Magic Jack and a power hub

[Marina]

"Dave Bugg" wrote in news:63a19$48a50177$ [e-mail]:

No ads here, either.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 8/14/2008 9:31 PM Marina spake thus:

Did you pay for the service? Maybe the pop-up ads are only if you try it for free (like Skype and nonoh.net)?

[Leroy]

No, the ads have not started yet, but the TOS indicates that they can serve ads. I suspect the ads will be served into an area on the left hand side of the MJ GUI. This GUI is not large at all and only pops up from the taskbar when the phone rings or when you get a dialtone from an attached phone. (This is when you have MJ set to use a phone rather than a headset). When MJ is set to use a headset, the gui pops up upon an incoming call or by clicking MJ in the taskbar to place an outgoing call. If the gui is open, it can be minized to the taskbar at any time.

I run my widesceen monitor in 1280 x 768 and the gui, when set to small size, occupies about 1/9 of the desktop area. Not obtrusive at all, and the popup upon ring is handy, it lets you see the number of the calling party. The name of the caller is shown, too, if you've put that name/number into the MJ contacts.

I've only seen two 'ads' if you want to call them that and they're simply information for the MJ user. Looks like the 'ad feed' is in place, but true ads have not begun.

[George]

Maybe they haven't sold any yet or since they are in the burn up the investors money stage maybe they are waiting to start sending them. The reason that you need a power wasting computer instead of a flea power ATA to make and receive calls is because their business model is to have an ad driven service.

As I said before can you remember any of the free or cheap ISPs that had an ad driven model?

[Leroy]

MJ is not an ISP. And as I said before, many companies offer services that are funded by ads including radio, tv, google, yahoo, and tens of thousands of websites. Just what is your point? Do you think MJ is destined to fail, is illegal, immoral, or fattening because it plans to supplement income with ads? Just what is your objection, if any?

Leroy

[Mark Lloyd]

Thanks. A lot of people wouldn't be nice enough to apologize.

Good quotation, too.

[Dottie]

Did any of you try to use a FAX with Magic Jack? I use the FAX a lot but very few long distance calls....I saw it advertised on TV and looked interesting. The FAQ section had "maybe it will work and maybe it won't" sort of response.

[Leroy]

That's also the feedback at the MagicJack forums, it works for some and not for others. Only way to find out is to try it with your broadband connection and your FAX. Do the thirty day free trial and return it if not satisfied.

You can get a rough idea if your PC and connection is up to snuff for VOIP at this place, Java required for test, no registration needed:

[George]

I never claimed they were an ISP but their business model is very similar to what the "free" and "cheap" ISPs had. You paid a lower rate because theoretically the ads that you were required to watch would pay the difference. They are also similar because unlike tv for example there is additional cost for the provider with each subscriber because they have to assign a phone number and there is cost to place calls especially off of their own network that increases with use.

[Leroy]

And, unlike TV, (unless you're in a country where you pay a TV 'tax'), MJ charges a subscription for each MJ connection. So? I guess I'm dense. Are you saying MJ is destined to failure because other ventures that sold ads failed? Not a justified conclusion, in my mind.

[George]

Obviously I hit a raw nerve. You really *want* this to work and view any comments as an attack rather than an observation from someone who does understand what is required to run a VoIP business and why it is very likely magicjack has an unsustainable business model. No examples I give will ever make any sense to you because you want to believe that magicjack is somehow "magic".

Lets just agree to disagree.

[Tim J.]

Been running MJ on a powered USB hub since February. Call quality is fine and dependability seems OK. I used to have to unplug/plug in the MJ box to reset it every couple of days, but the latest software update seemed to have eased that. Sometimes when I haven't used it for a while, it takes maybe a second for the dial tone to start, which for the price, I can live with that.

[Dave Bugg]

I don't think you know how MJ actually works. I bought the usb unit, paid the 20.00 yearly fee. As far as I know there are no 'free' trials.... there is a return of purchase if not satisfied. I'm happy as a clam with the MJ so I've never returned mine.

[Dave Bugg]

If that should begin, I could care less. Although the gui for MJ opens when you dial, you don't need the gui to dial. It is small when it does open, and it doesn't interfere with my use of the computer when I call.

[Dave Bugg]

So you are claiming that I won't be able to make or recieve a phone call until I watch an ad? Do you really think anyone sits and watches their dialer gui while making a call? I don't get what your issue is here.

[George]

I don't have an issue. Is there some issue about discussing how something actually works?

The subscription fee isn't even close to anywhere near the actual cost of providing the service. The reason they chose the energy wasting idea of having a computer running is so they could display ads. There is no technical reason to have a full blown computer running for VoIP. All of the functions are typically implemented in a tiny box that has a network port and a phone port. Right now they are burning up investors money and the next step is they will need to turn on the ads. That is their business model. There is nothing magical about magicjack. It is the exact same model that was used by the "cheap and free" ISPs that are now nothing by a vague memory. I agree that I couldn't be bothered watching an ad in order to make a call but that is the business model.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 8/17/2008 6:43 AM George spake thus:

Pardon my confusion, as I don't know exactly how this thing works, but if it's true, as D. Bugg says, that one needn't watch the screen at all for incoming calls, couldn't one just use the tiny network box for this? Or is there some user interface interaction required to take and place calls?

[Dave Bugg]

No. But you haven't presented an accurate picture of how MJ works. So how about answering my question: Are you saying I am forced to watch an ad before I can dial or recieve calls? I make calls by dialing my phone just like I would dial any other phone. The gui is small, doesn't prevent me from using other applications whilst on the phone, and is minimized to my tray. So if there ARE ads running, so what?

Even IF what you state is accurate, so what? For $1.58 per month for good call quality on long distance, I couldn't care less. If MJ folds, and again that's IF, I've already had a return on my purchase in MJ many times over..... so far, I've saved over $65.00 from a traditional voip.

I don't leave my computer 'on' any longer with MJ than before MJ. I suspect most people don't either. Since most folks have cell phones, I suspect that MJ is just a cheap way to access toll-free long distance. And since I never see the ads and it doesn't impact my computer or usage in any way, so what?

So what? If the computer is running anyway, what does it matter? Even if someone chooses to run their computer 24 hours a day, so what?

You keep repeatedly stating the same stuff. I get it. Your arguments aren't persuasive.

I could give a rat's ass whether MJ lives or dies... I'm totally ambivalent. I tried MJ, it worked as advertised so I didn't return it and it has saved me money. MJ hasn't changed my computer usage, nor my computer access. Are you sure you don't work for Vonage?, because it seems pretty silly to be foaming at the mouth with rants against MJ.

[George]

Because it wastes power. Likely you have never done an analysis of where power waste occurs in a home. Most people would point at the high power appliances but in reality it is the lower power continuous loads. Slow and steady always wins the waste race. I care because collectively it is a large waste of power because of a stupid business model and I can certainly voice my opinion.

And maybe you don't care but check for new posts in this thread where someone asks why does it need a computer when a low power usage adapter would work (except for majicjack).

Likely because I am not trying to persuade anyone. I repeated stuff because people didn't read what I wrote.

Who is "foaming at the mouth"? Actually I just like analyzing hyped up marketing.

[George]

The business model is that ads will pay for the service. Currently there are no ads because they are running on investor money. The reason they chose the power wasting method of needing a computer is so they can deliver ads. There is nothing technically magical about magicjack. It uses SIP like the other VoIP providers with some proprietary stuff to prevent use of an ATA, the "tiny network box" you described.