- magicJack
-
This article is about the VoIP company. For the Women's Professional Soccer team, see magicJack (WPS).
MagicJack is a device that plugs into a USB port on the user's computer, and uses a standard RJ-11 phone jack into which any standard phone can be plugged. This allows the user to make phone calls to almost any phone in the U.S. and Canada. It is a computer peripheral that, in combination with telephony service from the related YMAX Corporation, provides Internet-based telephone service (VoIP) to the United States and Canada. The firm's primary product is a USB device that holds both the software necessary to place Internet-based telephone calls via a customer-supplied high-speed internet connection, and the electronics (technically known as a SLIC, or Subscriber Line Interface Circuit) supporting conventional landline telephones to be plugged directly into the device. The products are promoted through television infomercials and a website.
The company's website attributes the invention of magicJack and the founding of YMAX to Dan Borislow, who has numerous patent claims pending on voice-over-IP (VoIP)-related technology.
The magicJack device works exclusively with the company's captive landline supplier and CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier), YMAX.
Voicemail is stored on the magicJack servers, and is delivered via email.
In January 2010, MagicJack announced[1] it plans to sell an inexpensive femtocell that will allow any GSM cell phone to make calls over its VoIP network without service from a traditional cellular provider. As of August 2010, the project is on hold until a supporting partner is found to "...get around legal restrictions on the use of licensed spectrum..."[2]
Downloadable feature upgrades for the magicJack USB dongle are available from 3rd party software companies.
In July 2010, YMAX (the creator/owner of MagicJack) merged with VocalTec to form Nasdaq Global Markets: CALL, trading under the stock symbol NasdaqGM:CALL.[3]
Contents
Reviews
In January 2008, PC Magazine reviewed magicJack[4] and rated it as Very Good. It also received their Editors' Choice award. In February 2009, PC Magazine re-reviewed magicJack[5] because of dozens of complaints received about the support for the device. As a result, PC Magazine reduced its rating of magicJack from Very Good to Good.[6]
Consumer Reports gave magicJack a thumbs up in the February 2010 print issue.[7]
Limitations
Local number portability
Starting on September 1st 2011, customers are now being offered local number portability by paying a nominal fee, although the service is still in Beta testing [8]Previously users were not able to keep their existing phone number if changing to MagicJack.
Calling pay services
According to their EULA (End User License Agreement):
3.b Outgoing Calls: "Once you have registered your magicJack device you have agreed to these Terms of Service. You may now elect to choose the feature allowing you to make free outgoing calls over the Internet. You can make free calls to other magicJack device users located anywhere in the world, and to subscribers on traditional telephone networks or wireless networks in the United States. You will not have the ability to call any number that would require the addition of any charges to your phone bill, such as 900 or 976 numbers or any other 'fee per call' type service."[9]
Uninstallation
As of November 2007, magicJack had not provided an uninstallation method either in the software or as documentation. Since 2010, the version for the Windows platform has the uninstaller capability accessible through the "Add/Remove Programs" in the Control Panel.
Defamation suit
In March 2009, MagicJack took legal action for defamation against Boing Boing over its assessment of MagicJack's terms of service,[10] which included assertions that the MagicJack End User License Agreement (EULA) allows the company to "snoop" on users by analysing their calls for the purpose of targeting advertising; and that the EULA requires users to waive the right to sue in court.[11] MagicJack's suit was determined to be a strategic lawsuit against public participation and dismissed. MagicJack was also ordered to pay BoingBoing's legal expenses of $50,000 US.[10]
On June 24, 2009, CANADIANMAGICJACK.CA LTD, filed a lawsuit against magicJack LP with the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada, Vancouver Registry (No. S-094744)..
References
- ^ Lawson, Stephen. "MagicJack Harnesses Femtocell for VoIP". PC World. http://www.pcworld.com/article/186308/magicjack_harnesses_femtocell_for_voip.html. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ Svensson, Peter (13 August 2010). "Company Behind magicJack to Banish Calling Costs". ABC News. p. 2. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=11395856&page=2. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- ^ "VocalTec and YMAX/magicJack Announce Merger" YMAX. 16 Jul 2010. Last accessed 13 May 2011.
- ^ Rist, Oliver (January 17, 2008). "YMax magicJack". PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2250244,00.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
- ^ Morejon, Mario (February 2009). "YMax magicJack (Winter 2009)". PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340423,00.asp.
- ^ Costa, Dan (February 2009). "The Complicated Case of magicJack". PC Magazine. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340417,00.asp.
- ^ Mandle, Nick (6 January 2010). "Magic Jack: A great deal with a few limitations". Consumer Reports. http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2010/01/magic-jack-magicjack-test-review-deal-phone-usb-voip-skype-vonage-as-seen-on-tv-infomercial.html. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ "MagicJack FAQ". http://www.magicjack.com/5/faq/.
- ^ "Terms of Service and Software License Agreement for magicJack, LP and YMAX Communications Corporation and VocalTec Communications Corp.". MagicJack. http://www.magicjack.com/tos/. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ a b Mic, Jason (24 February 2010). "MagicJack Loses Junk Suit Against Site that Revealed it Spied on Users". DailyTech. http://www.dailytech.com/MagicJack+Loses+Junk+Suit+Against+Site+that+Revealed+it+Spied+on+Users/article17767.htm. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ Beschizza, Rob (14 April 2008). "MagicJack's EULA says it will spy on you and force you into arbitration". Boing Boing. http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/04/14/magicjacks-eula-says.html. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
External links
Categories:- VoIP hardware
- USB
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
