You have to give Panasonic credit for pushing 
the envelope. After launching a TV last year that let owners record programs to an SD card, the company has now taken the wraps off of a new set that does away with the remote control.
Customers in Japan can now buy the VIERA DMP-HV200, a gesture-controlled set that allows users to adjust the volume and change channels with a wave of their hands. The 10.1-inch sets will go on sale March 18 for a converted price of $640.
When Disney Interactive Studios laid off hundreds 
of workers last month, insiders warned that the cost cutting wasn’t over. Now the executives overseeing that division have confirmed that.
Cco-president John Pleasants and James Pitaro, speaking at an investors conference this week, said they plan to reduce operating costs by another 25 percent before they’re through cutting. They did not detail how they plan to do that, but most workers feel like the axe is still hovering over their heads.
The bad news is video game sales 
continued on their downward trajectory in January. The good news is it was nowhere near as bad as analysts were expecting.
Game sales fell 5 percent last month as compared to the same period in 2010, according to the NPD Group. That’s considerably better than the 11 percent some industry observers had predicted.
Warner Bros. is looking to use 
Apple’s app store to boost legit movie downloads.
The studio announced plans Wednesday to roll out “App editions” of “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The free app gives fans of the film an extended preview of the films and film extras in an effort to persuade them to buy the electronic version, which can be downloaded or streamed via an in-app purchase.
Warner Bros. is doubling down 
when it comes to digital distribution on Apple products.
The company has unveiled “app editions” of both “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad – an alternate way for people to buy their films and an opportunity for consumers in 23 countries not served by iTunes to get a copy as well.
The worst kept secret in the cell phone world has finally been formally 
acknowledged. Sony Ericsson has taken the wraps off of the Xperia Play, better known as the PlayStation Phone.
Verizon will be the sole distributor of the device starting this March. The phone will be supported by a catalog of up to 50 games, with four titles preloaded onto the device.
It’s not just awards season in Hollywood. The video 
game world is honoring its best with a series of ceremonies in the first quarter as well.
Last night, the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards took place at the ongoing DICE Summit in Las Vegas, with “Mass Effect 2” walking away with the year’s top honors. The title won “Game of the Year” from the organization – while Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, founders of the studio behind the game, were inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame.
Lucasfilm’s chief technical officer has given up 
Hollywood for Silicon Valley.
Richard Kerris has taken over as head of worldwide developer relations at Hewlett-Packard, where he will be in charge of boosting developer interest in creating applications and programs for the company’s webOS platform — which powers the newly announced TouchPad and Pre 3, among other systems.
Paramount Pictures has teamed with 
browser-based game developer Funtactix to create an online game based upon its upcoming animated feature “Rango.”
The game, dubbed “Rango: The World” will bow alongside the film on March 4 and allow fans to create an avatar and explore the movie’s world with friends and strangers. Players will interact with characters from the film – minus Johnny Depp’s titular chameleon – and complete quests and play minigames.
At Activision-Blizzard, Feb. 9 will
be known as the day the music died.
The videogame publisher announced plans Wednesday to discontinue development of future “Guitar Hero” games, essentially putting what was once one of its top-earning franchises on ice.
Chris Morris: Journalist 