Digital Trends

One of three nominees for best product in the Home Video category at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Panasonic’s new $799 DMP-B15 is the world’s first portable Blu-ray player. Of course, savvy electronics consumers are probably asking themselves why anyone would need a portable high-def movie player when the screens attached to these devices are typically much too small to accommodate high-definition resolution. It’s a good question. And, indeed, the DMP-B15’s 8.9-inch “high-resolution” LCD does not meet the industry definition of HD. Still, Panasonic’s player proves to be a surprisingly useful and versatile little device. It’s just too bad about that sky-high price tag.