The video reports give you a great look at the exhibitions around the world that Panasonic takes part in. And now, 2 video reports from IFA 2008 "Panasonic's Eco Activities in Europe" and the "Main Stage Presentation" are available.

"Panasonic's Eco Activities in Europe" Panasonic is committed to reducing CO2 emissions with its 3 'eco ideas' so that we may live in harmony with the global environment. And in this video report, you can check out the environment corner at the Panasonic booth and the various case examples of Panasonic's eco activities in Europe. Germany is known as an advanced eco conscious nation. Please take a look at the video to see what activities Panasonic is involved in in Europe!

"Main Stage Presentation" What liven up the Panasonic booth at various exhibitions are the main stage presentations. Pascal's presentation and the dancers' performance are a must-see! I talked about the main stage presentation a bit in my blog entry, but the video report does a much better job of bringing to life the atmosphere and energy of the presentation.

September 4, 2008, 18:00 local time in Berlin. Ending announcements have begun a few minutes ago, and visitors are, albeit regretfully, heading home. IFA 2008 has just ended.

On the last stage performance, Pascal, the MC, is putting on a different twist to the usual presentation. The ambience was very warm and friendly as the staff also gathered around the stage to enjoy the last stage presentation. Job excellently done to everyone over the last 6 days! And those staff that helped me with my reporting, thank you so much.

And last but not least, thank you all for reading my entries. I hope I was able to communicate the ambience of Messe Berlin. Although IFA has ended, autumn is the season for exhibitions. I will also be in charge of the exhibition, photokina (exhibition period: September 23 -28; venue: Cologne Messe, Germany), where companies in the photographic and imaging industries from all over the world gather. So please stay tuned for my entries from photokina!

The corporate stage presentation was held few times a day in both English and German. For this year's final stage presentation, not only was Pascal's (MC) narration full of improvisation, but the performance by the dancers was also full of impromptu twists as well. A member of the staff was pulled up on stage to join the dancers as well, so it was really fun and exciting. At the end of the presentation, a commemorative gift was given to Pascal, who has worked with Panasonic for years now as a presenter, followed by a great round of applause.

No matter how many times I get to witness this kind of scene, it's always a great touching moment. Watching the last presentation, I could sense that the staff really enjoyed being a part of the exhibition. I wonder if the visitors who watched the last stage presentation also got the same impression.

A member of the staff was pulled upon stage. Completely unexpected, but he was quite a good dancer!

Mr. Pascal presented with a gift. We can see him again at the stage of photokina next.

I've introduced the various corners in the booth in my previous entries. And so some of you may have already noticed, but the characteristic feature about this year's Panasonic booth at IFA is that the key color is white, and that there are no right angles or parallel sections.

The white walls display blue images from the projectors, which add to the sharp image of the architecture. Perhaps it's because of this design and the presentation, but as I've mentioned before, I feel like there's great depth to the booth, and that it would be great to take a stroll inside. The innovative design, which seems like a series of connected triangles, fit well with the visual imagery, and I am sure that the booth left a lasting impression on a great many people.

So many visitors come to IFA 2008 every day, but where do they eat lunch? In IFA's case, not only are there restaurants in the building itself but during the exhibition, temporary food stalls also pop up all over the place. It's really variegated; there are café like restaurants, a German hot dog stand, a restaurant that's like a beer hall, a restaurant that looks like a bar what ever way you look at it, etc. It is very different from the exhibition halls we're used to in Japan. Let me show you some photos I've taken.

An "orthodox" restaurant inside the building.

A German hot dog was 3 Euros. The sausage didn't fit inside the bun at all.

There was a Chinese food stall in the courtyard as well. It looks likes a stall you might find in an amusement park.

You know you're in Germany when you get to enjoy a relaxing lunch on the lawn at an exhibition.

There's also a lovely espresso shop.

If you feel like having a drink, there's a restaurant like this one. It looks like a normal bar doesn't it?

This one looks like a beer hall. Germany is a great country; you can drink beer everywhere you go!

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which brought us a very hot summer have ended. We saw legendary achievements this time around as well, and athletes proved that "miracles do happen." And from September 6 - 17, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games will be held. The Paralympic Games are the pinnacle sporting event for athletes with disabilities, and it will be held in the Olympic venues. This year there will be 4,200 athletes taking part from 148 countries and regions.

As The Olympic Partner (TOP) of the audio-visual category, Panasonic supported the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and it will continue to offer its support to Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) during the Paralympic Games. Through supporting the Paralympic Games, Panasonic aspires to contribute to world peace and the development of the international community, and to the promotion and making widespread of sports for athletes with disabilities.

At this corner, footage that expresses Panasonic's commitment to the Paralympic Games is aired contiguously, helping to communicate Panasonic's corporate philosophy.

IFA 2008, which has been held for 6 days from August 29th here at Messe Berlin ends today. The weather forecast for the day is sunny with partial clouds. A peaceful morning with a warm but soft sun and a pleasant breeze makes me think autumn is just around the corner. Today is the last day. I will do my best to explore the booth even more thoroughly, so I don't miss anything.

I've mentioned that EUROSPORT has become available in Europe on "VIERA CAST" in my previous entry. In commemoration, commentating contest using EUROSPORT footage takes place on the main stage twice a day.

