Panasonic Develops New Tablet with 20-inch 4k IPS Alpha LCD Panel

OSAKA, Japan, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic Corporation today announced the development of a new tablet computer that features a 20-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel with more than four times the resolution of Full High Definition, as well as a high precision digital pen.  With the target to commercialize the new tablet later this year, Panasonic is gearing itself up to propose new business value this feature-rich device will offer to its customers in a wide range of industries.  The tablet is on display at the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas from January 8 to 11.

Employing Panasonic's cutting-edge digital technology, the new tablet is designed to create new value for users with a more realistic and intuitive operating environment than paper or a display.  This tablet embodies the characteristics of printed media that existing personal or tablet computers cannot provide, such as texture rich rendering, natural hand-writing and a light weight and thinness for easy mobility.

The 20-inch LCD panel delivers "4k" resolution (3840 x 2560, 9.83 million pixels), more than twice the horizontal and vertical resolutions of Full HD (1920 x 1080) and has a density of 230 pixels per inch.  With a unique aspect ratio of 15:10, it can display an A3-size paper in almost full size, making it ideal to show content such as newspapers and magazines, as well as pictures with the same aspect ratio.  Moreover, the pen input, with a resolution as high as the panel itself, enables natural handwriting on the tablet.  Weighing 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) and 10.8 mm (0.4 inch) thick, the tablet is easy to carry.

These unique characteristics will open up new ways for tablets to be used.  The following is an example of its usage in an editorial meeting to finalize a new catalogue:

An editor comes into the room carrying a 4k tablet with him, lays it flat on the table and switches it on to show the catalog data for perusal by the editorial staff.  While they check each page of the print-ready catalog by tapping and swiping the touchscreen, the editor jots down instructions for color changes directly on the screen using the digital pen and transfers them to the printing company.  The meeting wraps up after they make a final check of the revised data returned from the printer to ensure the changes have been made correctly.

As the above example shows, the 4k tablet offers intuitive operation and ultra-high resolution images with superb color reproduction and a wide viewing angle unique to IPS Alpha panels, bringing an "eco and smart" work style into various business scenes.

The tablet is based on Windows 8 operating system, which enables the user to continue to use reliable applications developed for and business documents created on older versions of Windows.  Besides offering an intuitiveness other PCs and tablets cannot rival, this innovative tablet will facilitate an environment in which users can develop business solutions in a timely fashion without losing any business chance.

Panasonic has built up trust with customers in a variety of industries by offering its ruggedized Toughbook laptops and Let's Note mobile notebook PCs, which helped improve operation efficiency and productivity in harsh outdoor working environments where such IT products were rarely found.  Building on these achievements, Panasonic will strive to commercialize the 4k tablet, making it available globally to provide new business values to customers.

Specifications

• Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries that identifies Microsoft Windows operating system.
• Intel, Intel vPro and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
• NVIDIA and GeForce are trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation.
• Anoto, Anoto Logotype and Live Pen are trademarks owned by Anoto AB.

About Panasonic   
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products in three business fields, consumer, components & devices, and solutions.  Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.85 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2012. Panasonic's stock is listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:PC) Stock Exchanges. The company has the vision of becoming the No. 1 Green Innovation Company in the Electronics Industry by the 100th year of its founding in 2018. For more information on Panasonic, its brand and commitment to sustainability, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.

SOURCE Panasonic