Today I stumbled upon a nice little website which talks about hacking up your MagicJack voice over IP phone.

The site has tips which include how to stop the software from popping up on your screen [so you can see their ads], spoofing the caller ID, changing the proxy server and using the MagicJack hardware with Skype software [nice!].

Anyone with a MagicJack phone should visit the MagicJack hack site.  You can also find a review of the MagicJack here.

One of GetUSB.info’s most popular post’s is the Review: MagicJack Phone article that talks about the product and services as experienced by one of my contributing editors.  Today, we find out that MagicJack paid $50Gs to Boing Boing in a defamation lawsuit pertaining to an article they wrote.

So what was all the fuss?  Boing Boing uncovered some interesting information about the MagicJack which we didn’t realize during our review.  The MagicJack uses customer profiles, locations and call habits to push targeted ads to the MagicJack software interface.

Boing Boing reports that during the purchase of the product, activation of the product or support for the product, at no time is the user aware of these terms and conditions.

Now, I don’t think the ad sponsored business plan is a bad one, but giving the users a heads-up or opt-out choice is definitely needed.  Even with the small amount of ad space used for such an incredibly cheap and convenient product is not a big deal [in my eyes].

So here is our official notice:  be aware of this fact before buying a MagicJack phone.  To read the full review of this wonderful product, please visit the original article:  Review:  MagicJack Phone.

Source:  Boing Boing.

Not that we’d EVER see a USB device in Star Trek, but if we did, it might be a USB communicator like the one from Gadget4All.  The Star Trek USB Communicator comes on the heels of the most recent release of Star Trek [May 8th].  The movie is a chronicle of the early days with James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.

“The Original Series” Replica USB internet phone plugs in and plays to allow users to transfer audio signals via USB. With built-in microphone and earphone, works with Skype, MSN, AIM, Ichat, etc. Includes built-in speaker with 21 different sound effects.

What sound effects you ask?  Click the video to find out or drop $44 and experience it live.

Star Trek USB Communicator product page.

REVIEW OF MAGICJACK PHONE

The MagicJack phone is a simple device which is specifically designed to connect your regular [and current] land-line phone to the internet for Voice Over IP calling.

I ran into one of the project managers of MagicJack from a different business deal and he sent a phone for review. I’ve mentioned the MagicJack phone before, but this is my first experience using the product.

OVERVIEW

The MagicJack is a small device [2.5" x 1.5"] and works as a USB dongle which connects to your computer via USB port. The MagicJack phone does not require a Hi-Speed USB connection and thus will work on your front USB connection of a PC tower or the slower ports off your laptop docking station.

The USB MagicJack costs about $35-$40 depending on where you get it. You then pay $19 [the year after you buy it] for unlimited calling in the United States, Canada and parts of central America. Calls outside this region are then chargeable, but very reasonable. I looked up rates to the UK at it was $0.02 per minute. Not bad at all.

WHY IT’S UNIQUE

The MagicJack phone is unique because it has a regular phone jack connected to the dongle. This means ANY phone can be plugged into the device and used for VoIP calling

Buffalo introduces their VH-MU01 USB phone for Skype and MSN chat so you can drop those headsets if you have a complex.  The Buffalo USB phone looks like a slim design with easy button navigation.  Any asstute reader will quickly realize there is no LCD or display for the phone.  Well, if you’re looking to get into USB phones for home or work, don’t let the lack of display worry you.

These phones are designed to work with software like Skype where the software on your computer provides the visual display you need.  So as you click the touch pad of the USB phone the action shows up on your Skype software.

This type of USB phone makes using on-line VoIP more like the traditional phone.  However, if you just can’t part with the land-line setup than you should consider the MagicJack phone.  The MagicJack is a USB dongle which connects to your computer and on the other end of the dongle is a traditional phone connection.  Simply connect your good’ol phone to the dongle and you’re talking over VoIP.

For those just not willing to give up their old school analog headsets, or gaming headsets that plug into an audio card, you can now have an easy and convenient direct connect through USB with Plantronics new design Audio 625 USB Stereo Headset.

And to make sure background noise doesn’t interfere, the Audio 625 features noise cancellation technology for superior listening.

I will say one thing about analog, despite the more difficult connectivity methods you do get a better

So you’ve jumped into the world of VoIP but frustrated with those hollow, echo sounding calls? Polycom is now introducing High Definition sound into their consumer based VoIP products. Take the most recent entries of SoundPoint IP550, IP330 and IP320.

So this is what the Polycom marketing guy came up with to explain HD Voice:

The Future Is Calling – Polycom HD Voice delivers over twice the clarity of ordinary phone calls for life-like, vibrant conversations. The difference is so astounding, you will never want to go back to regular phone calls.

So there you have it. For me, the more interesting feature is the new VoIP phones have XHTML capability to support a wider range of VoIP applications.