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redpepper
join:2009-09-05

2 recommendations

redpepper

Member

"GVJack App" Converts MJ Dongles To Google Voice

Starting this time next month (mid February 2012), you will be able to fully "re-purpose" any new, used or expired regular MJ dongle and switch to Google Voice's free calling services using the new downloadable "GVJack App" from PCPhoneSoft.com.

The "GVJack App" is designed to provide a featured landline calling experience. When placing calls while your computer is also in use, everything is processed quietly in the background without the use of popups and display screens so you can focus on your work.

To place a call, pick up the handset and use your phone's keypad to dial the number. When somebody calls your Google Voice number just answer your phone when it rings. You will also be able to use the same phone for online voice and video chats via Skype, Yahoo and Facebook.

Popular features including 7 digit local area dialing, caller id name and number delivery, call waiting and voice mail waiting indicators are currently undergoing rigorous testing in the lab and are working well. In addition, Google Voice has its own built in features for screening incoming calls.

Computer assisted calling is also supported. When you are surfing online, you will also be able to click on any phone number found on a given webpage to place a call. The "GVJack APP" is also designed to let you instantaneously access your online Google Voice account to send and receive SMS text messages.

While more expensive standalone solutions have their own merits, the additional redundancy that Google Voice offers make it an ideal fit for lower cost USB based hardware solutions. For example, Google Voice provides the flexibility to simultaneously ring your mobile phone when somebody calls. This redundancy means that you can continue to receive calls on your mobile phone even when your computer is powered off.

You will be able to download the "GVJack App" and try the full version with your regular MJ dongle for up to 7 days to see if it meets your needs prior to purchase. The one time software purchase will be significantly less than the price of a standard 1 year MJ service subscription.

Stem Bolt
Ancient Astronaut Theorist
Premium Member
join:2002-11-08
Metropolis

Stem Bolt

Premium Member

Looking forward to trying this out.
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

3 edits

redpepper

Member

The "GVJack App" is now working in the lab with all generations of the regular MJ dongle hardware all the way back to the beginning.

To help maximize performance and offer users a completely new beginning and reference point, the MJ dialer has been completely eliminated.

It will be ready for a test drive by this time next month (or sooner). Constructive feedback is always appreciated and often directly used so we look forward to you trying it out.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd to redpepper

MVM

to redpepper
Very interesting and I salute your inventiveness

re-purpose has many meanings -- so my question is once one moves over to GV with the expired MJ does all background communication with Y-MAX stop or is Y-MAX still in the loop passively?
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

redpepper

Member

The "GVJack App" fully controls the raw MJ dongle hardware and it has no background communication with anything from its past life.

After downloading and installing the "GVJack App" you basically end up with a brand new product offering and a completely new reference point.


mmainprize
join:2001-12-06
Houghton Lake, MI

mmainprize to redpepper

Member

to redpepper
I have an old MJ dongle that i have not had connected to a PC in a few years. I think i still have an open account with MJ as i got the five year deal a few years back.

If i wanted to use this GVJack App would i need to first connect the MJ to my PC and let it update ?.
I ask because the last time it was connected, it was on an XP PC. I then was using Xdial and MD5? something and calling without the jack connected. Then MJ changed there software to stop use from using the account without the dongle connected. I never did update or reconnect the dongle after that. I now have a win 7 PC and have never connected it this PC.

Dose the GVJack app update software on the MJ Dongle ?
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

1 edit

redpepper

Member

The GVJack App does not rely on anything from a regular MJ dongle's past life at all so no updating needs to be done.

It fully converts a new, used or even a fully expired regular MJ dongle to work with Google Voice's free calling network.

The GVJack App is undergoing lab testing at the moment and will be available for download from the PCPhoneSoft.com website in mid-February.

You will be able to download and try out the full version for up to 7 days to see if it meets your needs prior to purchase.

dbmaven
There's no shortage
Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky

dbmaven

Mod

And the expected pricing will be.....
?
Nailgunner
join:2010-09-28

Nailgunner

Member

said by dbmaven:

And the expected pricing will be.....
?

Per his original post above:

The one time software purchase will be significantly less than the price of a standard 1 year MJ service subscription.
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

1 edit

redpepper to dbmaven

Member

to dbmaven
The final exact price has not been decided yet but we hope to make it a "no-brainer" purchase decision for the millions of users sitting on unused and expired regular MJ dongles.

