MagicJack → The New 2014 "MagicJack Plus" for $29.95

I see no reason to upgrade. Even if they added wireless built in, my connection's flaky enough on a bad day that I wouldn't want to add a wireless link to the mix.

As for the "improved" voice quality, why don't they just push a firmware upgrade over the net to my device if they've developed a better algorithm.

Big snooze. They lose.

Run! Run like the wind!!

EDIT:
I guess these might be worth SOMETHING after GVJack is updated to work on the new devices.

I currently use a magicJack Plus.

Rather than spending more money on an improved widget that does not really do anything else for me, I would have preferred if magicJack would turn back on the call forwarding feature they switched off and would have added a caller name display and call blocking feature. Calls to my mom's house about an hour away are also no longer free and that is the bottom line deal breaker for me.

Is magicJack really in touch with their customer's needs? Definitely not this one. I am a bit disappointed overall and am planning to fully switch to Google Voice when my subscription runs out next month.

The call forwarding feature still works, though the link for it is not accessible from their site.

Try: »web05.magicjack.com/my/c ··· ing.html

Feel yourself lucky.

My call forwarding does not even work using your "special secret nudge-nudge wink-wink" backdoor link and magicJack customer service also confirmed that the call forwarding feature is no longer available to me. To call my mom's phone number they also confirmed I have to deposit separate calling credits and that is not going to happen.

I'm currently testing out the GVJACK APP and will probably end up going that route to recover my situation.

May you have the same incredible experience I have had with this application!

Your 48 hr sale price is $29.95, when I hit the "Try it for 30 days!" link it takes me to a page that's final cost is $38.9, and you tell me "Get your NEW 2014 MagicJack PLUS and six months of Free Local and Long Distance calls." It's not free if I'm paying for it! and after 6 months it is no longer free? I have to pay more? The information you give me makes me feel like a one legged man in a butt kicking contest! You've got to lay it out in full before I give another dime to MagicJack. At first the one I bought from worked fine, now it's not worth your promise, so why should I throw my money away again ... fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!

I agree with about all of your comments I've read thus far. I've been using magic Jack since it first went on the market. I used to get annoyed at people who complained about the customer service yada yada. I mean you "USE TO" pay $29.95 for the original device and it came with a full year of service and you could purchase additional years at $19.95.
Then the plus was born and they increased the price to depending on where you go around $50-$65, but additional years were now $29.95 nothing changed as far as the network just the device. And I know you can still buy 5 years@$19.95, but originally it was always $19.95 for additional years weather you bought 1 or 10 years. Here is the other thing while the annual subscription went up on the plus to $29.95. I was still using the old original usb only model and all of a sudden it too was $29.95 a year. Why would the older models subscription increase almost %30? Even if the good ol marketing department at magic jack wanted to claim it somehow cost more to provide service with the plus device I could almost swallow that (even though it doesn't cost them anymore) But when they raised the price of the old magic jacks subscriptions to the same price as the plus somethings not right here. Now with this new 2014 "half price" device you guys are right 6 MONTHS?????????
Basically this a shell game with pricing. The original concept and pricing was amazing, but they instead of rewarding their loyal customers have decided were all a bunch of idiots so they will just keep playing pricing games using circular logic to explain the increases.
I found another product and it does allot more and has better options oh yeah and the price for additional years hasn't changed over the past couple of years. That is the Net Talk Duo I say let Magic Jack know by using your wallets and moving over to the above mentioned device, oR another if yo have a better solution. Take Care all

$29.95 to add one more year,
... I do not have call forwarding option either :-(

Besides all the stuff you said, they have slowly been chipping away at the 5 year contract I bought with them a couple years ago. Originally I could dial in to conference calls. Then they shut that down. But I could still make calls anywhere in the US and stay on the line for an hour if I wanted to. Even though I did not abuse that service, the started cutting off all my calls after 10 minutes. So they made their point clear with me: the service is a flaky, cheezy piece of crap but it is very low cost. So if you just want quick calls here and there, it works and the voice quality is quite good. If you ever get put on hold by a government agency, just hang up and call back on the cell phone because magic jack will cut you off after 10 minutes. Attempts to redial the party are often thwarted. It's downright rude but I put up with it because I am not a "phone person" anyway and my cell phone works for my long business conference calls that I have to make each week. but buy deeper into the MagicJack concept?? HA! Not me. When my 5 years are up I will be on my merry way.

Just checked "Net Talk Duo"

Does nothing against MagicJack Plus from what I saw; mainly it only works with computer or rouiter ... whereas MJPlus does not ... only plug into electrical outlet. Thus, do not need computer, or router, on ALL THE TIME .... nothing actually since it is plugged to power lines.

Check again... You need to connect the MJ+ to the Internet via a network cable just like you do the Net Talk Duo. Well, unless you get the Net Talk Duo wifi, in which case no network cable is needed for that one.

You might also want to compare the feature sets, level of customer service and the number of phone numbers MJ blocks which Net Talk does not. The ONLY area MJ comes out on top is in pricing. But there's a reason for that...

Magicjack does NOT magically send calls over power lines.

