CES: Panasonic reveals world’s first portable Blu-ray player

by Stevie Smith - Jan 8 2009, 12:14

Extending the growing reach of Sony Corp’s high-definition Blu-ray format, consumer electronics heavyweight Panasonic has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first portable Blu-ray player.

Panasonic’s DMP-B15 has made its industry debut at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and offers on-the-go movie lovers access to solid mobile HD capabilities thanks to a tempting 8.9-inch LCD screen that delivers 1080p performance and a resolution of 1024x600.

Other features packed into the DMP-B15 include support for online Blu-ray expansion services via BD Live, picture-in-picture access with BonusView, an SD memory card reader, and a built-in HDMI port that enables users to enjoy its high-definition playback through an HD television set.

Also, thanks to compatibility with Sony’s VieraCast service, DMP-B15 owners will also be able to take advantage of limited Internet connectivity that joins the player to the likes of YouTube, Amazon Video on Demand, Bloomberg News, and Google’s Picasa Web photo albums.

Panasonic has not yet offered up concrete information relating to regional price points, but the DMP-B15 is expected to hit retail this coming May.

In related news, Panasonic has also announced the somewhat unusual availability of the DMP-BD70V dual format player, which might leave some scratching their heads given that it blends Blu-ray with the utterly defunct VHS.

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