ICTPRESS Report By khaleejtimes: GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK2013

Panasonic on Sunday at Gitex 2013 unveiled the world’s first 20-inch tablet, with a 4K resolution display for the Middle East and Africa markets.

In addition the Japanese electronics giant is also showcasing industry leading lamp free projectors.

The product will be available in the region from January next year and it will be priced $5,000 at retail level, Panasonic Marketing managing director for Middle East and Africa, Masao Motoki told reporters at a news conference on the first day of Gitex. The Middle East is one of the potential markets for high end products and that’s the reason the company has selected Dubai to launch for the region, Motoki explained.
Shigeo Okuda, director AVC Networks Company Business Development Centre, Panasonic Corporation; Masao Motoki, and Kouichi Kawashima, director AVC Networks Company Visual Systems Business Division, Panasonic Corporation, at the product launch in Dubai on Sunday.

The Toughpad 4K - UT-MB5 is the flagship product in Panasonic’s ground-breaking new Ultra-High Definition Toughpad range. Offering a new digital viewing experience called 4K, which is more than four times better than HD at 3840 x 2560 pixels, the Toughpad 4K UT-MB5 is a business rugged, portable tablet that breaks new ground in digital viewing with 4K resolution, collaborative working with touchscreen capabilities and a unique Panasonic Electronic Touch Pen for pin-point accuracy and annotation.

The portable tablet comes with a unique new Panasonic Electronic Touch Pen that is super intuitive and provides paper-like feel for sketching, annotation or handwriting. The pen uses infrared signals to distinctly read every single pixel on the screen and communicates it with the tablet via bluetooth, making it stand apart from commonly found capacitive digitizers. It is so accurate because it is able to recognise every individual pixel on the tablet screen, can recognize and record the pen, tilt and can interpret 2048 levels of pressure, ensuring drawing or handwriting is reflected perfectly to the smallest detail.

    “At Panasonic we are committed to engineering products and technologies that enrich lives and contribute to society. The world’s first Toughpad 4K is another example of Panasonic delivering on its promise. This product will open new doors for our customers by delivering an impressive viewing experience. With this device, the region has literally moved into an era of the next dimension in visual developments of 4K resolution technology,” Motoki commented.

The newly-launched Lamp Free Projector series from Panasonic are an alternative to the current short-life span conventional lamp systems with a combination of LED and laser diodes.

The new light sources has a life-span of 20,000 hours – that’s around five times more than a normal bulb-based projectors life-span and equivalent to more than two years continuous use, without the need to replace a lamp or change a filter. The first generation models of Lamp Free Projector series include four models: PT-RW330, PT-RZ370, PT-RW430, and PT-RZ470.

“The Middle East projector market is driven by growing business demand. It is no more a product catering to a niche segment and the market is bullish on the projector demand forecasts. These next generation visual solutions are ideal for Middle East homes, offices and large venues. Our projectors not only incorporate the latest technologies but are competitively priced as well,” said Yuichiro Suzuki, senior manager of system solutions, Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa.