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November 27, 2005

New: Panasonic SD Stereo and attached portable player

The world's first SD stereo systems features a built-in HDD record up to 40,000 songs without the need for a PC.

Panasonic announced four new D-snap Audio digital audio players and two micro stereo systems that offer ubiquity and usability of the SD Memory Card.

The new SD stereo systems are the world's first CD and FM/AM radio players featuring a large-capacity built-in hard disk drive (HDD) with an SD Memory Card slot. Without using a computer, users can load up to 40,000 songs on the HDD and copy favorite tunes on SD Memory Cards instantly and enjoy them with the D-snap Audio player wherever and whenever they like. All the new SD audio products will be released to the Japanese market on November 19.

"The digital audio market is growing dramatically as the products become more compact, lighter, longer-playing and stylish," said Mr. Shunzo Ushimaru, Director of Corporate Marketing Division for Panasonic Brand in Japan. "We expect the shipment of audio players to exceed those of CD/MD players in the Japanese market by March 2006. Although the demand for micro stereo systems has been declining after hitting the peak in 2000 and is expected to be around 1.9 million units by March 2006, we believe our new products will help rejuvenate the market."

"Last spring, Panasonic presented a new concept of audio lifestyle, introducing the SD Memory Card in the digital audio players and micro stereo systems, relieving user dependence on a PC. The new SD products have met the demands of consumers with improved sound quality and removable media capabilities for portable audio players. We will continue to enhance the PC-free digital audio entertainment by taking full advantage of unique features of the SD Memory Card," said Mr. Ushimaru.

The new D-snap Audio players, the SV-SD750V, SV-SD700, SV-SD350V and SV-SD300, offer clear and dynamic sound thanks to Panasonic's D.sound Engine LSI that incorporates digital amplifier, re-master and personal surround sound functions as well as four equalizers on a single chip. The LSI enables reproducing sound as close to the original as possible. The SD750V and SD700 come with double-drive in-ear earphones that employ two separate drivers for low-range and mid- and high-range frequencies to deliver balanced, high-quality sound.

The SD750V and SD700 audio players measure 86 (h) × 46 (w) × 9.9 (d) mm and weigh only 53 g including the rechargeable battery. Slim, compact and light, they can easily slip into a shirt pocket or purse or hang around the neck. Without moving mechanical parts, they are skip-proof, and large touch-sensitive buttons enable easy operation with just the thumb - suitable for physical activities such as jogging. They outperform the joggers, however, playing 45 hours of music on a single charge. When using the rechargeable battery and one AA dry cell together, the SD750V will play continuously for 105 hours. The battery is charged to full capacity in just two hours.

Equipped with an FM global tuner, they can receive, record and playback FM radio broadcasts worldwide. Additionally, the SD750V and SD350V have voice recording capabilities.

The new SD stereo systems are available in two storage capacities, 80 GB (SC-SX800) and 40 GB (SC-SX400). The SC-SX800 is capable of saving up to 40,000 songs or 2,640 hours of music (AAC format, LP mode), creating a personal jukebox. It is also a space saver, storing the equivalent of 2,640 60-minute CDs in the compact 185 (w) × 150 (h) × 268 (d) mm main unit.

The two models offer high-speed copying, up to 8X high speed from the CD to HDD and up to 12X speed from the HDD to SD Memory Card - a 60-minute CD can be transferred to the HDD in eight minutes and to the SD Memory Card in five minutes. The players automatically create three music lists according to playback frequency, recorded dates and music impressions, making it easy to manage a large library of music data.

A large LCD indicates seven lines of music titles and menus in QVGA (320 × 240 pixels) quality for easy viewing.

The 256 MB and 128 MB SD Memory Card will be sold as a three-color package consisting of one blue, one white and one red. The color variations help organize the user's music collection. The 256 MB card can store almost six hours of music and the 2 GB card, the largest capacity available, can record 46 hours of tunes (AAC, SP mode).

With innovative ideas and technologies, Panasonic continues to make everyday life easier and more enjoyable.

About Panasonic
Best known by its Panasonic brand name, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 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 US$81.44 billion for the year ended March 31, 2005. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, New York (NYSE:MC), Euronext Amsterdam and Frankfurt stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.co.jp/global/index.html.

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Posted by mp3fan at November 27, 2005 1:36 PM