The first video report of the Panasonic booth at CES is now available. It will provide an overview of what the booth was like, and the middle portion of this report contains the "Products Highlight Video," which was also aired many times on the main stage of the Panasonic booth, which will tell you about many of the ideas that were showcased in the booth.

The video report may give you a better idea of what the booth was like than just reading about it, so don't forget the check it out as well.

The "2009 International CES," which began on January 8, has just ended. The 4 days went by in a flash. I was a bit worried that it may not be as busy due to the worldwide recession, but there was a great turn out. A job well done to all the staff in the Panasonic booth!

People have started packing up the booth, so I have to get ready to leave my secret back room too. I hope you enjoyed the first exhibition for the CyberShowcase blog this year, and that you got a feel for Panasonic's commitment for 2009.

We added a few short videos to some of the entries this time, but what did you think? We gave it a go hoping to give you a better idea about the atmosphere at the exhibition. If we receive great feedback, we'd like to continue adding some short clips to the entries.

Much thanks for reading my entries and I look forward to meeting you again from some other exhibition. Video reports from CES will be uploaded soon, so please stay tuned!

When the "LUMIX G1" was introduced to the market in September last year, there was a pre-announced that a model that will let you shoot high definition video will become available in the future (mino-san introduced this in one of his entries for photokina). Well, I found one at the 2009 International CES. On its compact body, you will find the letters, "HD," which is proof that you can shoot high definition video with it.

It was placed in a glass case, so I couldn't pick it up and test it out, but behind it there was a plasma display, and I think the video displayed on it was shot with this camera.

The video shot is in beautiful high definition, and very unique to an interchangeable lens camera - with the subject in focus but the background out of focus. I'm sure you will be able to shoot a different, perhaps a more artistic high definition video in comparison to a high definition camcorder. It's still unknown when the camera will become available in the market, but I just hope it'll be soon.

The plasma TV TC-P54Z1 will be introduced to the market, but the wireless surround sound system, "SC-TZ1," will also become available so that you can enjoy both great audio and video wirelessly. The SC-TZ1 is planned to be introduce sometime this spring.

SC-TZ1 is a wireless surround sound system that uses 4 very skinny speakers. If you use it together with the plasma TV Z1 series, you can build a very smart home theater system in your living room.

The SC-TZ1 has a sub woofer on its base, which can wirelessly allocate up to 7.1ch sound to 4 locations in uncompressed signals.
Of course it is also compatible with the VIERA Link. So you can operate the surround sound system with the remote control of the TC-P54Z1. Freed from the constraints of speaker cords, this new surround sound system may show you new possibilities of home theaters.

I thought someone would come up with one, but Panasonic has just introduced its portable Blu-ray disc player. It has an 8.9-inch LCD display with 1024 x 600 pixels (wide SVGA). Fully charged, it will run for approximately 3 hours. It will be available in the North American market sometime around May 2009.

You might think that the Blu-ray disc player is just a replacement for a portable DVD player, but Panasonic's Blu-ray disc players is different.

First of all, it has a HDMI terminal. So if you connect it to a "VIERA, you can enjoy high resolution Blu-ray software on the large screen. And what comes into play here is the "PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus," which is a image processing technology referred to as "Hollywood Clear Color" embedded in the "Blu-ray DIGA (Blu-ray disc recorder)" available in Japan. This technology helps store and create with high accuracy color signals compressed when encoding movies onto a Blu-ray disc. This technology was used to evaluate films at the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL), and it is now available in products. Although it's a portable player, if you connect it to the large screen TV, it will playback Blu-ray software in high resolution quality comparative to a non-portable Blu-ray disc player.

Moreover, because it has a slot for an SD Memory Card, you can take it with you and enjoy photographs taken with a digital camera on its big screen. Not only that, since it is compatible to AVCHD video playback, you can also enjoy video shot with an SD Memory Card compatible high definition camcorder wherever you are. And lastly, it even has a LAN terminal, so it is also compatible with "VIERA CAST" and "BD-LIVE."

It has all the functions of a Blu-ray disc player packed within its very compact, portable body. It's still unknown whether this product will become available in Japan, but I sure hope it will.

Please take a look at the photograph. At a glance, you get what it's about. This exhibit shows you how audio-visual equipment connected by the "VIERA Link" have become significantly more energy efficient in comparison to models from 2-3 years ago. As you can see, power consumption is almost halved, and the difference in the power consumption is convincing enough. Moreover, since these audio-visual equipment are connected with the "VIERA Link" you can turn them all off just by turning the TV off with the remote. The staff explained that the "VIERA Link" has become even more eco conscious. But let me tell you more about that later on.

Panasonic also makes efforts to help protect the global environment through its manufacturing. Plasma panels are completely free of lead as well as other harmful substances and are also in compliance with stringent environmental standards in Europe, the Restriction of Harmful Substances (ROHS). Moreover, the old products are recycled into new products. For example, the cabinets from the old cathode ray TVs are made into pellets, and then used again to make cabinets for flat screen TVs.

So as you can see, Panasonic helps contribute to the protection of the global environment both when products are in use, and when they are thrown away. I wonder what the visitors at the CES thought about Panasonic's commitment to the environment.

Please look at the sign above the exhibit. Can you see that the letters "e," "c," and "o" in the word, "Technology" is in green? It's quite ingenious to include "eco" within technology.

As you can see in the photograph old TVs are disassembled into different parts, which are used as materials for creating new products.

