| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| goneriding |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 12:33:42 PM
Does it really work? I heard a commercial where you don't need a computer anymore. I looked it up online and it does look good.
Any thoughts? 
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| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| goneriding |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 7:57:30 PM
HA! I went to town today to deal with some things and forgot to stop by Radio Shack! It was one of those draining days and I just wanted to get home, have supper and relax. But, will be going back later in this week and will check out. I asked also on a private board I'm on and, with this board, and the other, it seems to be six of one and half dozen of the other. So, will have to jump in and take a chance seems like!
For some 'venting'-type of entertainment, please read my blog, http://lostadventuresintrucking.blogspot.com . Now with pictures!!
Also, http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com is back up and running! Please check it out! Puh-leeze...??
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| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 11:45:52 PM
With the new one that could be possibly resolved as well.
I have never had that happen to me as far as I know. That being said, I can see how that could of happened with the older one. As the older one only had limited areas of area codes to choose from. So you just had to choose a area code you wanted of what was available. Often times not one in your area. So...for instance right now I live in a 316 area code area, when we bought our MJ 316 was not a area code they had available so we went with a 785 area code as that was the closest area to 316 available and my sister was going college in that area code district. They also said that they would contact us when 316 became available and they would change our number for free.
So in theory if our neighbors have a land line, they most likely have a 316 area code, and unless they have unlimited long distance I guess they would be charged for calling us. But, almost every one now days has unlimited plans.
However, the new MJ now says that you can transfer ANY home phone number you currently have to the new MJ. So that should clear that problem up.
I am not sure about the reviewers, but if it was because of what I stated, that should of kind of been clear to them, when they chose a area code not local then yes, the areas local area code numbers calling your unlocal area code number would be charged.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| YakLady |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 7:47:03 PM
I thought of getting one and read reviews a few years ago. People were complaining that anyone who called them (incoming calls only) were charged long-distance fees even if they lived next door! I don't know if that's been resolved, but it's worth looking into before purchase...
~Natalie~ Just a farmgirl in Western Montana. http://mtnme.blogspot.com
Starting a family and raising Tibetan Yaks, Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Laying hens, Muscovy ducks, and a few dogs. |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 29 2012 : 4:59:55 PM
Well it's totally different then a cell phone. It's not based on a cell tower being near by. It's dependant on if you area has a good internet service provider. Cause I live in the sticks there is only two internet services to get. Both are less then ideal. But, with the one we have the phone works great. Like I said, I don't think it's too good to be true at all. I've been using it for over 2 years just fine as long as I have good internet.
The other thing is, sometimes people don't understand things and then say it doesn't work. For instance my MIL friend in Queens told us it didn't work worth beans either. Then come to find out she only had dial up service for internet. It clearly states it doesn't work with dial up service. So you have to read the instructions and make sure you are using it properly (again like I said, I had to read about using a newer phone.) You can't really say something doesn't work if you don't use it correctly. lol haha Not saying your friends aren't using it correctly. I'm just saying, most the people I know who complain about it not working, when further questioned, didn't go by the instructions. So no I don't think it's too good to be true. Cause it's all we have used for 2 years and we are doing fine with it. BTW, till 2000 when the big internet crash happened, believe it or not I was making internet phone calls completely free! I bought a internet phone at Walmart for 20 bucks, and you could call any one with it for free. Worked for 3 years, then 2000 came and they went out of business. But, for 3 years I made calls for one time payment of 20 dollars! lol And nope it wasn't too good to be true either. lol So sometimes things do work out. I would be careful. But, like I said, I've used it for years fine. Just have to make sure you follow the instructions.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 8:30:11 PM
I have great cell reception (Verizon), I never had a magic jac myself, just knew a few that did, and they all lived in closer to the cities, not the sticks like me, and differant states. I'm sure that it depends on where you live, and how the terrain is...if it sounds to good to be true, it probaly is, good luck
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 7:50:14 PM
oh but for cells you have to be careful for pay as you go ones. They often have very limited areas that are covered. IE only big cities. We have liked Virgin Mobile and Verizon the best for pay as you go. Beware of the very cheap plans out there by other companies, as they are very limited areas that they work in.
I don't believe magic jack is based on where you are, as they will work any where you go with them, even over seas as long as you have a good internet connection. Many people buy them for their sons in the military so they can call home for free. So there's not anything about having a satelite or what ever for it close, it's about having a good internet connection where you are.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 7:46:36 PM
I live in the sticks right now. I have used it in PA (Philly, area), upstate NY (Fishkill/Peeskill area), NYC-Queens and Brooklyn, Mo-Branson area, and now here in rural Kansas it's worked in all those areas just fine.
Like I said though you have to have good internet connection, sometimes out in the sticks you don't get good ones. For instance we had one here in rural kansas that was horrible internet, and so the phone wouldn't work at all with it.
The static can also come from using too old of a phone. And the static can come from a broken magic jack.
