MagicJack

Jon Foster · 07-03-2010, 01:00 PM

How many MagicJack users are here? And how do you like it?

I hated it for a long time but with a house full of teenagers it's become a life saver. We haven't had land lines in our house for years. The kids have their own numbers and can use them at will for as long as they want. For $20.00 a year you can't go wrong. If they travel the USB dongle goes with them and they are all set.

My only gripe is they need a Windows based PC to work (they work on Mac's now too). I keep pestering them to release a Linux drivers but I doubt they will any time soon. It's to bad too, I could sell the heck out of these things in our store with all the Linux installs we do.

Jon.

Ken-L · 07-03-2010, 01:34 PM

That's a pretty neat device! My phone service is through Comcast, and I get free long distance calling for the US and to Canada and Mexico, so I don't need the MagicJack. But if I didn't, MagicJack would be a choice!

JDtech · 07-03-2010, 02:55 PM

What is it?

Ken-L · 07-03-2010, 06:09 PM

It's an easy to use VoIP USB plugin, that accepts a headset or telephone handset, and has a subscription fee.

JDtech · 07-03-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken-L

It's an easy to use VoIP USB plugin, that accepts a headset or telephone handset, and has a subscription fee.

Very cool. I ditched my landline some months ago and have been looking for a decent replacement.

Jon Foster · 07-03-2010, 10:07 PM

MagicJack can be bought at any drugstore (CVS has them) and most other large retailers. It's $40.00 bucks to start and comes with the first year free. Each year after that is $20.00. I believe if you buy more than one years service at a time the price goes down too.

It's not perfect but considering it's basically free, you can't go wrong. The USB dongle maybe 2"x3"x1". It has a USB jack on one end and a RJ-11 phone jack on the other. You plug it in and it loads the drivers from itself. Plug a phone in and away you go. It can be used anywhere that has internet service. Of course when you first buy it you need to setup the service but it only takes a few minutes. I write the phone number they give us on each unit we have so they don't get mixed up. You can only use one of them at a time on the same computer. But you can have one plugged into every computer in the house without any trouble. Voice mail messages come right to your e-mail too.

I've used ours to fax a few times in the past too. It's not the best way to get a fax sent out but it seems to work in a pinch most of the time.

Jon.

Sidebyte · 07-04-2010, 10:17 PM

I live in South America and the Magicjack service is not available here unfortunately. I have visitors from the states that use it here, works well but their subscription is from the states. Maybe someday we will have it here, I was thrilled to get 3G ( I have 4 modems) here on my farm. Before 3G I was strapped with dial-up and terrible connections due to all the moisture in the tropics.

Jon Foster · 07-05-2010, 08:36 AM

If you ever travel to the states it might be worth buying a couple. Setup the accounts and start using them. It should work ok as long as you don't mind having a US based phone number.

We have a few customers who travel a lot over seas. They buy the MJ, set it up and use it when outside the country. All their calls to and from here are local that way.

Jon.

Sidebyte · 07-05-2010, 12:49 PM

Yes, I've thought of that because my son lives in N.C. and I could address them there.

Jon Foster · 07-05-2010, 10:59 PM

Heck, just have your son buy a MJ, setup an account and send the MJ to you in Colombia. As long as you have the internet connection you can talk any time you want for no other charges than the initial MJ cost. Then pay the $20.00 when the account expires in a year...

Jon.

07-03-2010, 01:00 PM	#1
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	MagicJack How many MagicJack users are here? And how do you like it? I hated it for a long time but with a house full of teenagers it's become a life saver. We haven't had land lines in our house for years. The kids have their own numbers and can use them at will for as long as they want. For $20.00 a year you can't go wrong. If they travel the USB dongle goes with them and they are all set. My only gripe is they need a Windows based PC to work (they work on Mac's now too). I keep pestering them to release a Linux drivers but I doubt they will any time soon. It's to bad too, I could sell the heck out of these things in our store with all the Linux installs we do. Jon. __________________ Members don't see ads in threads. Register your free account today and become a member on Tech Today Online, gaining access to posting privileges, contests, free plug-ins and other downloads, unlimited online storage for your photographs, reviews, free marketplace listings, and much more.

07-03-2010, 01:34 PM	#2
Ken-L Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 150	That's a pretty neat device! My phone service is through Comcast, and I get free long distance calling for the US and to Canada and Mexico, so I don't need the MagicJack. But if I didn't, MagicJack would be a choice! __________________ "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - Bukowski

07-03-2010, 06:09 PM	#4
Ken-L Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 150	It's an easy to use VoIP USB plugin, that accepts a headset or telephone handset, and has a subscription fee. __________________ "An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - Bukowski

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07-03-2010, 02:55 PM	#3
JDtech Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 308 Blog Entries: 1	What is it?

07-03-2010, 10:07 PM	#6
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	MagicJack can be bought at any drugstore (CVS has them) and most other large retailers. It's $40.00 bucks to start and comes with the first year free. Each year after that is $20.00. I believe if you buy more than one years service at a time the price goes down too. It's not perfect but considering it's basically free, you can't go wrong. The USB dongle maybe 2"x3"x1". It has a USB jack on one end and a RJ-11 phone jack on the other. You plug it in and it loads the drivers from itself. Plug a phone in and away you go. It can be used anywhere that has internet service. Of course when you first buy it you need to setup the service but it only takes a few minutes. I write the phone number they give us on each unit we have so they don't get mixed up. You can only use one of them at a time on the same computer. But you can have one plugged into every computer in the house without any trouble. Voice mail messages come right to your e-mail too. I've used ours to fax a few times in the past too. It's not the best way to get a fax sent out but it seems to work in a pinch most of the time. Jon.

07-04-2010, 10:17 PM	#7
Sidebyte Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 62	I live in South America and the Magicjack service is not available here unfortunately. I have visitors from the states that use it here, works well but their subscription is from the states. Maybe someday we will have it here, I was thrilled to get 3G ( I have 4 modems) here on my farm. Before 3G I was strapped with dial-up and terrible connections due to all the moisture in the tropics.

07-05-2010, 08:36 AM	#8
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	If you ever travel to the states it might be worth buying a couple. Setup the accounts and start using them. It should work ok as long as you don't mind having a US based phone number. We have a few customers who travel a lot over seas. They buy the MJ, set it up and use it when outside the country. All their calls to and from here are local that way. Jon.

07-05-2010, 12:49 PM	#9
Sidebyte Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 62	Yes, I've thought of that because my son lives in N.C. and I could address them there.

07-05-2010, 10:59 PM	#10
Jon Foster Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: White Lake, MI Posts: 149	Heck, just have your son buy a MJ, setup an account and send the MJ to you in Colombia. As long as you have the internet connection you can talk any time you want for no other charges than the initial MJ cost. Then pay the $20.00 when the account expires in a year... Jon.