Panasonic wows CES audiences with new ear gear and smart TVs

At CES, Las Vegas, Technics announced its latest true wireless earbuds, the EAH-AZ100. You’d be forgiven for wondering what the fuss is about, but these are no ordinary buds.

Traditional drivers have been replaced with cutting-edge “Magnetic Fluid Driver” technologies. According to the folks at Panasonic/Technics, this technology ensures clean, high-resolution audio with extremely low distortion. Not content with bringing new driver tech to the earbud world, Panasonic baked “Voice Focus AI” in, enhancing call quality using AI noise reduction and three mics in each earbud. In-call audio is analysed in real-time using AI to eliminate traffic and other extraneous noise and provide a more seamless call experience.

Adaptive Noise Cancelling adjusts to the user’s environment and ear shape to deliver industrial-strength noise cancellation.

And if live music and movies are your thing, the EAH-AZ100 also optimises spatial audio for Dolby Atmos to create immersive sound. Handily, 3-device multipoint connectivity, One-touch Conversation Mode, and Qi Wireless Charging are also included.

NZ pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but we’re looking forward to reviewing these wee sonic wonders once they launch locally.

Last year, Panasonic blew our minds with its flagship Z95A TV, and it looks set to continue with its newly announced flagship Z95B series OLED TVs, available in 55″, 65″ and 77″. The Z95B features Panasonic’s new Primary RGB Tandem Panel along with what they call the “ThermalFlow cooling system”. In non-geek speak, this translates to Panasonic being able to wring unprecedented levels of brightness, crispy contrast, and exceptionally vivid colours out of the Z95Bs OLED panel.

Like the Z95A, the Z95B has Fire TV built for seamless content access as well as Alexa, allowing it to play nice with compatible smart home devices. Panasonic says Prime Video really pops thanks to the inclusion of Prime Video Calibrated Mode, Calman calibration, and ISFccc.

As with last year’s model, sound is also front and centre (and up and rear) thanks to an upgraded 360-degree sound system. New side and up-firing speakers combine with enhanced spatial audio processing to create an immersive, theatre-like audio experience. For gamers, the Z95B series supports AMD Freesync Premium and NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible for low latency, and a 144Hz refresh rate, all of which should make for a smooth gaming experience.

Alongside the Z95B, Panasonic also announced its flagship W95B series Mini LED TVs, available in 55″, 65 “, 75″, and 85” models.

The W95B series features refined double area control, real-time colour tuning, and Hybrid Tone Mapping technology, which means it can deliver deeper blacks, dazzling highlights, and vibrant, lifelike on-screen colours. Prime Video Calibrated Mode, Calman calibration, and ISFccc are also baked in, along with a 20W subwoofer.

The addition of Fire TV built-in means the W95B series is ready for streaming and Alexa means it’ll work with compatible smart home gear too.

AMD Freesync Premium is also included for low-latency gaming. Its 144Hz refresh rate and ultra-low input lag ensure smooth, responsive gameplay.

The W95B uses improved double-area control, independently powered LEDs, and increased backlight zones, all of which enhance contrast and detail. A high-colour gamut backlight system with real-time colour tuning delivers vibrant, accurate colours, and Hybrid Tone Mapping gives rich visuals across the entire luminance range.

Panasonic’s HCX Pro AI Processor MK II and a 4K Remaster Engine power the show, allowing the W95B to deliver crisp, natural images with exceptional noise reduction.

Watch this space, for Witchdoctor reviews in the near future!