In order to tell people in North America about Panasonic's great 'eco ideas," Panasonic has displayed home appliances not yet available in North America and hybrid car batteries at this year's CES, so let me describe the exhibit to you.

First, let me tell you about the "tilted drum type washer-dryer." Many people seemed to be intrigued by Panasonic's idea to save water by tilting the drum, which was demonstrated using beakers as props (a comparative exhibit familiar at retail outlets in Japan). Moreover, the heat pump technology Panasonic takes pride in that compresses the refrigerant in the compressor to extract the heat from the air, which is then used to efficiently dry laundry was also on display. In one corner, you can actually experience the various technologies. For example, you can have a go at the pump and see for yourself how the temperature within the plastic bottle rises (therefore, heat is created) as the air pumped into it becomes more and more compressed. I saw people giving it a try.

If you use the pump in front to compress the air within the bottle, you can see how quickly the air temperature rises. The temperature is displayed in Fahrenheit since we are in the US.

The material on the right is the vacuum insulation material, "U-Vacua," used in refrigerators. As you can see, it is very thin, but has great insulation capabilities. The "U-Vacua" wraps the refrigerator like a thermos and keeps the cold air trapped within. And then there is an exhibit that allows you to compare between conventional light bulbs and bulb-shaped fluorescent lights. With conventional light bulbs electricity was converted to light as well as heat, so much power was wasted. But with the bulb-shaped fluorescent lights, there's hardly any heat so you can use electricity efficiently. You will find many light bulbs of both types in this corner. And you can compare the difference in the heat discharge in both.

Panasonic prides itself in its environmental technologies. I'm sure these technologies will be well received in the US, too, since they have a direct impact on our lives.

Last year "VIERA CAST" blew us away with its compatibility to YouTube(TM) and Picasa Web Album(TM). But this year it has added "amazon video on demand" to its list of capabilities.

In the same way you have been enjoying YouTube(TM) on VIERA CAST so far, you can access over 40,000 titles under "amazon video on demand" with a single remote, no subscription fee necessary. You don't have to download content and there's no waiting time either. You can enjoy any content you want whenever you want. And latest movies become viewable on "amazon video on demand" on the same day their DVDs are released.

But what about resolution and pricing? The content will be transmitted in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, and will be sent automatically in the optimal quality either 300, 600, 900 or 1200 kbps depending on the content. Content may be rented for $1.99-3.99, or may be purchased for $9.99-14.99. Moreover, many TV programs are purchasable for $1.99 per episode.

The market introduction of the new "VIERA" and Blu-ray disc players with this new VIERA CAST function are scheduled before July 2009. It will be interesting to see how movie fans in America will react to it.

In my entry about the main stage presentation I wrote yesterday, I described Panasonic's environmental commitment. Well, there is an exhibit here that introduces the environmental activities Panasonic undertakes all around the world, so let me tell you about it in detail.

This is the "Panasonic ECO RELAY" panel. The Panasonic ECO RELAY refers to eco activities such as cleaning and tree planting that Panasonic launched worldwide - in 39 countries and regions around the world in 342 centers of business - for 13 days, from October 4 to 16, 2008.

In the environmental corner within the booth, you will find the Panasonic ECO RELAY touch panel that introduces images of various activities Panasonic conducts all around the world.

The Panasonic ECO RELAY is an 'eco idea' that was brought to life from an internal 'eco ideas' contest conducted in 2007. It not only helps protect the local environment all around the world, but it also helps hone the environmental awareness of Panasonic's employees.

Please stop by and give the touch panel a go if you're near the Panasonic booth to learn about the unique activities Panasonic undertakes all around the world.

An advertisement for Panasonic's eco activities was also published in a prominent American newspaper. It seems activities in North America are being launched with great resolve.

You can't go without mentioning the "Spotlight on Ideas Show" when talking about the presentations that take place on the main stage at this year's CES. As I described in my previous entry, guests from various fields come on stage to take part in a short interview during the presentation. These guests range from an executive from the organizers of the CES, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), to Olympic Athletes.

For example, on January 9, a former Canadian alpine skier who also competed in the Nagano 1998 Olympic Games, Brian Stemmle appeared as a guest on the show from 15:24. Many people gathered to get a glimpse of the former Olympian.

The Canadian national alpine team has been receiving Panasonic's support and has adopted "high definition camcorders" in their training. Back in the days when Brian used to compete, they could only check the footage on the camcorder after they got off the mountain, but nowadays, you can watch it right on the slopes and check your form, so he said that Panasonic's technology has made training very efficient.

Panasonic's audio-visual technology is a great helping hand not only in capturing the greatest moments of the Games, but also in the training of the athletes.

One year has passed since Panasonic decided to make IPS Alpha Technology Ltd. its subsidiary. And we can finally see how the LCD displays using IPS alpha panels have evolved. Let me present the new NeoLCD panels.

The new LCD display is exhibited along side a traditional model to provide a great comparison. You can clearly see that the expressions of black are very different. With traditional LCDs blacks seem to look a little bit less crisp, but with the new one, they really are. The sharper black expressions were brought to life by improving the light transmission rate and changing the backlight to LEDs. The backlight, however, was not merely changed to LEDs. Panasonic developed a unique technology for the LED backlight (LCD AI) that detects the brightness of the scene among other information and allows for localized lighting control.

Also, Panasonic has succeeded in significantly reducing the power consumption. The power consumption for a 37-inch full high definition LCD panel is now only 90kWh per year. Beautiful images and low power consumption - you can't ask for more.

