Panasonic KX-TG5210M GigaRange Supreme 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System

Panasonic's vision of the digital future is driven by the needs and aspirations of its business customers and millions of consumers around the world who use Panasonic products every day. Panasonic shares their dream to live a fuller life by providing ways of working smarter and enjoying the rewards of technological advances.

Panasonic's KX-TG5210M utilizes 5.8 GHz DSS signal operation for increased call security and range and less interference. Call waiting/caller ID-ready, the phone offers a 50-call memory and dialer, accessible through the handset's three-line backlit LCD. And, it's expandable, accommodating up to three additional handsets (for a total of four). The built-in answering system features all-digital operation, meaning no moving parts and no tapes to wear out.

You can pre-program frequently called numbers, even chain dialing for automated systems that require a series of numeric inputs. The KX-TG5210M is Caller IQ compatible, a service that allows you to receive updates on weather, sports, horoscopes, and more, that are sent directly to your telephone and displayed on the handset screen (requires optional service).

What's in the Box
KX-TG5210M handset and base, battery cover, AC power adapter, phone line cord, belt clip, NiMH battery, user guide, warranty information

1 Good phone, but not a great one
Last year, I bout Panasonic TX-TG2224 which is a great phone. And I just bout this one cuz I wanted to have even greater one. Well, I didn't find anything better about this phone over TX-TG2224. This phone is about $40 more than the 2224 phone and this one is 5.8GHz instead of 2.4GHz. When I switched the phone from 2224 to this new one during the conversation, the other party complained about weaker volume. The ringer tone and melody is not that great, either. My old 2224 has better ringer options. This phone shoul've been priced just about $10 more than the KX-TG2224. If you are looking for a good phone w/ decent price, I definitely recommed KX-TG2224 over this one.

2 Good function, ugly appearance
First, the good news. Panasonic has fixed all of the problems the 2.4GHz phones experienced. They have finally seen the light and are using NiMH batteries. These are a huge improvement over the previous NiCad batteries. Sound quality is good, as is range. Setup is easy, and the features all work as they should. This phone functions so much better than the Siemens phone it replaces that there is simply no basis for comparison. Function early a solid five stars.

The bad news for many will be the appearance. What are the product stylists at Panasonic thinking and who do they imagine the buyer is? One wonders what sort of dŽcor they imagine will be enhanced by bright silver phones with orange LCD screens and antennas sticking up everywhere? Before you buy one, make sure that any other decision makers in the household are consulted on the appearance. The icing on the cake is the rather large baby blue and black logo announcing to the world that this is the "5.8GHz Gigarange Supreme" which completes the overall cheesy appearance nicely. Our Siemens phone may have been had functional issues, but it was well styled and disappeared into virtually any background. On the other hand, the Uniden phones make the Panasonic styling look positively restrained. Appearance earns a dismal two stars.

Keypad layout is pretty typical of what one expects these days from Asian mass-market electronics companies, busy and cluttered. Why use a single button for talk/hang up when you can use a separate one for each? If there was space to add more buttons, rest assured Panasonic would have. Since the buttons actually feel good in use, are not overly sensitive and don't stick when pushed, the layout earns three stars.

In the end I weighted my rating more toward function, as that's really the only area one can be objective about, and the function is strong. If you can stand to look at it, and you're not married to someone that will hold a grudge because you brought something hideous looking into the house, you probably won't be disappointed.