It has been almost one and half months since I came back from the 2008 International CES. New Year's holiday stupor had blown away by the time I arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport, and the tumultuous week began! This year, Mr. Sakamoto, the president of the Panasonic AVC Networks Company, made a keynote speech, and so the Panasonic booth drew much attention from the media circle as well. And there was so much to report about. But the exhibition ended as I was running about the booth trying to write entries that would outstrip all the other media. Yet, I still wonder, what that heated week was about?

The stellar item of the 2008 International CES was, of course, the "flat screen TV". Each booth competed to display their thinner and larger flat screen TVs. Panasonic exhibited its 150-inch large screen plasma display and the 24.7mm (if measured from the indented glass surface at it's thickest part, it only measures 23.7mm) super thin plasma TV - multitudes of people were especially interested in these products. And each company introduced (tested) new ways to hang TVs on the walls, new design concepts, and new ways to use TVs making use of the large screen size, but what moved me the most among them all was the "Life Wall".

I used to wonder "What is the advantage of making larger screens?", but the "Life Wall" has shown me the answer to this question. Using the super large screen to resemble a wall (canvas), you can watch the TV at any size you want, or redecorate the room with images downloaded off the Internet, or use it for children's studies. Panasonic offered new astonishment as I discovered that "this is how large screen TVs in homes can be used"! If we could use TVs like the "Life Wall", TVs do not merely come equipped with a function to display broadcasts, but they also will become more integrated with the network, and will most likely continue to play the central role in the living room.

In the past, these visions of the future were worlds apart from our present lives, and too far-fetched. However, together with the above ideas, Panasonic introduced a concrete vision while unveiling "technology realizable today" such as "VIERA CAST", "Wireless HD", and "4k2k high resolution panel", so these ideas seemed quite close to home. What is unique to Panasonic is that it showed us not only the technical "brilliance" of manufacturing larger or thinner screens, but at the same time it also proposes new lifestyle ideas. I believe that Panasonic has shed its brand images as a conservative company, and left a strong impression on North America and the rest of the world that it is a leading, cutting edge company that will bring new ideas for life.

When I came back to Japan with this impression, I was hit with the news that "Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd" is going to be renamed as "Panasonic Corporation" and that it will unite its Japanese domestic brand for home appliances, National, under the brand name Panasonic. As with the presentation at CES, and the unification of the brands or renaming of the company, year 2008 will be an epoch-making one for Panasonic, a company that aspires for global excellence. I am very excited to witness how it will evolve during the year.

By the way, someone please do something about the appreciation of the yen that's been happening since we've entered 2008! I lost about 4,000 yen exchanging the US dollars I had leftover from my trip. I hope that the yen will be weaker next year.

My entry pass from the keynote speech venue I found in my bag. Panasonic's keynote speech may be talked about in the future as the turning point for Panasonic.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. The video report, "Corporate Theater Presentation", is now available. It is quite a long piece (15min 34sec) but you won't notice its length because it is packed full of great content from the dynamic opening performance to amazing ideas covered in the presentation.

What is a must see is, as I have described in my entry, how the "Life Wall" operates. I think you'll know what I am talking about even better if you could watch the presentation, and then go back and read the entry.

After Michelle and Carlton, the 2 presenters finish giving you a summary of the presentation, please turn the volume up and enjoy the exciting live musical performance.

Corporate Theater Presentation

Michelle is operating the "Life Wall". What moves will the "Life Wall" show us next?

The second video report, "Digest 2 (Overview of the Panasonic booth exhibition)" is now available.

The video report will give you an overview of the Panasonic booth at the 2008 International CES as well as give you an idea of what was found in the main corners. The local reporter will introduce the key ideas featured in mainly the "Entertain" zone, which include the incredible 150-inch plasma display panel, as well as the super slim plasma display panel. As I wasn't able to communicate everything in my entries and with photographs, please take a look at the video to learn more about the "Progression of Plasma Technology" and "VIERA Link."

Digest 2 (Overview of the Panasonic booth exhibition)

The video report will introduce the allure of the "Entertain" zone, which drew much attention at this year's CES. The video does an excellent job of communicating the ambience of the exhibition. You have to check out the latest plasma technology!

Sorry to keep you waiting, but the video reports that bring to you moving images from the exhibition are now available. I would like to say, "Great job!" to the video report crew. What has been uploaded so far is "Digest 1" and the "Keynote Speech Highlight." They give you a good idea of what the Panasonic booth and the dynamic keynote speech by President Sakamoto was like. I've written to you about the "Life Wall", but you have to check out how cool it moves!

Digest 1 (Keynote Speech & the Corporate Theater)

Sorry to keep you waiting, but the video reports that bring to you moving images from the exhibition are now available. I would like to say, "Great job!" to the video report crew. What has been uploaded so far is "Digest 1" and the "Keynote Speech Highlight." They give you a good idea of what the Panasonic booth and the dynamic keynote speech by President Sakamoto was like. I've written to you about the "Life Wall", but you have to check out how cool it moves!

The highlights of the keynote speech by Mr. Sakamoto, the President of the Panasonic AVC Networks Company

Highlights of the keynote speech created by the local Panasonic team. It feels a bit strange when I think that I was actually there on that day as well, but I think you will get an idea of how big the venue was and discover what President Sakamoto's speech (which introduced new technologies one after another and described the vision of the future) was like.

I forgot something at the venue, so I went back to the Las Vegas Convention Center the day after the event ended.

Cranes and forklifts are running about the venue. Where did all the plasma TVs exhibited in the Panasonic booth go?

Well, I have to go pack and get ready to go back to Japan. I hope I won't run into any problems on the way back.

The line up of plasma TVs has disappeared. All you can see is the barren wall.

A view from the entrance of the venue - the banner of the "VIERA" has been neatly removed.

There were no shuttle buses today, so I took the monorail. Because Las Vegas is a tourist city, the monorail, too, is tourist friendly; the station names are hotel names. Can you tell from the photograph?

The "2008 International CES", which has been a great success since it began on January 7, has ended today. I don't know how many visitors there was exactly until the official figures are released, but it is said that it has received about the same level of visitors as last year.

As today was the last day of the exhibition, the number of visitors decreased, and the traffic to the exhibition venue wasn't so congested. And the staff at the booth seemed to be much more relaxed in comparison to the first day, showing signs of relief and fatigue.

This year's Panasonic booth received many many visitors, perhaps because the keynote speech by Mr. Sakamoto, the President of Panasonic AVC Networks Company took place on the first day. When I hear visitors in the booth saying, "Plasma TVs have got a bright future," I felt happy as though I was the one being complimented.

