amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
 ·Cox HSI
 ·magicjack.com
| Dan's latest advertisement
All evening I saw an ad for MJ. Same ad, but for a different retailer (Walgreen's, CVS, Walmart, Best Buy). It repeatedly said it's $19.95 per year, and plastered a giant $19.95 on the screen.
As an MJ user, I understand the distinction between the per-year subscription and the one-time device charge.
But, if I was unfamiliar with MJ, and ran down to Walgreen's, I'd feel like the victim of false advertising when I saw the $39.95 price.
If I was the store manager I'd be a little unhappy if I had to explain the "fine print" to customers feeling they were lied to.
I wonder how long it will take for some state attorneys general to take action against MJ?
It's amazing how Dan gravitates so far toward the edges of propriety. I thought the edges had been defined for him when he joined the BBB. But, this ad is like the old Dan.
Mark |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
|  I wish there was a copy of the ad in question on youtube.
$20 for a device and $20 for a year is pretty straight forward IMO.
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"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| said by pandora  :I wish there was a copy of the ad in question on youtube. $20 for a device and $20 for a year is pretty straight forward IMO. I saw the devices at wal*mart the other day and i didn't see anything on the packaging that said service was extra and they were priced at $19.88.
kind of shows how bad they're raping people on the infomercial and website. my guess in bulk, the dongles are only a few dollars.
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When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey
·Callcentric
·Optimum Voice
·callwithus
·voip.ms
| reply to amigo_boy
According to this posting, if your MJ is defective, and you bought it at Walgreen's, then the MJ company will refuse to help:
»www.complaintsboard.com/complain···263.html
Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Lots of bad publicity they could have avoided if they had just helped this guy out. For the MJ company to replace the defective unit would just have cost a few bucks. |
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PX Eliezer
Premium
join:2008-08-09
New Jersey | And here's another:
»www.complaintsboard.com/complain···548.html
I truly do not think that anyone could make this stuff up. |
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RockyBB
Premium
join:2005-01-31
Longmont, CO
| reply to PX Eliezer
said by PX Eliezer :Lots of bad publicity they could have avoided if they had just helped this guy out. OK, gang. All together now ... What do you expect for $1.70 a month?
Do you think the suckers know that the MJ software remains sitting on their computers, waiting waiting waiting for instructions from the mothership?  |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| reply to PX Eliezer
said by PX Eliezer :According to this posting, if your MJ is defective, and you bought it at Walgreen's, then the MJ company will refuse to help: I've heard that complaint before. But, how does MJ know where you bought it. What kind of records does MJ keep about purchasers who buy through the web site?
The only thing I've heard is that they ask for credit card number to identify you. If that's how they do it, what if you say you used a gift-card prepaid credit card? Or, you stopped using your credit card and don't have the number any more?
I wish someone who bought from a non-MJ source would try that.
I agree it's crazy. If they maintain records down to the serial number (cross referenced to the potentially always-changing phone number) that would be a lot of work for a company that doesn't seem to care much about the details. It seems like it would cost the same to just replace dongles. It would avoid the unpleasant surprise of customers finding out they're treated differently.
Also, as far as I know, it doesn't match well with other products. My experience has been that if a product fails after the first 15-30 days, the store says it's between you and the manufacturer. I don't think I've ever seen a store perform long-term replacement service unless you bought a store's extended warranty.
One other thing. If you buy the unit at the store, then buy the additional 5 years of service online, what happens if the device fails? MJ has said that the 5-year-plan includes free replacement of the device if it fails.
That would be even more confusing if they won't replace a store-bought unit unless you buy additional years of service online.
Mark |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| reply to dvd536
said by dvd536 :I saw the devices at wal*mart the other day and i didn't see anything on the packaging that said service was extra and they were priced at $19.88. Walmart's selling the dongle only? And then, when you register you have to purchase the 1-year plan?
That's as bad as the advertisement. MJ at stores like Radio Shack and Best Buy sell for $39.95. So, you'd get the bad news as soon as you arrive at the store.
If Walmart doesn't sell the time with the dongle, that makes MJ's non-replacement policy even more irrational. The way MJ extends the warranty if you buy the 5 year plan, it appears the warranty is tied to the time not the hardware.
Mark |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
| reply to dvd536
said by dvd536 :I saw the devices at wal*mart the other day and i didn't see anything on the packaging that said service was extra and they were priced at $19.88. If the dongle didn't include a years service, I'd have more of a problem with that. The ad seems to make it clear you'll get a year of service.
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"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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voipjunk
join:2004-08-07
Largo, FL | reply to amigo_boy
The ad says telephone service@19.95 per year.
When ATT/verizon claims $20-/ per month do they include installation charges. This USB dongle is like installation charges..  |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
| reply to RockyBB
said by RockyBB :Do you think the suckers know that the MJ software remains sitting on their computers, waiting waiting waiting for instructions from the mothership? One day I wonder if another mothership won't hijack MagicJack users and create the largest botnet ever known. It'd even be a botnet with PSTN access. Imagine a DDOS attack on a corporate or government phone system.
