Fast Lane
@cox.net | reply to SMCinAZ
Re: Anyone Use MagicJack?
I just ordered my and I have GranCentral number now. Reviews are looking good and their web site is really together |
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coaster
join:2007-07-13
New Port Richey, FL
 ·PHONE POWER
 ·Bright House
| reply to jeffnyc
said by SMCinAZ  :One more question.... I signed up. Do I have to wait for it to arrive before I can get a number and sign in? I saw no place to choose a number. You don't pick your number until you receive it and register online. Not many choices now, but that is suppose to change in September. |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY
2 edits | reply to SMCinAZ
Not to be a bubble buster but the cost of leaving a pc on 24 hours a day every day can be somewhat high...
so consider 1st year - I know 2nd year is cheaper but with VOIP providers as demonstrated by Sunrocket - you cant bank on them being around a year from now.
$40/12 = $3.33
monthly cost of leaving a 65 watt laptop (which is low watt) on at .15 a kwh (which is actually a fair rate in NY - its actually higher in the summer) is about $7.50 a month -
so $11 per month --- not much less than some of the other voip deals out there that doesnt have the hassle of having to leave your pc on
now granted I leave my laptop on anyway and I do shut the monitor at night off plus an ata uses electricity too and is on all the time - so there are mitigating factors that reduce the relative cost - but to run a separate pc as SMCinAZ is doing can get expensive... hopefully electricity is cheaper in AZ than NY =)
just something to consider
wonder if it would work if you have the hard drives go into sleep mode |
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SMCinAZ
Premium
join:2000-11-29
Glendale, AZ
clubs:
1 edit | My PC stays on 24/7 anyway.
BTW, you pay too much for kwh! I pay like 1/2 that here in AZ! |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY | reply to SMCinAZ
Yeah - metro NY is expensive 
I actually think its much higher now cause its summer ~$0.20 |
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rss23
@wideopenwest.com | reply to SMCinAZ
Will you receive calls in their *97 voicemail without having your computer on, and thus, the phone doesn't ring? Having the computer on all the time isn't good unless you have some power saving mode. |
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SMCinAZ
Premium
join:2000-11-29
Glendale, AZ
clubs: | I have always had PC's on 24/7, so it really is no big deal.
No, they don't wear out faster.
Anyway, if you have your pc off or no phone connected, it rolls to voicemail automatically and it then emails you your voiccemail. |
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swanboy
join:2001-01-22
Hollywood, FL | reply to SMCinAZ
Figured I should point out: »My review of MagicJack |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY | reply to SMCinAZ
Can you use it on a machine by running the software off the magic stick or do you have to install software on the host machine?
I ask because I want to know if you can use it while traveling off a public machine. |
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laserjobs
Premium
join:2004-05-02
Las Vegas, NV
·Cox HSI
| said by jeffnyc :Can you use it on a machine by running the software off the magic stick or do you have to install software on the host machine? I ask because I want to know if you can use it while traveling off a public machine. It installs software and the following devices:
USB CDROM
USB Hard Drive
USB Internet Phone
--
Vote for Ron Paul in the Republican Primaries |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY
| said by laserjobs :said by jeffnyc :Can you use it on a machine by running the software off the magic stick or do you have to install software on the host machine? I ask because I want to know if you can use it while traveling off a public machine. It installs software and the following devices: USB CDROM USB Hard Drive USB Internet Phone I understand that when you 1st plug it in it registers and runs the software. Does it install the software phone in program files? Has anyone after registering try it on another computer? Does it do the same thing?
My primary question is can you use it on someone elses computer where you have limited rights. like Voicestick's software phone? So if I went to an internet cafe in London, would I be able to plug it in and make a call? |
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SMCinAZ
Premium
join:2000-11-29
Glendale, AZ
clubs:
1 edit | No, you couldn't. It doesn't just run off the stick. The software has to be installed as well (their way of making money later with ads, apparently.