It's almost time to pack up and leave the secret back room. This room is located behind the "Progression of Plasma Technology", and so I could hear the presenter adeptly say, "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the world's largest 150-inch plasma display!" and the crowds cheer in response. The presentations are over, so it's quiet in the booth now. To the presenters who have made their voices hoarse trying to enliven the booth, a job well done!

Next year, it will be held from January 8th to the 11th at the same convention center in Las Vegas again. What technologies will Panasonic surprise the world with next year? 2008 International CES raised my expectations for Panasonic even further.

I don't usually make international phone calls, but being overseas on business like I am now, I do want to call and hear my family's voice. And if families have to live in separate countries, this feeling may be even more keenly felt. Having said that, although international calling has become more reasonably priced, it still ends up costing you, so you can't casually pick up the phone and call.

Some of you may say, "if you call through your PC, the phone bill will be cheaper," but you can't really sit in front of your PC for a long period of time to talk on the phone, and I feel like it's quite different from the feeling of being able to casually pick up the phone and dial.

And as I was thinking about this, I ran into "GLOBARANGE". It is an international IP phone that looks like a telephone. And you can also use your ordinary phone line, too, so you only need 1 telephone. Of course, it's cordless.

And you can use it very easily. On the back of this telephone, you will find a terminal for a regular phone line and LAN, so you just connect the 2 lines there. And the telephone has 2 buttons, one for the IP phone and other for the landline, so you can choose which one you want to use depending on who you want to call. The buttons light up to tell you which line is receiving the call.

If you have this, you can call your husband who may be living overseas for the time being while you're in the kitchen cooking or call your parents every day to ask how they are doing. So making international calls will seem more accessible. You no longer have to worry about the phone bill!

At the moment, "GLOBARANGE" may be used in the US, Canada, Spain, Germany, UK, Australia, and Ireland. And this spring you will be able to use it in Mexico. I hope we will be able to use it in Japan soon.

The blue button is for the ordinary landline. And you push the orange button to make an international IP phone call.

A phone-booth like set up of the "GLOBARANGE" was found at the entrance of the venue where you can actually experience making a phone call with it.

The car navigation system, "Strada", made its debut in the US market at last year's CES. Multi-functionality is on the rise in the car navigation industry, and Panasonic has taken a bold step forward. That is the portable "Strada" "CN-GP50U" released last December. It has a slim and compact body with a 5-inch wide screen, but comes packed with all the essential functions such as GPS and Bluetooth(R) hands-free set.

The "Strada" offered in the US, a country with many ethnicities, t comes equipped with audio guidance in 3 languages - English, French and Spanish. As it has a battery within, you can take it with you into your living room or hotel room to set your route. If you're on a trip, it may make it easier to make plans for the following day. And because it can be removed easily, it may be very handy for the US where families have more than 1 car. Some of the prices offered are lower than 500 dollars, and sales seem to be doing very well since the release in December.

And its convenience and the compact body packed full of great sophisticated functions has secured it an International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award this year for the In-Vehicle Navigation/Telematics/ITS division

"Strada", which was introduced to the US, seems to have undergone evolution in the last year to better suit the lifestyles of the American people.

It wasn't a very flashy exhibition, but a technology worth taking note of was on display, so I decided to write about it. This is what's good about the "Cyber Showcase Blog" no? (I am giving myself a pat on the back!).

I'm talking about the 4 layer Blu-ray disc. Panasonic has established spin coat technology and was the first in the industry to make dual-layer 50GB a reality. And now it's developed the ability to record on 4 layers! And the capacity is 100GB – a capacity normally offered by HDDs. You can back-up everything on your notebook PC with a single disc, and you can record high definition video one after another, no problem.

The end of analogue broadcasts is nearing – 2009 in the US and 2011 in Japan. An era where broadcasts in high definition resolution becomes the status quo is right in front of us. And the need for larger capacity recording media will increase even more. I don't think I am going too far in saying that Blu-ray discs that continue to steadfastly increase capacity is the front runner of next generation media.

Panasonic has established a research facility in Hollywood, and by building trust it now supports the entire Blu-ray disc software production from disc production to authoring of content and pressing.

In 1993, the High Definition Telecine Center, the forerunner to the current research facility in Hollywood was established. It celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.

Blu-ray Disc Global Site

Have you ever shaken the cell phone because the reception in your house was bad? I do it all the time. I can't help myself. I know that doesn't really help at all. But I guess in the US, you don't have to shake your phone any more. Thanks to "Link to CELL".

If you have the "Base Set" you can see in the back of the photograph and the cell phone and set them in an area at home that gets the best reception, the phone calls that your mobile phone receives will be transferred via Bluetooth(R) to the "Base Set" once, and then on to a cordless handset. Now you can rest assured when you get phone calls at home. You can use the handset to talk on the phone, and you won't get tired even if you stay on the phone for a long time because you no longer have to stay in the same spot that offers the best reception any more; the handset is more comfortable to hold and you can call from wherever you like in your home.

If you place your mobile phone charger near the "Base Set", you can also talk on the phone while your cell phone is charging. And setting up your cell phone with the "Base Set" can be done with a push of a button. And there's no extra costs; you only have to pay for the call charge on your cell phone, and it will recognize up to 2 phones.

There are many people in Japan nowadays who no longer have a landline at home. If a product like "Link to CELL" is made available in Japan, it is sure to draw much attention.

Another topic that is befitting of the US. I found an interesting exhibition in the "VIERA Advantage" corner, so let me introduce it to you. TVs available nowadays already offer an amazing picture quality. But did you know that the colors the TV produces differ from those screened in the movie theaters? I was able to experience this in the "Digital Cinema Color" corner.

When we watch TV, we are watching the footage in colors that are in compliance with the HDTV specifications, which are the color specifications for high definition broadcasts. On the other hand, the colors used in the movie theaters comply with Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications established by Hollywood. So, simply put, TVs nowadays have been made to beautifully reproduce contents of digital broadcasting or DVDs, but specifications that include even deeper expressions in color are being employed in movie theaters.

Recently in the US, digitalization of movie theaters have rapidly pushed forward, thus over 3,000 movie theaters screen movies digitally. And this corner allows you to compare the color resolutions of the projectors used in digital cinemas and the Panasonic plasma TVs side by side. You can see how close Panasonic's plasma TVs have come to the color reproduction of projectors used in digital cinemas.

First you watch the images of the projector that can replicate the color reproduction in digital cinemas. DCI specifications encompasses a far wider range of color reproduction, so you can now see colors that weren't reproducible before. In the demonstration, the HDTV specifications and DCI specifications are compared alternately to see the difference in color. You can clearly tell that the red color of the woman's dress has even greater depth. And you can also clearly tell the difference for colors such as yellow and gold.

