Panasonic Takes the Show on the Road

The race for the hearts and minds of consumers in the burgeoning 3D TV market is on and everyone is jockeying for the top spot. Samsung made its pitch for why you should invest in their stable of products in a press only event. Panasonic has decided to bring the fight directly to the consumer with the “Panasonic Touch the Future Tour”, a 15 city tour with the express purpose of introducing Panasonic’s 3D products to Joe and Jane Public.

I caught the last day of the NYC tour to check out what Panasonic had to offer and I learned a few things. All 3D televisions offerings from the company will be of a plasma variety which the lovely spokeswoman at the VIERA Full HD 3D Home Theater stop of the tour, claimed will give Panasonic televisions the visual edge over the competition.

In addition to the Home Theater set up, there was also a gaming segment where you could test drive the experience of gaming in 3D. The racing game demo got the job done. The VIERA 3D TV was hooked up to a snazzy gaming tower courtesy of NVIDA. The maker of many of the high-powered graphics cards that allow our desktops and laptops to give us the best possible images, will be debuting “NVIDIA 3DTV Play^TM, a software solution that allows consumers to connect their GeForce® GPU-powered desktop or notebook computer to new 3D TVsI really felt like I was moving at high velocity as I whipped my car around the curve. It’s a feeling I could definitely get used to in all my future gaming.

Panasonic reps were also big on stressing the partnership between the company and Direct TV. According to the press release, “Panasonic will be the exclusive presenting sponsor of DIRECTV’s new HD 3D channels set to debut in June 2010.” Adorned with Panasonic’s 3D specs, I watched a montage of sports, movies and documentaries that Direct TV is poised to offer sometime this summer.

Speaking of Panasonic’s 3D glasses solution, according to the spokespeople on the tour, there will be at least one pair of glasses included in a 3D TV package which are starting around $2900.

If you’re interested in checking out Panasonic’s shiny new toys you can still catch them in 14 cities including Boston, Philly, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Check here for a complete listing and dates.

About the Author
Sherri is a freelance writer that has a love of all things fun and geeky including gadgets, gaming, anime, and comics. When she isn't writing or out on the town living it up, she loves doing 10-12 hour marathon sessions on her Xbox 360 or one of her older consoles. It's not an addiction, it's a way of life!
See all posts by Sherri L. Smith.