You still need a computer and/or router to place calls with MJ+. Just like any other IP Phone.

Received the new 2014 MJ+. Has two extra USB ports on the side and a SDIO slot. I have nothing to plug into the SDIO slot, but I did plug a USB wireless adapter into a USB port, and no LED lit, so it doesn't seem that there is power currently coming out of those slots.

Plugged it into the router, logged onto the website and transferred my current MJ number with one month remaining to the MJ plus. But only got 6 months on the new MJ anyway.

Seems to work. Incoming, outgoing, works fine. The unit is warm to the touch. I hope it doesn't burn out.

Try calling a phone number in the 907 area code (Alaska)...

I don't know anyone in Alaska, but NOAA has some prerecorded weather phones in Alaska
»www.nws.noaa.gov/pa/reco ··· asts.php

All of the Alaska number didn't work, needed to get prepaid minutes.
Fortunately, I don't call Alaska, so the MJ solution still works for me.

The entire state of Alaska is just one example of US numbers they used to block and now apparently charge extra for users to connect to. Hopefully you won't run into any others, but there are many other examples. Usually the numbers "blocked" are used by smaller phone companies in rural areas.

For what it's worth, my magicJack on-screen dial pad is still promoting this "48 Hour Sale" after almost two-weeks have passed.

And I just received an email overnight with the subject "Important Notice from magicJack" that purports to be written by "Dan Borislow - Inventor and Founder". His $29.95 offer is identical to the deal that has been advertised by my magicJack on-screen dial pad since June 25.

Strange. The 2014 MJ+ is supposed to be able to be used with or WITHOUT a computer. Went through the 4 Steps indicated inside the front flap cover. Obtained a # 574-307-XXXX. Removed the Ethernet Cord from the Internet Modem an MJ+. No Dial Tone & a recorded message: "Error 1, check your internet connection or contact customer service."

It is physically a bit larger than my cellphone, therefore it should be able to "magically send and receive calls over the airwaves".

Yah this is a real snooze. Still wish I hadn't switch from Iphone 3 to the 4. Waste of resources.

Without a computer is a lot different then without an ethernet connection.

Magic Jack is Very helpful ,specially to me that have to contact my family overseas.... I like the service ,BUT... Have you ever try to contact their customer service?? IT IS A NiGHTMARE!!! You can only chat, no Calls are received. Nobody seems to understand you and they keep transfering you to the next helper... I got transfered 9 times in only one day. I thought they were making fun of me. Unbelievable! I decided hang up. They couldn't answer my question.... I hope nobody ever need them.

Thank you guys: Dave, Gork, Ru kiddin etc. I've enjoyed reading all your posts. Although I'm not sure I understand doonboggle3's post.

However I have been researching a little more into the "GV" thing one of you guys mentioned sometime back. Here is an article about how to use your old, or any magic jack for free: »reviews.cnet.com/8301-33 ··· cessory/

I'm getting ready to try it when I finish this post. If anyone else has any luck please post your results, and let us all know, as I will do the same.

@Shell Game
I have been using GVJack App exclusively for about 1.5 years I believe. I use it with an old MJ device I used to use with the MJ service before I decided I no longer wanted to have anything to do with that company. GVJack has been working perfectly for me.

I've owned/used NetTalk Duo for almost 2 years. I've made free long distance calls to Vancouver, Chicago and New York from Texas and it operates flawlessly.

@cheapster
Good to know. I was planning on moving over to NetTalk from MJ and would have done so if PCPhonesoft hadn't have released GVJack. GVJack was cheaper and I already had a good relationship with PCPhonesoft and trusted them. (And that's still the case 1.5 years later.)

I've been using MJ for close to a year, and have no problems at all with it. I bought 5 additional years for $80 so I am paid through 2017. They don't cut me off until 90 minutes. I use it almost daily. I call in to 2-hour meetings and just hang up and redial during a break. So I have no qualms with MJ at all. Quality is great with my present MJ (which is not connected through my computer, but directly to my router), so, after reading the above posts, I am not going to spend the $38 to "upgrade" to 2014. And, since I am paid through 2017, I will not be changing to another provider.

Wow! Either they've changed that policy or you're in a special club... The two (three?) years I used MJ they went from a 120 min cutoff to a 90 min cutoff and never admitted the "special cutoff deal" even existed. heh After probably over a hundred long phone calls and similar reports from others I knew it wasn't just an accident though. Plus, I couldn't call back until after about a 10 minute waiting period as well.

Maybe removing the cutoff went hand in hand with the change they made to charge customers for calls made to areas where the receiving phone company paid more than MJ wanted to pay.

Have had Magic Jack Plus for about 2 years now.
Service has actually improved over that time (I no longer get dropped calls, like the first couple of months). Never been cut off on long distance call...guess I haven't talked long enough, so never realized there was a cutoff. Ordered 5 additional years. Love it. Had tried Vonage before...it was horrible and a big waste of money.
Have saved alot of money since leaving Bell. Love Magic Jack Plus. I am leary of the Magic Plus 2014, however. I almost upgraded, but decided against it on the last screen. Am happy with current service and quality, so why tempt fate? Thanks for everyone's posts...good read.