6.0 PLUS technology | Panasonic

When I was a kid, we had two phones in our house -- one in the kitchen and one in my parents' bedroom.

Panasonic's KX-TG6572 expandable digital cordless phone/answering system is not my parents' phone.

For one thing, basic black is out. Soft red wine or metallic dark blue are in, and they look as sleek and attractive as you would imagine.

Dig a little deeper under the surface and you'll find Panasonic's DECT 6.0 PLUS technology ... which really boils down to one thing: you hear the person on the other end loud and clear, and you get extended range.

From a coolness perspective, the KX-TG6572 will actually talk back to you. With its Talking Caller ID feature, the phone will speak up and actually tell you the caller's name or number between rings. Some people may characterize this as catering to the lazy class, but we think it's brilliant.

Other key features:

> It's compatible with other 2010 Panasonic DECT 6.0 PLUS single-line cordless handsets.
> You can program it into Silent Mode, which means no interrupted naps.
> It automatically sucks up less power when in use when the handset is closer to the base unit.
> It can be expanded to support up to six handsets.