A Great little cell phone at a good price (in Canada)
Written: Nov 06 '01
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Pros: Small, lightweight, eye-catching phone with good reception
Cons: Shorter battery life and questions re: long-term durability
The Bottom Line: The Panasonic TX210 is a stylish, light weight phone with good reception. Tradeoffs include battery life and the lack of 3rd party support.
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| kleung21's Full Review: Panasonic ProMax EB-TX210 |
This review is based upon service obtained in Canada from the Rogers/AT&T network.
The Panasonic TX210 is a beautiful phone that is both lightweight and compact enough that I can carry it around in my jacket/pocket WITHOUT a belt clip. It is amazing how 2 oz. can make all the difference in the world but it does increase portability by several orders of magnitute.
My Background.
I am a professional that uses the cell phone mainly during commutes. As I can call forward my phone to job sites, I rarely use more than 200 minutes / month (TOTAL).
I have used Nokia 8260's, Ericsson T18 and the Samsung 3530 was the last phone I used. In all, the Panasonic has the best portability/power combo that I have found.
The Phone
This lightweight 87 gram phone is actually about the same form factor as the pencil thin Sanyo SCP-6000 available in Canada from Telus mobility.
I originally ordered a Nokia 3360 phone from Rogers/AT&T but they accidentally shipped me the Panasonic TX210. When I picked it up, I realized what a big difference going from 5.7oz to 3.1 oz. would make in terms of portability.
This baby fits in my pocket without the heft that traditional cell phones have imposed (Motorola Startac's included).
Battery Life
This is a failing of small size unfortunately. Although my modest usage does not tax the phones 200 hr standby/ 120 min. talk time (digital) battery life, I could see how this would be a problem if it was my primary phone at a job site or if I used it a LOT recreationally with the unlimited billing plans.
Phone Book
This 400 entry phone book is more than adequate for usage. It is arranged so that each NAME / person can have up to 3 phone entries which is much better and easier to find and keep track of.
Display
This is NOT a web enabled phone. As such, the panasonic has a small overall display. I did not find this to be a problem as the phone would display large numbers while dialing. However, if presbyopia has set in for you - it may be a problem without bifocals.
Reception
IS EXCELLENT. It is hard to believe that this built-in attenna pocket monster has better reception than a 1 year old Samsung 3500 series with external/pull-out antenna in a metropolitan area. But is gives a good crisp sound with strong signal quality. Not quite as good as a land line, but more than adequate for day-to -day use.
Accesories
One point of note is that accessories are limited to the proprietory port included. The phone includes a handsfree earbud/adapter but you will have to buy specific panasonic accessories as it only has 1 expansion/charge socket and 3rd parties haven't picked up this phone yet.
Unlike the Nokia's, you won't be able to customize this phone in pink! But if you are like me and practicality and function take precedence over cosmetics, it should be fine.
The phone comes in White Gold and a Midnight Blue color (priced the same)
Price
In Canada (as in most countries), the price of the cell phones are subsidized. I picked up this phone for $99 cdn with a 1 year contract which is dirt cheap - nearly free. There are few handsets in this price category with these features.
The chief competitor I can find to this phone would be the Nokia 8260. It is nearly the same weight/size and has tons of customizable accesories. However, I skipped the Nokia because I found it's reception to be weaker than the Panasonic's. In addition, it actually felt a little too flimsy in construction materials and I was worried about durability more so than for the Panasonic.
If you need a "durable" version, buy the TX220 which is the exact same phone but with a rubberized exterior.
In summary - The Panasonic TX210 is a stylish, light weight phone with good reception. It comes at an affordable price point. Tradeoffs would include battery life (due to it's slim size) and the lack of 3rd party support for Panasonic phones at this time.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 60
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Epinions.com ID:
kleung21
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Location: Toronto, Ont., Canada
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Computerphile based in Canada. Various tech interests
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