Due to a combination of the recession and the never-ending love fest between Google and 95% of the press, it might seem as if the once steady stream of innovative products and services has finally dried up. I am here today to report that that is simply not true. Sure, there might not as many new apps and the like out there, but that doesn’t mean they have gone away completely. That’s where we come in. Over the next three days, we will be proudly showcasing apps that are both turning heads and taking names. First on the docket is JAHJAH. It calls people! It outsmarts the “phone company” on a fairly regular basis! It has one of the most cutesy, annoying names out there today! But is it any good? You are about to find out.

Website: http://www.jajah.com
Developer: JAHJAH Inc. (For now, at any rate)
App Type: Voice over IP
Why It Matters: Rumor has it that Google is interested in outright buying the service. That should tell you something.
How It Works: The “JAHJAH” experience is a bit different than what you might be expecting. Unlike Skype and Google Voice, all of the calls are handled directly from the website. After typing the relevant phone numbers — both the person you wish to call and your own home/cell number — you are given the option of either dialing from the web or connecting using a provided telephone number. The latter is apparently designed to eliminate pesky long distance and international calling fees. For the purposes of this Showdown, I will be using both methods.
Dialing from the Web: When I first hit the “dial now” button, I was greeted by an error message that really didn’t make much sense. After staring blankly for a few seconds, I found that it could only be corrected by signing up. After a simple and completely painless registration form, I was ready to give JAH JAH another go. I logged into the site, only to find that the number I that I wanted to dial was nowhere to be found. I did, however, get the opportunity to call the “test” line … three times. After each call, I was asked if I wanted to “add funds” to my account. I chose “no,” as I really don’t have any desire to drop the “Skype/iPhone” combination that I use now. I was then whisked back to the “test call” page for seemingly no reason. I had to dig through the unorganized mess that is JAHJAH’s site in order to find the number that I was looking for. I clicked on the button, only to discover that a totally mediocre phone experience was waiting for me on the other side. The audio was muffled, distant sounding, and had the tendency to “cut out” from time to time.  I hung up, hoping that the “JAHJAH.direct” service would be a bit more rewarding.
JAHJAH.direct: Before I could even start the call, the robotic lady on the other end of the line informed me that I have no money left on my account. I can, however, sign up for “pre-call advertising.” I did and dialed the number, only to find that I have, again, run out of funds. It turns out that the advertising is designed to give users a “refund” at the end of each month. I was running out of both options and patience. As a last ditch effort, I signed up again, this time using a different email address and phone number. It didn’t exactly work out as planned, as I still needed to add a credit card to my account. So I can’t try JAHJAH.direct without paying money. Big deal. I have a whole eight minutes to burn. This could mean only one thing…
Dialing from the Web … To a Skype Phone: That’s right. I used one VoIP service to call another. Did it work? Yes, but the sound quality wasn’t anything to write home about. Oh well. At least I can say that I tried.
Final Thought: While it’s a nice way to avoid international long distance, JAHJAH is just too “pedestrian” to become a full-on “Skype alternative.” Upgrade your systems and redesign your site. Then we’ll talk.
Overall (Out of ten): 6

Come back tomorrow for part two of our three part series. Until then, I bid thee a fond adieu.