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GVJack Alternative after May 15th?

Started by Runehasa, January 02, 2014, 12:21:55 PM

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Runehasa

In the spirit of trying to plan ahead for D-Day I came across the app GVjack that supposedly allows you to use a expired MagicJack with google voice retaining all the same features.  Now I know this requires a PC to use but just wondering if anyone has had any luck with it.  My thoughts were just to buy a cheap lower power pc that I can keep running 24/7 and hook this up to it.  If what Im thinking is correct and it does indeed work as its supposed to would this not replace the OBI device and provide full G voice after may 15th? 

Any thoughts or reviews on the product would be appreciated

LeoKing

#1
Early in 2013, I downloaded the GVJack Standard app from PCPhoneSoft to do a 7-day test drive with my expired original MagicJack adapter. I could make and receive calls using my GV number and the sound quality was OK, not as good as GV on the OBi, probably because I was using it on my slow netbook. I might reconsider the GVJack app some day but in present time, I only would like to run the VoIP phome through the router, not through a PC/laptop.

Recently, PCPhoneSoft has introduced the GVMate adapter that one can order from Amazon for $19.95 (*) or so, for the people who don't have an old expired MJ dongle.

Edit: (*) The price is $24.95 now, maybe because of the advanced features they added recently.

azrobert

PCPhoneSoft claims their software works in a lab now doesn't mean it will work after May 15th. Who knows what Google will do between now and May 15th? Even if it does work, other providers like Simon, Yate or Asterisk should be able to do the same.  I would put off making a decision as long as possible to see what options become available.

giqcass

I agree with azrobert.  Take some time to look around and research alternatives.  GVmate and the GVJack may be a good alternative but you will need to pay for 911 and CNAM separately if you want those services.  I would hold off at least till ObiHai follows up on details of their $40 per year phone service announcement.  I purchased a MagicJack myself so I could test the GVjack app.

Look around in the bargain bins and clearance racks for 2011 Magicjack models if you are considering that solution.  Reports are that people have picked them up for as little as $9.99 new with a year of service.  I personally paid $19.99 new for the one I purchased at radio shack.
Long live our new ObiLords!

Runehasa

Yeah I will keep that in mind.  It kind of slipped my mind that we still have over 5 months to find a solution to this problem so there is no sense rushing into things until we see what becomes available between now and then.  Having a PC running is just about the last thing I want to do as I am absolutely in love with how the Obi100 works in my current setup right now but if it comes down to paying the electricty to keep a pc running or paying 40 per a year I think the PC would be cheaper if Im not mistaken.  Not only that but it should allow me to keep my number the same as well as all the bells and whistles of GV

sdb-

Quote from: Runehasa on January 03, 2014, 06:20:00 AMif it comes down to paying the electricty to keep a pc running or paying 40 per a year I think the PC would be cheaper if Im not mistaken.  Not only that but it should allow me to keep my number the same as well as all the bells and whistles of GV

I think $40/year for a PC might be optimistic.  Likely could do it with a Raspberry Pi, but a regular WinTel desktop?

$40, assuming electricity costs $0.10/kwh, would buy 400 kwh.  If your PC uses 100 watts that would be 4000 hours or 166 days - a bit under 6 months.  If you have an unusually efficient system (maybe a recent low-end laptop or a small Atom based box) you could probably power it the entire year for $40.  If you have expensive power, even if it is just because this is usage at a higher rate tier, then not so much. And if you consider wear and tear...

So now, I would not consider running my own PC to be cheaper than $40/year.  I would consider it as more flexible, powerful, useful, and maybe more fun!

azrobert

Here is an operating cost estimate for a Raspberry Pi.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=18043

£ = $1.64
Conservative est. £4.06 = $6.66 per year
Max est. £8.79 = $14.42 per year

And another one.

http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/5033/how-much-energy-does-the-raspberry-pi-consume-in-a-day

< $.02 per day = < $7.30 per year

wpbear

If raspberry pie cost about $7.  How much does it cost to run an obi100 for a year?

