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Using a PC to make phone calls...
August 13, 2013 | Vanity

Posted on 08/13/2013 12:03:08 PM PDT by topher

There are various things out there. But I could not find something to set this up.

VoIP (Voice over IP) has been around for a long time.

I would not mind just using headphones and a microphone to make the phone call.

There is a website IPKall.com that will give you a Washington state telephone number.

But I am not sure how you set up the VoIP part. I tried to see if there were any other threads on this.

I guess using SKYPE is one way to do this, but not to call someone else who has a real telephone...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: ipkallcom; magicjac; magicjack; pctelephone; skype; voip
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To: amnestynone

I used MagicJack on my XP computer. Every time they would upgrade their software, it would mess up MJ and it could not stay loaded or would fail to load when I started the computer.

When I went to Win7, I have the same problem. MJ won’t stay loaded or won’t load without several tries.

It has become more hassle than it is worth.

I haven’t tried the MJPlus that plugs into the router. I don’t want to waste any more money with MJ & Company.

==

In a recent related thread, someone mentioned ObiHai. It plugs into the router. As I understand it, there is a one-time charge for the connection box only and no monthly charges. It accesses through Google Voice.

http://obihai.com/

==


41 posted on 08/13/2013 2:41:33 PM PDT by TomGuy (.)
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To: amnestynone

MagicJack is too limited. You need at least ‘DozeXP and I run primarily linux boxen. For the times I need to run a win proggie, currently because I am converting older progs to run on Linux, I NEVER allow a machine running ‘Doze to connect to the internet. Far too easy to corrupt that OS.


42 posted on 08/13/2013 2:57:31 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: topher

? Has there been a recent change? The last adverse-tisement received in the mail from them still says in the fine print at the bottom that you need at least XP but it will work just fine with Ws7.


43 posted on 08/13/2013 3:03:37 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: GeronL

Mepis Linux. Love it. Simple, robust, and astoundingly easy for even a newbie to set up. Although I am playing with UberStudent Linux as well, mostly for the pre-configured Kindle app already comfortably running on it.


44 posted on 08/13/2013 3:06:48 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: virgil283

I have a multiline phone in my office - 1 is for home phone, 1 for the business line.

To answer a call, you have to press ACCEPT on the MagicJack console, and then quickly press the business line (line 3 at my house) to pick up the call. Then there is a small delay, but enough to make it sound weird to the caller.

Not enough weird to make a difference, but weird.

It’s ungainly.

I looked at Ooma too - expensive at triple MJ prices, and then you have to add their LINX thing so that you can use multiple home extensions (should you want it to replace, say, Comcast).

Still, with the equipment cost, Ooma is cheaper than Comcast or Verizon Home.

Ooma business charges a monthly fee of $20. Don’t see the reason for it since the technology is identical and the service is in the logic they sold you in the box.

I’d be looking for something better than MJ, but less expensive and obtrusive than Ooma. Not sure what else is out there.


45 posted on 08/13/2013 3:08:42 PM PDT by RinaseaofDs
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To: Utilizer

There is a Linux Kindle App?


46 posted on 08/13/2013 3:09:32 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: sheana

Love to find an option like that for this end. ATT is the provider here, and insist that you must have a standard package landline for their HS DSL to work and refuse to unbundle them. Even though I, as an Engineer can tell them exactly how to set it up, and no, DSL does not require standard PPP landline protocols to operate just the more robust HSL module swapped in for the lowspeed cheapie standard board at the central hub, they insist that I can not have just the DSL all by itself, otherwise it “just doesn’t work”. Totally false, but they are the only provider so what can you do?


47 posted on 08/13/2013 3:13:46 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: Utilizer

I plan to get a better machine soon, maybe a desktop with a lot of RAM and a graphics accelerator. I’ll boot from disc Linux DVD’s like SuperLinux for games and Ubuntu Studio for audio-video creation.

Since I am going to live in freaktown, Texas I might as well find some weirdo’s who like similar things (minus politics).

I plan to form a club of “Running Man” fans so we can make our own “episodes” and put them on Youtube. That should be fun. Might not be able to do it often though.

I do want to locate whatever conservatives like me there are in freaktown (Armpit of Texas) and form a Freedom Club or something.


