use all this you’ll need to have a broadband connection but nowadays almost everyone is connected so this shouldn’t really be an issue.

Voice Interaction
Voice control your TV by simply saying a key word (like “home screen” or “internet”) into the Touch Pad Controller or smartphone, and the TV goes to the menu you asked for. If you’re doing a Google search just speak into the controller or phone again and the search result is displayed on-screen and verbally read out. A very cool feature especially if you’re lazy to type or if you have friends over and want to impress them!
BTW to control the VIERA by smartphone you need to download and install the “VIERA remote 2″ app which works on IOS5 and Jellybean.

The TV was displaying what the tablet’s camera was seeing. Snap a pic and the pic appears on the TV screen!
Swipe & Share 2.0
After linking your smartphone or tablet device to the TV, you can easily share content with your TV. Heck it will even display the image that your camera sees if you are using the camera app.
Ta da! A pic of Esther hehehe!
A white board? Nopes…that’s Esther writing on the Panasonic Smart VIERA TV!
Now I thought this feature is really really cool and I think a lot of advertising agencies will be happy to have one of these in their office while lifestyle brands will find these useful at events. 

Panasonic VIERA Plasma TVs
Panasonic’s new Smart VIERA Plasma TV combines smart functions with high picture quality coupled with a functional and beautiful design.
Now I’m sure you’re asking – why is Panasonic still using plasma displays? Well there are some very good reasons for that.
3000 Focused Field Drive – Crisp, Clear Moving Pictures
When it comes to fast moving pictures nothing beats a plasma. Panasonic’s Smart VIERA plasma TVs feature a combination of original phosphors and drive technologies that enable high motion-image performance.
A sub-field drive control with a short light emission of 1/3,000th of second produces crisp, clear moving pictures with minimal afterimages (aka ghosting which is kinda “potong stim” if you’re watching an action movie). 
Didn’t understand a word above? Hahahaha! What it means is that the TV is great for dynamic sports scenes and breathtaking fast-action shots like watching football or action flicks (Transformers, LOTR, etc. etc.).

 
Infinite Black – Rendering Better Deep Black Shades
The new VIERA boasts improvements to the pre-discharge control, which can cause blocked shadows, and have enabled deeper, jet-black shades. Even in brightly lit living rooms, deep areas and fine textures within dark scenes are rendered with meticulous detail giving you a better picture.

 
 
30720 Super Gradations – Smooth, Velvety Gradation
Increasing the number of sub-fields has allowed Panasonic to control the emitted light in 30,720 steps for smoother gradation. The light emission of each individual cell is precisely controlled to achieve highly nuanced gradation. From jet black to brilliant white, customers will get rich textures and smooth gradation.
This means that you get to enjoy truer colour reproduction as subtle variations of a colour are accurately produced. Ie. Dark grey actually looks like dark grey instead of black, pearl looks like pearl instead of white, etc. etc.
 
DCI 98% Color Space – Realistic Colors from a Wide Color Gamut
The new VIERA range features a dramatic improvement in the colour purity of the red phosphor and this has further expanded the color gamut. It now covers 98% of DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) studio standards and 122% of ITU standards. This ensures full reproduction of vivid colors from all sorts of image sources and as a result you the customer get to enjoy more realistic colours closer to the original.

 
Panasonic’s new VIERA plasma TVs starts from RM2,699.00 for their base 50” model all the way to the top of the line 65”model priced at RM16,999.00.
Panasonic VIERA LED TVs
Panasonic’s new Smart VIERA LED TVs delivers crisp and clear moving pictures by using improved backlight control and IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel technology. In line with it’s Eco-Nation concept of conserving the environment, the new VIERA LED TVs are among the industry’s top energy-saving displays. The design adopts a narrow bezel form to enhance room interiors and make images appear to “float” in space.
Now here are some of the VIERA LED TV features:
VIERA Connect – Cloud- Based Internet Services
VIERA Connect is an internet service for TVs based on the use of cloud servers. It brings you video-on-demand (VOD), catch-up TV, games, educational content, and lots more, through a wide range of apps. Now you don’t need to have a PC lugged into your TV.

4200 Backlight Scanning – Smooth Reproduction of Fast Motion
A highly precise frame generation and insertion creates smooth flowing images while a fine light-emission control by the 8-Phase Backlight Scanning also minimizes flicker to ensure smooth images without afterimages (ghosting).

Advanced Wide Viewing Angle – Color, Brightness and Contrast
By combining the IPS Panel, with its excellent viewing angle characteristics, and a phase filter, beautiful images are reproduced with excellent brightness, color, and contrast even when viewed from an angle so now your old seemingly disinterested aunt who’s sitting in the dining room pretending not to watch American Idol can view it clearly.

Super Clear Resolution – All Image Sources Are Beautifully Expressed
A new image processor detects and corrects all kinds of image signals, including those for web pages and standard-definition broadcasts. This results in excellent image quality. High definition (HD) broadcasts are also reproduced with stunning quality, bringing you high-resolution images from all sources.

The panels were so thin that my camera had trouble focusing on one!

Panasonic’s new VIERA LED TVs starts from RM799.00 for the base 24” model while the top of the line 55” model is priced at RM15,999.00.

Point to note: Certain features are only applicable to certain models. Of course the higher end models will have more features so do check with your retailer before purchasing the unit.
The Smart VIERA 2013 models will be available nationwide at authorized dealers shops, starting on 18 April 2013 onwards.
Apart from the TVs, Panasonic also showcased a wide range of it’s latest products! Take a look.

Now every TV needs a good home theater system to go with it and Panasonic provides just that with DVD/ Blu-ray players and speakers
There’s a system to suit your living room or TV room
And for relaxing in your room after a long day of work why not hook up your iPod or iPhone or other MP3 player to this set of powerful speakers? In case you were wondering no there are no wires connecting the 2 units.
Water heaters
LED bulbs
Remember my post about the Panasonic LED bulb launch? No? Then read about it here – https://timchew.net/2012/12/08/panasonic-led-bulb-launch-miss-universe-malaysia-2013-pool-party/

Vacumn cleaners
Cordless phones
Portable external battery for your mobile phones
Electric toothbrushes for you lazy bums
Personal and beauty appliances…a girl’s best friend
Ceiling fans
Alkaline Ionizer Purifiers
Toilet seats cum bidet
Now these babies reallyhad my attention – new Lumix cameras!
The Lumix range comes with a whole range of lens and accessories

So it looks like there’s a Panasonic product for every room of your house and for different types of consumers. 
More info at http://www.panasonic.com.my/
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