So the basics again to having it work well is a good internet connection, where I currently live there is only one good provider. A newer phone. And a non-broken magic jack. lol
It will work fine plugged into a lap top that's all we have ever had ours plugged into.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| goneriding |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 6:39:20 PM
Oldbittyhen, was it your area you live in or not close to a tower (spitballing here)? On the reception problems, did they figure out why they had the problems? I live out from town, about 30 miles and it's wide open alfalfa fields with rolling hills one way and a big mountain the other. Kind of on the side of a shallow valley. I guess I might have to take a chance...
For some 'venting'-type of entertainment, please read my blog, http://lostadventuresintrucking.blogspot.com . Now with pictures!!
Also, http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com is back up and running! Please check it out! Puh-leeze...??
My newest experimental blog: http://lostadventuresingreatdeals.blogspot.com Check it out!!
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| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 6:33:15 PM
Here where I live, they DO NOT work worth beans, everyone who bought one, pitched them within a few months. A close friend in Texas got one and it had major reception problems, so much static, she too pitched hers. good luck...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| goneriding |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 6:26:20 PM
Okay, thanks. That is what I was looking for. We do have a Radio Shack and next time I go to town, will swing by. I have a wireless modem for my laptop, not hardwired in. So, I saw a thingy on their ad where you don't have to have it hooked up through a computer. That would be just peachy for me. My contract for one of my cells is up on August and I'm leaning towards not renewing.
Another thing, I've been thinking of getting a Walmart cell. Something like $45 and it covers the works and unlimited minutes. But I'm stuck with the modem for a while. It works great, the best I've ever had but a little pricier than I thought it was gonna be.
Thanks for the info!
For some 'venting'-type of entertainment, please read my blog, http://lostadventuresintrucking.blogspot.com . Now with pictures!!
Also, http://lostadventuresincooking.blogspot.com is back up and running! Please check it out! Puh-leeze...??
My newest experimental blog: http://lostadventuresingreatdeals.blogspot.com Check it out!!
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| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 1:25:06 PM
uhg, I had a long thing typed out and it all went away. I hate my new pc! It does this constantly.
Any way, we have been using the kind you plug into a pc for 2 years and love it. As long as you have good internet connection it works great. If you have a cruddy connection it doesn't work well at all. Also you need a newer phone/s. Like at least made 2000 or newer. When we first got it we were using a phone from around 1970's maybe the 80's. And it wouldn't ring and the connection was a little cruddy. So I looked on their site about trouble shooting why it wouldn't ring and read that you need a newer phone as the old ones take a lot of power to use and the newer ones take less. So the old ones suck up a lot of the power and won't ring, and give a bad connection. I would say as long as the phone was probably made though in the last 10 years they will probably work good. However, we have noticed the newer the phones the better. Our last set of phones made around 2002 just died about 2 weeks ago, and we bought new ones. Every one says they can tell a big difference when talking to us it's much more clear. However, I thought the old phones worked well till the last few months when they were dying their slow death! lol
My also advice is buy locally. Like I would highly suggest radio shack as a first choice. If you don't have radio shack then walmart, or best buy or something. Don't buy from magic jack directly. Our first one we bought from radio shack, and it was broken. But, since we had never had a magic jack we didn't know it was broke. (a piece was loose from the beginning we didn't know if it was supposed to be like that r not till it fell completely apart. We called or contacted (I can't remember now it was 2 years ago) magic jack, they said if we bought it from radio shack (at the time that was the only "store" selling it) to take it back to radio shack, if we had ordered it from them we would have to mail it back, pay VERY expensive shipping fees and have them mail us a new one. All taking about 2 months! OMG we were so glad we had bought it from Radio shack cause the shipping fees for them to send us a replacement was like buying a new one from radio shack (seems like it was near 20 dollars!). Any way, we took it back to radio shack they replaced it for free on the spot, and we took it home, got on the site and did the thing where it says to connect to talk to a live person they set it up with our old phone number we had for the first one and got it all working with in a few minutes. And it's been good ever since. But, we learned to only buy it locally, my husband wants the new one and will buy it locally from radio shack again instead of ordering it from them. Even though they are offering us a special price since we are already customers. Not worth it if it breaks! Also we like you can buy years of service in advance. We buy 5 years at a time with our income tax return. And so we have service for years with out having to worry about a bill!
We also like we can take it with us on vacation. I don't like using a cell phone much so I have a pay as you go which you have to pay for each minute. So taking the magic jack on vacation I can plug it in at the hotel and make all the calls I want for free (even long distance!) and people can keep calling us like they normally would too! And only have to use my cell (and pay for that) in emergencies. So all together I pay around 20 a year for the magic jack (actually cheaper when you buy the 5 year plans) and 100 a year for my cell. So that's literally teh same as one month bill was beginning to cost us for a land line alone! And that gives me a whole year of home phone and cell phone!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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