Next when you look at the plasma TV, you will see that it, too, can reproduce such distinguishing colors with depth. This plasma TV is actually the latest and the most high-end model to be introduced to the US market in the near future. It is said that this plasma TV has the same breadth of color spectrum as that specified by the digital cinema industry (SMPTE DC28), which is used in the professional environment such as in movie theaters. And this is what is called the "Digital Cinema Color".

Numerous companies that supply flat-screen TVs are competing to offer a wider range of color reproducibility. And Panasonic decided to employ standards used in the professional arena; it felt that it was better to offer the same range of colors as those experienced in movie theaters in order to enjoy watching movies in picture quality that the film producers have intended. Panasonic has established a research center in Hollywood, and as we can see from this, and also from this demonstration, Panasonic's commitment to films is quite extraordinary.

The color reproducibility of digital cinema color well appraised by visitors from the film industry.

A comparative demonstration using a serious projector that can reproduce the same range of colors as that seen in movie theaters.

The images on the plasma and those reproduced by the projector have been placed side by side, displaying StEM materials (Hollywood's standard evaluation materials) and digital cinema footage from 20th Century FOX. The colors and the brightness of the displays are about the same.

Just what you might expect from the US. They have put a living room in a large trailer truck, where people can experience "Living in High Definition", the exhibition theme for the Panasonic booth at this year's CES. And this trailer truck has been traveling across the country making stops at events and general merchandize stores. After it left Circuit City in Richmond, Virginia in September of 2007, it has traveled across the country and is now here at the 2008 International CES.

In the living room inside the trailer, you can experience the 103-inch plasma TV, as well as the 50-inch plasma TV and theater system. You will also find a Blu-ray theater system and HD camcorder and "LUMIX" in the living room, so you can experience the "VIERA Link".

This campaign goes to not only showrooms and exhibition halls, but also to other places where people gather such as shops, shopping malls, train stations, and event halls, and offers opportunities to experience the beauty of the plasma TVs and a premium lifestyle created around it. And this campaign is not only being conducted in the US. This large-scale campaign referred to internally as the "Global Plasma Roadshow" began last April, and is taking place in 150 major cities, over 230 locations worldwide, in a way that suits each country.

It's best to have people actually see it and test it for themselves when trying to communicate how beautiful the picture performance is or how convenient it is. If you happened to notice that this roadshow is taking place nearby, why not stop by and see for yourself?

The trailer is 53 feet (16m) long. In Japan, the largest trailer truck allowed on public roads is 40 feet.

This is the 103-inch theater system in the trailer. Because 103-inch is only sold on a made-to-order basis, they are very hard to find in electronics shops, but you can experience its dynamic large-screen at the "Global Plasma Roadshow"!

You will find communication about Panasonic's Official Worldwide Olympic Partnership in various areas in its booth at the 2008 International CES. When you come to the entrance, what first greets the visitors is the Olympic Highlight Wall. The Corporate Theater presentation begins by heightening the Olympic mood together with images that depict the Olympic Games.

The international signal for this year's Olympic Games will be shot for the first time in full high definition. Thus it will be a commemorative competition for the broadcasting industry as well. And the dynamic footage will be befitting of delivering the passion and excitement of the Games to people all over the world. Panasonic is contributing to the Olympic Movement as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner upholding the key phrase, "Sharing the Passion." Panasonic will make contributions to the Olympic Games with its full high definition technologies in the venue, during broadcast, and on the large screen TVs in people's living rooms. Its visual technology will surely enrich the quality time to be spent with your family.

The toy shop and the swing I told you about in my entry before the CES began was a demonstrative set for shooting photographs using the "LUMIX".

The colorful toy shop filled with primary colors lets you test out its color reproducibility. And with the swing, as you can see in the photograph, a model sits on the swing, so you can test out how beautifully you can photograph a moving subject. And even the buildings and cityscape in the background add to the atmosphere, but it's such a big set, I was quite impressed that Panasonic had gone to this extent. This grand scale, to me, seemed American as well.

The "LUMIX" corner and the "Camcorder" corner were adjacent to each other. So you can test out the "Face Detection" function and how blurriness caused by unsteady hands are corrected in the same area.

Digital Camera, "LUMIX"

Let me introduce another product that employs "tru2way(TM)" technology jointly developed with Comcast Corporation. It's a portable digital video recorder called "AnyPlay(TM)".

At a glance, it looks like a portable DVD player with a LCD display, but it also has an internal 60GB HDD. If you set it on the docking station embedded with an STB, it will record CATV programs, and you can take the programs with you. Because it directly records from the STB, you don't have to transfer it from a recorder. The docking station also acts as a charger. So all you have to do is really just "Grab & Go".

Are you familiar with the term "Soccer Mom"? As you can guess many mothers drive their children to and from soccer or baseball games in the US. So "AnyPlay(TM)" would be great for mothers, because now they can watch recorded movies and TV shows while they wait for their children. And the children can watch their shows in the car on the way to their games or on the way home. Because it comes with a 12V DC adaptor for cars, you don't have to worry about the battery running out.

Moreover, you can record cooking programs and refer to the recipe in the kitchen, or enjoy watching TV in places you weren't able to before such as in your yard or balcony.

"AnyPlay(TM)" is the only component that allows you to record CATV programs and watch it on the go. It is truly a fruit of Comcast and Panasonic's collaboration.

"AnyPlay Portable DVR (P-DVR)" – will become available in the market early 2009.

You can remove it from the docking station like this and take it with you. It has an 8.5-inch LCD, so you can watch it whenever you like, from wherever you are.

On the docking station embedded with an STB, there are output terminals, so if you leave it connected to the TV, you can keep using it as an STB even if you take the player with you.

The Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) for CATV has been given a more user friendly name, "tru2way(TM)". Last year, Panasonic announced that it will be supplying OCAP compatible STBs to Comcast Corporation – this announcement is still fresh in my mind. And as promised, Panasonic has offered its STBs to US consumers.

And what is more, Panasonic unveiled the first plasma TV in the industry that is compatible with "tru2way(TM)" specification at this year's International CES. Panasonic's commitment to CATV in the US is the real thing!

The "VIERA" exhibited as a prototype at this year's CES is embedded with a tuner that is compatible to the "tru2way(TM)" technology. With this "VIERA", you won't need a CATV STB, and so the area around your TV can remain clean and smart. And you only need the TV remote to operate it. Being able to use the convenient 2-way services of the CATV such as VOD and start over (which lets you watch the program from the beginning any time you want) with 1 remote will certainly offer great benefits.

In the US there are many CATV viewers, so Panasonic's commitment to CATV is sure to be supported by even more people in the future.