There was also a demonstration of 1,000 lines of moving picture resolution. By improving the motion detection performance of its double-speed technology and the performance of image interpolation technology, and developing a unique high-speed technology that enables precise control of the LED backlight depending on the moving picture, Panasonic has realized unparalleled clarity and high contrast ratios.

As you can see LCDs are also undergoing significant advancement. But Panasonic does not intend to change its policy to provide full high definition LCDs up to 37 inches, and plasmas for screen sizes larger than 42 inches. With Panasonic, no matter what size screen you choose, you can buy one that is high resolution and energy efficient.

The closer screen is the NeoLCD panel, and the one further away is the traditional panel. You can see in the picture how the black is crisper and sharper in the NeoLCD panel.

One year has passed since Panasonic decided to make IPS Alpha Technology Ltd. its subsidiary. And we can finally see how the LCD displays using IPS alpha panels have evolved. Let me present the new NeoLCD panels.

The new LCD display is exhibited along side a traditional model to provide a great comparison. You can clearly see that the expressions of black are very different. With traditional LCDs blacks seem to look a little bit less crisp, but with the new one, they really are. The sharper black expressions were brought to life by improving the light transmission rate and changing the backlight to LEDs. The backlight, however, was not merely changed to LEDs. Panasonic developed a unique technology for the LED backlight (LCD AI) that detects the brightness of the scene among other information and allows for localized lighting control.

Also, Panasonic has succeeded in significantly reducing the power consumption. The power consumption for a 37-inch full high definition LCD panel is now only 90kWh per year. Beautiful images and low power consumption - you can't ask for more.

There was also a demonstration of 1,000 lines of moving picture resolution. By improving the motion detection performance of its double-speed technology and the performance of image interpolation technology, and developing a unique high-speed technology that enables precise control of the LED backlight depending on the moving picture, Panasonic has realized unparalleled clarity and high contrast ratios.

As you can see LCDs are also undergoing significant advancement. But Panasonic does not intend to change its policy to provide full high definition LCDs up to 37 inches, and plasmas for screen sizes larger than 42 inches. With Panasonic, no matter what size screen you choose, you can buy one that is high resolution and energy efficient.

The closer screen is the NeoLCD panel, and the one further away is the traditional panel. You can see in the picture how the black is crisper and sharper in the NeoLCD panel.

Although main stage presentations are often very flash, regrettably visitors have to wait in between the show times. But at CES, Panasonic has tried something new. This is the "Products Highlight Video."

During the show intervals, this 4-minute video introduces the highlights of the booth. This way, regardless of whether you watch the presentation before or after you've already taken a look around the booth, you'll get a good idea of what is showcased in the booth.

In addition, movie trailers and images to heighten our expectations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are aired on the world's largest 150-inch plasma screen as well as other large size screens. It's all very impressive.

Using the 16 plasma displays on stage Panasonic makes sure it keeps all the visitors entertained at all times. Great hospitality don't you think?

The "3D Full HD Plasma Theater" first appeared at last year's CEATEC, but there is a long line of visitors waiting to get in here at the 2009 International CES as well. I would like to examine just how serious Panasonic is from their communication at this exhibition.

There are 2 theaters within the booth, A and B, but both are so popular, that in order to get in you have to take a numbered ticket that specifies the show times. When your turn finally comes, you receive a pair of 3D glasses called active shutters and enter the theater. The size of the theater is about the same size as the one at CEATEC, and it has been built in a way to offer great acoustics. The movie clips shown in 3D with great dramatic sound was really dynamic and impressive. Various other content such as sports and music were also shown, so it felt as though the way 3D looks changes depending on how you use it or the subject shown. The footage from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony really made me feel as though I was actually there; you could really sense the depth of the stadium and see the emotions on everyone's faces.

The system that has made this "3D Full HD Plasma Theater" possible includes the 103-inch plasma TV and a dedicated Blu-ray disc player, as well as 3D glasses. Apart from the glasses, all the other devices are evolutions of those becoming widely available in the consumer market. This is the key point. Products you can find in the market mean that you can easily replace the devices that you have with these new consumer products.

The 103-inch plasma TV used is a full high definition plasma that brings out the beauty of not only 3D, but also 2D footage. Drawing on the excellent moving image response of plasmas, the panel and drive mechanism was newly developed so that it can adapt to both 3D and 2D images. In other words, the prototype has been developed from the start as a product for people's living rooms.

Today, most of the contents, such as TV programs viewed at home on TVs are in 2D. And it's not really realistic to purchase another large screen TV for your home just to watch 3D content. A TV with which you could enjoy both 3D and 2D in high resolution has great possibilities of becoming widely accepted in people's homes. The Blu-ray disc player has also been developed to be compatible to 3D and 2D. And the 3D glasses or active shutters will also be made available in the market.

In addition, at this year's CES it was announced that an "Advanced Authoring Center" within the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) will be set up to accelerate the standardization, development, and commercialization of 3D Blu-ray. PHL was involved in the drawing up of the Blu-ray disc standard and has a deep relationship with the Hollywood film industry. Panasonic has already begun to collaborate on 3D with creative minds in Hollywood. A video message from the famous director, James Cameron, an advocate of 3D, is aired in the corridor where you wait in line for the 3D Full HD Plasma Theater.

