Panasonic Introduces Portable TV with Android On Board for Japan
Japan is one of the few places in the world that has embraced mobile TV viewing (through the 1Seg standard) in a big way. Portable, wireless sets are nothing new to the country, but Panasonic’s latest toy adds a new element to the mix. We have seen plenty of Japanese Android handsets that incorporate mobile TV, but the Panasonic SV-ME970 is one of the first instances of a portable TV coming loaded with Android. It’s Android 2.1, to be exact, and it opens up the mini TV for web surfing and video streaming.
The TV’s 7-inch, 800×480 touchscreen display gives it a distinct hybrid personality — not a full-fledged Android tablet, but rather a specialized device with enhanced functionality thanks to Google’s mobile OS. Think of it as a NOOKcolor except for TV viewing.
Like the mobile TV viewing standard, this TV will stay within Japan’s borders when it launches on July 30th for the equivalent of about $550.
[via CrunchGear]