The contestants give it a go at giving exciting commentary to highlight scenes from the Olympic Games, among others. The winners of the preliminary round are invited onto the stage, and the contestant that answers the most number of sports questions correctly wins a SD Memory Card compatible high definition camcorder!

It's an exciting event with people cheering on the contestants. It's also interesting to watch the reaction of the contestants, as some look a bit embarrassed when their version is aired as they sit on stage and some don't seem miffed at all!

Let me introduce a fun program that takes place when there are no other events taking place on the main stage.

There are 3 180-inch screens on the stage, but on the 2 screens on the end, a wispy mosaic image of the Panasonic booth is displayed. The footage of the audience is shot live from the stage, and if people wave their hands and move about, numerous green bubbles appear as trajectory on the screens in response. Moreover, you can knock the big bubbles on the screen floating around near you with your hands. It's really quite fascinating and definitely worth a try. The children seem to love it, waving their hands at the screen energetically.

Numerous new "LUMIX" products were launched this summer, and so the "LUMIX" corner gathers quite a crowd each day. As I used to use the LX1, what I really was interested to see was the LX3, the first model change in 2 years. The exterior hasn't changed so much, but it has a bright lens of F2.0~2.8. And I am also intrigued by the retro looking accessories. And it's also great that wide-angle shooting of 24mm (35mm conversion) is offered at any aspect ratio. I was told that the demand in Europe for cameras that offer a wide-angle has increased over the past few years, and Panasonic is the leader in that market. This is said to be the result of continuous promotion of the allure of wide-angle photography.

During the interview I also learned another interesting bit of information. What is a big hit here in Europe is the TZ series. Generally speaking, people in Europe tend to be bigger than Japanese people, and thus have bigger hands, so the TZ series is a better size and fit. And because it has an incredible optical zoom, it's best suited for holidays. The newest model, the TZ5 is on display as well. In addition to the 10x optical zoom Panasonic prides in, the TZ5 comes with functions that have gone under further evolution, so it's sure to capture the hearts of many visitors.

The "LUMIX" corner is always full of people. The staff in this corner really know their cameras, so I often see them having a lengthy and extensive discussion with the visitors with a "LUMIX" in their hands.

This is the LX3, a camera of personal interest. The more I learn about it, i.e. film mode where you can select different tastes to get the exact photo expression you desire, the more I want one.

This is the cut model of the LX3. It's amazing how it offers great functions and performance, in such a compact body... yes, I know, I am being a bit partial.

This corner developed around the latest SD Memory Card compatible high definition camcorders, the SD100 and HS100, is crowded with people every day. In the central area you will find a try it yourself corner, where you can actually test these camcorders out for yourself. There are many staff members standing by to answer any questions the visitors may have.

When I spoke to the local marketing executive for these products, he mentioned that although the market share of high definition camcorders isn't that high yet, it is growing steadily each year. He highlighted that with the onset of high definition broadcasting, many more people will realize how beautiful high definition imagery really is, and the market may grow even more as a result. Moreover, he explained that since services such as YouTube have become more popular, younger people have begun to realize the "joy" of creating their own video, so he hopes to offer these products to this new market stratum as well.

Although the functions offered on the camcorders continue to improve, if you don't have a strong desire to "shoot" your own video, you won't go out of your way to purchase one. So, it was quite interesting to learn that new "media" such as YouTube is stimulating demand amongst people who never seemed interested in these products before.

There are many visitors who come to the try it yourself corner to try shooting with the camcorders and to thoroughly check out the various functions it offers.

The "Multi Manual Ring" adopted for the SD100 and HS100 is used for zoom, focus, white balance, shutter speed, and iris adjustment. It had great finger tip control.

Cut sections of the HS100 was on display. Some people were endlessly taking pictures of the cut sections. It seems like men tend to be more fascinated with such things.

An exhibition corner where a comparison between high definition and standard definition imagery is made. If you look at them side by side, the difference is quite obvious. Such simple and traditional way of promoting ideas is essential to communicate the beauty and allure of high definition.

Today is the 5th day of IFA 2008. Putting on a last spurt, so here I go!

The first video report, which will take you on a tour through the booth is complete and now available on the web (job well done to the crew!). You can feel the atmosphere of the Panasonic booth at IFA 2008, as well as get a better look at the various ideas presented here, such as the NeoPDP Technology. Take a look at the video, and stay tuned for more to come!

Let me introduce one of the case examples of environmental activities I mentioned in the previous entry. This is one example of 'eco ideas' for Everybody, Everywhere, whereby Panasonic aims to share eco activities with not only its employees, but with their families and communities.

During the "Environmental Week Campaign" conducted by Panasonic in Germany, 10 Euros were donated to NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) for every "VIERA" sold. NABU is a nature conservation organization in Germany that aims to revive the ecosystem of rivers that have been artificially straightened during development.

Rivers may be artificially straightened and riverbanks covered in concrete in an attempt to regulate waters, etc. This may be convenient for mankind, but animals that used to live in the meandering rivers with their natural undulations lose their habitat. NABU attempts to return the man-altered straight rivers to its original natural state. Panasonic works with such nature conservation groups all over the world.