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

1 edit

Gork

Member

Or the users who refuse to pay an extra $10/yr on a crappy product? I have been waiting for this for a very long time, redpepper See Profile; it was long ago when we discussed this. I'm amazed at the direction you guys have taken. My MJ renewal is coming up, and that money will be going to you instead of to MJ - and probably even a few months before my MJ account expires.
said by redpepper:
the MJ dialer has been completely eliminated.

WooT!
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

redpepper

Member

We have used a lot of user feedback and inputs in creating the "GVJack App".

It won't be long now before you will be able to try it out.

bitstopjoe
join:2009-08-02
Pen Argyl, PA

bitstopjoe

Member

Tease..............................

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

Gork to redpepper

Member

to redpepper
So, a couple of questions. I cannot imagine a way that you could prevent the MJ softphone from starting when one plugs the MJ device in unless data is overwritten or changed on the dongle. If this new software of yours is utilized and the user decides to go back to MJ with the same dongle, will that be possible? And if so, will your implementaton prevent the MJ dongle from starting the MJ softphone when it is plugged into the computer or when the computer is restarted with the MJ dongle still plugged in?
Nailgunner
join:2010-09-28

Nailgunner

Member

said by Gork:

So, a couple of questions. I cannot imagine a way that you could prevent the MJ softphone from starting when one plugs the MJ device in unless data is overwritten or changed on the dongle. If this new software of yours is utilized and the user decides to go back to MJ with the same dongle, will that be possible? And if so, will your implementaton prevent the MJ dongle from starting the MJ softphone when it is plugged into the computer or when the computer is restarted with the MJ dongle still plugged in?

I assumed his software would somehow block MJ from accessing the dongle while his program was running. If they change the dongle itself I personally will have to get another one somewhere to use for the test drive.

Kids, this is why you never throw stuff away. When I upgraded my device at renewal time in 2010 to the 4th gen, I opened up and played around with my old device and threw it away. Oh well.

mozerd
Light Will Pierce The Darkness
MVM
join:2004-04-23
Nepean, ON

mozerd

MVM

said by Nailgunner:

I assumed his software would somehow block MJ from accessing the dongle while his program was running. If they change the dongle itself I personally will have to get another one somewhere to use for the test drive.

redpepper See Profile stated the following;

you basically end up with a brand new product offering and a completely new reference point

my take on that is that the firmware or ROM is overwritten by new code and that generates a completely new reference point so blocking is not required --- its a brand new application that takes advantage of the dongle.
Nailgunner
join:2010-09-28

Nailgunner

Member

said by mozerd:

my take on that is that the firmware or ROM is overwritten by new code and that generates a completely new reference point so blocking is not required --- its a brand new application that takes advantage of the dongle.

Yea, and he does say "re-purpose" in the original post as well. I hadn't given it much thought until Gork's post, but you 2 are probably right. I'm sure redpepper will clear up any remaining doubt shortly.
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

1 edit

redpepper

Member

"Re-purpose" as per Wiki means "to alter to make more suited for a different purpose" and that is all we meant in using the word rather than any particular implementation.

For clarification, the MJ dongle is NOT being re-flashed or being changed in any way whatsoever. We have absolutely no need to do that to achieve the desired result.

Users may still unplug and plug back in their MJ dongle at any time and use it with the MJ network the way they have done in the past as long as the GVJack App is not running.

Nailgunner
join:2010-09-28

Nailgunner

Member

said by redpepper:

"Re-purpose" as per Wiki means "to alter to make more suited for a different purpose" and that is all we meant in using the word.

Users may still unplug and plug back in their MJ dongle at any time and use it with the MJ network the way they have done in the past as long as the GVJack App is not running.

For clarification, the MJ dongle is NOT being re-flashed or being changed in any way whatsoever. We have absolutely no need to do that to achieve the desired result.

Of course that definition of altering for a different purpose does not exclude the possibility that the original purpose is no longer functional.

I'm just ecstatic that you are setting it up so that both are functional with what should be an easy back and forth switching. I'm looking forward to trying it out, and with the call quality I currently get with GoogleVoice will almost certainly purchase after the free trial.

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

1 edit

Gork

Member

The $10/yr increase was the final straw for me with MJ anyway; I had decided to switch to nettalk. (Now that MJ is the same price per year and the nettalk device has gone down to $50.) But then I saw this thread and decided to give PCPhoneSoft some more of my money instead. I have little to lose, and have been happy with the software I've purchased from them in the past.