Rather than developing a "special dedicated device" as hardware, Panasonic has created a Blu-ray disc player that may be used in people's living rooms. And Panasonic is already making preparations for creating and releasing software and creating a uniform standard. The film industry is also making a shift towards production of 3D movies, so more 3D titles will surely become available in the near future. The infrastructure to deliver 3D to people's homes is gradually coming into place.

At the press conference, it was announced that 3D compatible products will be market ready by 2010, and so with the belief that what comes after full high definition is 3D Full HD, Panasonic has been steadily making preparations. This is the impression I got while watching the 3D Full HD Plasma Theater at CES. The world of imagery is certain to become even more interesting.

NeoPDP has evolved further and is showcased at this year's CES. Last year, the luminance efficiency was doubled in comparison to 2007 models, but this year the luminance efficiency has tripled in comparison to the 2007 models. Prototypes of the 42-inch full high definition model with 1/3 the panel power consumption, and the 50-inch full high definition model that is only 8.8mm thick (at its thinnest part) are on display. And just like the models scheduled for market introduction in 2009, the moving picture resolution is 1080 lines.

In the NeoPDP corner within the booth, there is an area that demonstrates the triple luminance efficiency. Using a model from 2007 for comparison, the same image is displayed on both screens to illustrate the difference in power consumption. There are counters below the screens that show the difference in the power consumed, and you can see how rapidly the counter for the new model falls to about 30% of the power consumed by the 2007 model.

It has been possible to nearly triple the luminance efficiency because Panasonic developed a drive system that can run on less power and new materials such as discharge gas, phosphor, and improved electron generation source that help augment discharge efficiency. It sounds a bit complicated, but in a nutshell, Panasonic developed a mechanism that made it possible to illuminate efficiently using little power. That is how it has been able to come up with an energy-efficient plasma display that consumer less power.

The NeoPDP Technology introduced at last year's CES has been reflected in the 2009 "VIERA" line up in just a year. Will that mean that we will be able to see plasma display panels with 3 times the luminance efficiency in the market next year? I can't help but hope that this will be true.

The corporate theater "Ideas for Life Show" continues. Next, the presentation described Panasonic's support for the Olympic Games as the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was one of the biggest events of the year. As the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner, Panasonic has supported the Olympic Games for over 20 years with state-of-the-art audio visual technology and offered great support at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with the latest high definition technology. Panasonic delivered dramatic, breathtaking scenes from sports the whole world sought to see in high definition. Its wish to share the passion and excitement with people all over the world is embodied in its slogan, "Sharing the Passion." It was also announced that for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, the digital camera "LUMIX" will be added to the list of its supporting products.

Next, there are 'eco ideas.' Introducing Mara's report from Panasonic Eco Technology Center located in a rural area, the presentation introduced Panasonic's commitment to the environment together with Panasonic's desire to contribute to living in harmony with the global environment through electronics technology. Energy saving products created from its unique environmental technologies, and from manufacturing of products to recycling - Panasonic left a strong impression on the stage at CES that it will take responsibility as a manufacturer and remain committed to the global environment.

And then lastly, the presentation moved on the "Living in High Definition" program. This is a program in which sample families in North America are lent various high definition devices to allow Panasonic to reflect the feedback from the users in its product development. The presentation went on to explain that this program will be extended to include not 60, but 100 families across North America in 2009. You can learn more about this program on the website (www.livinginhd.com).

Panasonic's philosophy that Mara explained in the beginning of the presentation, in her report from the history museum of Kounosuke Matsushita, "taking ideas from life, creating ideas for life" is reflected in these all of these areas.

So, what did you think? The presentation illustrated that although Panasonic has become a global leading company of home electronics the management philosophy of its founder, Kounosuke Matsushita, is still carried on across time and space, and national boundaries, unchanging and ever present.

I ran quickly through the presentation, and I wasn't able to cover everything, but I think I got the gist of it. If you are going to be at CES, please come see for yourself.

On the main stage you will find 16 plasma displays including the world's largest, 150-inch plasma display flanked others of various sizes. Various presentations take place on this stage, but in this entry I want to tell you about the "Ideas for Life Show," which is the main presentation.

The past few years, the corporate theater showcased colorful dance routines and lively performances. But this year, it decided to focus on communication rather than performance. The presentation is structured like a news program and welcomes 2 MCs who act as the main casters to communicate the various ideas while also calling up special correspondent Mara's report from Japan.

The first theme was Panasonic's management philosophy and 90-year history. The presentation explains how from the development of the "Two-way Attachment Plug" Panasonic has climbed up the ladder to become the world's leading company with various ideas taken from life, while paying a visit to the history museum of Kounosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, in Japan.

Then the presentation comes back to the stage and introduces last year's keynote speech made by President Sakamoto of Panasonic AVC Networks Company (as of January last year). And it took a trip down memory lane looking back on the introduction of the world's largest, 150-inch plasma display, 1-inch thin super thin plasma displays, as well as the WirelessHD(TM) and the "Life Wall." Then the presentation mentioned what President Sakamoto pledged last year - to create a "Digital Hearth," a place where the family will come together around the newly evolved TV - and concluded that that was the well from which all "ideas" sprung.

A large image of President Sakamoto's keynote speech from last year's CES was shown on stage.

The past few years, the corporate theater showcased colorful dance routines and lively performances. But this year, it decided to focus on communication rather than performance. The presentation is structured like a news program and welcomes 2 MCs who act as the main casters to communicate the various ideas while also calling up special correspondent Mara's report from Japan.