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"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| said by pandora :said by RockyBB :Do you think the suckers know that the MJ software remains sitting on their computers, waiting waiting waiting for instructions from the mothership? One day I wonder if another mothership won't hijack MagicJack users and create the largest botnet ever known. It'd even be a botnet with PSTN access. Imagine a DDOS attack on a corporate or government phone system. In practical terms, how would MJ vivify all the computers containing residual MJ software?
The MJ software doesn't run by itself. There is no daemon waking up every few days. No scheduled task.
If someone stops using MJ, I don't see how the software would run again without them clicking "magicjackloader.exe" (or magicjack.exe). If it doesn't run, there's nothing the theoretical "mothership" could do.
Mark |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
| I don't know how one would hijack MagicJacks adware. I have never used MagicJack in part due to the installation of adware. The potential for abuse scares me. I prefer a stand alone ATA solution for many reasons. The current MagicJack offer doesn't appeal to me, and I won't download software to run on my PC from some unknown website which will supposedly let me hijack credentials.
Instead, I will pay more for a legitimate ATA solution. For me TOS and copyright / patent law have meaning. I also have assets, a family, and other aspects of my life which wouldn't be positively affected by DMCA or other litigation.
Currently my VOIP ATA works without any problem, does yours? Do you really need this drama in your life? Is it worth grief to save a few bucks?
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"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| said by pandora :Currently my VOIP ATA works without any problem, does yours? Do you really need this drama in your life? Is it worth grief to save a few bucks? For me, I don't need a VoIP ATA. I would have a cell phone with or without a landline. In my case, I get by using MJ when the computer is on, and using the cellphone to fill the gaps.
For my needs, I've saved a lot of money compared to other VoIP services. But, there were a couple times when the quality degraded so much that I had to fall back to Skype pay-as-you-go (and I considered a monthly plan to replace MJ).
I don't worry about MJ's adware capability. I understand those who do. I don't worry about the lack of uninstall. I understand those who do (but, not the part about the software coming to life some day. Nobody's explained how that would happen.).
I agree with you that the drama involved with MJ is questionably worth saving $5-$10 a month compared to other reputable services. Periods of poor quality. Dan's "PT Barnum" notoriety. Being unable to recommend MJ to friends because there's just too many qualifiers that it's not worth my time.
I can see how some people can save a ton of money if they can make MJ work for them. I can see how others don't need the drama. But, I don't get the part about a zombified computer.
Mark |
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pagemen
join:2008-12-28
planet earth
| reply to amigo_boy
I would take ATA as sth. positive for MagicJack. Users without ATA are more likely to use it for outgoing calls, while ATA users will use the phone like regular landline and receive more incoming calls, and MJ can make some money on this.
This might change when MJ starts to put *REAL* ads on the softphone, but right now, I don't see much harm for ATA on MJ network. |
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BlueMagic
join:2008-03-30
1 edit | reply to amigo_boy
How is this different than ViaTalk charging a $30 activation fee plus a $10 shipping fee for an ATA that must be returned should the subscriber cancel?
MagicJack service is $19.95 per year just as ViaTalk's service is $199 per year. They are both advertising the service not ancillary fees which are of little importance. |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
1 edit | said by BlueMagic :How is this different than ViaTalk charging a $30 activation fee plus a $10 shipping fee for an ATA that must be returned should the subscriber cancel? ViaTalk isn't sold in stores? When you buy something online, by the time you reach the "confirm order" screen you should have a fair understanding of all the costs. Even if the headline on the main page was "$199 per year."
Advertising on teevee, without any fine print about extra fees is different. That's why car manufacturers are required to display a half-screen of fine print, or run through 2000 words in 2 seconds on the radio. ("With $2000 down and good credit. Not valid in all states. Lease subject to residual charges if terminated early. Dealer retains all incentives.").
Selling a product at one store (Walmart?) without the annual subscription, and no indication that it requires it also invites claims of false representation especially when it's sold with the subscription everywhere else.
It's just Dan showing contempt for his own reputation. Again. It's part of a larger history of behaviors that are bizarre. They don't benefit him that much. But, they reap immeasurable negative word of mouth.
Mark |
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BlueMagic
join:2008-03-30 | Walmart is not selling the magicJack without service. Do you believe everything that you read on the internet? |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| said by BlueMagic :Walmart is not selling the magicJack without service. Do you believe everything that you read on the internet? I'll let you take that up with "DVD".
Or, I'll wait for you to change your mind again. 
Mark |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to BlueMagic
said by BlueMagic :Walmart is not selling the magicJack without service. Do you believe everything that you read on the internet? I never said they were. only at the price point they are at it LOOKS like its without the service but doesn't say that on packaging.
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When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee |
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