I may run an Acer One Netbook with a GVMate which should be no more than $20 year.

sdb-

The Raspberry Pi at under 5w vs. a normal PC or laptop at 50-100W.  It makes a difference.  :)

And from what I hear, the Pi does make a reasonable PBX.

SteveInWA

The GVJack / GVMate is nothing more than a cloned MJ dongle, working as a USB audio adapter.  It has no built-in processing hardware like a OBi or any other ATA product.  All it does is make an analog telephone work like a USB-attached headset, with a Touch Tone keypad added.  This is exactly how the original MagicJack worked:  all the dongle did was interface with MJ's Windows software.  PCPhoneSoft's advertising is misleading, to say the least.  You'll notice they do more bragging than actual disclosure of how things work.

You still need to run their MS Windows software, which is not doing anything remarkable or special to "hack" into Google Voice, other than acting as you would yourself, placing a call on a computer's web browser with Google's own Hangouts system.  Now, whether or not they are honestly using XMPP, WebRTC with HTML5, or whatever, to do that, or just doing some sort of force-feeding keystrokes into the actual Hangouts app, is unknown.  You won't be able to use a Raspberry Pi or any other low-cost Linux processor, since their product requires their Windows application to work.

There have been years of discussion on the web of similar solutions using MJ dongles plugged into old, cheap "thin client" PCs running Windows XP Embedded, to create a kludge of an ATA.  There are guys selling this bundle on eBay.  Keep in mind that those thin clients are hopelessly outdated by now, and you can't just load any Windows software of your choice on them...they were designed for use with server-based Windows, via Citrix, for example.  If you do want to create a "GVJack" solution, a cheap/used/eBay special laptop would be the way to go, until the processor fan clogs up with dirt or otherwise dies and the thing fries, and you'd have to constantly futz with keeping the software updated.  If this turns you on, then happy hacking!

wpbear

My Netbook is a 40W charger.  Removing the battery and running only from AC and keeping screen off will limit power draw.

I tested this with a MJ and the 7 day trial download.  It works as well as the obi does now. 

Yes the obi size and function is best but for continuing free GV, the GVJack works just as obi did.  So if paying obi $40 a year turns you on, then go with it. 

I would rather not pay $40 for limited minutes.  I would probably never use 100 minutes so on one side why pay $40 when I won't use all these minutes; or on the other side why count my minutes and worry when GVJack will still be unlim.

MikeHObi

while a viable solution, a laptop or netbook is a much more complex piece of hardware doing what much simpler hardware could.  while the service will be free for you I'm not sure the lifetime costs would be a net savings.  And even if it works out well for you, it doesn't help others that don't have a spare netbook laying around to use.
Obi202 user & Obi100 using Anveo and Callcentric.

madhatter

I have 1 OOMA, 2 GVJACKAPP+MAGICJACKS and 4 OBI's (2 in use and 2 on the way), and 2 Nettalk DUO's.

I find that they all serve a particular purpose.  I got the OOMA before they started charging monthly fees, but overall I rate OOMA very highly as it has many more features (especially with Premiere) including message waiting. The OOMA is connected to a DECT base with 6 remote handsets. The GVJACKAPP is great as a road warrior.  Just take the Magicjack, plug it into my laptop, and I can use either my laptop speakers and mike or a nice headset and that's it.  No need for a phone and super portable.  The OBI's are nice with GV as a very inexpensive solution and tethered to a real telephone (or two).  I have the OBI's connected to a 4-line phone and also a DECT 6 phone base with remote 2 remote handsets that also have bluetooth enabled for my 2 cell phones. 1 Nettalk is my main number (forwarded to GV) and 1 Nettalk is in my apartment in the city with a DECT base and 2 handsets.

So, choose the right tool for the right job.  The Magicjack/GVJACKAPP has the big disadvantage that if you need to powerdown the machine it's connected to, then the call you are on dies.  But again, for road warrior use it's perfect.