Panasonic GigaRange KX-TG5576M 5.8 GHz DSS Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System and Color LCD on Handset (Metallic Grey) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased the KX-TG5576M and an additional KX-TGA552CM handset six weeks ago and have it used almost daily since.
I have had to replace the set once because the handset battery was faulty (would run out of charge after about one hour of use). The replacement unit is a little better, but could still use more battery life.
Pros:
- Excellent speakerphone on the handset - callers say they cannot tell I'm on a speakerphone.
- The handset connects instantly after pressing TALK.
- Large Caller ID Memory (last 50 incoming calls listed)
- Has a BACK key so that you can back out of a menu hierarchy.
Cons:
- The handset display goes dark after a few seconds of using the handset. I suppose this is intended to be a battery saving measure, but it is very annoying when I want to check the number I just dialed, know how long I have been on a call, or use any other menu item like FLASH.
- The battery life on the handset is surprisingly short, especially when the handset speakerphone is used - it seems to need recharging after about two hours of cumulative use. My old Sony SPP-X90 lasted for weeks of speakerphone use before needing a recharge.
- I find the handset too small and slippery, and the speakerphone button is too small.
- No handset speed dial function, so you need to scroll through the phonebook for every number. The ability to program the number 1 through 9 buttons with press-for-one-second speed dial (like many cell phones have) would be a positive addition.
- If an incoming call is answered on one handset the other handsets display "Missed Call". They should have a way of knowing that a call was answered if not on that handset.
- I find the handset range to be less than 100 ft. in my concrete building
- The Voice Enhancer feature seems to do little except shift the caller's voice lower in tone, which can be more difficult to hear.
- Only PC/Wintel-compatible (not Mac) for the USB utility to change the wallpaper, ring tones, etc.
- It would be nice if the handset tracked all incoming / outgoing call histories (phone number, call date, time, duration) like most cell phones do.
- Only a 50-entry phonebook capacity - 100 or more entries would have been more practical.
Overall this unit does the job. They could have put in a larger capacity battery - even if this meant making the handset a little larger, which is too small to be easily held against my shoulder anyway.

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PANASONIC KX-TG5576M 5.8 GHz GigaRange(R) Expandable cordless phone with color lcd, Answering System & talking caller idDigital 5.8 GHz frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology ; 1.6" backlit color LCD on handset ; Expandable up to 8 handsets ; Talking Caller ID ;& Call Waiting Caller ID ; Ringer, Picture & Light-Up ID ; USB port for downloading pictures, ringtones, wallpaper & more ; Caller IQ(TM) compatible; 50-station Caller ID memory & dialer ; 50-station phonebook & dialer ; Digital answering system ; 2-digit LCD message counter on base; Voice menu with time/day message stamp ; Memo recording ; Remote answering system ;activation/operation from handset or outside line; True voice paging ; Icon operation; Wireless network compatible ; Customized ringer; Speakerphone on base & handset; Intercom between base & handset; 4-way conferencing ; Chain dialing ; 10-station speed dialer ; Dual keypads ; Phonebook sharing ; Redial & Volume buttons ; Ringtone download on handset ; Headset input ; Desk/wall mountable 5.8 GHz GigaRange(R) Expandable cordless phone with color lcd, Answering System & talking caller id

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AT&T 2.4GHz Dual Corded / Cordless Telephone Answering System 1487 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted a corded speakerphone with a good answering machine and had just about given up until finding this model. In particular I had tried a GE model but had to return it as the answering machine audio was terrible, the transmitted audio from the handset was poor, and one week after getting it the answering machine cut off all messages in 3 seconds or less.
Here are some basic impressions of the AT&T model. I do not have Caller ID and so cannot comment upon those functions.
What It Is: Corded speakerphone with 50 memories, 3 line digital display, digital answering machine with 15 minute capacity. A separate 2.4 GHz cordless phone, also with 50 separate memories, is included. The corded unit easily wall mounts
Audio Quality: Above average on both units. Answering machine audio quite clear
Memory Dialing: No dedicated buttons on corded unit. You either scroll through the alphabetized list one at a time or hit one of the phone keys to jump to a letter in the alphabet. The cordless unit has 9 "speed dial" but these are still two button combinations.
Chain Dialing: This is useful if you use a long distance access number or have to put in account numbers after you dial. The corded unit will do it, but the "jump to nearest letter" feature fails; you have to scroll through the memories one at a time with the directory key. A work-around is to enter your frequent chain dial numbers at the head of the alpha list by inputting them as "A name" so they come up first in scrolling. The cordless unit cannot chain dial.
Speakerphone: This is only on the corded unit. Volume is adequate and adjustable. You dial with phone on hook and then hit "Dial display" the speakerphone comes on and dials with very loud annoying phone beeps. There is no way to get rid of this except by picking up the phone as soon as you hit the dial button. Of course you can dial with the phone off hook.
Display: Good 3-line backlit display on both units. Oddly, neither phone times the call as almost all such phones do. The display does not show the date and time on the corded unit (it does on the cordless).
Answering Machine (corded unit only): This works quite well. An extremely bright LED flashes when you have a new message and stays lit when you have old messages you have not erased. A second large LED shows the number of new messages. The capacity is 15 minutes and 99 messages. I've had no trouble with people being cut off. You can set it to answer after 2,4, or 6 rings. It has remote access and toll saver. The remote access is close to full function. You can change your outgoing message, delete messages, etc. At home you can speed up or slow down the messages as you listen to help in difficult areas, but you cannot advance or go back by a given number of seconds. You cannot limit incoming messages to any particular length of time. The unit self-limits at 4 minutes.
Cordless Phone: I haven't used this too much but the range seems good and the audio is clear.One nice feature is that it gets its phone signal from the corded unit, so the cordless only needs a power supply, not a phone jack. It can be put anywhere in the house there is power. I've had no battery problems (longest calls about 30 minutes so far). The ringer on the cordless phone cannot be turned off (it can be turned off on the corded unit). Volume is good and adjustable.
Misc.: Mine is white. I found the set-up, putting in names, etc. to be tedious. Apparently the clock will be set automatically if you have call waiting. Otherwise it is a somewhat weird (aren't they all?) system for setting the clock (needed for time-date stamping on message machine), but this is done once. There is no battery back-up. The claim is that all memories (except for date and time) will be retained after power outage. The corded unit will work as a plain phone when power is out and only phone service works.
Overall Rating: I'm pleased with this unit. It would be greatly helped by a few dedicated speed button dials on the main unit and less noisy speakerphone dialing, but overall it is solid and performs well.
Update 5 months later: The unit has continued to work as described in the review. The only thing I would add is that the call screening function (which we didn't have with the phone company voicemail) is really quite useful for us. If you're in the middle of something you can let the answering machine respond and you automatically hear the caller leaving a message and can decide whether to pick up. Solicitors will usually hang up during the message.

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Item #: ATT1487. One-line telephone features corded base with speakerphone and cordless handset with charger. Digital answering system. Caller ID/Call Waiting. 90-Name/Number Caller ID log. 50-Name/Number Directory with speed dial option. Intercom between handset and base. English/Spanish/French display prompts. 12-minute digital record time. Customers also search for: Speakerphone;Handset w/Charger;Black/Silver;Advanced American Telephone,Telephones,Phones,1-Line,Corded,Cordless,One Line

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