MagicJack Plus vs NetTALK DUO: The Rematch

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Telefonez.com has recently published an article entitled: “NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is…” The sum and substance of said article is a side-by-side comparison of both telephonic gadgets’ features. The outcome of that pairing indicated clearly and convincingly which of the two has emerged the uncontested winner. To find out (we sense you’re dying to know) which one was victorious, please read: “NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is…”

We’ve also predicted that the alleged defeated party, being a leader in low cost telephony, was not going to take this technological beating lying down, and would go back to the drawing board to mount a vigorous response and level the playing field. We were- you guess it- right (time to pat ourselves on the back!).

This technological turn of events has forced us to go back to our drawing board and, in the spirit and interest of fairness, balance, equity and even-handedness, reconsider the contrast. Hence, the new article: “MagicJack Plus vs NetTALK DUO: The Rematch”.

Table

See similarities and dissimilarities between the two products in the table below:

Read NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is… for meaning of multicolored asterisks (*)

Although MagicJack Plus has made a valiant effort- which should not and will not go unnoticed and for which we gladly applaud MagicJack Vocaltec, Ltd.- to fill the technological gap between it and its competitor, it has, however, fallen short on accounts of videophone/videoconference, customer service (single channel- Internet only, online chat) vs the competition’s multichannel customer service, technical support, etc. (read: NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is…for more details)

Videophone

Videophone, for videoconferencing, as a feature in NetTALK DUO, gives it a slight edge over the competition (if a picture is worth 1000 words, a video is worth maybe 10.000, 1,000.000, who knows?) but if you are a MagicJack fan, that should not deter you from acquiring MagicJack Plus. There are, after all, alternative means of videoconferencing.

Pie Chart

If you are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data and details in the above table, the pie chart is a simplification (condensed version) of features common to both devices- MagicJack Plus and NetTALK DUO, and features exclusive to NetTALK DUO

Common Features

Free Calls to US and Canada, Free Phone number, Free 411 Directory Assistance, Fax Friendly, Free Caller ID, etc. (see first table)

Exclusive Features

Videophone, Priority Call Forwarding, Mutichannel Customer Service, App (for MagicJack Plus App status, see table below (MagicJack Plus vs NetTALK DUO: Rates) and*

Apps enable Smart Phone (phones with Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, IOS and Windows Mobile operating systems) customers to use their MagicJack Plus or NetTALK DUO‘s free minutes to call the US and Canada instead of their cell phone minutes, which amounts to immediate savings, specially if one is on a limited cell phone plan.

*According to Marketwatch, MagicJack Vocaltec, Ltd “has filed an application with Apple Inc for approval of the MagicJack Plus App (TM)”.

MagicJack Plus customers can (or will be able to) use Smart Devices connected with 4G and WI-FI to make free calls.

*NetTALK DUO‘s app uses 3G, 4G, Edge and WI-FI networks for connectivity.

Price

Price-wise, they are both, MagicJack Plus and NetTALK DUO, on equal footing and virtually identical (see above table). The question is: What would be your deciding factor(s) in purchasing one telephonic gadget over the other?

Minute (or major, depending on your prospective) differences or gaps in features? Customer service? Maybe (see 1st illustrative table above MagicJack Plus vs NetTALK DUO for tiny [subjective] differences).

The answer depends on your need(s). Despite the telephonic bells and whistles, after the dust settles and everything is said and done, at the end of the day, as a customer (what matters to you most), you need either device basically (unless you value videophone, in which case NetTALK DUO would be your favorite gadget) to do 3 things:

Make and receive calls
Send and receive faxes
Have calls forwarded to your priority number(s) (VOIP, Internet Phone, Landline, or Cell Phone- How To Charge Your Cell Phone For free And $ave Money) and

Customer service to go along with it. If and when you do run into trouble with either product/gadget (hardware or software), you expect prompt, competent and courteous customer service. (If you enjoy talking to a live person, then NetTALK DUO is for you.)

If either device, in that regard, satisfies your needs and meets your expectations, then your choice, regardless of the gadget you pick, doesn’t matter.

MagicJack’s Quantum Leap

One can’t help but notice and acknowledge that MagicJack Vocaltec, Ltd. has gone great lengths and made great strides in narrowing the technological gap and bridging the technological divide features-wise, but it still has some catching up to do with respect to videophone/videoconference, priority call forward, and multi-layered customer service. Features, that used to be conspicuously absent in MagicJack, are now prominently present and displayed in MagicJack Plus:

Computer is optional; not required (the excuse, which in our view was a MagicJack sale deterrent and according to which a computer must be ON at all times- energy guzzler- for MagicJack to work, is gone in MagicJack Plus)
Works with modem/router
Fax friendly
App (coming soon)
Number Portability

Furthermore, it’s worth noticing that, as a result of the advent of MagicJack Plus, the brand MagicJack comes now in two (2) versions or ”flavors”:

MagicJack (standard features, inexpensive, computer required)
MagicJack Plus (deluxe features, competitively priced, no computer required, works with modem/router). See NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is…Table for features comparison.

Given the seemingly lightning speed pace of technological developments and progress, our hunch is that MagicJack Vocaltec, Ltd. is arduously toiling to make up for lost technological ground, meet or exceed head-on the competition’s challenge. So, do not be surprised if a few months from now MagicJack Plus‘ alledged features shortcomings are made up for and overcome.