Case examples of various activities Panasonic undertakes around the world are introduced in the eco corner with video and images such as this. There are smaller-scale activities that employees can put into practice at home, but as Panasonic has over 300,000 employees around the world, even a very small initiative adopted at home may have a ripple effect, influencing people around them, and it may one day become a formidable force.

Nowadays, everyone around the world must take interest in and tackle environmental issues. And as a manufacturer that creates electronic products that consumes energy, Panasonic shoulders its corporate social responsibility. Such eco activities it undertakes is introduced in the eco corner.

The 'eco ideas' Declaration Panasonic announced last year, so that it can take "living in harmony with the global environment" to the next level, not only involves reducing CO2 emissions in its production activities. Panasonic hopes to lead the way with its '3 eco ideas' and this 'eco ideas' declaration will form the pillars of its ecological business initiatives in the future.

This corner introduces the '3 eco ideas' - 'eco ideas' for Products, 'eco ideas' for Manufacturing, and 'eco ideas' for Everybody, Everywhere. You can explore the various activities Panasonic undertakes around the world with the 3 different touch panel screens. The environment awareness is especially high in Germany, so there are many interested visitors here in this corner interacting with the exhibit.

For me, the lack of canned beer was the first indication of high environmental awareness people in Germany have. I've only seen bottled beer these past few days, and juices are in most cases in plastic and glass bottles as well. Perhaps this is because the society is keenly aware of reuse and recycling.

Bicycles are an extremely ecological ride. So, the Electric Power Assisted Bicycles are on display as well. In Germany, there is space set aside on trains, so you can get on with your bicycles, and there are bicycle zones on roads, too. And there seems to be many people who commute to work. I do feel that Germany is truly an environmentally advance nation as the government is ready to support the use of bicycles, as they are very environmentally conscious.

Panasonic celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. And here at IFA 2008, a special corner has been established in commemoration. On the plasma display panel in front, you will find a chronology of its 90-year history, and various epoch-making products for each era are introduced here as well. By turning the wheel in front of you, you can go to the era of your interest. If you stop at the product you are interested in, more detailed information about the product is provided.

Also, in this corner you will actually find on display epoch-making products introduced in the chronology, such as the Two-way Attachment Plug, 3-Tube Radio, and VHS Home Video.

You will see some nostalgic products, as well as those that have become legendary. I feel as though people in Europe especially value each step forward taken in history, so I wonder how Panasonic, who has aspired to give back to society what it has borrowed from society and has continued to birth new products over the past 90 years, appeared to people in Europe.

I've already mentioned the corporate stage presentation, but on the main stage there are various other events being held. And while these events are not taking place, different footage and music are aired on the screens.

The new footage unveiled at IFA 2008, "Fly to the Earth," was very impressive so let me describe it to you more in detail.

The footage starts with a super slow motion of a man diving head first into the pool. The moment he reaches the water surface, the image changes to a speedy footage taking you on a super fast voyage through clouds and nature. And at the end, the footage takes you into space and ends with an image of the bright blue earth floating in dark space. Mid way through the footage, there is a scene where the sky and land flips over, as though you're in an inverted flight. Well, this seems to offer high-level stimulation to the sensory nerve, so together with the dynamic impact, I think this footage has a great effect.

The compelling footage using the 3 180-inch screens on stage to the utmost makes you feel as though you're in flight. I'm sure this footage, which illustrated the beauty of Earth on the dynamic large screen, has captured the hearts of many people at IFA.

The footage was created in Japan and provided to the local Panasonic team, who arranged it in a great way to use for the mass cluster of "VIERA" displays and the corner communicating the superior motion technology of the "VIERA" I've mentioned in my previous entries. So this footage played a part in the Japan-Germany presentation collaboration.

"VIERA CAST" is an IPTV function that may be enjoyed by connecting the TV to the internet. In Japan, a similar IPTV offering known as acTVila is already available. In a nutshell, with "VIERA CAST," you can enjoy internet content on TV with your family and friends. The "VIERA CAST" was first introduced at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year, but its ability to enjoy YouTube and Picasa (digital photo album) on the "VIERA" using broadband internet connection caused a great sensation.

And at IFA, it was announced that a very popular sports channel in Europe, EUROSPORT, will launch its video on demand services on "VIERA CAST" from 2009. With EUROSPORT on "VIERA CAST," you can watch any content you like from 500 contents updated daily in 5 languages - English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. This service, which is packed with content of popular sports such as football, basketball, and rugby may be used free of charge until 2010.

YouTube, Picasa, and EUROSPORTS - watching content you enjoy on your PC with the whole family on the TV will give way to a whole new way of enjoying internet content.

This is the screen you see when you start up "VIERA CAST." You select the contents you want and watch it on the large screen. Because it's via the internet, you can watch your favorite programs and contents on demand. Isn't that great?

There is a big garden in middle of Messe Berlin. And during IFA, various outdoor concerts take place, gathering a great crowd and livening up the event. There are food stalls nearby, so you can sit on the lawn with a beer and sandwich in your hand and enjoy live music.

In any case, I am astonished by how different it is from exhibitions in Japan. Here, you can check out the booths you're interested in with your friends and family, and then go watch the concert. How enviable!

It's quite cool in Berlin, so you can watch summer concerts quite comfortably.

When I took this picture, a rehearsal was taking place.

