conquestkm
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 9-8-2006
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Mood: "I could have been a Rhodes Scholar, except for my grades."
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Magic Jack
I know this subject has been brought up in the past, and I just don't remember some of the answers . ( that happens when you start getting older)
Is any one using the "Magic Jack" unit for their phone calls thru a Tel nor DSL line ?
And is it worth the money? .And have you had any problems with it?
Sound, call drop offs when you are talking , not able to dial out when ever you want Ect
Conquestkm
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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Don't know about Magic Jack ,
I have been using SKYPE, an with their newest software upgrade it has been great !
CaboRon
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bajabound2005
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2760
Registered: 10-15-2005
Location: Punta Banda, BCN
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Mood: words cannot describe...
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You can learn more about it here:
http://www.magicjack.com/3/?mid=306418
and get a 30 day free trial.
Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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It has limitations. It won't work for incoming calls if you hibernate or turn your machine off. If you leave it on, you use tons of electricity on
a 24 hour period.
I know the cost is minimal but, you have to fully understand what they offer.
Go to Google and read the pros and cons. Lots to read.
Personally, I think it's good if your interest is making calls out. PC Mgazine agrees with that.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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I dont understand why people dont just use Windows Live!. My wife uses this with our Logitech web cam on a wifi connection on a DSL line and it works
perfect. Of course you dont have to make it a video call, it can be just audio. And the chat window works at the same time, so you can send links or
photos you've uploaded to a site and talk about them.
We just send emails to set up the time to talk or make a quick, one minute call on a cell phone to agree on a time.
Caveat: we arent tied to cell phones the way many are and never have been. Go Phones work for us, as our minutes per month are usually less than 50.
We save the chit-chat for Window Live which seems much faster than Yahoo Messenger.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
I dont understand why people dont just use Windows Live!. |
Thanks for that, Hook. Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld send there thanks as well.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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OK, then go pay MORE for Magic Jack. BTW, Gates does better things with his money that Jobs does.
Audio only is just SOOOOOO passe. 
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
OK, then go pay MORE for Magic Jack. |
OWWW.... Little touchy today, eh Hooker. I have no dog in the phone fight. Couldn't care less who uses what. As you will no doubt believe,
nobody calls me anyway. My neighbor just had a dinner party this evening, invited all my friends. I'm still waiting for the phone call invitation
and the cars are just starting to pull out. I don't think MajicJack would have made a difference.
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karenintx
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 3-16-2008
Location: CSL
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Magic Jack...Anyone can choose what they want to use after all it is a free world and that is what makes the world go round.
We use or have used all of the above, plus some that aren't listed. We have used Skype but not anymore...it was personal thing but I promise not to
bust your chops over it. We also use Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live, Vonage router and Magic Jack...and a few others. Each one has pros & cons.
It all depends on where you are and how good is your connection.
The question was "is anyone using Magic Jack?" and yes we are. Before I am "hung on the cross" by some of the judgemental nomads please allow me to
explain. My husband is an airline captain, Quito is his regular route so trust me when I say he has used them all. There have been times he has had
to try three or four different systems just to get a call out. Yes this can be in a five star hotel room or businees center, it could be in a local
internet cafe. Yes he is using his laptop and he has used both the hotel and internet cafe computers. We would not use "MJ" as our only phone
service. However it is great and compact for the traveling he does and we plan to do when he retires on October 15th. His motto is "it is best to
have a couple of back ups, if not more...especially when in foreign countries." I will say it seems the people that like "MJ" tend to be world
travelers...if they know about "MJ", maybe that is the difference. Like I said "it all depends on you connection." There are times the "MJ" sound is
clear and loud...as if you were cross the street. Then there are times it is not...but then that happens to all of them...again it all depends on the
connect, firewalls...etcs. It does seems to work better when we are in our condo in Cabo...using a regular DSL line from the phone company and not a
hotel connection. Maybe that's the differance.
Just my two pesos.
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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Yes there are many options to use a computer to make phone calls for free. Magic Jack is just a simple box to connect a handset typical phone to a usb
connection on the computer then they use a software app to make calls like many others. You could just as well use any mic and headset with any
software app.
Simply do a search on free voip phone calls and look for reviews of products. Like Karenintx I use many depending on what works, experience helps. Now
I am using Ribbit which is still in testing mode which is pretty powerful, you can take any phone line and forward that line when unanswered to your
Ribbit account, which then will either ring you at another line at home, cell or ring you on your computing device, when you do not answer it takes a
voicemail and also transcribes the message to your email perfectly. So you can receive text or email with the vm as text and audio. Well I am sure
this sounds complicated but its not once you start, its normal. Now I use a prepaid phone to get local phone number then I use forwarding codes to
program that number to ring me on my computer or where ever i am but I rarely answer via cell, I can take over the phone line with these tools. So I
have local phone lines to call in or out and I pay nothing except in some countries.
To be clear there are many tools to use a handset and call for free. Do a search on google. Just try it.
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karenintx
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 3-16-2008
Location: CSL
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gunkid...thanks for the info! We will check this one. Like you said "experience plus patience" goes along ways.
Also FYI for others...if your computer is off a voice message can be left and "MJ" will forward it to an email.
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conquestkm
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 9-8-2006
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Mood: "I could have been a Rhodes Scholar, except for my grades."
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Thank You one and all. many many good suggestions to check out and I do appreciate all the great feed back . It give me something to search out
Conquestkm
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BajaNuts
Super Nomad
Posts: 1085
Registered: 5-11-2008
Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
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Mood: no worry, no hurry....it's all good!
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another free voice option is TeamSpeak.
It is a software developed for online gamers to have as many as 150 people online and all be able to comunicate via headsets.
I used it while on business by myself in La Paz and hubby was at home. It is a computer-to-computer system and requires one computer to have the
"operating program" loaded on it and all the other computers sign on with a password and there you go------blablablablabla for hours on end!
We literally talked for 3-4 hours sometimes from La Paz to Washington state for free. Well actually it cost me a latte at the internet cafe, but if
you have your own connection, that's all you need.
It is also good for conference calling with families or (gasp! don't say it!!!!!!!!) work-related conference calls.
You can also text at the same time.
Don't know how it compares to the other Yahoo and MSN programs, never used them.
u2u if you want a link-
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