First seen at CES, Panasonic has announced that their DMP-B15 portable Blu-ray player will be shipping this month for $800.

That's a hefty sum for a portable player, but if you have a long road trip planned this summer and you won't settle for anything but the best, the DMP-B15 will provide around 2.5 hours of crystal clear entertainment per charge on a 8.9-inch WSVGA display. It also includes Panasonic's VIERA CAST Internet accessibility and BD Live functionality along with an SD card slot.

PANASONIC ANNOUNCES
AVAILABILITY AND PRICING FOR DMP-B15, THE WORLD'S FIRST AND ONLY PORTABLE
BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER

BD Live and VIERA CAST™ Internet Accessibility Featured On
Innovative Blu-ray Player

SECAUCUS, NJ (June 1, 2009)
– Panasonic,
a major developer and contributor to the success of the Blu-ray Disc
format, announced
the availability and pricing for the world's first portable Blu-ray
player, the Panasonic DMP-B15. Designed to provide the ultimate High Definition
Blu-ray experience for those on the go, the B15 features a high quality
8.9-inch WSVGA LCD screen and includes Panasonic's VIERA CAST™ Internet
accessibility and BD Live functionality, as well as a SD Memory Card
slot. The B15
will be available in June and will have an SRP of $799.95.

The
DMP-B15 includes all the technology found in its stand-alone counterparts, the
DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and the VHS-Blu-ray dual player DMP-BD70V. Image quality is
of the highest level, thanks to PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus technology,
developed in collaboration with Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory.

The
PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus is a high quality image-processing
technology
that precisely processes each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc™ video signal
in the vertical direction. It reproduces color data with twice the accuracy of
conventional systems, resulting in faithful and sharp colors.

"As
a pioneer in the development of DVD and Blu-ray expertise, Panasonic has always
been at the forefront in developing cutting-edge, consumer friendly technology.
Panasonic was the first company to bring to market a portable DVD player and
stand- alone Blu-ray players to feature Bonus View and BD Live; and with the
B15 we continue that tradition of being first to market with unique technology,"
said Richard Simone, Director, Entertainment Group, Panasonic Consumer
Electronics Company. "The B15 is a unique and versatile High Definition
player that gives the consumer the ultimate entertainment experience, whether
traveling or in the home as either an additional Blu-ray player or the primary
source for 1080p viewing. Because it also features the VIERA CAST
functionality, the B15 can transform any TV into an IPTV with the capability to
access select web sites. At a time when many families own multiple TVs, the
B15 provides a number of entertainment options, giving them the ability to
enjoy HD video in any room where there is an HDTV."

Like
Panasonic's three stand-alone Blu-ray players, the DMP-B15 includes VIERA
CAST functionality. This distinctive application gives the consumer access to
select Web sites, including Amazon Video-on-Demand, a streaming video service
that gives the consumer access to more than 40,000 titles; YouTube™;
Google Picasa Web Album™; Bloomberg and a weather channel. The Amazon VOD
will be available in late June. VIERA CAST does not require an external set-top
box, nor is there a fee for the service. And, as additional web sites are added
to the service, they will automatically appear. Viera CAST and BD-Live features
require an Internet connection via the LAN port.

Ease
of use is an important element in Panasonic's products and the DMP-B15,
with a 2.5 hour rechargeable battery, is designed with that in mind. In
addition to its use as a portable player, the consumer can connect it to an
HDTV via HDMI cable, and use it as a stand-alone Blu-ray Disc player. The
player can also be connected to an HD-Audio compatible AV receiver with a home
theater speaker system, enabling the consumer to enjoy movies with outstanding
surround sound. To accommodate the traveler, the DMP-B15 offers an optional
headrest mounting bracket for in-car use. Like all Panasonic Blu-ray players,
the B15 features an SD Memory Card slot that allows the consumer to view and
share digital photos, as well as HD video recorded on a SD card.

[Panasonic]

Send an email to Sean Fallon, the author of this post, at sean@gizmodo.com.