What I would like to talk about next is the corner introducing the prototype of the WirelessHD(TM). There is a little living room on top of the stage, and on the wall you will find the super-thin plasma display panel I talked about in an earlier entry. The super-thin "VIERA" is very stylish, but if you think about it, you would still have to connect it to various equipment such as a Blu-ray Disc recorder and amp. And so even if you could hang your TV on the wall, if the cables for all the equipment are hanging from it, it doesn't look really smart. Isn't there a way around this? That's where the new solution, the WirelessHD(TM) comes in.

This new technology makes it possible to transmit uncompressed video, audio signals wirelessly, and even if people walk in front of it or there is an obstruction between the transmitting and the receiving end, the WirelessHD(TM) instantly changes paths to offer uninterrupted transmission. On stage, in order really demonstrate how the super-thin plasma display panel hung on the wall is connected to a tuner placed farther away with this WirelessHD(TM) technology, the MC first showed how video transmission becomes interrupted by completely covering the transmitting end by hand, and then later proved that signal transmission remains contiguous with the WirelessHD(TM) even if someone walks in front of it. This "beam steering technology" frees the TV from having to be physically connected to other equipment, so you're at liberty to decide where you want to put it (or move it if you want to).

WirelessHD(TM) is a standard set forth by the "WirelessHD(TM) Consortium," an industry-led initiative involving companies such as Intel, LG, Panasonic, NEC, Samsung, SiBEAM, Sony, and Toshiba. The prototype exhibited at this year's IFA has been developed in collaboration with SiBEAM, and with the reduction in chip size, it has become significantly smaller than the prototype introduced at the CES in January.

There are other technologies that transmit high definition signals wirelessly, but what is amazing about the WirelessHD(TM) is that it can send uncompressed beautiful images at 4Gbps. I feel as though here too, you can see Panasonic's commitment to high definition imagery. This also reminds me of my previous entry about the HDMI cable. This cable also has the ability to transmit uncompressed signals, so WirelessHD(TM) is like a wireless version of that.

And because I thought, "just may be?" I looked to see if WirelessHD(TM) can transmit the "VIERA Link" control signals as well. Well, I was right. So, in a way, you could say that the "VIERA Link" made possible by HDMI has evolved to become wireless, or WirelessHD(TM). According to the staff at the booth, Panasonic hopes to launch the product in 2009. I can't wait!

Panasonic has not only developed the super-thin plasma display panel, but it also has prepared technologies that make it possible to actually use it at home. Because the stage attempts to introduce wireless signals that are invisible, it looks like a rather vanilla demonstration at a glance, but it attracts many people each time.

A demonstration was carried out in German, illustrating how the audio-visual transmission is contiguous.

This technology was introduced at CES this January, but by making the chip more compact, the delivery equipment has significantly shrunk in size.

• VIERA Link

"VIERA Link" refers to an epochal system that enables single-remote operation, using the remote control of the "VIERA," by connecting various equipment such as the DVD recorder "DIGA", Blu-ray Disc Recorder, and the digital AV control amp to the flat screen TV "VIERA" with an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) cable.

The HDMI can transmit uncompressed digital video and audio signal. The HDMI cable can also send control signals, so Panasonic has made use of such capabilities to enable the "VIERA" - AV equipment control. That is how the "VIERA Link" came to life.

At the Panasonic booth at IFA, various equipments are exhibited to help communicate the benefits offered by the "VIERA Link." It is a very lucid solution for those people around the world who are plagued by the superfluity of remote controls.

I mentioned this in my entry on the 27th, but the first Blu-ray Disc Recorder for Europe will be introduced to the marketplace this autumn. Since the introduction of the Blu-ray Disc Player in Europe, Panasonic has remained a leading company in Blu-ray Disc technology, and now, it has taken another historic step forward by launching the Blu-ray Disc Recorder. It is already available in stores in Japan, but the Blu-ray Disc Recorder will soon be available in France as infrastructure for enjoying high definition broadcasting is now in place in the country.

Here on display is the actual Blu-ray Disc Recorder. Although it has only been announced that it will become available in France, Panasonic plans to introduce it into various other European markets apace with the development of high definition broadcasting. So those of you in Germany, please wait a little longer.

Now that Blu-ray has become the de facto standard for next generation optical discs, lots of software are becoming rapidly available. Moreover, high definition broadcasting has begun in various countries and is getting more and more accessible. Now you can watch movies and sports or shoot video in beautiful high definition quality. Such an environment for "Living in High Definition" is gradually coming in to place.

The first Blu-ray Disc Recorder for Europe, the DMR-BW500.

• Blu-ray Disc Global

I went to the "Blu-rau CINEMA" where you can enjoy beautiful image and sound quality of the Blu-ray Disc. This enclosed area is like a real movie theater, as you have to leave after each showing to give way to the next batch of people. There are about 20 comfy seats in the cinema, but because it was a Sunday, the "Blu-ray CINEMA" was so popular some people had to stand in the back of the room. The show introduced the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory's long-term commitment to creating movie software in Hollywood, the center of the filming industry, and Blu-ray products, after which movie trailers were shown on the 103-inch plasma display panel with dynamic 7.1ch surround sound.

It seems as though the high resolution imagery of the Blu-ray successfully captured the visitors' hearts as there were people who asked the staff questions very zealously after the show. I heard that the popularly of the Blu-ray in Europe has risen significantly this year. Even in comparison with the theater at last year's booth, I can sense how high people's interest is for Blu-ray.