Then, the screen switched again to the correspondent, Mara's report from Japan, which introduced the fifth plasma factory in Amagasaki as the place where "NeoPDP" described in last year's keynote will be manufactured. The presentation once again came back to the main stage, and using the 1-inch thin plasma displays the MC announced that these NeoPDPs created at the factory are displayed in the Panasonic booth at CES.
Next, Mara reported about CEATEC JAPAN held in October 2008. It was described as the exhibition at which state-of-the-art technologies are showcased. Under the concept, "for your entire home," Panasonic illustrated that it is a company that offers ideas for every aspect of your life from home appliances to housing equipment (which may not be so familiar to the American market), and how these are linked to the "Life Wall" introduced last year. Moreover, the "3D Full HD Plasma Theater" was also introduced. Linking it with the report, the MCs asked the visitors to experience it for themselves at the 2 theaters within the Panasonic booth at CES.

At last year's CES, an epoch-making keynote speech was made and the corporate stage presentation focused on the introduction of the ideas described in the keynote speech. This year, it felt as though they drew upon last year's communications and created a presentation that left a deep impression that Panasonic is a company that develops ideas and products while upholding a clearly established management philosophy.

The presentation continues, so please stay tuned to the next entry.

In the "CREATE" corner, you will find the digital camera "LUMIX" and camcorders on display. You will not only find the digital interchangeable lens camera "LUMIX G1," but there is also a great range of compact cameras. And as for camcorders, you will see full high definition camcorders as well as other unique models embedded with a 70x optical zoom. Of course you can pick them up and try taking photographs and shooting video for yourself.

A disassembled model is also on display. It's really amazing how such a complicated mechanism is contained within a very compact body.

The evolution of the Blu-ray disc player is drawing great attention this year. The "VIERA Cast" compatible model and the "Portable Blu-ray Disc Player" you can take with you anywhere to enjoy Blu-ray software introduced at yesterday's press conference is showcased in the "ENTERTAIN" corner in the Panasonic booth. You can also experience the various devices that help create the home theater namely the Blu-ray disc player, as well as the home theater sound system and the projector.

As I described in yesterday's entry about the press conference, the newly evolved technologies for the "VIERA" that has brought ultra thin, efficient display panels to life are being introduced at this year's CES. These are the "NeoPDP eco," which has evolved from the NeoPDP Technology, and the new technology, "NeoLCD eco" for the LCD panel (IPS alpha). Both of these are exhibited in the center of the booth and are drawing great attention.

Last year, an announcement was made about the technology underlining WirelessHD(TM). This technology with the ability to wirelessly transmit high definition images without first compressing them has now become market ready. There is also a demonstration of a layout free theater system presented together with another new face, the ultra thin plasma TV, P54Z1. Later on I will tell you about exactly how far it has evolved since last year.

The prototype of the less than 1-inch thick plasma display showcased at last year's CES during the unveiling of the NeoPDP Technology will finally be introduced to the market this year. This model is the TC-P54Z1.

As you can see, the super thin displays slide up and down, side to side along the bookshelf, swing to and fro in the center of the room, or put back in the small slit in the wall when it's not in use. These 3 new proposals of living room layout for the TV that makes good use of its thinness are drawing great attention. Please take a look at the new layouts for the TV.

This corner introduces Panasonic's 3 'eco ideas,' impressive environmental technologies, and eco conscious efforts for the living room such as the "VIERA."

Awareness for ecology is becoming quite high in the US as well, and in response to that Panasonic's commitment to the environment is being communicated on a full scale.

There is an exhibition that lets you compare the power consumptions of new products and those from 2-3 years ago at a glance, and there are other products brought to life by impressive environmental technologies displayed in a way you can experience them including the not so familiar products in North America such as the bulb-shaped fluorescent lights and vacuum insulation material for the refrigerator, and the tilted drum type washer-dryer.

In the Panasonic booth you will find a full line-up of the "VIERA," which has become a familiar face. Plasma and LCD "VIERA," which will be offered in North America in 2009 may be found along the wall, and they form a great wall of images.

This line-up also includes products that have adopted the NeoPDP technology introduced at last year's CES. And these products are being showcased here before being exhibited in Japan. Aren't you interested to see what kind of products the technology has helped create? I will tell you more about it in detail later, so please stay tuned.

Perhaps because it became topical due to the press conference held the day before, but there is a long line of visitors waiting to experience the 3D Full HD Plasma Theater even though the doors just opened. So you can see the great profile it has. And in anticipation of the great number of visitors, Panasonic has created 2 theaters this time. But, there's a great queue nonetheless, so if you want to come experience the theater, it's better to line up early.

The 150-inch plasma display first unveiled at the CES last year surprised a great many visitors. This year, it can be found on the main stage. It hasn't been that long since it was introduced, but it's quite ingenuous that it is already being used as a display device on the stage.

The main stage and the 150-inch plasma display is set up at the entrance of the Panasonic booth, so it has a great effect in stopping the visitors in their track. What is taking place on stage is also displayed on this world's largest screen. In addition, there are a total of 16 large plasma displays on stage including 103-inch and the 65-inch and they are a sight to see.

As today is the first day of the exhibition, I'd like to show you what the booth looks like with a series of photographs. I'll tell you about the various ideas in detail later on.