Plasma TVs with "tru2way(TM)" technology will be available in the market sometime this year.

The 32GB SD Memory Card unveiled at CEATEC JAPAN 2007 was also introduced at the 2008 International CES.

32GB is a capacity that exceeds the Blu-ray Disc's capacity (25GB) to record on a single layer. One DVD has a capacity of 4.7GB, so the new SD Memory Card has 7 times the capacity! If you think about how widespread the SD Memory Card has become with digital cameras and camcorders, the prices may become more accessible soon. That way, we might see an age when we can keep everything stored on the card without having to download the photographs or video from the digital cameras and camcorders onto the PC each time.

The SD Memory Cards have such a large capacity now, the day when they may be used as a removable HDD may not be so far off.

It's a product that isn't available in Japan, but it's something that I've come to covet very much, so let me introduce it to you. This is the SDR-SW20, the SD Memory Card compatible camcorder that is water resistant up to 5 feet (1.5m). There aren't any waterproof camcorders in Japan, so it is very attractive. When you go to the beach with your children, they seem to be having the most fun in the water. But you can't take the camcorder you currently have into the water. Well, you can take this SD Memory Card camcorder into the water no problem. I wish they would make this available in Japan. But it's a bit of a shame that it's not high definition compatible yet.

In order to place emphasis on its water resistant feature, the camcorder was placed in an aquarium. The one on the right is the "LUMIX" TZ3 in a transparent waterproof case, but the SD Memory Card compatible camcorder is placed right into the water. For a second it makes you think, "Is it really ok?" but the screen was working fine.

A new SD Memory Card compatible HD camcorder has been unveiled at the CES (it was announced in Japan on the 9th of January).

The featured function is "Face Detection". When the camcorder recognizes a face while you're shooting, it automatically corrects the image, so that you can shoot both faces and landscapes together beautifully, even when filming against the light. Moreover, it delicately hides blemishes and wrinkles, so this may make your mother happy when shooting.

I used to think that "Face Detection" was a technology strictly for the field of security. But all of the sudden, it's become a function embedded in digital cameras and camcorders. I wonder if the person who invented it first had this in mind. Moreover, watching the "Life Wall" demonstration on the Corporate Theater, I feel more keenly that this technology will have many more applications in the consumer electronics arena. I look forward to what Panasonic's ideas, which have already offered numerous benefits, will bring to life in the future.

Functions are important, but this is an exhibition. People who picked it up and tested it out for themselves seemed to be most curious about how such a small body can shoot in full high definition.

HD Camcorder

I couldn't write everything about the "Life Wall" in my previous entry, so let me continue on in this one. In the "Life Wall" we will find clues to futuristic technologies that will allow us to easily master the use of functions customized to each family member.

And a representative of such futuristic technology is the "face recognition". The TV will recognize the faces of each family member, and will automatically serve up a customized menu for each person with information, contents they like, and their e-mails. It has been designed so that you can quickly access the information you desire. All you have to do is face the control panel displayed on the "Life Wall" and perform a few simple hand gestures. In the presentation, these technologies were collectively called "You-Know-Me-TV".

They also introduced the "Stay-With-Me-TV", which uses sensors to detect your movement and location. With this, the TV screen moves and follows your movement. Moreover, it can also detect the distance between you and the "Life Wall", automatically adjusting the screen size to offer the optimum size screen. Right now, you would probably choose the screen size judging from the average distance you'd watch the TV from, but once you've picked a size, you can't really change it. But with the "Life Wall", there's no need to do that. You just sit in your favorite chair, and the screen will automatically adjust itself to offer the optimum viewing size.

The fun and surprise the "Life Wall" beholds - I can't really do it justice with words, so please look forward to the video report that will be made available at a later time.

The "Life Wall" will recognize who it is, and display the appropriate customized menu icons, so you can quickly access your favorite contents.

I went and watched the Corporate Theater presentation that I told you about yesterday! The live music stopped people in their tracks and lured them towards the presentation, and images of the Olympic Games, which will be held in Beijing this August, appeared in synch with the music. The opening sequence is a very dynamic musical performance. Once the applause from the crowd subsided, a male and female presenter appeared on stage. The presentation develops around 2 pillars, the "progressions of plasma technology" and the "Life Wall". These are 2 topics that also drew attention in President Sakamoto's keynote speech.

A dynamic live performance. Begins with a grand performance befitting of CES.

The presentation begins with the introduction of the progression of plasma technology. I have already touched upon this in my earlier entries, so I would like to focus on Panasonic's vision for the future of television, the "Life Wall". It is quite apparent from the "Life Wall" that Panasonic is aspiring for a "lifestyle where a network may be easily established" around the TV.

Life Wall - as the name indicates, it’s a wall of life. Dynamic big screens and high definition TVs that have evolved will naturally melt into our lives and become one wall. And this wall of imagery will become the key that "internally" and "externally" connects our home to various information. The images projected on the wall will form a part of the interior décor, it is entertainment, and it is an integrated control panel that will look after security and your health.

What I've written so far may be too abstract and hard to understand, so let me explain to you what the demonstrations described. As I wrote earlier, the entire wall in a room will be transformed into a display. And if you project windows or wall paper onto the wall, you can recreate your room's interior. And if you set it up so that you can change the design according to your mood, you can easily change the look of your room. Moreover, if you project scenic images on the large screen, you can feel like you're traveling right at home. And what's more, if you display internet services such as Google Earth(TM), you can have a virtual experience with your children and feel like you're actually there, even though you haven't left your home. You can also take part in remote learning or exercise, and receive medical treatment in your living room.

The 150-inch plasma display panel exhibited as a prototype at this year's CES is an example of how TV screens are getting bigger and bigger. And the "VIERA CAST" that connects TVs to network services. And the concept of "Whole Life Connectivity" that links various elements of our lifestyles around the TV. If we bring all these together, it consolidates to become the "Life Wall".

Mr. Sakamoto closed his opening keynote speech yesterday with the words, "Is this just our imagination? Stay tuned…" These words just popped into my mind.

If you call out the icons on a blank wall and start operating the system...

You can place windows or photographs of your family in any place on the wall you like, in any size.

You can have a virtual experience by calling up images of places you'd like to go.

I would like to introduce a digital camera that will offer hours of fun especially if used in combination with the "VIERA CAST" I introduced in an entry earlier on. That is the "LUMIX" with Wi-Fi capacity. You can upload the photographs taken via the Wi-Fi network to the Picasa Web Albums(TM). And the photographs can be seen remotely on your PC or on the "VIERA CAST".

You may be able to effortlessly upload your photographs from your family vacations and the grandparents can look at them from where they live, or if you get lost, you can take photographs of the surroundings, upload it, and have someone give you directions.

