Wednesday, May 13, 2009





MagicJack Pros Vs Magic Jack Cons...See Who Wins...

The Pros and Cons of Magic Jack

Magic Jack is the tiny VoIP device that offers free internet phone calls to US and Canada, from everywhere in the world. The interest it raised in easy to understand, taking into consideration the rates of long distance calls. However, like any other gadget, Magic Jacks has its advantages and its drawbacks. We are going to take a closer look at some of them, then each of you would be able to decide whether or not Magic Jack is the best solution for their specific case.

Magic Jack Advantages
Small device: the USB device that needs to be attached to the computer is of the size of a matchbox.

Easy installation: after plugging Magic Jack in the USB port, it automatically uploads the software, without needing an installation CD.

Convenience: Magic Jack works with any regular landline phone unit, even with cordless ones. When traveling, it’s possible to replace the phone with a headset which is lighter so you won’t have to carry additional weight.
Good quality sound: the hearing experience is as good as in case of regular phone lines.

Very low price: the device and the first year of subscription cost a bit under $40. Starting with the second year, the cost drops to almost $20 per year. All calls to numbers in Canada or US initiated from the Magic Jack user are free, even if the user and his device are in Mexico, China or wherever else in the world.
Free 30 days trial: this advantage is probably a temporary one, so in case you’re interested, go ahead and try it without paying anything.

Magic Jack Drawbacks
It works only with the computer turned on, connected to the internet and with the software running. In case of older computers, this can slow down other work done simultaneously. For people living in neighborhoods where the power supply has frequent outages, this can be a major drawback, especially if they intend to purchase Magic Jack as the main phone in the household.

When calling 911, you’ll be asked to provide your physical address, as it can’t be automatically detected like in the case of landline phones.
The USB device is a bit bulky and it may obstruct other ports nearby the allocated USB port. This is not so important, as the Magic Jack is delivered with a USB extension cord which can be used in order to avoid this issue.

Magic Jack is new. It’s probably going to be improved, so these lists may change with time.