This time, visitors got to see a wide variety of movie trailers such as CG animation and action scenes. I believe that the ability to reproduce film in the quality intended by the movie producers is very important, but once you watch images in Blu-ray it'll be hard to be satisfied with the past viewing environment. I'm sure many people who came to the theater felt the same.

Staff dressed like a hero and heroine from a movie greet the visitors at the entrance of the "Blu-ray CINEMA." They very willingly take photographs with visitors.

Many people couldn't take their eyes off of the beautiful imagery of the Blu-ray Disc displayed on the 103-inch plasma display panel.

• Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL)

Clear blue skies kick off the third day of IFA 2008. I usually come to Messe Berlin on the shuttle bus, but the weather was so nice today, I took the train instead. Here's what it was like.

The train station at the South Entrance, the closest entrance to the Panasonic booth, is Messe Süd. It's only 4 stations away from the Zoologischer Garten station, located in central Berlin, so it only takes about 10 minutes to get to the Messe. Another major entrance to the Messe is the North Entrance, but many people probably use the Messe Süd station because you don't have to transfer trains.

Once you get up the stairs, you'll see the South Entrance in front of you. It's so close to the train station.

I found a Panasonic banner that seemed to be welcoming the visitors.

Today's a Sunday, and the skies are crystal clear. So many visitors are headed to the Messe Berlin.

Messe Berlin is only a few minutes walk from the train station. It was great because it was like a petite adventure, and you don't have to sit through traffic.

Messe Berlin is truly gigantic. There's even a concert hall and a park inside its premises, so if you want to get to your next booth I suggest you take the shuttle bus. The bus routes are displayed in a very easy to understand way allowing you to make efficient use of your time.

I introduced the 150-inch and the super-thin plasma display panels in NeoPDP Technology part 1 and 2. In this entry I'd like to talk about the core technology, the "high luminance efficiency technology," which has made this possible.

The "high luminance efficiency technology" has realized double the luminance efficiency (!), and it is this technology that forms the core of the ultra-large, super-thin next generation plasma display panels. This has become possible with the development of materials for the luminous body itself, cell technology that augments discharge efficiency, and the development of new drive technology that significantly reduces power loss. These aren't extensions of traditional technologies rather, they were developed from a completely new perspective.

And according to the press conference held on the 28th, products embedded with such technologies will become available next year. Innovative technologies only introduced in January this year will already be offered in products... If we look back at 2008 from the future, we may think that this year was a significant milestone for television.

On the left is the screen embedded with NeoPDP Technology's high luminance efficiency technology, and on the right is the traditional plasma display panel. If the power consumptions for both are set at the same level, the brightness of the screen using NeoPDP Technology is double the other (can you see the difference in the photograph?).

The brightness of both screens is set at the same level. You can see that the screen with NeoPDP Technology only consumes half the power form the numbers displayed above the screens.

The prototype of the 50-inch plasma display panel introduced at CES in January with a thinness of 24.7mm (described in the press conference the other day as being "thinner than (the width of) a 2-Euro coin") has new additions, the 58-inch and 65-inch, which are all of the same thinness. But the thinness isn't the only forte. They only weigh about half of the same size screens currently available. At the exhibition, these screens spin around, slide from left to right, and spin around the pole to show what new design layouts for home these new displays offer.

Watching the screens spinning around, sliding left to right very easily, I realize how far plasma display panels have evolved. "I want a large screen when I watch TV, but when I'm not watching it, I don't want it to stand out too much." "I want to be able to easily move it around." "I want to put it away when I am not watching it." The day plasma TVs that reflect such needs and wants of consumers are introduced into the market doesn't seem so far away.

In the press conference, Panasonic mentioned that it's "thinner than a 2 Euro coin," so I went to make a comparison. It was really very thin!

The prototype of the world's largest 150-inch plasma display panel introduced at CES this January has also made an appearance at IFA 2008. This is the first time this plasma display panel is unveiled to the general public in Europe, and as such, it is drawing great attention from the crowd.

The e screen is approximately 1.87m high and 3.31m wide, and it is 9 times the size of 50-inch screens, so it is indeed super large. And what's also amazing is its extremely fine high resolution with a pixel count 4 times that of full high definition - a total of 8.84 million pixels (4096 across x 2160 high). It is a next generation, high resolution plasma display panel with a 2K x 4K power of expression. And this display was brought to life with the "NeoPDP Technology," a striking breakthrough in fundamental technologies, such as materials, process and drive technologies.

Of course, it's very popular at IFA as well; when the mayor of Berlin came and visited the booth on the opening day, he stopped by to take a look as well. Being such a gargantuan and beautiful plasma display panel, what you display on it should be beautiful as well. Perhaps it could be used for a virtual facility where you can watch many of the great art pieces of many history and art museums in Berlin?

The 150-inch plasma display panel is presented in a bit of a recess. At a glance, it looks like a screen that you would find in movie theaters, but this is actually a plasma display panel. This is one of the most popular corners in the Panasonic booth. There's always many people here, so it's hard to get in to take photographs of it.