48 posted on 08/13/2013 3:15:31 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: JSteff

I tried Magic Jack a couple of years ago and had a whole lot of problems with it so went back to a land line for my business. Then in January I switched to Vonage. I make a lot of long distance calls. Kept my old number, performs perfectly thus far, whole lot less expensive than AT&T. One of the things I like about it is that I get an email whenever anyone leaves a message. The voice to email technology isn’t all that whippy with words but the number translation is great.

Since we’re on the phone all day long on business calls, at least I get all the messages now and no one gets a busy signal. Works great for us.


49 posted on 08/13/2013 3:18:20 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: GeronL

Too right, although honestly it is Kindle-for-the-PC running under wine, I believe. Uberstudent offered a downloadable live CD with Kindle bundled and Google Chrome. Played with it, installed it, removed Chrome and installed Opera and Firefox and the Kindle app is still chugging along as I type.


50 posted on 08/13/2013 3:19:00 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: topher
If you want a 911 safe number, try call centric or for free all you local 911 centrer and tell them why you need their assistance. what I have heard is that with technology today f they know your number they can set up their data base for the call originating from that number to have it show it is at your address.
I have an ObiHai Internet telephone tool and on one forun they said that just calling 911 from your phone will give them a phone number and they can create the data base file from there. Everyone who did this said it is free, and of course free us best.
51 posted on 08/13/2013 3:21:45 PM PDT by JSteff (It was ALL about SCOTUS... We are DOOMED for several generations. . Who cares? The Dems care!)
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To: Utilizer

I see...


52 posted on 08/13/2013 3:21:55 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: Utilizer

I have Ubuntu Linux and my wine couldn’t run Kindle

I’ll have to research a way to make it work


53 posted on 08/13/2013 3:27:17 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: Grams A
You may want to check out Obi as it cost just one time $30 to $50 and it never drops me..so far never. I have not paid one cent over the last year or so and with Google Voice I picked my own number and it was easy to chose an easy to use local number (xxx-xxx-9099).

Use it to a Google voice number and now all calls are free. If it takes a voice mail you get a transcript in your email...and that is amazing for being free.
54 posted on 08/13/2013 3:34:11 PM PDT by JSteff (It was ALL about SCOTUS... We are DOOMED for several generations. . Who cares? The Dems care!)
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To: GeronL
OK. I tried installing the wine/kindle app from the repos, but the version(s) of Mepis I use are based upon the Stable Debian repositories and I was having some trouble getting it to work.
The UberStudent download was fast, free, and a offered a bootable live CD to evaluate before deciding to install, so I tried it on an older 1.6(?)Gig machine with standard onboard graphics and network chips running on 512Mb of RAM and 20Gb HD (requires about 4.5G for install) and it ran well so I installed it and so far no river murreys, mate.
55 posted on 08/13/2013 3:34:44 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: GeronL

Well, UberStudent Linux is based upon Lubuntu so perhaps that is what is making the difference.


56 posted on 08/13/2013 3:36:51 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: Utilizer

Oh, so someone did the work for you and put it in their distro.


57 posted on 08/13/2013 3:43:06 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: GeronL

Too right. Why reinvent the wheel?


58 posted on 08/13/2013 3:49:50 PM PDT by Utilizer (Ba-con Ah'hkkba'aar! <- In muzlim world are only fast goats & slow boys. Slow goats all dead. ->)
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To: GeronL
There is a Linux Kindle App?

Sounds like there's a Kindle "cloud reader" you access from a web browser.

https://read.amazon.com/‎

It barks at you to let it drop cookies on you if you have your browser's cookie-hole shut (my standard state). Once I enabled cookies for session for amazon.com I got a login page.
59 posted on 08/13/2013 4:02:35 PM PDT by PieterCasparzen (We have to fix things ourselves)
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To: Utilizer

good point

I want to find a desktop PC that can be maxed out on RAM and a good graphics accelerator as cheaply as possible. Something that might have been “top end” a few years ago. Not for Windows either.

I wonder where I could find that or should I just make it myself? Its been a while since I had a desktop


60 posted on 08/13/2013 4:03:07 PM PDT by GeronL
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