Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation has developed a new smart terminal called the VIERA Tablet to enable easy access to a variety of cloud services in conjunction with its VIERA digital televisions. The VIERA Tablet, which will be put in the global market within this year, marks Panasonic’s first step toward cloud-based services including video streaming and e-books. Prototypes of the new tablet will be exhibited at the 2011 International CES (2011 CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, from January 6 to 9.

The VIERA Tablet is a tablet-type terminal with a small touch screen LCD display. The new tablet is designed to provide creative functions and easy operability in conjunction with VIERA digital televisions to deliver new value that cannot be offered through Internet televisions alone. The tablet will create a whole new viewing style. Its intuitive navigation interface makes it easy for the user to use cloud services. The tablet can also work as a sub-screen for displaying images and information related to the images shown on the connected television.

The VIERA Tablet will come in various models with different screen sizes from four to ten inches to offer the optimum graphical user interface (GUI) with visibility and operability suitable for various services and content. These portable devices feature a slim and lightweight design, long hours of operation and shock resistant construction, incorporating Panasonic’s know-how in hardware design and development that has been accumulated over the years.

Building upon the technologies developed for the VIERA Tablet, Panasonic will work to launch its cloud service business as early as possible – with an eye to forming alliances with major companies in various industries – to offer the services that will be fun and easy to enjoy.