Just a hint on that: you can drag the whole softphone window all the way down below your taskbar and it pretty much disappears, if you like. |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY | You mentioned popups.... what kind of popup ads are there? |
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SMCinAZ
Premium
join:2000-11-29
Glendale, AZ
clubs: | So far, none, but there's going to be, on the left panel of the softphone window. As I said, you can just bury the window. |
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coppertrail
join:2006-01-10
Cleveland, OH
| I've been using it for 3 days and it works very well. Voice quality is excellent and I use it with a spare cordless phone I have. Regarding the left hand pane, exactly, you can just bury it. I don't really use the soft phone portion of it so it doesn't bother me. |
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jeffnyc
join:2004-06-09
New York, NY
| reply to SMCinAZ
said by SMCinAZ :So far, none, but there's going to be, on the left panel of the softphone window. As I said, you can just bury the window. If it in the softphone thats fine and understandable given the price. When I hear the word "popup" I think of seperate windows that pop up - that would be really irritating and spyware like. But from the way you describe I guess its not.... |
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dunkie
join:2007-07-19
Houston, TX
| reply to jeffnyc
said by jeffnyc :said by laserjobs :said by jeffnyc :Can you use it on a machine by running the software off the magic stick or do you have to install software on the host machine? I ask because I want to know if you can use it while traveling off a public machine. It installs software and the following devices: USB CDROM USB Hard Drive USB Internet Phone I understand that when you 1st plug it in it registers and runs the software. Does it install the software phone in program files? Has anyone after registering try it on another computer? Does it do the same thing? My primary question is can you use it on someone elses computer where you have limited rights. like Voicestick's software phone? So if I went to an internet cafe in London, would I be able to plug it in and make a call? Used it for 1 day on different computers - XP and Vista x64 - both are fine. You'll have to download the vista upgrade from MJ website though.
From my observation, MJ basically works like a U3 flash drive - a CD emulator and a flash drive + USB phone. It doesn't install into the standard "program files" folder but to the user's "application data" (XP) or AppData (Vista) folder. The configuration files and user specifics probably stay in its flash compartment.
Correct me if I am wrong. |
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SMCinAZ
Premium
join:2000-11-29
Glendale, AZ
clubs:
1 edit | For the most part, it is working as advertised, but there are a few problems. Any input would be appreciated.
1) NO NAME IN CALLER ID.
Doesn't matter if I list them in my contact list or not, no names show up on the phone's caller ID no matter what.
Suggestion: At least make people on the contact list names show up in Caller ID.
Caller ID without a name is half-assed.
2) Squeal heard when receiving some calls. In about 1/3 of received calls, I here a loud squeal for about 1 second when answering the call right at the beginning. After that, call is normal. Sounds a little like call waiting sound but much louder.
What is this and what is it caused by and can it be fixed?
Anyone else experience this?
Suggestion: Get this bug worked out!
3) Cannot call certain toll-free numbers. Example: 866-626-7150, which is ViaTalk's support number.
Could someone else with a Magic Jack please call that number and see if you can get it to connect and stay connected and let me know your results?
4) Weirdest one: Sometimes upon receiving a call, instead of the normal ring of the phone, it rings with like a fake sounding recorded-like bell phone ring from like a payphone or something. Very strange. Like a .wav file of an old corded phone or payphone type ring. This MAY relate to #2 above, in that the squeal I described might be the tail end of that ring (?)
I'd appreciate any feedback other users can provide. |
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mshomo
join:2003-08-12
Johnstown, PA | I bought one and hooked it up yesterday. I can make outgoing calls just fine. The problem I'm having is I am unable to receive any incoming calls. When someone tries to call my number they just get a busy signal. Is anyone else having that problem? |
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noheater
@limno.com
| reply to SMCinAZ
I have one, was one of the first to get one. It works exactly as expected although I did have one small issue with my work firewall. Using MagicJack in conjunction with GrandCentral is a god send. I got rid of my phone from the cable company and just use Magic Jack.
Here's my article on MagicJack...
»www.noheat.com/2007/03/09/skype-···gicjack/ |
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