The Panasonic KX-TG2344 2.4GHz Cordless Phone: The Return of Intelligible Conversation
Written: Oct 04 '04 (Updated Nov 18 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good sound quality, digital answering system, two headsets, many additional features
Cons: Price
The Bottom Line: See Summary Below.
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| symbiosis's Full Review: Panasonic KXTG2344 2.4 GHz Twin 1-Line Cordless Ph... |
Background
A little over a year ago, I decided that I was going to join the 2.4 GHz phone revolution. I was still using a very old, very mediocre Radioshack 900MHz cordless phone. So I went to my neighborhood Target (I mention the name of the store only because I despise their competition), and bought a rather cool looking Motorola 2.4GHz phone. I wanted to believe that it was better than my old phone, but over time it became clear that it wasn't. In fact, it might have been worse. Then the battery died prematurely. I spent $15 for a replacement battery, and it was soon back to its spectacularly unimpressive level of performance. I also tried a cheaper model from Uniden, which was amazing. Amazing because it was even worse than the Motorola.
Finally, I gave up and realized that if I wanted to get a good phone I was going to have to spend quite a bit of money. With this in mind, I went back to the aforementioned retailer and purchased the Panasonic KX-TG2344B (the B at the end of the model number just means that the color is black.)
The Panasonic KX-TG2344B
Why did I decide on this model? Did I do extensive research? I wish that I could say yes, but in this case I just picked a phone that looked like it was good quality. I also avoided phones with reasonable price tags, because of my previous experiences. And I had also read an earlier(excellent) review of this phone on Epinions, which may have been lingering in my subconscious mind. So, without further ado, I bring you...
Appearance
This phone has a sleek, modern look. The design looks new enough that younger people would like it, while still being sufficiently conventional to appeal to the more traditional folks out there. Both the handsets and bases look like they are made from good quality materials and that at least one reasonably intelligent person had some input into their design. The buttons are all in locations that seem logical, and spaced so that most people won't have problems hitting the wrong button. But enough about appearance, what about the...
Functionality
The KX-TG2344B has a number of useful features. These include:
All Digital Answering System
The main base unit includes a digital answering system. There is a time/date stamp, so you will know what time the message was left. The answering system can hold about 15 minutes of messages, which should be more than enough for most people. You can also turn the answering system off, which could be useful if you have another answering machine or use a voicemail system through your phone company. You can also set the number of rings before it picks up, the volume, etc.
Two Handsets
The unit comes with two handsets, one on the main base and another on a smaller charger base. So using one phone jack, you can have a phone in two different rooms. There is also an intercom feature. The intercom feature allows you to call between either the main base and the handsets or between the handsets. This would be especially handy if you have the second handset in the basement or upstairs. This feature works well, with a distinct ring sound and clean, clear communication between the units.
Fast Charging Time
This phone is powered by a Nickel-Metal Hybrid battery. This is a VERY good thing. Nickel metal hybrid batteries are more environmentally friendly than the older Nickel-Cadmium batteries. But beyond that, they last longer and will not develop a memory. In case you don’t know, while memories are a good thing for you and I, they are very bad when in comes to rechargeable batteries, and reduce the amount of time that the battery's charge will last. This phone's battery also charges quickly, going from zero to fully charged in 6 hours.
Light-Up Antenna
Alright, this isn't really an important feature. But I think it is really cool. There is a LED at the top of the antenna of both handsets. When there is an incoming call, the LED starts flashing. So just in case you're not sure if the ringing is from the TV show that you are watching or the phone, a quick glance will let you know. You can also set the LED to flash slowly if you have any new messages on the answering system.
There are a lot more features, which I'm sure you could find a list of somewhere else. But now I think it is time to move on to the most important thing, which is...
Call Quality
After all, this is the reason I bought a new phone, right? I might sound a bit old-fashioned here, but a phone can have all the bells and whistles imaginable (and this phone has a ton), but if you can't hear the person who is calling you or they can't hear you it is worthless. With my old phone, I had problems hearing people who called. I would have to almost shout into the phone, and repeat myself constantly, which leads to some highly annoying conversations.
So far, I have been very happy with this Panasonic phone. The sound is clear on both ends of the line. I can even hear my very soft-spoken mother when she calls from 800 miles away.
The Dark Side
Not everything could be great about this phone, right? Well, I'm a fairly picky person. And so far I can think of only one negative aspect of this phone. The price is the only major shortcoming. Now I know that you have to spend money if you want a quality product, but I still feel the price is a bit steep for a phone in this age of mass production and global manufacturing. However, the fact that this is my only complaint so far is really pretty astounding. So, with minimal complaints, it is time for the...
Conclusion
I know that cliches are annoying, but many of them hold important common wisdom. So I will subject you to this one: You get what you pay for. This really seems to be true in the case of consumer electronics. This phone is expensive compared to many others on the market. In exchange for the high price, the unit has a lot of useful features. More importantly, the sound is good on both ends of the line. Overall, I highly recommend this phone.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
symbiosis
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Reviews written: 49
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Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers
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