5 Great Fax Services, No Fax Machine Required
Show of hands: who's still using a fax machine? Mine's collecting dust, because for the few times per year I actually need to send or receive a fax, I rely on eFax.
You've probably heard the name; eFax is a true Internet veteran, having launched way back in 1999. Of course, it's not the only option if you're looking to ditch your bulky old fax machine. Gizmodo rounded up what it considers to be the Web's five best fax services, starting with one of my other favorites, FaxZero:
FaxZero offers a great service for infrequent fax users who only need to send out faxes, not receive them. You can send a fax for free anywhere in the United States. In exchange for the free service, FaxZero places an ad on the cover page and limits you to three pages and two transmissions a day. Still, it's free, and for those last minute "We only accept fax!" emergencies, it can get you through. If an ad feels too unprofessional, you can send a premium fax with a max of 15 pages and no ads for $1.99.Other picks include K7.net, MaxEmail, and MyFax. Interestingly, K7.net is the one freebie that allows you to receive faxes. Pair it with FaxZero and you've got everything you need for totally free faxing. (If you send or receive a high volume of documents, however, be prepared to pony up for a premium service.)
In most cases, I scan documents to PDF format, then e-mail them. I've yet to encounter a situation in which e-mail wasn't an acceptable (if not preferred) alternative to faxing. And it works both ways: if someone wants to send you a fax, ask if they can just scan and e-mail the document instead.
I really think fax machines are over. Your thoughts?
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