First, we have the main stage. As you can see, a set resembling a news program has been created. The stage presentation involves 3 parts, namely the "Ideas for Life Show," which is the main show where 2 casters carry on a dialogue, interviews I mentioned yesterday called the "Spotlight on Ideas Show" where various guest speakers come on the show, and "Products Highlight Video." So no matter when you walk by the stage, there's always something going on.

January 8, 2009 10:00 - The 2009 International CES, which will be held for 4 days, has just begun.

The skies are sunny (does it ever rain in Las Vegas?), and there are many visitors here at the Panasonic booth even though the exhibition has just begun. The corporate theater presentation has just ended on the main stage and there were a lot of people in front of the stage watching the show. And there is already a line forming in front of the 3D Full HD Plasma Theater.

I told you in the previous entry that the main stage presentation this year would be a bit different, but to tell you more about it, the presentations are going to be like a news program with various presentations.

I will write more about the presentations tomorrow onwards, but there is one thing I want to mention now. There is a part during the presentation, which is called "Spotlight on ideas Show," that welcomes various guest speakers. Please make sure to check the following schedule so that you don't miss the speaker you want to listen to. (The following schedule was passed out at today's press conference. Please note that it is subject to change.)

Spotlight on ideas Show Speaker Schedule

Thursday, January 8:
10:34 AM - 10:44 AM Jon Landau, Famed Hollywood Visionary
11:54 AM - 12:04 PM Gary Shapiro, President, CEA
1:14 PM - 1:24 PM Paul Tagliabue, Panasonic Advisor
1:54 PM - 2:04 PM Joe Jaffe, President and Founder, Crayon, Inc.
3:44 PM - 3:54 PM Jim Scherr, CEO, USOC
4:24 PM - 4:34 PM Ben Ling, Director, Google
5:14 PM - 5:24 PM LiHD Family

Friday, January 9
10:59 AM – 11:10 AM Gary Yacoubian, CEA Chairman
11:36 AM - 11:46 AM Mark Hess, Comcast Senior Vice President Digital TV
12:54 PM - 1:04 PM Laura Heller, Traditional Home Magazine Technology Editor
1:34 PM - 1:44 PM Bill Karr, Vice President, Digital Media, Amazon
2:30 PM - 2:40 PM Jonathan Adelstein, FCC
3:24 PM - 3:34 PM Brian Stemmle, Olympic Athlete
4:50 PM - 5:00 PM LiHD Family

Saturday, January 10
11:00 AM – 11:10 AM Kevin Martin, FCC Chairman
12:14 PM - 12:24 PM Meredith Baker, Dept. of Commerce
12:54 PM - 1:04 PM Dr. Paul Liao, Panasonic Corporation of North America, CTO
1:34 PM - 1:44 PM Amy Elbert, Senior Architecture Editor, Traditional Home Magazine
3:34 PM - 3:44 PM Bob Perry, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
4:55 PM - 5:05 PM LiHD Family

Let me tell you about the new products introduced at the press conference.

First and foremost, let me tell you about the "VIERA CAST," which has undergone further evolution. It was announced that sometime this year Panasonic will introduce "VIERA" and Blu-ray disc players that are compatible to "amazon video on demand." People will be able to purchase and watch over 40,000 titles of movies and TV programs "amazon video on demand" will offer. Mr. Bill Carr, the Vice President, Digital Media of amazon.com was present at the press conference to talk to us about the future of "VIERA Cast" and "amazon video on demand."

Next, the newly evolved NeoPDP Technology unveiled at last year's CES, the "NeoPDPeco" was introduced. Making further improvements, the 42-inch plasma display now boasts 1/3 the power consumption in comparison to 2007 levels, and the world's thinnest 50-inch plasma display, which is only 8.8mm thick (thinnest portion) was also unveiled. Moreover, lower power consumption technology for LCDs, the "NeoLCDeco" will also be showcased at the exhibition so I have to check it out.

Other very attractive products such as the portable Blu-ray disc player compatible with the "VIERA CAST," high definition camcorders, and camcorders with 70x optical zoom were introduced.

I hope to take a look around the booth and tell you all about it from tomorrow onwards while keeping what I learned at the press conference in mind.

Today at 15:00, on the day before the start of the exhibition, Panasonic held a press conference in the Bellini Room at The Venetian Hotel.

First, the Chairman and CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America, Mr. Yoshihiko Yamada talked about how the company changed its name to "Panasonic" last year, how its employees all around the world are continuing to work hard upholding the same philosophy focusing on the market and its consumers, and how it will continue to be active in not only North America and Japan, but also across the world. Moreover, when he explained that this year will mark the 50th anniversary since Panasonic began its activities in North America and that it will work even harder to become a company widely appreciated by the people of America the crowd at the press conference responded with a warm round of applause.

Chairman and CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America, Mr. Yoshihiko Yamada talks about the "Digital Hearth."

Furthermore, Mr. Yamada illustrated that Panasonic has been conducting the "Living in High Definition" program, which has been providing HD devices to families to enable Panasonic to reflect the market feedback in its development, and this year this program will expand from 60 families to 100 families. Two families from the program joined us at the press conference.

Last year, President Sakamoto, Panasonic AVC Networks Company (as of January 2008) described the "Digital Hearth" concept, a concept in which where families come together around the large flat screen TV to enjoy their time together. And this year, new technologies such as flat screen TVs less than 1-inch thick and TVs that connect to the Internet, as well as the WirelessHD(TM) will become available in the market.

