Panasonic achieves over 1.1 billion dollars sales target in the Middle East this fiscal year, a 10 per cent increase from last year's figures

Panasonic has also announced that it has achieved a sales target in the Middle East of over 1.1 billion dollars in this fiscal year, a 10% increase of over last year's figures. By the end of the next three years they intend to achieve a 50% increase in business volume in the region, with plans to focus on merchandising and aggressive marketing to push sales even higher. This was announced at a press conference held today.

Shoji Itoh said, "The Middle East is a growing market for Panasonic's range of consumer electronics and business solutions. Consumers in the region demand the latest and most technologically advanced electronic goods, be it for personal or professional use. At GITEX Dubai 2003, we have displayed an exciting range of products that will strengthen our position as leading providers of entertainment and business system solutions. Our key focus is on products that cater to the needs of the emerging digital networked society under the theme 'Panasonic ideas for life'. Each of the products reflects our vision of 'creating a more convenient and affluent society where all homes and business applications are networked together".

"Many of our new products are trend-setting and the result of extensive research aimed at not only finding unique ways of providing entertainment, but also innovative methods of
storing, transferring and mixing data or files, using SD or DVD-Ram technology. Whether it is the new AV display systems, SD card products, office automation systems, network camera systems or telecommunication systems, Panasonic intends to dramatically alter the way people work and play in this digital age", added Itoh.

In the exhibit, Panasonic presents total solutions areas, from e-platforms to e-business, and even e-products, all of which will change the future of households, public places, and businesses. Creating display corners identified as Virtual Shop, Virtual Office, Mobile Computing Solutions and Display Solutions the new products in Business System Solutions are networked in virtual environments. Featuring in the Virtual Shop are the 'Digital Poster' and 'the Glass Vision' applicable in Shop Displays. The Virtual Office shows us the networking possibilities for future office documentation and communication. Mobile Computing Solutions Corner within the stand will display the latest 'Toughbook' laptops from Panasonic. And finally the Display Solutions area showcases the high end DLP projectors used for large venues, showing the new feature of 'Edge Blending'. Within the same corner lie the Plasma Display Panels with the multi-functional slot feature and vertical display options.

Panasonic has displayed the latest in digital technology like the LUMIX Digital Still Cameras, Digital Video Cameras, multifunction copiers/fax/printers, GIGA range telephones, IP network Camera for security purpose, Hybrid IP-PBX and the latest GSM handsets. Showcased are the latest range in the D-snap series of products, powered by SD memory card technology, it includes the world's smallest MPEG2 SD video camera and the world's slimmest digital camera with built-in LCD Monitor.

Panasonic's new DIGA range of DVD video recorders at GITEX have the industry's largest built-in 80GB hard disk drive and give consumers the option of recording on either DVD-RAM or DVD-R disk, or storing up to 106 hours of video on its hard disk drive. Leveraging the remarkable capabilities of the DVD-RAM format, the Time-Slip function in the new DVD Video Recorders offers the facility of playing back any portion of an ongoing programme even as it continues live recording.

The new models of high-definition Plasma Display Panels, feature Panasonic's unique Real MACH System that are integrated to provide levels of gradation, contrast, and sharpness that optimally suit the way the human eye perceives images, signifying a dramatic improvement over present displays, eliminating weaknesses like blotchy picture and lack of clarity during dark scenes.

Panasonic will also unveil its latest range in the D-snap series, using SD Memory Cards including the SV-AV100, the world's world's smallest and lightest video camera and the first of it's kind to enable recording in MPEG2 format, and the SV-AS10, the world's slimmest, Multi Camera device which also functions as a Motion JPEG video camera, music player and voice recorder, making its ideal for capturing live sports matches and events. The D-snap series is a line of advanced mobile AV products that offers a new lifestyle concept under the slogan ' Snap-View-Fun'.

Another one of Panasonic's much talked about products at GITEX will be the Toughbook CF-W2, the only laptop in the ultra-lightweight category to have an integrated DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive. Weighing just 1.3 kgs, with a thickness of 1.6 inches, the CF-W2 is the world's thinnest and lightest industrial-grade rugged computer and offers upto seven hours of battery runtime.

In its office solutions range, Panasonic is also introducing ultra-compact, LCD projectors including the micro-portable PT-LC80 that weighs just 2.2 kgs and is the same size as an

A4 size sheet, with a height of 65 mm. The PT-LC80 delivers super-bright output of 2000 ANSI lumens, and brightness uniformity of 90%.
Panasonic's business solutions line of products also include a Digital Poster, an innovative Plasma Smart Stand consisting of a plasma display panel (PDP), speakers and PDP box, that displays information, announcements and advertisements in moving image format, using AV technology. The Digital Poster is available in a horizontal or vertical display format.

Also on display is a range of network-capable security colour cameras that capture live images and display them on PCs. The new cameras integrate digital video camera, web server and a network interface into one compact housing, which can be connected directly to an Ethernet terminal. Thus users in a remote location can dial up to the IP address and effortlessly view dynamic surveillance images in JPEG and MPEG-4 formats.

A new range of mobile phones are on display at Panasonic's GITEX stand, including the ultra-sleek X70 mobile phone, Panasonic's only GSM mobile phone that comes with not only MMS, but also Bluetooth and IrDA, as well as in-built 110k pixel digital camera and full multimedia functions, to exchange rich content message instantly.

Panasonic's new GIGARANGE digital cordless phones at Gitex, offer a revolutionary voice announcement system that activates a voice instead of a ringer, when there is an incoming call. The phones have an inbuilt walkie-talkie system and multi-tasking capability, which allows each user to use their handset for a different function simultaneously. The phones can also be networkable up to eight handsets with five-way conference calling and Voice Enhancer Technology.

Panasonic is participating in Dubai GITEX 2003, along with its UAE sole distributor Panatech Engineering and Oman National Electronics, part of the Al Futtaim Group.