(Credit:
MagicJack)
Remember MagicJack, the VoIP phone gizmo that plugs into a USB port and provides unlimited local and long-distance calling? Normally it runs $40 plus shipping (and/or sales tax), but 1 Sale a Day has it for $29.99 (plus $5.99 for ground shipping) -- but only through midnight today. Granted, the savings here aren't huge, but why not save a sawbuck if you can?
I should point out that many commenters have encountered problems with MagicJack's customer service (or lack thereof). The company lists no address or phone number on its site, and even its message board is down (though just temporarily, according to the site). Clearly they're experiencing major growing pains (understandable given the nature of the product), but that's no excuse for shoddy support. So I'm posting this deal with a "buyer beware" caveat.
That said, I think the MagicJack is best used as a second phone line anyway. At the very least you should test it out for a couple weeks before making it your primary line. Mine has never given me a lick of trouble; it continues to work like a charm.
A Linksys phone adapter is included free when you sign up for ViaTalk
(Credit: Linksys)If you've been thinking about saving money on phone service by switching to voice over IP, allow ViaTalk to entice you: Sign up now for the standard $199-per-year rate, which includes unlimited local and long-distance calling, and you'll get a second year free.
In case you're unfamiliar with them, VoIP services leverage your broadband Internet connection to let you make and receive phone calls. The experience is virtually identical to using a landline, and in most cases you can keep your existing number.
ViaTalk provides a boatload of calling features as part of their "vt_unlimited" plan, everything from voice mail and caller ID to call recording and scheduled wake-up calls. You also get a free phone adapter, which plugs into your router or broadband modem.
Last summer I reviewed ViaTalk for PC Magazine, and dinged them pretty heavily for poor customer service. But things have improved considerably since then, and I haven't needed customer service even once in over 7 months. (Full disclosure: I'm a ViaTalk customer, but otherwise have no affiliation with the company.)
Bottom line: ViaTalk was already a deal at $199 per year, but $199 for two years? Well, that's twice as good. Of course, if you really want to talk cheap (and don't need all the fancy features), look no further than the MagicJack, which offers a full year of service for just $40 (and $20/year after that).
(Credit:
MagicJack)
Need a second phone line? How about a dedicated business line for your home-based enterprise? A cheap way to make calls while traveling the world? Look no further than the MagicJack, quite possibly the coolest gizmo of 2007.
All you do is plug the little guy into a USB port. It automatically installs its own software: a nifty little dialer/address-book app. (During the initial setup, you get to choose your own local number for inbound calls.) Now just plug any corded or cordless handset into the MagicJack's standard RJ-11 jack and presto, you've got a dial tone. And voice mail. And three-way calling, caller ID, etc. You can also use a headset if you're traveling and don't want to schlep that bulky old Princess phone.
The MagicJack costs $40, which includes a year's worth of unlimited local and long-distance calls. (Free international calls to other MagicJack users, too.) After that, you'll pay just $20 per year. I've tried this thing, and let me tell you: It rocks. It's way easier to use than Skype, way cheaper than Vonage, and way cool to boot.
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