@redpepper
I came up wth another question... Will MagicContacts work with this new software, or wll a similar function be incorporated into it? I love that when people call me I get their name on my caller ID - even if it's a cell phone or another number without a name. And how about the ability in MagicFeatures to look up a phone number online to get a name and display it on caller ID?

I need to get to the MJ site to ensure my subscription isn't set to renew but, though the main site is back up, my.magicjack.com is still down. I used a "tossable" credit card number to renew last year, but who knows if they'll be sneaky and use the credit card number I used the year before that. /sigh
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

redpepper

Member

The answer to both questions is yes.

It supports use of the Gmail / Google Voice built in contacts facility for looking up the caller name (and for placing calls). If the caller name cannot be found an online reverse number look up is attempted.

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

Gork

Member

So far this sounds very well thought out. I'm very excited to give it a spin next month!

shwing
A Sphincter Says What ?
join:2002-11-14

shwing

Member

looking forward to this!

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

Gork to redpepper

Member

to redpepper
I see a GVJack App forum has been added to the board at »www.pcphonesoft.com/pcph ··· ft/forum. The forum is basically empty, though, but shows "2/15/12 Release 1.00 Ready". But I can't find a download for it. I'm guessing they're just putting on the finishing touches and/or readying the web site.
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

1 edit

redpepper

Member

The "GVJack" App will be available by the close of business tomorrow (Friday) for download. We are putting finishing touches on the website changes.

To place calls all you need to do is install the "GVJack" App, plug a regular MJ dongle into a USB port on your computer and then sign in using any Gmail e-mail account you want to use. It does not matter if the MJ dongle was previously registered to somebody else or if the subscription on it has expired.

The minimum suggested computer configuration is Windows XP(SP2)/Vista/7 with a 1.5Ghz CPU and 2 Gig RAM. That just happens to be the exact spec of the particular legacy computer we tested against and the performance has been fine. After the initial product launch period is over, we plan to test against and possibly provide product support for lesser computer configurations.
redpepper

1 edit

redpepper

Member

The "GVJack" App is now ready to download at »www.pcphonesoft.com .

The full version is free to try for up to 7 days to see if it meets your expectations prior to purchase.

It is being offered at a 30% discount (using coupon code GVJACKAPP at checkout) for $13.97 through the end of this month.

For a quick snapshot overview visit »www.pcphonesoft.com/gvja ··· ils.html

Gork
Ou812ic
join:2001-10-06
Bountiful, UT

1 edit

Gork to redpepper

Member

to redpepper
I was hoping someone might have posted who had a chance to install it. I'm at work, not in a position to install it, but will do so as soon as I can and post back.

Perhaps I shouldn't say anything at this point, since I haven't even tried it out and don't know exactly how it works beyond what I've read, but I have an idea that might be fun to implement if it's not been. I once had an answering machine I could program with an "emergency code." I could leave the phone ringer off, turn the volume down on the answering machine and give "important people" the emergency code. If anyone called I'd never hear the phone ring and wouldn't know they even called until I saw a message on the answering machine. BUT, if someone entered this code in after the answering machine picked up, it would sound an alarm letting me know an "important person" is calling, or a person with an emergency.

I think it would be a neat idea, if even possible, to be able to put the GVJack App on "do not disturb," meaning the phone won't even ring if people call, but if they put in a programmable code the phone would ring through anyway. I can't figure how this would even be POSSIBLE unless GV implemented it from their end, but I thought I'd bring it up just in case the idea interested you guys and it actually is feasible.
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

redpepper

Member

Here's a simple way to meet the same basic underlying need using the "GVJack" App without using an external answering machine.

1. Open the "Features Dashboard" and include all the important numbers in the Priority Calls table. When calls arrive from any of those numbers you will hear British style ringing when the phone rings.

2. Enable the Priority Calls Only feature in the "Features Dashboard". All calls that are NOT included in the Priority Calls table will be routed to voice mail and any important calls will make it through and your phone will ring as described above.

3. Whenever you have voice mail, the little voice mail waiting light on your phone will come on (if it has one). You will also hear stutter dialtone when you go offhook. Just dial *98 on your phone to listen to your voice mail messages or select "Voice Mail" from the "GVJack" App traybar icon menu and listen to them online.

shwing
A Sphincter Says What ?
join:2002-11-14

shwing

Member

love this thread!
redpepper
join:2009-09-05

redpepper

Member

Based on user requests that are coming in we will be adding support for MJ+ dongles (when they are plugged into a USB port on a computer) to the "GVJack" App in a new downloadable update by the end of next week.