• CSR

Much thinking and creativity goes into each exhibition in order to get people to really experience the great resolution "VIERA" offers, but I felt as though the way the superior motion technology and superb color reproducibility of the "VIERA" were presented at IFA was especially innovative, so let me describe them to you in detail.

First, let's talk about the superior motion technology corner. Both the plasma and LCD "VIERA" displays fast moving scenes beautifully, and in order to do this superior motion technology justice, 7 large screen plasma display panels are exhibited in a row, side by side, each screen showing scenes that are a fraction of a second apart. This sight, with the numerous large screens each showing images in a different time-sequence, was very impactful.

The second day of IFA 2008. For the past few days, it's been cloudy and a bit chilly here in Berlin, but we have sunny skies this morning. And it's promising to be a hotter day today. It's Saturday as well, so many visitors will surely come. The first entry of the day is the mass cluster of "VIERA" I briefly mentioned yesterday.

This mass cluster is located in a very prominent area of the booth, where people's paths cross. The plasma and LCD "VIERA" displays, which at a glance seem to have been placed at random, reproduce beautiful images. Sometimes they display the same images, but at other times different images, while still maintaining congruency. This very well thought through composition is truly remarkable.

Needless to say, television plays a central role as a visual media. And of course for Panasonic the central presence for "Living in High Definition" is the "VIERA." The mass cluster of "VIERA" displays, which are an overwhelming presence here at the Panasonic booth, seem to reflect the strong commitment Panasonic has for sophisticated resolution and expression.

• VIERA Global

Let's take a look at the corporate stage presentation packed with ideas for life from Panasonic.

The MC for this year is once again, Pascal, who has been involved in Panasonic's stage presentation in Europe for a very long time now, and I saw him last year at IFA and GITEX. True to its international stature, presentations are carried out alternatively in English and German at IFA. And Pascal carries off the presentations in both languages! Amazing! There are 3 180-inch screens on stage, and the MC's narration is well in synch with the images projected onto them from the backyard.

The corporate presentation begins with an opening message, followed by a description of epoch making products offered by Panasonic since its foundation 90 years ago. The presentation emphasizes that the technologies Panasonic has acquired from the various products it has introduced to the world as a leading company in the home electronics arena have helped build the foundations of today's high definition products.

Based on the concept and exhibition theme, "Living in High Definition," the presentation introduced the "VIERA Link," which multiplies the enjoyment many times over by offering connectivity of equipment such as the Blu-ray Disc Player and SD Memory Card compatible high definition camcorders to the flat screen TV "VIERA." Moreover, the presentation explained that the "VIERA" can now be connected to the internet to enjoy contents such as YouTube, and a new addition, EUROSPORT, a very popular sports channel in Europe via the "VIERA CAST." So now people can watch their favorite sports at any time.

Touching upon the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which ended just last week, the presentation highlighted Panasonic's commitment to the Olympic Games as the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the past and in the future from the London 2012 Olympic Games through to the Games in 2016. The presentation well illustrated Panasonic's commitment to "Sharing the Passion" and excitement with people all over the world by offering state-of-the-art high definition technologies that deliver dramatic sporting scenes in crystal clear, true-to-life resolution.

Lastly, the presentation talked about Panasonic's commitment to the environment such as its 3 'eco ideas' and social contribution.

Between the intervals of the various parts of the presentations, 6 male and female dancers put on a great dance performance. The very straight forward and easy to understand presentation and the dance moves in synch with the catchy music – these 2 elements create a well balanced presentation, keeping the visitors well entertained.

When I first joined the group of writers for this blog and began writing my entries for CHITEC last year, the concept, "Living in High Definition" was already being widely communicated at the exhibition. It has now been a year and 3 months since I've travelled around the world with this theme, but I feel as though what this phrase embodies has continued to evolved and is now becoming a tangible reality. And with the coming of each new exhibition, I can see what it really means even more vividly. What kind of ideas for the future is Panasonic proposing at IFA 2008? I'd like to take a closer look at the various corners of the booth starting tomorrow to tell you about them more in detail.

Panasonic's exhibition theme for IFA 2008 is "Living in High Definition." By now, most of you are probably well acquainted with this theme. "Living in High Definition," goes far beyond just clear, crisp, true to life imagery and sophisticated technology. It also expresses the joy and the premium lifestyle made possible with high definition technologies.

I tend to be more of an analog person than not, but looking at the contents Panasonic is communicating at IFA 2008 with a crow's nest view, I feel as though the ideas that this theme encompasses have really come within reach.

For example, the "NeoPDP Technology," unveiled at CES this January, will be embedded in products to be made available to the market next year. And also, the environment surrounding Blu-ray Discs, such as packaged software and high definition broadcasting, has come into place and leading edge products such as the SD Memory Card high definition camcorders are now available. Moreover, the enjoyment expands with connectivity of such products around the flat screen TV "VIERA."

So, "Living in High Definition" is no longer a far off dream. I'm sure that many people who come to the Panasonic booth at IFA 2008 will be able to experience this very accessible idea that helps create a new and enjoyable lifestyle.

This year is the 90th anniversary for Panasonic. And this corner introduces Panasonic's chronology since its foundation and the epoch making products it has birthed over the years, as well as the CSR and environmental activities, which are an extension of its history.

The digital camera "LUMIX" corner was extremely popular. Perhaps it was because the new models, such as the LX3 and the FZ28 were just launched, but there were many people there who were testing out the "LUMIX" and asking the staff questions with great interest.

