Since Panasonic returned to the cell phone market last year, it has consistently turned out reliable, durable products. The entry-level Versio EB-TX320 is no exception. However, it neither boasts as many features as its siblings nor feels as well built.
Child's play
At first glance, the candy bar-style Versio looks more like a toy than a cell phone. Adding to its juvenile appearance is its fairly lightweight (3.1 ounces) and compact design (4.6 by 1.7 by 0.7 inches). Don't be fooled, though; this model was durable enough to survive several four-foot drops onto a carpeted floor.
At the center of the phone, you'll find a rubberized, circular navigation key that's used to maneuver through the Versio's interface, which isn't as user-friendly as we would have liked. We did, however, appreciate the ample space found on the rubberized keypad--thus, minimizing misdials. We also liked that you can customize the phone with the two included changeable faceplates (red and silver). The phone looks less toylike when it's sporting the red cover.
The Versio's four-line, backlit display is identical to that of its sibling, the Allure. You can choose between six backlighting colors and even assign hues to contacts in your address book. That way, the backlight changes on the phone's display when friends call. However, we should note that the text is fairly small and not adjustable.
Like most AT&T Wireless cell phones, this model comes with an ear bud-style headset but lacks wireless Web access. Other Versio features include a 100-name phone book, 16 ring tones, a vibrate mode, three-way calling, a built-in speakerphone, two-way text messaging, keypad lock, and multilingual (English, Spanish, and French) menus.
Hit or miss
We tested this trimode (TDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) phone in San Francisco and Las Vegas and found sound quality to be sufficient. However, there were a couple of times when callers had difficulty hearing us. Fortunately, the phone performed better in our battery tests, as it managed to meet the rated talk time of 140 minutes and came close to meeting the 200-hour standby time.
At $100, the Versio isn't expensive, but if you're willing to spend that much for an entry-level phone, the slightly bigger Nokia 3360 is the more feature-rich and customizable mobile for the money. That said, if you're in the market for added sophistication, step up to Panasonic's Allure.