The "Wi-Fi LUMIX" magnifies the mobility of digital cameras and the possibilities of the network. How would you use it?

An display that places an emphasis on the collaboration with the Picasa Web Albums(TM) and the PC.

The cut and exposed portion is the base of the wireless LAN.

Digital Camera, "LUMIX"

In the entry featuring the "Living in High Definition" stage I introduced the connectivity via the IP network. But this entry is about connectivity with internet services. The "VIERA" to be made commercially available in the US starting this spring will have a button called, "VIERA CAST", and by pushing that button, viewers can now directly access familiar Google content such as YouTube(TM) and the Picasa Web Albums(TM)!

You can view photographs and videos your children who may live far away have sent on Picasa Web Albums(TM) or on YouTube(TM) on the large screen "VIERA". Moreover, if you get bored watching TV, you can surf YouTube(TM) to see if there are any interesting contents just by using a single remote control. You could only enjoy such content on your own on the PC, but on the large screen "VIERA" in your living room, the whole family can enjoy them.

It wasn't a very big corner, but it was constantly crowded with people that it was hard for me to get in there and report about it. There were people who asked if they could have their photograph taken in front of it, so we can expect its popularity to be quite high! "VIERA CAST" is a function that will only be available in the US. It would be great if the same service will become available in Japan.

VIERA's ability to "link" was known as "EZ Sync" in the US until last year. This year, Panasonic has unified the name by which this function is called, and so now it is known worldwide as "VIERA Link". This function is much talked about in Japan. It offers easy connectivity, and the convenience of being able to operate all the equipment with 1 remote control is very attractive for me, as I still use 3 remote controls just to watch DVDs, and get covered in dust trying to reconnect the equipment. This function seems to be also drawing more and more attention in the US.

With "VIERA Link", Blu-ray disc players and theater systems may be linked together, and what's more, the ability to link using the IP network or the "EZ-Sync EXT", which displayed last year as a futuristic technology, is now being made commercially available. The "VIERA Link" will also leap out of the living room and extend into the fields of security, communication, and health. This year, Panasonic has introduced the entire network formed around the "VIERA" using the key phrase, "Whole Life Connectivity". I would like to discuss this in detail when I write my entry on the demonstration that I saw on the "Living in High Definition" stage.

This year, you can see this logo in various places around the booth. As its designation has been unified, I could tell at a glance what it was about even though I'm from Japan.

VIERA Link

This year's presentation theme for the "Living in High Definition" stage is the "VIERA Link". As I explained in my earlier entry, this focuses on the "VIERA Link" that has now taken a leap out of the living room.

First the presentation eases us in with the "VIERA" and the "LUMIX", and the collaboration of the "VIERA" and the high definition camcorder. The crowd cheered in excitement and were astonished when the footage just taken at the booth was displayed on the TV. It was a sight that made me smile. (The presenter certainly seems to have captured the audience's hearts).

The demonstration of the collaboration made possible with the SD Memory Card gets the crowd going. The simplicity is perhaps what is great about the "VIERA Link".

"And from here on, we're going to talk about technologies that will become a reality in the near future" and with that, I learned about what's to come. (Some of the things mentioned, however, are already a reality in Japan.)

First, IP cameras and the network were mentioned. You can display the footage from the remote IP camera on the large screen "VIERA" and check to see what your children are up to in their rooms. The presentation also described how you can attain security quite easily.

Moreover, there is an integrated system that can control, for example the lighting, room temperature, curtains, and locks. In the demonstration, the presenter opened and closed the curtains, and adjusted the lighting with the remote control of the "VIERA" demonstrating how you can automatically create an ideal environment for watching movies on the large screen "VIERA".

Displaying the panel for the integrated control. When you see the icons for air conditioners and lighting displayed, you really feel that this is indeed the "Whole Life Connectivity".

Next, I learned about the collaboration with car navigation systems. The demonstration showed how you can make a recording reservation for your favorite TV program, check to see that everything at home is alright, or that the doors are locked from your car navigation system. In Japan, such a function might be added to the mobile phone and it may stop there. But as the US is an automobile based society, car navigation may seem more appropriate than mobile phones. I felt that this may be an idea unique to US.

A demonstration that shows how you can check to see if everything in your home is ok from your car.

The demonstration that took place last was video communication with high definition footage. The demonstration featured how you can take part in an exercise class in a studio without ever leaving the house. You can easily take part while communicating with people in the studio. If, like in the US, your house is big and the gym is far away, this would be very handy. This system can also be used for video conferencing and to receive medical treatment/consultation remotely. And I even thought this may be beneficial to the environment; with this, you wouldn't have to drive your car so often, so you would emit less CO2.

A demonstration took place where a visitor who was at the booth actually spoke to the instructor in a different location.

If you look at these demonstrations, you can well see how the TV in the living room becomes a portal to the outdoor world. And the remote control of the TV may serve as a key to the information lifeline in the future. Making sure we always have spare batteries for the remote control – such a day may not be so far off in the future.

VIERA Link

Please take a look at the picture. I stopped by to collect brochures, but there are this many official brochures of the 2008 International CES. And the biggest one of them all, the "OFFICIAL SHOW DIRECTORY" has 580 pages. The scale is certainly different.

And there is an official shop of the 2008 International CES in the hall, where you can buy bags and T-shirts among other things. The scale of the exhibition is such that they can build a shop like this.

I stopped by to collect brochures, but there are this many official brochures!

This is the official shop of the 2008 International CES.

As the plasma TVs becomes slimmer and you can easily hang them on the wall, what becomes an issue is the cords. Although you can neatly hang the TV on the wall, if there are cords hanging down it won't look smart. Now, a technology, named "WirelessHD(TM)" is on display in the booth that will help resolve this issue.

"WirelessHD(TM)" can of course send uncompressed full high definition video signal, but it can also send control signals at the same time, so you can use the "VIERA Link" much in the same way. The wireless signal is sent towards the TV from the "Home Base" or the rack on the wagon where the Blu-ray Disc Recorder has been set up. And at the booth the staff demonstrated how the video content may be transmitted without interruption, as even if you place your hand in the front of the rack, it switches to a different pathway (beam steering technology).

"WirelessHD(TM)" is a specification formulated by the "WirelessHD Consortium", a special interest group made up of Intel Corporation, LG Electronics Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), NEC Corporation, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, CO., LTD., SiBEAM, Inc., Sony Corporation and Toshiba Corporation. The product that is being exhibited at the Panasonic booth has been created by Panasonic and SiBEAM in accordance to such specifications. It is the first of its kind in the world.

With the "super slim plasma TV" and "wireless high definition transmission," TV will be freed from the shackles of cords and cables, and we may see whole new different ways in which it will be used.