• LUMIX

Plasma display panels for large size screen and LCDs for small/middle size screens. In this corner you'll find a great line-up of "VIERA" TVs.

Many people stop in their tracks to watch this cluster of "VIERA" displays in various sizes. The screens that display various different images are so beautiful, they almost seem like an artistic objet.

Today is the first day of IFA 2008. Although I'll cover each area in detail later on, I'd like to start by giving you a photographic tour of the booth.

First, there I'd like to introduce the main stage where the corporate stage presentations are held in both English and German all day and various events also take place. So it almost serves as a "square" for the Panasonic booth.

On stage you will see 3 180-inch screens. Projectors have been set up behind the stage in the backyard to project images on to these screens.

August 29, 2008, 10:00 a.m. – IFA 2008, which will be held over the next 6 days, has just begun. It's a shame that it's a bit cloudy outside, but many people have already arrived in the booth. On the　main stage, the first corporate stage presentation for IFA 2008 has just begun! I am going to go check the booth out, so I'll be back in a bit!

Right before the doors opened, all the staff from the Panasonic booth got together around the main stage for the opening ceremony.

A press conference took place in the Panasonic booth at 10:00 a.m. on the day before IFA 2008 kicks off.

Furthermore, he introduced "VIERA CAST," which offer contents that widely broaden the ways in which people can enjoy the "VIERA." "VIERA CAST" is similar to the IPTV offering known as acTVila in Japan. And at the International CES held at the beginning of the year, it was announced that you could enjoy YouTube and Picasa (digital photo album) on the "VIERA" using broadband internet connection. In addition, he introduced the launch of EUROSPORT's video on demand services on "VIERA CAST" in Europe from 2009. The members of the media present at the press conference were greatly impressed by this offering, which makes it possible to easily enjoy popular sports in Europe such as football, basketball, and car racing.

A photograph of Mr. Fujita as he shakes hands with Mr. Jacques Raynaud, the Vice President of Eurosport.

Lastly, Mr. Takuya Sugita, the Video Business Unit Director, Network Business Group of the Panasonic AVC Company talked about the Blu-ray Disc Recorders and the Players, and the market's growth. He described the Blu-ray Disc Recorder in detail especially since it will be launched for the first time in Europe this fall, starting with France. The Blu-ray Disc Recorder is already available in Japan, but it will be introduced in France this fall because the infrastructure for high definition broadcasting is now in place in France, resulting in an increase in demand to record beautiful footage in its original state.

Most of the people who were at the press conference were probably members of the media from various countries around Europe. There were so many people there, and the air of excitement that filled the booth was quite amazing. "VIERA CAST" now with EUROSPORT and the first Blu-ray Disc Recorder in Europe is sure to receive great media coverage in various countries around Europe.

The exhibition will begin tomorrow, but because the press conference was held this morning, the Panasonic booth, overall, is almost complete.

As I have already mentioned, Panasonic is in Hall 5.2, same as last year, but the impression it gives is completely different. It feels as though you can really just enjoy taking a stroll inside the booth; it has great depth and movement. The design concept for this year's booth was to not have any right angles, so that may be contributing to this impression. Please look forward to the booth photographs tomorrow.

Staff are making adjustments to products in each corner or lecturing to the other staff who will be manning the booths, so everyone is devoted to the preparation for the big day tomorrow. As I look on at the Japanese staff (perhaps in charge of the products) and the local staff (who may be in charge of marketing) discussing how to finish up the product presentation in the exhibition corners, I realize anew that exhibitions are created with the involvement of a great many people.

Final rehearsals with stage costumes took place on the main stage, and final adjustments for each section – audio, video, illumination – are taking place. Panasonic booth will be welcoming guests tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., and from the staff's serious expressions I could feel their anticipation for what is to come.

Perhaps the person in charge of the stage? The atmosphere was pregnant with tension (in a good way) as the show will start tomorrow.

At Messe Berlin, preparations for tomorrows' kick off are steadily underway. There are various banners and signage around the Panasonic booth guiding people towards the booth. Let me introduce some of them to you.

A huge banner, like the one from last year, has been placed on the outer walls of Hall 5, where the Panasonic booth is located.

The destination is Hall 5.2. From here, it's only a short ways away.

And this is the banner right in front of the booth. It's quite big.

This banner has been placed here to guide people over to the Panasonic booth from the booth next door.

Tomorrow, these gates will be open welcoming many visitors in.

After about 30 minutes in a taxi from our hotel, I arrived in Messe Berlin where IFA 2008 will be held. The Panasonic booth is in Hall 5.2, same as last year.

There are many large exhibition centers in Germany, and Messe Berlin is one of them. According to the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry, two-thirds of the world's top-class messe (trade show) are held in Germany. And the history of messe in Germany goes back a long ways, all the way back to the 12th century. So, the messe has been regarded as an important industry and has grown for nearly 1,000 years.

Germany is indeed THE country of messe. Watching the staff's expressions as they work quickly and efficiently, I felt as though I was reliving a part of that history.

It's a bit drizzly in Berlin today. There was a big banner for the "VIERA" at the southern entrance of Messe Berlin.

