Sam, go to Steren AUD-510 | AudÃfono para computadora con micrófono multimedia From the catalog: "The best way to listen to your favorite music or talk on the internet, as it has a quality that makes for optimal listening to music CD, DVD, or MP3. Your microphone has elements that cancel the external noise and is designed to work with all the software packages to speak on the internet. This headset has an ergonomic design that includes flexible arm and soft sponges for the ears, that you surely enjoy." No guarantees on the translation, but it's close enough. It's 110 pesos. Print it or write down the catalog number and take it with you. Your assumptions about the US number are correct.
Thanks for that i'll go get one but strangely the MagicJack has almost been perfect the last two days. Now today, my internet connection is downloading at 0.22mbs (instead of usual 1.50+) and my non internet phone upstairs says Checar Linea Tel, although the phone line works perfect downstairs, i've checked every cable, tried different phones and it's still saying it!
This thread was uncanny in timing. I waited a full 24 hours to post this, to make sure it was dead...and yes, my magic jack is now officially dead. Born: June 6th in Los Angeles, CA Died: February 16th in Playa del Carmen, QROO Fortunately, I'll be in the US next week, so I guess I'll pick up another one. I might try Skype in the meantime though, and see if I like it.
With my Magic Jack dead, I decided to try out Skype as mentioned in this thread. To call landlines/mobiles in the US and Canada, the service is $2.95 per month and to have a number (which is necessary to receive calls from landlines/mobiles) is $12 for a 3 month period. That's the discounted price if you have the monthly subscription, the normal price was listed as $18. I didn't have a headset, but I bought a 'perfect choice' microphone + stand here last Fall for 55 pesos and have a good pair of headphones, so I thought I'd give them a whirl. I made/received 26 calls today with Skype and here are the results: Call Quality: Far better and more consistent than Magic Jack. No echoes, no static, no phantom voices. Voice lag: None perceptible. Dropped Calls: Happened once. The biggest cons are not being able to use our cordless phone (without an adapter, that is) and that with my set up, I'd only hear the phone ringing when I am at the computer with the headphones. So far, I like it a lot better than Magic Jack. Color me impressed.
Or you could go all the way with the Asus AiGuru S1 Skype videophone. The phone allows you to make Skype calls without even turning on your PC.
For those interested in Vonage, they have recently greatly expanded the number of countries included in the free calling area. There are now more than 60 countries where you can call landlines, and another bunch where you can also call cell phones. A link to the list of countries is here: http://www.vonageworld.com/how.html#q21
Hi everyone, pleased to see this thread still alive and up there! Time for an update... Well MagicJack has been renamed CrapJack by myself as it performed one in twenty times and even then it was shaky, i would say i could hear 50% of all words spoken on it and as you can imagine, when those words are important and to do with your job, it's not a good situation! Well, i convinced my boss to let me try Skype, i downloaded it and bought the cheapest headset (about 80 pesos) from Walmart and did the test call, which was as clear as day, so my boss got me the $2.95 subscribption for unlimited calls to the US and as it's free for her to call from within the US as she paid for me to have a US number too. We tested that using this cheap headset which is funny because they supply you with a cable no longer than your arm and if your plugging it in to a computer that is in a hole in the desk, you can imagine i'm testing this thing from basically inside the desk! Lol! Well the tests to the states worked great, although the microphone would fall off and the headset would fall out my ear, so i went to Sams and bought a Microsoft LX-3000 ISB headset for 392 pesos, i checked in Walmart and they had a LX-2000 for 384 pesos and it was analog cable only and not as good as the sams one. The USB means i can plug it in and listen and talk while at the same time not obstructing the analog port on the soundcard, meaning i can still use the speakers on my monitor and this has the added bonus of not having to wear the headset to hear the ringing of an incomming call! Skype with this headset works fantastically, it is very clear, so far i have not had a call drop on me and the signal and sound quality is far superior to my panasonic cordless phone when i talk to my boss on the normal landline. So, based on my experience - Skype wins over CrapJack when calling the US from Mexico on a 2mb internet connection on everything except price, the difference being Skype costs about $45 more a year than MagicJack if you want unlimited calls and an online phone number. Although i'm sure my boss will be pleased, $70 approx a year compared to $300-$400 a month (her current cost to call me alone!) is a huge saving and for better call quality and the ability for me to call the office, without personal cost to me.
Well... I told you so. Now, get a Bluetooth dongle for your desktop and a Bluetooth headset and you can walk around the room unattached to the computer. Make sure your Audio Settings Options in Skype has "Ring PC Speaker" checked and, as my wife would say, Bob's your uncle.
My MJ works perfectly in Veracruz, and people in the States think I have returned home. You might check the speaker settings on your computer, but I don't think this is your problem. Let me just say that I have had issues in the past and MJ's live chat customer service is A++, at least as far as my experience is concerned. I would chat with someone ASAP, while your unit is still under warranty. At least if there is something wrong with it, you have the defect "registered" with MagicJack, and maybe they will be lenient with you, should there be a time element involved, in terms of getting your unit back to them. That said, they might not even require the unit before they send you a new one. The only question I have with them, is how long a unit will be expected to last. I wonder how durable they are in less than favorable conditions, such as we have here in Mexico: high voltage, power outages, etc. I have a surge protector, but have no faith in the thing, especially since most of my electrical outlets aren't grounded properly. (as is the case throughout most of Mexico)