The black wagon you see in the photograph is the "Home Base" which transmits wireless high definition signals.

What forms the base for the plasma technology heretofore introduced is the double-efficiency technology that improves the luminance efficiency of the panels. To make this possible, Panasonic reexamined all of the technology involved such as the materials use, the circuits, and cell structure. Such efforts have produced results doubling the luminance efficiency.

Plasma "VIERA" has a well-established reputation for offering high contrast. However, it can now offer twice the brightness, so if you maintain the brightness at current levels, it halves the energy consumption. And that is how full high definition 42-inch plasma display panels with half the energy consumption came to life. And what is more, this high luminance efficiency technology was realized with a 42-inch full high definition panel, which has the smallest cell luminance surface among all the models in the line-up. So if you employ this technology for large plasma displays with a greater luminance surface, an even greater effect may be expected.

Having the technology to control the brightness and power consumption means that not only can you achieve lower power consumption, but you can also have larger screens, higher resolution, and thinner profiles. In other words, it is truly a core technology for the development of next generation plasma display panels.

The mass production using this technology requires new production processes. The 5th factory in Amagasaki, Japan scheduled to begin operation in May 2009 has this capacity. I can hardly wait.

The plasma display panel on the right has a higher luminance efficiency. Because of the way the photograph was taken, it looks a bit blurred, but in reality, the 2 screens are displaying images of the same brightness, but the power consumption is only about half that of plasma display panels shown on the left.

A prototype of the super thin plasma has been announced! 50-inch models, that are now less than 1 inch thick, or 24.7mm may be found in the Panasonic booth at this year's CES. If you compare it with the TH-50PX750SK currently sold in Japan, the new plasma display's thickness is approximately 1/4, and the weight is approximately half, or 22kg. It is a super slim very light plasma display. 24.7mm is the thickness we usually associate with compact digital cameras and mobile notebook PCs.

Being this slim and light, you can, of course, hang it on the wall, but even people who had thought that the 50-inch was too big for their homes as they didn't have enough space may start to reconsider.

In any case, I feel quite satisfied having witnesses the possibilities that the plasma displays hold to progress even further.

The plasma displays were put on a rail and moved and swung about. Panasonic proposed new styles that featured the displays' super slimness.

Panasonic has continued to lead the world in creating large screen TVs. And now, it has set a new world record with the 150-inch screen.

It is as big as 9 (3x3) 50-inch plasma display panels. The screen is approximately 1.9m tall, so a real-life size person can fit in the screen no problem. And what is more, the resolution is equivalent to 4 times that of full high definition panels, so 4096 x 2160 pixels, totaling a high resolution of 8.84 million pixel resolution. It is an ultra-large advanced high definition plasma display panel with a 2K x 4K resolution.

Having seen it with my own eyes, it really is extremely big. And there are many applications. For example, it can be used as screens at conference centers. At the moment, projectors that project images in the forward direction are main used, but a screen this big, it will be sufficiently possible to replace such projectors. And because it's a plasma display panel, people looking at the screen at an angle can see the images without any problems, and you can make presentations even in bright rooms. You no longer have to worry about the presenter getting in the way and the projection being blocked. Moreover, plasma display panels may be placed in public facilities, that before had been too brightly lit to place displays or screens.

Furthermore, in the future there may be more ways to use such displays, taking advantage of the 2K x 4K high resolution. For example, you can split the screen to display 2 programs at the same time. With a 2K x 4K display, both programs may be enjoyed in full high definition. Creating bigger and bigger screens – their future is full of possibilities depending on how they will be used.

It is so big even a tall man looks small. It attracts so many people, there's always a crowd in front of it.

When people think CES, they also think keynote speech. That is how much attention the keynote speeches draws each year. And Mr. Sakamoto, the president of the Panasonic AVC Networks Company had the honor of being the opening keynote speaker this year. Being the first day and first one up, there were crowds and crowds of people in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian Hotel.

What President Sakamoto spoke about first was the "Digital Hearth". He mentioned "bringing back family time" by linking digital network products around the plasma TV, and using VIERA Link and SD Memory Cards, so that families will gather and congregate in front of the TV.

And to further expand on this "Digital Hearth" world, he unveiled the progression of plasma technology, new services that have come to fruition by collaborating with contents providers, and Panasonic's vision of the future of television.

Panasonic's newly developed plasma display panel technologies - products that employ such technologies include the 42-inch plasma TV that consumes half as much power, the world's largest 150-inch plasma display panel, and the prototype of the 50-inch plasma with a slimness of 24.7mm. These will be exhibited at the Panasonic booth, so I would like to take a closer look and write about them later.

Cell design with twice the luminance efficiency. At the same brightness as the existing levels, the power consumption is cut by half.

50-inch plasma TV with less than an inch of thickness. The thickness is now 1/4 of what it was before, and the weight is 1/2 at 22kg.

He threw in a joke here and there, saying "You can display a life-size elephant, if it's a small one."

Moreover, the WirelessHD(TM), which can receive/transmit full high definition video contents wirelessly was announced. Mr. Sakamoto received a warm round of applause when he cut the cord with a pair of scissors saying that "we no longer need" to connect equipment to the TV with tedious cords.

US is known for its adept skill in presentation. And the crowds reactions when listening to speeches are completely different. Every time a new product is announced, they clapped loudly. As a presenter, it must have been enjoyable to be up there speaking to such an enthusiastic crowd.

Next, we have collaborations. He introduced a TV embedded with "tru2way(TM)-ready" technology, and the STB "Any Play" that expands the possibilities of cable television - these were invented jointly with Comcast Corporation, a leading cable TV company in the US. Comcast's CEO, Mr. Brian Roberts also appeared, stimulating the crowd.

Mr. Sakamoto introduced the new product "Any Play(TM)" together with Comcast's CEO, Mr. Brian Roberts.

Next, Google's service YouTube(TM) and Picasa Web Albums(TM) was introduced as collaboration partners. Mr. Steve Chen, the co-founder of YouTube(TM) and Mr. Mike Horowitz, the product manager of Picasa were also introduced. The crowd was intrigued that you can watch YouTube(TM) on TV. Unfortunately at the moment, this service will only be available in the US.

Unveiling of "VIERA Cast" created in collaboration with YouTube(TM) and Picasa Web Albums(TM). It's so exciting that you can watch YouTube(TM) on the large screen of the TV.

The collaborations announced in this year's keynote speech is all very alluring. I will describe them in detail in my later entries.

What was introduced afterwards is the "Link to VIERA!", which was launched in Japan last year. VIERA Link transcends beyond the living room and expands into the fields of security, safety, and communication. This was introduced as "Whole Life Connectivity".

