Panasonic today unveiled the lone second-generation portable Blu-ray player during CES, hoping the DMP-B100 and DMP-B500 Blu-ray players will appeal to consumers.
The DMP-B100 has an 8.9-inch WSVGA LCD screen, SD card slot, adjustable position screen for more convenient viewing, and built-in decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
The Panasonic DMP-B500 features a larger 10.1-inch WSVGA LCD display, Wi-Fi, and will feature online content from the likes of Amazon, YouTube, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, and Panasonic VieraCast.
The Japanese electronics company didn't announce release dates or pricing for either portable Blu-ray player.
"This continues our commitment to provide the consumer with state-of-the-art technology that is created to enhance ones' entertainment experience," said Richard Simone, Panasonic Director of Entertainment group, in a statement. "With more people purchasing Blu-ray discs, there is a growing market for this product, a Blu-ray player that allows the consumer to view those Blu-ray titles while traveling. Plus, there is the added bonus that the B500 also provides a second player for use with any HDTV to provide true 1080p quality."
Last year during CES 2009, the company became the first to release a portable Blu-ray player, with consumers applauding the company for innovation, despite the high cost and little interest. The $800 DMP-B15 product was, as some attendees noted last year, more of a product to show what consumers can expect from the future of Blu-ray.
If Panasonic is serious about having its portable products sell well, it needs to make sure the prices are reasonable along with better battery life. The DMP-B15 was extremely expensive, and it managed just 2.5 hours of battery life.
