Panasonic Skype in TV hands-on

[CES 2010] We went to check the live demo of Skype embedded in Panasonic’s HDTVs. It seems very simple to use (more so than on a PC), and you really get full screen video, but that’s definitely not in HD. The content was in SD, and upscale with filters to prevent blockiness by adding… blurriness. The new PC Skype has HD video, but I have not had time to test it yet. To capture the video, there’s a wide-angle camera accessory designed to show people in “full-body” form, depending on the distance obviously. In the end, this looks like a good implementation and I like the direction in which this is going. As HDTVs become more programmable, they will have more apps, and services. You will pay a premium at first, but this will soon be a standard feature.