Comments for The Minnesota Maven (on Academic and Personal Technologies) http://lblicker.wordpress.com A Combo of Academic Technologies and Trends in Higher Ed & Personal Technology Reviews and Tips, by Lesley Blicker Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:25:58 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by Gabi Chamoun http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-338 Gabi Chamoun Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:25:58 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-338 Magic can win a lot more customers if they make their device powered with 12V like all other VOIP devices from other companies. Almost half of the people have Fire Alarm, and it needs a 12V powered Tip and ring lines to work with it. Magic can win a lot more customers if they make their device powered with 12V like all other VOIP devices from other companies. Almost half of the people have Fire Alarm, and it needs a 12V powered Tip and ring lines to work with it.

]]> Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by marie72 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-329 marie72 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:27:00 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-329 If you are having voice quality issues all you need to do is buy a USB port with an adapter. It takes lots of energy from the computer to make a call so when you have a powered usb you don't have to worry about the computers usage. If you are having voice quality issues all you need to do is buy a USB port with an adapter. It takes lots of energy from the computer to make a call so when you have a powered usb you don’t have to worry about the computers usage.

]]> Comment on iPhone SDK Furtile Grounds for Developers Big and Small by John Muchow http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/iphone-sdk-furtile-grounds-for-developers-big-and-small/#comment-328 John Muchow Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:30:35 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=432#comment-328 Very interesting article...I currently have nearly 10 apps on the App store, and it's amazing the potential developers. The wait time is anything but consistent, in my experience any where from 5 days to 3+ months. John ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Muchow 3 Sixty Software, LLC Web: http://3SixtySoftware.com Blog: http://iPhoneDevTips.com Very interesting article…I currently have nearly 10 apps on the App store, and it’s amazing the potential developers.

The wait time is anything but consistent, in my experience any where from 5 days to 3+ months.

John

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John Muchow
3 Sixty Software, LLC

Web: http://3SixtySoftware.com
Blog: http://iPhoneDevTips.com

]]> Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by lblicker http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-274 lblicker Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:42:37 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-274 My assumption is they are going after a target market which includes two segments: 1. People, who like me, still want a land line for home use, who aren't afraid to have it go through the computer, but who do want a cheaper option than what the mega-providers offer. So no, they wouldn't be targeting the generation of "cell phone only" users. 2. Anyone who wants a cheap VoIP option for non-home use, such as making calls while traveling or for telephone conferencing while away from work (avoiding using cell minutes). At $1.67 per month, those niche users understand the value of this gizmo. You can take it with you anywhere and have instant VoIP, either with a phone or headset. So imagine you're at a hotel. You plug your MJ into the computer and the hotel phone into that. You're good to go. For this market, MJ is competing with the likes of Skype, Vonage, Packet8, ViaTalk. However, with the others, it's a softphone only (software) so you can't plug in a regular phone (not that that is a detractor; let's just say it's an added plus for the MJ). It's a business model that is still relatively new, so who knows how they'll do over time. But to be sure, their niche markets are finding them. My assumption is they are going after a target market which includes two segments:

1.
People, who like me, still want a land line for home use, who aren’t afraid to have it go through the computer, but who do want a cheaper option than what the mega-providers offer. So no, they wouldn’t be targeting the generation of “cell phone only” users.

2.
Anyone who wants a cheap VoIP option for non-home use, such as making calls while traveling or for telephone conferencing while away from work (avoiding using cell minutes). At $1.67 per month, those niche users understand the value of this gizmo. You can take it with you anywhere and have instant VoIP, either with a phone or headset. So imagine you’re at a hotel. You plug your MJ into the computer and the hotel phone into that. You’re good to go. For this market, MJ is competing with the likes of Skype, Vonage, Packet8, ViaTalk. However, with the others, it’s a softphone only (software) so you can’t plug in a regular phone (not that that is a detractor; let’s just say it’s an added plus for the MJ).

It’s a business model that is still relatively new, so who knows how they’ll do over time. But to be sure, their niche markets are finding them.

]]> Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by Phillip Guttmann http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-273 Phillip Guttmann Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:47:22 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-273 All of this is very interesting, but what of the fact that so many people, esp young adults, are moving away from needing anything beyond a cell phone, period? How will MJ be successful if most of the world is content with only one phone? It's like they are trying to improve upon a technology that very few still want anyway - I don't have any research and my finger tips and tell me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the overall demand for a home phone line be at an all time low + getting lower as the years roll on and cell phones lower and improve their options / pricing and functionality? I sort of imagine that 10 years from now the whole concept of a land line of any kind will be antiquated and old fashioned. I could be wrong - just curious! All of this is very interesting, but what of the fact that so many people, esp young adults, are moving away from needing anything beyond a cell phone, period? How will MJ be successful if most of the world is content with only one phone? It’s like they are trying to improve upon a technology that very few still want anyway – I don’t have any research and my finger tips and tell me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t the overall demand for a home phone line be at an all time low + getting lower as the years roll on and cell phones lower and improve their options / pricing and functionality? I sort of imagine that 10 years from now the whole concept of a land line of any kind will be antiquated and old fashioned. I could be wrong – just curious!

]]> Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by lblicker http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-262 lblicker Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:28:15 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-262 Ben, good points for people to know. Thanks for reading and offering up additional advice. Ben, good points for people to know. Thanks for reading and offering up additional advice.

]]> Comment on The Magic of MagicJack by Ben Stiegler http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-magic-of-magicjack/#comment-260 Ben Stiegler Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:34:57 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=399#comment-260 One other thing to consider is that any alarm devices (home health care alert, burglar/fire alarm that wants to dial a central monitoring station) will not be reliably able to dial out when there's an emergency ... particularly if you shut off your computer when you are away on vacation, and the break-in occurs while you are away. Ben One other thing to consider is that any alarm devices (home health care alert, burglar/fire alarm that wants to dial a central monitoring station) will not be reliably able to dial out when there’s an emergency … particularly if you shut off your computer when you are away on vacation, and the break-in occurs while you are away.

Ben

]]> Comment on iPhone SDK Furtile Grounds for Developers Big and Small by lblicker http://lblicker.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/iphone-sdk-furtile-grounds-for-developers-big-and-small/#comment-259 lblicker Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:05:02 +0000 http://lblicker.wordpress.com/?p=432#comment-259 Fred: sounds like you have had personal experience. If so, do tell. Fred: sounds like you have had personal experience. If so, do tell.

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