no1g8r
join:2005-05-05
Lawrenceville, GA
 ·callwithus
| reply to VoIPdevotee
Re: Why MagicJack has a competitive advantage in VoIP
Just a follow-up to the "But this unit won't work with Linux, and they have no plans to make it do so" comment.
I was in a chat with Dan Borislow, the inventor of the MagicJack, and asked about the device running on Linux. He replied that he knows for a fact that it DOES run on Linux, but that it is not currently supported under Linux. When asked when it would be supported he said "probably later this year".
Obviously that's not a commitment, but on the other hand it is confirmation that it will run under Linux now (others have posted that they have it up and running under Linux as well - I haven't tried it yet), which throws that part of your statement out the window.
I don't disagree with the sentiment behind your post, and I agree that folks shouldn't put all their phone communication eggs in the MagicJack basket, but for folks who are looking for a bargain on LD calling, the return compared to others offering this service is around 2 months. So a person who doesn't mind the VOIP change-game process would be "gambling" that MagicJack will last at least 2 months before going away. Anything beyond that is gravy.
That's a big difference from gambling that Sunrocket would last another 2 years (or even 1 year, if they didn't get the special). $40 at risk isn't huge for most folks. For folks that it IS a big deal for, they should probably avoid this.
Otherwise, it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Dan Borislow has solid experience in the telecomms industry, responsible for the success behind his YMax communications company and a key player in the SJLabs softphone, if I remember correctly. Given that experience, I have to believe that he sees profit potential that we may be overlooking. At least he believes that he sees it.
Quotes from the past:
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
"While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially I consider it an impossibility, a development of which we need waste little time dreaming." -- Lee DeForest, American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, 1926
Will this also be a quote from the past:
"If you believe this company can be financially viable under the current pricing model, I've got a lovely bridge in Brooklyn to sell you..." - VOIPdevotee, 2007 
Only time will tell. In the meantime let's see how long (and how well) the MagicJack trudges along. |