While it’s been fun contrasting both gadgets, it bears reiterating herein, as previously stated in NetTALK vs MagicJack: The winner is…, the aim of the comparison is not to disparage either product to the benefit of either, or portray one in a positive light to the detriment of the other, but rather to highlight the difference(s) in features and the outcome of our experiments, so that an educated consumer can make an informed decision and enlightened choice.

The objective of competition, after all, is to compel the competing parties to do their utmost best to come up with great ideas and spectacular products, so that, at the end of the process, the company with the best product(s) and better value, emerges as the ultimate winner; and its customers the ultimate beneficiairies

So, if you are:

An avid fan of MagicJack, buy the MagicJack Plus and enjoy.
Enamored of NetTALK DUO, suit yourself, purchase one and have fun.

Better yet, if you are a gadget freak and madly in love with MagicJack Plus and NetTALK DUO, by all means, acquire both. Now you get to (play scientist!) compare, contrast and experiment. Please report the results of your experiments and experience back to Telefonez.com!

As a result of this pairing, which of the two gadgets (MagicJack Plus vs NetTALK DUO), in your opinion, has emerged the uncontested winner and taken home the trophy? Once again, your acute sense of discernment is called upon to sort it out.

Go ahead, have fun, enjoy either device or both!

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Candle on April 22, 2013 at 7:13 PM said:

Thank you.

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Candle on April 14, 2013 at 4:40 PM said:

Thank you “Anonymous”. Not long.

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Candle on February 17, 2013 at 5:13 PM said:

Thank you Hlouiesj for your comment. We are not aware of any MagicJack vs netTALK shenanigans to rip off consumers. We’ll investigate and report back to Telefonez.com’s readers later.

hlouiesj on January 30, 2013 at 12:15 AM said:

I have both the original magicjack and the magicjack plus. My sister have the Nettalk duo wifi unit. She is able to call me. But I am not able to call her unless I am willing to pay a fee. This fee according to magicjack is charged to them by the service provider on the other end; I am assuming nettalk here. But I highly doubt that as magicjack have disallow using calling cards for international calls forcing you to have to subscribe to their international calling plan. It is just another way the magicjack in ripping the consumer off by charging for calls. So you are not able to call anywhere in the US freely, as magicjack stated. Don’t know if there is any limitation with Nettalk on some US numbers not being able to call into.

Candle on October 30, 2012 at 7:50 PM said:

Thanks Kylan for your contribution. Your observation is true on both accounts.
Call Quality.- Sometimes NTD call quality leaves to be desired. This is probably due to the overwhelming success of netTALK products, which has led to an overcrowded network. netTALK needs to expand its network capacity to absorb this explosion in popularity of its products. Failure to do so will result in tarnishing its reputation.
Customer Service.- Phone support was tested, the result fell short of something netTALK could pride itself on. Yes, indeed, it does take a while to get a tech rep. to talk to. Improvement is sorely needed in that regard also.
The Bright Side.- The service is inexpensive, and, unlike MagicJack, we are able to make and receive NTD calls. Our MagicJack did not work, which should not imply that MJ does not work at all, it just means our MJ was probably defective.

Kalyan on October 30, 2012 at 1:30 PM said:

How about call quality ? looks like there’s no comparision there. I have used both Majic jack and Net Talk Duo , actually “Upgraded” from Majic jack to Next Talk Duo couple of years back, however recently since six mionths or so NetTalk quality has been horrible and teh multi-channel support is a Joke , you’ll have to wait 40 min to get a person good luck with that. Nettalk doesn’t work half the time – Will go back to Majic Jack Plus

Candle on January 3, 2012 at 11:46 PM said:

Thank you Mr Matthews for your input (“Magic Jack allows you to keep your existing phone number”).

Raymond Matthews on December 29, 2011 at 7:26 PM said:

Although I am favouring NetTALK at this point, you need to be fair and include one very important feature in your consideration. Magic Jack allows you to keep your existing phone number, a most important consideration to many. It would only be fair to include this feature in your comparison.

Candle on December 13, 2011 at 9:51 PM said:

Thanks Karthik for the compliment. Let’s hope the article helps you cut through the clutter and make your choice crystal clear.

Karthik on December 13, 2011 at 1:40 PM said:

Awesome comparision.. Clearly helps the user to decide on which one to opt.
Not being a fan of either MagicJack or NetTalk..As a beginer you know which one I would have opted between these two after reading this article.

Candle on October 29, 2011 at 7:10 PM said:

Thank you for stopping by.

Thank you also for chronicling your trials and tribulations, moments of joy and happiness with MagicJack, MagicJack Plus and NetTALK DUO’s performance respectively. In so doing, a sorely needed public service is rendered to eventual and potential customers of either telephonic gadget.

Thanks to your input, an educated consumer will make an informed buying decision with respect to MagicJack, MagicJack Plus, and NetTALK DUO. So, choose carefully; for you -and you alone- will live with the consequences (good or bad) of your decision(s).

Candle on October 29, 2011 at 6:53 PM said:

Thanks also for chronicling your trials and tribulations, moments of joy and happiness with MagicJack, MagicJack Plus, and NetTALK DUO’s performance respectively.
In so doing, a sorely needed public service is rendered to eventual or potential customers of either telephonic gadget.

Thanks to your input, an educated consumer will make an informed buying decision with respect to either MagicJack, MagicJack Plus or NetTALK DUO. So, choose carefully; for you -and you alone- will live with the consequences (good or bad) of your decision(s).

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