Panasonic will ship its 65-inch Interactive Plasma Display (TH-65PB1) with electronic pen functions in Europe at the end of June, followed by other parts of the globe.
Panasonic's Interactive Plasma Display capitalizes on the benefits of self-emitting plasma display panels, allowing users to write quickly and draw with up to 4 electronic pens simultaneously.
The TH-65PB1 can be used for both vertical and horizontal installations. Two electronic pens and a drawing software DVD-ROM come bundled but the movable stand shown in photo (TY-ST65PF1) sells separately.
The TH-65PB1 is suitable also for use as a meeting room monitor.
Panasonic says while projector-based electronic whiteboards have been mainstream in the interactive whiteboard market, the demand for direct-view displays has been rising rapidly worldwide, mainly in the corporate and educational markets.
They calculate the global demand for these displays to be about 1.5 million units in their fiscal year to March 2013 and about 3.5 million units in the fiscal year to March 2016.
Panasonic also plans to commercialize an 85” model (size of a standard whiteboard) and their 103” model by the end of this year. The TH-65PB1 and an 85” prototype will be exhibited at the Educational IT Solutions EXPO*2 to be held from May 16 in Tokyo.