Tegel Airport serves as one of the gateway to the skies for Berlin, the capital of Germany. Stating tomorrow, this airport will be welcoming many people coming to IFA. Once you get out of the gates you will see many Panasonic signs and banners. This year's design is quite variegated. Please take a look.

IFA girl, a mascot-like presence for IFA, is jumping out from the "VIERA."

A very dynamic athlete version.

There's also signage all under the roofed area outside the airport.

It took over 11 hours to get from the Kansai International Airport in Osaka to Frankfurt, and about another hour from there to the Berlin Tegel Airport. So including the transfer, it took approximately 16 hours to get here, but I've finally arrived. The time difference between here and Japan is 7 hours, and the times listed beginning from this entry will be the local time here.

Although it's still August it's quite cool here, and I am gradually starting to awaken to the fact that I am in Europe now. As I looked on at Berlin's cityscape on the way to the hotel from the airport, I remembered what it was like at IFA last year. The daylight here lasts a bit longer than Japan, so I felt a bit lucky.

IFA 2008 won't start until 2 days from now on the 29th, but I will go to the venue tomorrow, so that I can tell you about the press conferences, etc. To get ready to write my entries, I'm going to try to get to bed early today and overcome the jetlag quickly.

"Next destination: IFA 2008!" - a sign for IFA I found at the Berlin Tegel Airport's taxi stand.

IFA 2008 (Berlin International Consumer Electronics Exhibition) will begin on August 29 (Fri). That's 3 days from now, so I will be heading to Berlin early tomorrow morning.

The exhibition will be a long one, lasting for a total of 7 days if you include the day before the doors open, when the press conferences take place. I will try my best to energetically run about the Messe Berlin to bring to you fresh information.

I have my passport and ticket, of course, but my luggage ends up being quite big and heavy when I go overseas for exhibitions as I have to take my notebook PC, digital camera, catalogues, as well as other documents. I should double check to make sure I haven't forgotten anything!

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are on the news every day. Things really seem to be heating up! But, we mustn't forget that IFA 2008 is going to kick off next week from August 29th! On IFA's official site, you can learn about this year's must-see contents and topics. Let me introduce some of the contents to you.

You can download the venue map for IFA here. Why not start by learning just how big the Messe Berlin is.

Information about concerts and special events, which will be held daily in the "Sommergarten" (Summer Garden) within the venue, can be found here. This year, too, there will be a wide variety of performances taking place each day. You can also reserve tickets online.

If you want to learn about IFA's long history (of more than 80 years), please click here. You can also look at pictures and posters of the radio, the main product on exhibit at the time.

Here, you can download brochures for tradeshow-visitors in various languages.

When I look at the map I've downloaded, I start to remember very vividly how the exhibition was last year. Many companies from around the world will take part in this exhibition, but I am especially looking forward to what new ideas the Panasonic booth will introduce this year.

If you also take its predecessor, the "Gross Deutsche Funkausstellung" (the Great German Radio Show, held in 1924) into account, IFA has a very long history of 80 some years. Its scale has expanded apace with the development of home electronics, and it has grown to become the large event it is today. According to the IFA's official site, last year, 1,212 companies from 32 countries took part and it received nearly 235,000 visitors. Compared to the previous year, the number of exhibitors increased by 15% and visitors by 10%. This year an even bigger area will be used as the venue, and so there are great expectations for it to become the largest IFA ever.

Messe Berlin is a gigantic exhibition center located about 20-30 minutes drive west of central Berlin. And this year's exhibition will be categorized into 7 fields, which are "home entertainment," "audio entertainment," "home appliances," "my media," "public media," "communication," and "technology & components." Like IFA, the International CES held in Las Vegas every year is also referred to as "one of the largest" consumer electronics shows in the world, but the biggest difference is that IFA is open to the general public as well. Perhaps this may be the reason why, but in addition to keynote speeches and forums held by leaders of various fields, outdoor concerts and fireworks are scheduled to take place. IFA has now become an annual event whereby Berlin says adieu to the summer season.

I recall that at IFA 2007, many visitors came to the Panasonic booth and seemed to enjoy experiencing the various exhibition corners. And I was also impressed by the concept and design of the booth, very befitting of Germany, the true home of messe.

I am very much looking forward to what kind of exhibitions Panasonic will introduce at this large stage, the IFA 2008. I will try my best to communicate the energetic ambience at Messe Berlin, so please stay tuned for what's to come!

Hi, everyone! Long time no see! As some of you may know, I'm mino and I was the writer for CHITEC 2008, which was held in May this year, and I wlll also be covering this exhibition, so wish me luck!

The next exhibition the Cyber Showcase Blog will be covering is IFA 2008. One of the largest consumer electronics shows in the world, the IFA 2008 will be held in Berlin, Germany for 6 days from August 29th (Fri) to September 3rd (Wed). Panasonic has positioned IFA as one of the important exhibition for the European market, and so intensive preparations for the exhibition are steadily underway. The opening is still a ways ahead, but we would like to start providing information about the exhibition on this blog.

This is the second consecutive year that I will be in charge of reporting about IFA. I can recall IFA 2007 as though it happened only yesterday - the huge, lively booths in the Messe Berlin and the crowd of very enthusiastic visitors. This year, I will do my best to dig even deeper to have an even shaper eye when writing about this mammoth exhibition, so stay tuned!