MAGICJACK

[JMS]

Keep your mind out of the gutter guys!
Its a little doohickey that plugs into a USB port to which you plug your phone into. the jack plus one year costs 40 dollars, after that it is 20 dollars a year. No more phone bills. you can call anyone anywhere as long as you have the intenet for only 20 a year, or at least thats what they say.

Question: Has anyone used this device? If so, do you like it? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

[kenneyty]

Can't you already do that for free with Skype?

[JMS]

Can't you already do that for free with Skype?

You can do skype but you have to sit at your computer for that. Plus the voice quality and the delay time that you get with skype is apparently not a problem with MAGICJACK..Ooh, I just get a tingle up my leg saying MAGICJACK! There you go BW, is that better?

[kenneyty]

Uh...didn't you say you had to hook it up via USB? Or am I missing the point? Does your cell call your computer?

[JMS]

Uh...didn't you say you had to hook it up via USB? Or am I missing the point? Does your cell call your computer?

There is such a thing as cordless phones these days Sir.

[VeeDubb65]

There is such a thing as cordless phones these days Sir.

True, but the real question is why anybody would bother to use anything but their cell phone living in San Diego County? I can't imagine that you could get out of cell range without a 3 hour drive.

[VeeDubb65]

Uh...didn't you say you had to hook it up via USB? Or am I missing the point? Does your cell call your computer?

Magicjack has nothing to do with cell phones.

You connect your computer to the internet with your broadband connection.

You plug magicjack into your computer.

You plug a traditional home-phone into the magicjack, instead of plugging it into a phone jack on the wall from the phone company.

The idea is to replace your home phone service with a VOIP connection. (VOIP=Voice Over Internet Protocol)

This is a good way to go for people who must have a home phone line for whatever reason, and are already paying for high speed internet from some source other than the phone company such as cable internet, or dedicated fiber optic like I have.

[Jimbo]

I have not Mark, but it sounds like VOIP to me (voice over internet protocol). Kinda like Skype, but linking your telephone into it.

Voip is good from what I hear. But if you are prone to blackouts you will not have a phone, and if your internet drops out a lot you will not have a phone. Unless you keep your old phone connection as a backup. At least, that is how it works here in Aus. You chaps in the US are a tad more advanced than us yokels over here, so maybe I am off the mark.

James.

[Blade Wielder]

I...don't get it.

Where's the veiled conservative antagonism?

[JMS]

I...don't get it.

Where's the veiled conservative antagonism?

There is never veiled conservative antagonism! Its either in your face or its imagined!