Lastly, Mr. Sakamoto describe Panasonic's vision for the future of television, or what Panasonic calls the "Life Wall". This idea that transform the entire wall into a TV screen not only can receive TV broadcasts; it transcends to a whole new dimension. It's not some rogue bizarre idea. When you think about making larger screens, VIERA Link, and VIERA Cast, it seems very realistic. The details will be introduced in the Corporate Theater at the Panasonic booth, so I will touch upon this at a later time.

"Life Wall" uses the entire wall as a display. The use of TV that surpassed our imaginations made the crowd cry out in astonishment.

Listening to Mr. Sakamoto's speech, I understood that with the evolution of the plasma, the world of the network expands ("Whole Life Connectivity"), and with the family coming together to the "Digital Hearth", family time is brought back. All the products displayed in the Panasonic booth at CES seems now all connected by a single line. This may be "Living in High Definition" that Panasonic upholds.

A quick look at the Panasonic booth brought to you with photographs – part 2.

The "Share" zone. You will also find the 32GB SDHC Memory Card unveiled at CEATEC last year.

The "Create" zone. There is a corner where you can try taking photographs and video with the LUMIX and the SD Memory Card compatible high definition camcorders, and you can also test out the "Intelligent Auto" mode that employs the face detection technology.

The "Connect" zone. A phone unique to the US, different from those found in Japan, "GLOBARANGE" is exhibited here

The "Mobile" zone. The "Strada," which debuted in the US market at last year's CES. How has it evolved this year?

Although the doors have just opened, there's a great turnout at the Panasonic booth. I will get into detail later, but I will give you a 2 part overview of the entire booth.

The "Corporate Theater" welcomes the visitors. A presentation that is synchronous in substance with the message communicated by Mr. Sakamoto, the president of the Panasonic AVC Networks Company, in his opening keynote speech is presented here.

A line up of the "VIERA" – the 2008 US tagline for the "VIERA," "Enter the Visual Era" is displayed above the panoply of beautiful screens.

The "Progression of Plasma Technology" such as the super size 150-inch plasma TV, the 50-inch super thin full flat 24.7mm plasma TVs, and WirelessHD(TM) compatible plasma TVs that can handle uncompressed HDTV video without resolution deterioration are on display.

"VIERA Advantage" corner. The superiority of plasma TVs such as its color viewing angle and super contrast is explained by displaying images on the screens.

"Living in High Definition stage" – the demonstration introduces how the network expands around the "VIERA".

10:00 local time in Las Vegas, clear and sunny. The big event, the 2008 International CES has just begun.

I have returned as quickly as I could from another venue where the opening keynote speech took place from 8:30 this morning. It seems that there is already quite a crowd here at the Panasonic booth.
(I will let you know about how the keynote went in another entry I'll write later on).

This is true for most exhibitions, but when you interview the staff on the first day, you can feel their nervousness and tension. I wish them good luck over the next 4 days.

Through the Cyber Showcase Blog, I too will do my best over the next 4 days to communicate the atmosphere of the Panasonic booth in a way that is a bit different from other media, so I hope you will bear with me.

As it was the case last year, this year's theme for the Panasonic booth is once again "Living in High Definition." It has become quite a familiar exhibition theme for the Panasonic booth.

Panasonic proposes an enriched, premium lifestyle with "VIERA Link," whereby the latest full high definition equipment and services connect around the flat-screen TV "VIERA." And until last year, "VIERA Link" was called "Ez sync" in the US, but from this year the name has been unified to "VIERA Link."

This year, this concept is proposed through 5 zones, namely "Entertain", "Share", "Connect", "Create", and "Mobile." Moreover, the "Corporate Theater" will describe the future offerings of the "Living in High Definition," and the "Living in High Definition Stage" will express how the "VIERA Link" will expand this year. I will describe the zones in more detail tomorrow onwards.

The last push for completion at the Panasonic booth is underway at high speed. I have been to many Japanese exhibitions before, but this is my first overseas mission. Many staff members from Japan seem to have also come to take part in the set up – every member of the staff is giving their undivided attention to check how the video contents are being displayed and the operation of the equipment for the last time. I can't help but feel exhilarated when I am enveloped in an atmosphere pregnant with excitement.

The steps involved in the preparations should be much the same, but when I see the staff here working using cranes and forklifts, dynamically maneuvering through narrow passages, shouting gaily at each other, I think, "This is indeed the American way!" It is quite intriguing. The carpet within the booth is very cushiony, as Toshi mentioned in his blog entry last year. It makes me want to walk barefoot.

The "secret back room" from which I am writing my entries is, this time, behind one of the exhibition corners in an area often referred to as the back yard. We finally just got chairs in the room, and so now I can sit down to write my entries. I will be writing from this room.

The work will probably still continue, but I would also like to report about the differences between exhibitions in Japan and the U.S. so please look forward to my entries!

For some reason, there is a toy store and a swing in the Panasonic booth. It doesn't say anywhere that it's for visitors' who have come with their children. Why are these things here? Please stay tuned until the last day to find out why.

I've come to inspect the Las Vegas Convention Center, the venue for the 2008 International CES, which will begin tomorrow.

The Panasonic booth is located in the central hall, #9405. Products, signs, and lighting are being set up, and preparations on the main stage are also underway. Spending time in such an energetic, hectic environment, my fatigue from yesterday seems to have completely disappeared.

Various parts of the booth are covered with a black fabric. Psychologically, when something is hidden, you want to uncover it and have a look. I tried to take a peak from between the curtains, but they were quite strict, so I wasn't successful. I will tell you what is behind them in entries I will write tomorrow onwards.

Finally, the exhibition will kick off tomorrow. When things settle down a bit here today, I hope to take a look around the booth and gather information for my entries.

When you enter the central hall of the convention center you will see a VIERA banner.

There are stepladders and piles of cardboard boxes in numerous places within the booth. No matter what country you're in, the way preparations for the exhibition proceeds amidst the clutter and chaos looks much the same.

I am writing this entry having finally arrived in the hotel in Las Vegas flying via Los Angeles. The trip over really makes me want to say "finally arrived" as so much has happened. When I left the Osaka International Airport, it was 13:30 on January 5th (local time in Japan). I first flew to Narita (Tokyo), but it all began when the flight from Narita to Los Angeles was delayed for an hour. I still felt alright when I found out that the flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas would be delayed for 2 hours. I had some light lunch, and went to the gate only to find out that the flight had been cancelled! So, I received a refund for my ticket, and they tried to put me on another flight. At last, when there was an open seat on a flight and I headed towards the gate, the plane was about to push out. I hopped on the plane and sat down in my seat. And the plane finally pushed out and took flight. That is how I finally arrived at the McCarran International in Las Vegas.