And also the prototype of the 3D Full HD Plasma Theater was introduced as the must-see feature of the Panasonic booth at CES. It is a very intriguing technology that allows you to enjoy 3D images on the plasma TVs you can use at home. He explained that as TVs have evolved from black and white to color, from cathode-ray TVs to flat screens and to high resolution, now is the time that TVs will evolve from 2D to 3D. So Panasonic's technologies will change the TVs in people's homes. 2010 is the target year for the market introduction of these new TVs and to make sure that content will be available around the same time, Panasonic will establish a "3D Full HD Advanced Authoring Center" within the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory on February 1, 2009. Panasonic will provide pioneering authoring services such as the production of 3D compatible Blu-ray titles. Moreover, a video message from a renowned Hollywood film director, James Cameron who is a great advocate of 3DHD was aired during the press conference.

Then, the Chief Operating Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America, Mr. Joseph Taylor appeared on stage to introduce Panasonic's 3 'eco ideas' and the company-wide target to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 300,000 tons in comparison to 2007 levels. Moreover, he described Panasonic's commitment to the environment illustrated by the development and manufacturing of energy efficient products as well as recycling activities in North America.

New products to be introduced at the 2009 International CES were also introduced during the press conference, but let me tell you about that in the next entry.

Chief Operating Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America, Mr. Joseph Taylor describes Panasonic's commitment to the environment.

The official website, which was still a teaser site, I told you about in a previous entry created for CES 2009 by the local Panasonic office has fully opened. A wide range of information is now available, so please take a look.

The booth is buzzing with preparations for tomorrow, but I took a sneak peek of the 3D Full HD Theater. Perhaps because the theater was so popular at last year's CEATEC JAPAN 2008, but for CES 2009 there are 2 theaters that are the same size as the one set up at CEATEC within the booth.

I watched the rehearsal today and I was handed a pair of 3D glasses that are a bit different from the kind used at amusement parks (the ones for the 3D Full HD theater is called an active shutter, and I will tell you more about this later on). Inside the theater you will find a 103-inch plasma display. The 3D images you may have seen in the past are usually projected onto a screen, but the key point for Panasonic's 3D Full HD Theater is that the images are displayed on the direct-view-type plasma display. The 3D images displayed on both right and left sides of the screen in full high definition quality has been stored on a single Blu-ray disc and is being played back on a Blu-ray Disc Player connected by 1 HDMI cable.

The imagery creates an unparalleled realistic feeling and offers fantastic depth. And because it all looks so natural it seems as though it won't fatigue your eyes much. The contents showcased in the theater were those often available on TV, such as images from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games and animated film, and so it made the difference in the image quality more pronounced, and the content seemed so different.

If you have a chance to stop by the Panasonic booth, please experience the 3D Full HD Theater for yourself.

The staff are walking to and fro in the booth making last minute preparations. This moment is really the crème de la crème. There are piles of cardboard boxes in various corners around the booth and the staff are setting up the products.

Rehearsals are being conducted on the main stage. The presentation this year does not include energetic dancing; rather, it is a different, new rendition, so I can't wait to see the show tomorrow.

Many special and ingenuous ideas have been employed in various areas around the booth including the main stage. I will have difficulty choosing what to write about because they are all very intriguing. I will tell you about the booth starting tomorrow, so please stay tuned!

It's hard to tell from the photograph, but the Panasonic booth is quite immense. So please set a side a good block of time if you are planning to stop by.

There are 2 theaters within the booth. You can see the word "3DHD" on the walls and banners. It seems that these are 3DHD theaters that were also introduced on Panasonic's website for the CES. The imagery is really a must-see, so I hope some of you will be able to come experience it for yourself.

Last year I had to spend a long time at the airport because of flight cancellations due to the sand storm, but there was a small hiccup again this year. The other members of the team travelling with me from Japan had received their boarding tickets all the way to Las Vegas in Japan, but for some reason they couldn't issue mine. I had a bad feeling about that, but I just thought then that I would check in again at San Francisco, so it wouldn't be a big problem.

But I was wrong. When I tried to check in at San Francisco (on a self check-in machine) for some reason it took so long, I missed my flight. I asked the airline staff, but all he said was "Too late." They must have known I was supposed to be transferring onto that flight… in any case I had no choice but to catch the next one. But then this flight was delayed by 2 hours, and so I ended up having to wait at the airport for 3.5 hours. Compared to last year, it was relatively smooth (yes, I'm trying to find the silver lining), but at last, I have arrived at the McCarran International Airport with my luggage too.

Originally, the plan was to check-in to the hotel during the daytime and to go take a look at the Las Vegas Convention Center amidst preparations, but it's already dark out. So I'll focus on getting over the jetlag today, so that I can start writing about what I discover here tomorrow.

From this entry forward, the time displayed will be the local time in Las Vegas.

When you get off the airplane, you will be welcomed immediately by a row of slot machines. So you realize that you have come to Las Vegas even at the airport. Perhaps I should give it a go and test my luck. (Since I haven't really been lucky on the way over I might win?)

The CES banner I found at the McCarran airport. Las Vegas and CES are inseparable - and this banner welcomes guests from all over the world.

So, I will be departing for Las Vegas tomorrow. Last year I flew through Los Angeles, but this year I will be going through San Francisco. Actually, last year, the flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas was cancelled, and I remember being handed a refund slip and feeling quite at a loss at the airport. But this year I will be flying through San Francisco, so hopefully things will go more smoothly (having said that, the situation last year at the airport in San Francisco on that day was quite the same, so me feeling a bit better about flying through San Francisco is, I think, just a matter of feeling.)

