Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 £30,000 Amazon Price Blunder

No sooner did Panasonic announce their new Lumix DMC-G2 a host of online retailers put the new micro four third camera up for pre-order. Seems like Amazon think they can get away with charging £30,000 for it though. No, really it is bound to be a typo or holding price, but someone might just push the button :)

Panasonic’s New 3MOS High Definition Camcorders Are Here

Continuing to push the boundaries, Panasonic, the UK’s leading brand in High Definition Camcorder (1) , is pleased to introduce three new models to its award winning portfolio of 3MOS High Definition Camcorders. With technical specifications to be proud of - including full HD recording (1920 x 1080, 50 progressive scan), an ultra wide 35mm wide-angle lens, the well renowned advanced 3MOS system, and newly developed POWER O.I.S and Face Recognition – Panasonic’s HS700, TM700 and SD700 are streets ahead of its competitors.

Recording Format... The 700 series models differ by their recording format only. The hybrid-type HS700 records data onto both its large 240-GB HDD and an SDXC, SDHC, or SD Memory Card. The twin-memory TM700 records onto its 32-GB built-in memory and an SDXC, SDHC, or SD Memory Card. The SD700 offers SDXC, SDHC or SD Memory Card recording only – allowing a slimmer and more compact design. Users can select from the three camcorder types based on their preferred media.

Advanced 3MOS System... The newly developed, high-sensitivity 3MOS system provides effective motion image pixel count of 9.15 million (3,050,000 pixels x 3). This new triple image sensor separates the light received through the lens into the three primary colours - red, green and blue - and processes each colour independently. As a result, it offers beautiful images with significantly better colour quality, detail and gradation than the 1MOS sensor system. The large-diameter F1.5 lens, newly developed Crystal Engine Pro, and the high-sensitivity sensors have improved the light collection rate, increased sensitivity, and reduced noise by one-half to provide users with bright, low-noise recording even in dim lighting. 

The new models can shoot 14.2-megapixel still images (in Still Image mode) as well as to take 13.3-megapixel still images whilst a movie image is being recorded (simultaneous recording). Even with this high pixel count, newly developed technology increases sensitivity and reduces noise by one-half to achieve bright images with minimal noise when shooting under low light conditions. This maximizes the 3MOS features of excellent colour reproduction, high resolution, and rich gradation, and lets the user capture vividly coloured images in both bright and darkly lit places. Only Panasonic incorporates 3MOS for consumer HD models.

There is a lot more to read about the new series, so please check them out at the Panasonic website.

Panasonic’s ‘Classroom of the Future’

The New Year saw Panasonic UK Systems Group unveil the ‘Classroom of the Future’  at BETT 2010, the world’s largest ICT and education technology event. Despite the snow, the Panasonic stand was a buzz of activity for the entire show, with attendees intrigued by a groundbreaking array of technology solutions aimed to help deliver a better primary, secondary and further education.

Cutting Edge Education Technologies Exhibited for the First Time

Within the Classroom of the Future there were three product debuts, including the UB-T880 elite Multitouch Interactive Whiteboard with the integrated PT-ST10E short throw projector solution, a High Definition Visual Communication System and a Gesture Recognition Technology Demonstration. 

The UB-T880 enables teachers to allow up to three students to interact with multimedia content from the integrated Easiteach software, making for a more exciting and engaging lesson.  The demonstration of the UB-T880 whipped up a frenzy of interest amongst the shows estimated twenty nine thousand visiting education professionals, perhaps for one reason because of its ability to stand up to classroom wear and tear which was demonstrated by Panasonic staff.  

Certainly UB-T880’s wondrously responsive touch sensitive interface also pulled the crowds to the Panasonic stand; “What distinguishes Panasonic from other suppliers is our insight into future technology that will be released and our willingness to listen to education professionals and offer them the best technology solutions that serve them.  This is a basic principle we applied when designing and developing the UB-T880” said Brennan Peyton, General Manager at Panasonic Systems Networks Europe. 

The Classroom of the Future

Anyone fortunate enough to visit the Panasonic stand this year will have had the chance to see how they could improve their learning establishment with the cutting edge Panasonic technology solutions on show. Demonstrations of tools such as gesture recognition, a system that recognises student’s faces and raised hands allowing teachers to profile classroom response and instantly monitor pupil attention levels was one of the highlights.  Education professionals were also interested in the systems future potential to automatically carry out pupil registrations. 

Groups of establishments could also benefit from cost and efficiency the HD Visual Communication System which enables high definition audio and visual information exchanges between two universities or schools anywhere in the world.  The system allows lectures to be broadcast via the internet in lag free, in full high definition even if they are as far apart as Ulverston and UAE, for universities seeking to add value and attract students through specialist lecturers the system could prove invaluable in minimising the total cost of hiring specialist lecturers as costs can be split between sites.  

With every possible technological need on show at the stand from Toughbook mobile computing solutions to the ever-present and ever reliable, landline phone systems, multifunction printers and projectors, Panasonic demonstrated their capability to provide every educational establishment in the country with the technology to make them top of the class.

Geekanoids News #8 - 13th October 2008

Wow, these weeks are flying by... another news update from us below. This week I get all excited about Apple's laptop announcements due tomorrow. Plus, a new technology for digital cameras from Olympus and Panasonic. Finally, this years MacLiveExpo gives me the opportunity to travel with a light laptop bag for once.