What had caused such a delay is said to be an incredible dust storm down in Dallas, which caused 400 flights to be cancelled. And the effects of such were felt in Los Angeles as well. May be I should have checked what was going on before hand. In any case, I did arrive in Las Vegas safe and sound.

But when I got to the airport in Las Vegas, my bag, which was supposed to have arrived before me wasn't there… I tried to negotiate to have my bags delivered to my hotel, but there was such a long line that by the time I finished filling in the necessary forms, my bag arrived. It had caught up with me.

Then we waited for the staff who arrived on a later flight as they could not get on the same flight from LA (as there were no seats). So by the time everything finished, it was 22:00 on January 5th (or 16:00 on January 6th local time in Japan). So it took me about 27 hours to get here.

I was supposed to go to the venue after I got in tonight to go to the convention center which would be in a whirl of preparations, but I've reached my limit today... I will try to get a good night's sleep and prepare for the morrow. Of course I am planning to use my low-frequency therapy equipment to massage my tired body now.

For your information, the time displayed below from this entry forward will be the local time in Las Vegas.

When you think of Las Vegas, perhaps the first thing that pops into your mind is entertainment, but taking a look around at the airport, there also seem to be many businessmen. May be they are here for the CES? When you get off the airplane, you see VIERA pillar ads for the 2008 International CES.

Happy New Year! I hope you will stick by the CyberShowcase Blog again this year.

Perhaps because the end of the year was hectic, but it's already time to go. Unlike my reporting in the past, I have a lot of luggage to take with me on this trip. Laptops, reporting kits, documents, passport, tickets, transformers, chargers, etc. etc. - packing while thinking I might need this and that, I have ended up with a bit pile of things to take with me.

The 2008 International CES will begin on January 7, but I will continue to write about the exhibition before it begins. I will go and be your eyes at the exhibitions, so please do stay tuned.

Oops! I forgot to pack the low-frequency therapy equipment...

Although my luggage looks compact, it is tightly packed to the brim.

In Japan, analogue broadcast is scheduled to end on July 24, 2011. But in the US, it's a bit earlier, and is scheduled to end on the February 17, 2009. February 2009 is approximately 1 year after the 2008 International CES.

At last year's CES, numerous companies announced new full high definition products, such as the 42-inch plasma TV. Panasonic of course also made its announcements. Many LCD TVs with higher drive speeds were exhibited. In the flat-screen TV market since then, full high definition has become more widespread in the plasma TV realm, and higher drive speed LCD TVs have become quite a natural function. So, thinking in this light, I don't think we can talk about AV, home electronics, and digital products this year without taking a look at the big event that will kick off the year! What will be this year's trend? I hope to see for myself in Las Vegas.

Last year, there were many prototypes of TVs that could display a website on screen, but I am curious to find out how things in this field has developed this year. In Japan, optical fibers are rapidly becoming widespread, and a TV internet service "acTVila" began its high definition video transmission service. I wonder what changes there were in the US. The communication environment in the US is said to be mainly ADSL based, so would HD video transmission be a bit difficult? How will the fusion between TV and the internet look like in the US? This is something quite interesting as we are about to witness a great transformation in TVs.

And, what about the next generation DVDs and home theaters? It's quite endless if we keep thinking about all these things. I am very much looking forward to bringing to you fresh information from an exhibition that makes me feel so excited.

I took a look at the official site of the 2008 International CES, so that I could find information about the exhibition, and I thought, "Wow. Truly international." There is a corner there called "INTERNATIONAL VISITORS," where you will find information in Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. And the E-BOOK is compatible with also Russian and Arabic. A convention where people from all over the world gather - you can't beat the level of hospitality the International CES offers.

From this page, people can even apply for their visas (!) and download the map of the venue. It also provides information about where you can get on the shuttle bus to your hotel, so I am thinking of printing it out and taking it with me. It's such a shame though, that once I exit from this page everything is in English.

If you look at the keynote speech section, you will find a photograph of Mr. Sakamoto, the President of Panasonic AVC Networks Company. You will also find other world renown executives here, such as Bill Gates, the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, and Paul Otellini, the CEO of Intel Corporation. From 16:30 on the second day of the exhibition, Richard Wagoner, the CEO of General Motors Corporation will be making a keynote speech – this is making quite a stir. You can sense from such a variety of speakers that the International CES is extending beyond the boundaries of consumer electronics.

Actually, Mr. Sakamoto will be making the opening keynote speech this year. I will be writing my entries from Las Vegas during the exhibition, so I hope to actually get to go hear him speak and tell you about the atmosphere and my first hand experience. Please look forward to my entries. Mr. Sakamoto's keynote speech will begin at 8:30 on January 7 (local time in Las Vegas).

The International CES also has the support of the US government. There will be international trade specialists from the US Department of Commerce at the exhibition, who will provide a forum for exchange to visitors and exhibitors from overseas and counseling on exporting products. The International CES can even get the US government active. Perhaps this manifests the high visibility of the exhibition! .

The Japanese page for the official site of the 2008 International CES. You can also book your hotels form here.

The Arabic E-BOOK. When I look at letters that are unfamiliar, I realize anew that this exhibition is truly global.

Only a few more days left in the year 2007. And now, information about the Panasonic booth at the 2008 International CES is available. Only information prior to the exhibition is still available, but I can't help imagine what the exhibition will behold.

International CES offers the first stage in the year 2008 to communicate information on a global scale. 2008 is also the year that the Olympic Games will be held. (Personally, I think that) Panasonic, which is an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner, will not miss this opportunity. I am certain that it won't fail to surprise and delight. My expectations for what it will show us continue to rise.

I will be writing my blog entries from onsite, so do check in with me every day during the exhibition. If you don't mind, please register for RSS feed.

Hi it's me Hiro. Long time no see.

The first exhibition of the year brought to you by the Cyber Showcase Blog is, once again, the International CES. My excitement and nervousness is even more pronounced as it will be the first time for me to report from overseas. The CES is one of the largest consumer electronics tradeshows where various many home electronics in the past from video, MD, DVD, and Blu-ray have been introduced. I looked up what CES stands for and discovered that it stands for Consumer Electronics Show. Well, no surprises here (it even has the word "International" in front of it). Although it has a long history, it's primary meaning is quite simple.

It will be held for 4 days from January 7 (Mon) to 10 (Thurs), 2008 in Las Vegas, USA. It is one of the most important exhibitions for Panasonic as well. My expectations for what Panasonic will show us this year continues to heighten.

We will keep delivering information about the 2008 International CES even before its doors open, so please look forward to my entries.