When you fly into Los Angeles from Japan (on a Japanese airline) and are going to fly on to Las Vegas (on an American airline) you have to change terminals, so we had to get on a shuttle bus that went around the very large airport, but I wonder what the San Francisco airport will be like.

But in any case, it's not as though I am all that worried. I also try to sleep when I get on an airplane (because I can't exactly say I enjoy flying), so I hope I'll wake up to find that we're just about to land in San Francisco. Anyway, I am going to just see what awaits me at the end of the 9-hour flight from Tokyo. Wish me luck!

You can now go to the special page within the local Panasonic website to learn more about this year's CES. For now, only basic information about the exhibition is available, but I'm sure new information will be added as the exhibition nears.

As you can see on the webpage, the theme for this year's Panasonic booth at CES is the familiar, "Living in High Definition." Perhaps this illustrates hopes for "heightening expectations for CES 2009," but there is a link with a video of the Panasonic booth from CEATEC JAPAN 2008 held in October. The words "And much, much more" written under the list of products to be exhibited really does get me intrigued.

At the moment, this site serves as a teaser for the CES, but I am sure that the site will be renovated soon. It would be worth checking the site right before and after the exhibition begins.

Happy new year! Hope you'll check in with the CyberShowcase Blog now and then this year as well.

But it's just too fast. Time really flies once we get into December, and it's January before we know it. I was thinking of doing this and that, but it's already the new year.

In any case, we entered the new year, so I hope to get a fresh start, and spend a relaxing yet challenging year with an open mind and an open heart.

With the new year begins the 2009 International CES. There's less than 1 week to go before I head on over. The exhibition is a short one, only lasting 4 days, but it is an exciting one that draws attention from a great many people all over the world, so please look forward to my entries.

Only a few more days left in 2008, and information about the Panasonic booth at 2009 International CES has become available. Now let us speculate about what we may find at this year's Panasonic booth from the information that has been posted and from the products that were displayed in Panasonic's booths at various exhibitions in 2008.

First, let's take a look at "high definition devices." Triggered by last year's CES, the Blu-ray disc became the standard next generation optical disc, and this year, with the full scale implementation of the Blu-ray on the horizon, it will draw even greater attention in the U.S., where the heart of the movie industry lies.

Now, let's talk about digital cameras. The greatest topic for the "LUMIX" in 2008 was the new-generation interchangeable lens camera "G1." It's compact size and light weight is really amazing. When I covered CEATEC, I mentioned that I wanted to purchase one when it came out. Unfortunately I have not been able to do so yet, but I am quite interested in seeing how people in the U.S. will respond to it.

Next, we have the "NeoPDP Technology." At the 2008 International CES, the "150-inch" plasma display and the "one-inch thick" plasma displays drew great attention. Panasonic takes great pride in its plasma displays, so it will surely show us a newly evolved plasma display at the 2009 International CES. I can't wait to see what it will be like.

In the information about the exhibition, you will also find the "3DHD Theater." Panasonic's "3DHD Theater" at CEATEC JAPAN 2008 was really amazing. I am sure it will be a great hit with people in the U.S. and all over the world. Until now, 3D imagery was something we thought we could only experience in theme parks and 3D movie theaters. But the prototype of the 3DHD theater brought to life by the combination of the Blu-ray disc and plasma display gives us a hunch that 3D TVs may be widely introduced to people's homes soon. Because the exhibition is held in the U.S., where the heart of the movie industry lies, people from Hollywood may also come to take a look. I hope to tell you all about how it is received by the people in the U.S.

At the very bottom of the information about the Panasonic booth at the exhibition, you will find the words, "environmental activities." I hear that in the U.S. too, environmental awareness is becoming quite high. I am very much looking forward to what message Panasonic will communicate at the 2009 International CES.

Congratulations mako-san for your excellent coverage of the ‘Eco-Products 2008’! Now that the Eco-Products 2008 has ended and as the new year approaches, the 2009 International CES, one of the largest consumer electronics tradeshows in the world, is finally just around the corner. Once again, I will be covering this exhibition from Las Vegas, so wish me luck! I will do my best to give you insightful onsite information from Jan 8 to 11, which hopefully will leave a strong impression on your mind, body, and soul, which may still be in a holiday stupor, so don’t miss it!

In sharp contrast to the beginning of 2008, the global economy finds itself in a great confusion. Influenced by such circumstances, the consumer electronics industry is also facing difficult times. I think that the role 2009 International CES will play in setting the trends for the new year is now more important than ever. I took a peek at the official site and found a link to a brochure with the key phrase ‘digital economy’ written across the cover page in big letters. I felt the organizer’s strong aspiration to ‘introduce new digital technologies that brighten the economy, the world, and the future at CES!’ I also hope to be providing you with promising news.

The 2008 International CES, which took place earlier this year, kicked off with the keynote speech made by Mr. Sakamoto, the President of the Panasonic AVC Networks Company and Panasonic drew great attention. Concepts and technologies Mr. Sakamoto had conveyed then traveled around the world through China, Europe, the Middle East and Japan throughout the year, and once again, will return to the 2009 International CES. I’m looking very forward to seeing how they have advanced in the course of a year.

2009 International CES

Period: Jan 8 (Thurs) – Jan 11 (Sun)
Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center (Las Vegas, USA)
Organizer: The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)
Official site: http://www.cesweb.org/