DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 5 /PRNewswire/ --

    
    - VIERA Consumers Now Benefit from Full Time Full HD, SD Card Slots for
      Immediate Playback and Exclusive Japanese Manufactured Panels;

    - Smart Networking Takes Precedence in Middle East Homes, Says Senior
      Panasonic Executives

Panasonic, the global industry leader in Plasma and LCD televisions, has introduced an additional 9 LCD and 8 Plasma high definition VIERA TVs for the growing Middle East market in 2009.

Panasonic now offers three distinct advantages for the consumer, including enhanced unique features like 'Full-time Full HD' and VIERA Image Viewer function for the playback of pictures & videos by SD card which the manufacturer claim to be world's first in a flat panel TV.

"The way people see TV in the Middle East has dramatically evolved, and our products are designed to match our customer's changing lifestyles," said Abby Thomas, Senior Manager, Consumer Electronics Department, Panasonic Marketing Middle East. "Panasonic is committed to making leading entertainment technology readily available to our customers."

This year's VIERA models feature enhanced VIERA Image Viewer function. The VIERA Image Viewer (SD Card Link) is now a standard feature on all 2009 models. Consumers can watch instantly the pictures and videos they took, by simply plugging in the SD card into the TV. It uses three easy steps: Shoot, Insert, and See. Consumers can now enjoy still pictures and videos at their fingertips, with a direct playback option on their VIERA.

'Full-time Full HD' is a unique development by Panasonic in their new VIERA plasma models. Panasonic has improved motion image performance, contrast and colour reproduction to deliver a new level of picture quality to consumers. Now, when watching both still and motion pictures, consumers can enjoy 'Full-time Full HD' and enjoy clear, razor-sharp motion images, similar to the visual experience they enjoy at the cinema.

New NeoPDP display panels for all 2009 VIERA Plasma TV offer exciting new possibilities in image quality. Twice the luminous efficiency of previous displays, the new NeoPDP is upgraded revised in three critical areas - material & processing, discharge gas & cell design and circuit & drive technology. The aim of this advancement is to target a market share of 60% in the Plasma category.

New IPS Alpha Panels the so called Next Generation LCD Panels provide stunning images from a very wide angle. Using Panasonic's In-Plane-Switching technology, viewers can now enjoy richer, vivid and more natural looking images in their VIERA LCD's. These new panels have 1.5 times more transmissivity than conventional panels.

All Panasonic panels made in Japan, have a life of up to 100,000 hrs, a lifespan of 30 years of viewing when watched 8 hours a day. If you watch TV four hours a night, every day of the year, that milestone wouldn't be reached for 68 years. New mercury and lead free panels are only 1-inch thick with wider viewing angle of 178 degrees. All models come with an SD card slot and a motion and still images resolution of 1,080 lines.

Further developments have been made to the popular VIERA Link facility, where you can use the VIERA remote control to operate devices connected to a VIERA TV via an HDMI cable. VIERA Link is environmentally friendly too. It helps to save energy by automatically powering-down connected devices, switching then to Intelligent Auto Stand-By.

"The region is increasingly becoming tech savvy, customers are looking for a one-stop-solution to smart networking in their homes and our product does exactly that. VIERA which is more than just a TV, allows customers to personalize the channel they are viewing and enjoy their favourite moments with family and friends while giving full consideration to the environment," added Thomas.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 9.07 trillion yen (US$90.7 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2008. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE Symbol: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net

Photo Caption: (left to right) Abby Thomas, Senior Manager, Consumer Electronics Department, Panasonic Marketing Middle East, Anthony Peter Associate Director (PMM) Group General Manager, DCC (Director Communications and Customer Care) Group, Shaun Sullivan, General Manager, Al-Futtaim Panatech, Norihiro Ohara, General Manager, Panasonic Marketing Middle East, Shimpei Tsujigami, Manager, Consumer Electronic Dept.

http://www.panasonic.eu

http://www.panasonic.ae

Wallis Marketing Consultants, Dubai UAE. Press contact: Abhijit Pradhan Tel: +971-4-390-1950, Fax: +971-367-2800