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Out of the Box

I was pleasantly surprised by how professionally packaged the Magicjack unit is. There is a choice of two colors, one is black in the other is pink. Perfect for that special someone in your life who cares about acessorizing your voip device. Another impressive thing is that the unit is sturdy, and not the cheap plastic that I was expecting. It’s also really small, about the size of a block of post-it notes.

As others on the web have noticed, the most difficult thing about setting up the Magicjack unit is opening the packaging. It’s almost as if the plastic has been welded together using a blow-torch. You will likely need a strong pair of scissors close by if you plan on opening this package.

Plug it in

After opening the package, simply plug the USB device into your computer and wait for the opening screen to turn up. According to the Magicjack website they currently support Windows Vista, as well as XP. As of yesterday they also support Mac, but here’s the kicker you need a PC to use it! Worse yet, they only support the new Intel macs. So in my opinion Magicjack has a long way to go before they please the Mac users out there.

After a few minutes of nothing at all a registration screen popped up. The registration information that was requested was all pretty standard, and wasn’t overly invasive. When I initially got the Magicjack I had to use this in conjunction with Grandcentral in order to get a number local number. However in the past few months Magicjack has been busy providing it’s users with a vast array of numbers, as well as the ability to change your number online. However I still recommend signing up for Grandcentral as it has a whole host of features that I haven’t seen with other VOIP providers. Also if Magicjack does go bankrupt you won’t have to worry about losing your number. I doubt the owners of Grandcentral (the all mighty Google) will be going bankrupt anytime soon. However stranger things have happened.

The good news is that although 911 registration is required, it can be disabled in a drop down menu of the main interface. This is important if you already have a land line or plan on using the service from outside the US. The last thing you want to do is accidentally hit 911 while sitting in a cafe in Madrid, and explain to the operator that the only emergency you’ll be having is the one after you finish off your Taco.

Now simply plug in a telephone into the RJ-11 port on the back of the device and then the unit is pretty much the same as any normal telephone. The people who created the device must have put a lot of thought into it because they even included a USB extension cable. this was particularly useful when I tried to plug the magicjack into the back of my over-crowded desktop.

The software is really responsive, even on my slow as molasses desktop. After dialing a number on my phone I instantly saw the response on the software, and the call went through without any hassles. A nifty thing I noticed was the ability to switch between a headset and a phone. This can be useful if you are traveling and don’t have a phone to plug-in.

It’s nice to have a VOIP product just work. I would feel confident sending this to some technologically adverse person (you know the kind that think Apple Mac is a special type of fruit) and wouldn’t have to worry that they couldn’t figure out how to make it work. After fiddling around with every ATA or VOIP related product under the sun for the last few years, this was a pleasant surprise, so thanks Dan and team.

The Guts of it - Call quality

This is VOIP? That was the reaction I got from my first test calls. Keep in mind I was using the device from Australia to call family in Toronto. Although in general my other VOIP calls are excellent, I have had some less than stellar results. After using the Magicjack for a couple of months now I’d say the call quality is up there with some of the better VOIP providers. I’ve tried Vonage US while in Australia as well as a few Canadian VOIP providers and though Magicjack’s call quality wasn’t the best it certainly was well above the bottom feeders.There were a few times when I couldn’t make calls, and these periods were really annoying. That is why I can’t recommend this unit as a complete POTS (Landline) replacement, especially if you have elderly parents or young children in your house. The unit is still in beta and from what I read on various forums this was a result of them upgrading the network to improve stability.

The Bad

So, what are my issues with Magicjack? First I hate the fact that you must have your computer on all the time. My desktop just broke and is in for repairs, since my other computer is a non-intel iBook (yes I’ve converted to the dark side) I have no choice but to be magicjack free for the next few days. I understand the need for the software service as this will be a way to generate some income for the Magicjack people. As noted in my other post though, Dan has promised that by early next year we should be able to use an ATA.

Secondly there was some talk on dslreports.com about a security vulnerability whereby someone who knew your serial number could use your credentials to make calls. However with a lack of international calling options that only one that will hurt is the Magicjack people. That’s my next beef, a lack of international calling options. I’m told that this will be fixed soon however.

Finally why don’t they ship this unit internationally? I can see a huge market for these things with students and expatriates. Imagine being freed from the price gouging land line rates as well as the hidden fees of many calling cards. Although a local number may not make you popular with the ladies, it will certainly allow you to keep in touch with friends and family while overseas without them paying for it.

General Thoughts

VOIP is a new technology and as such has it’s share of bugs. Magicjack is still in beta as well, and also has it’s share of bugs. However for the price of $40 + shipping you aren’t taking a huge risk. I’m sure the unit will pay for itself with a few months of usage. This unit will probably be popular with regular long distance callers, as well as transient people such as ex-patriates and students. It also has a niche market in people who are looking for an in-expensive second line. I can’t see it replacing a traditional phone service yet, but that may change in the future. Overall it’s worth looking into.
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