All about Technology: April 2017

Sunday, 30 April 2017

Australia wants its ISPs to defend citizens against threats

Who should be responsible for your online safety? Well, the Australian government’s Dan Tehan, who’s the Assisting Minister for Cyber Security, has recently made comments claiming that the job of protecting your digital interactions should be up to your ISP, rather than the user or the government.

In a column in The West Australian newspaper, Tehan wrote that “we need to be able to trust telecommunications companies to protect our information from threats,” and that “the onus is on these companies to develop products to stop their customers being infected with viruses”.

Despite this stance, however, it doesn’t seem like any legal mandates have been put forward by Mr Tehan, as the CEO of the telecoms industry, John Stanton, told ITnews that he hadn’t been contacted regarding the issue whatsoever.

Little less conversation

While there’s currently no suggestion that these comments outline a plan for legislation, they may signify the intention of the Government, given the significance that Mr Tehan’s title holds and the similar nature of comments made by Prime Minister Turnbull in recent weeks, in which he has urged telcos to do more on this issue.

Previous suggestions that Aussie ISPs should have more responsibility for their customers’ online interactions has largely been met with negative responses, particularly from those in the tech and IT industries. Mr Tehan was quick to emphasise the need for protection, however, and distanced this idea from previous “ill-advised” web filtering strategies.

Mr Tehan did not make any suggestions as to how ISPs might bear the costs of implementing this increased level of cyber security, or whether they should be passed on to the end user — something which could make internet access costs higher for Australian consumers.

Here's our list of the best free security software

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The best Windows 10 deals in May 2017

Download of the day: PhotoScape

Photoscape is one of the finest free photos editors around. Making your snaps look their best before posting them on social media or even, god forbid, printing them out to hang on the wall is incredibly easy thanks to its excellent set of tools presented in a clear, fuss-free interface.

It all adds up to make PhotoScape an image editor that's robust enough for advanced users, and easy enough to understand for beginners.

Why you need it

PhotoScape presents everything in an easy-to-manage circle of options that covers all the main features.

The Editing tab allows you to change various aspects of the image such as the brightness and size, add effects to change the way it looks, crop it, and place other objects such as text on top.

The Page tab lets you make a collage from a group of images using a preset template. Combine offers a similar service, enabling combine lots of photos onto one page and then change the style of the borders and margins.

Other features include a tool for creating animated GIFs, which is great fun, and a built-in printing suite also allows you to create sheets of photos to minimize paper wastage. There's also screen capture, a RAW-to-JPG converter, image splitter, batch editor, renaming tool and a colour picker.

Review and where to download: PhotoScape

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Hacker leaks new episodes of Orange is the New Black online

If you're Netflix, then you undoubtedly want episodes of your original shows to be as closely guarded as possible - if they find their way out onto the web at large, then fewer people are going to sign up for a monthly subscription package.

With that in mind, the powers-that-be at the streaming service are likely to be fuming that new episodes of Orange is the New Black have leaked online more than a month before the official premiere date of June 9, as TorrentFreak reports.

At least 10 episodes of the fifth season have now appeared on The Pirate Bay, thanks to a hacking group that goes by the name of thedarkoverlord. According to the hackers, Netflix was asked for an OITNB ransom that it didn't pay.

Hacked off

It sounds like the breach happened at a post-production studio used by Netflix. "We are aware of the situation," Netflix said in a statement. "A production vendor used by several major TV studios had its security compromised and the appropriate law enforcement authorities are involved."

More leaks could be on the way, too - thedarkoverlord says it has more material from the likes of Fox, National Geographic, and ABC. Presumably the pirated shows can be returned if a ransom fee is forthcoming.

"It didn't have to be this way, Netflix," say the people behind thedarkoverlord moniker. "You're going to lose a lot more money in all of this than what our modest offer was. We're quite ashamed to breathe the same air as you."

Netflix's new rating system is here, and we give it a 'thumbs up'

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Saturday, 29 April 2017

Snapchat is stifled by its un-algorithmic feed

Snapchat invented its best products by being the anti-Facebook. Its disappearing chats made visual communication quick and casual compared to Facebook’s email-esque text messages. Stories ditched the likes and permanacy so you could share your raw moments in the now, instead of just the life highlights that define you forever on your Facebook Timeline. Read More

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Download of the day: AIMP

AIMP

Are you still using Windows Media Player or – gasp – iTunes on your PC? Then for the love of all that is good and great in the world, embrace AIMP instead.

Unlike the programs we’ve just mentioned it’s fast, friendly and won’t have you throwing f-bombs around every time you try to do anything.

Why you need it

Most of us use our PCs for some kind of music playback, whether it’s hardcore techno while we hoover or podcasts for us to ponder. The default music players that ship with Windows or with music playing devices tend to be pretty awful, and fairly limited in what they can do.

Not AIMP. It covers all the essentials but adds useful options including a really cool feature to strip the vocals from your songs to make your own karaoke tracks. It can wake you up with music, organise your MP3 collection, tune into internet radio stations and feed your pets when you go on holiday.

We made that last one up. But you can stick AIMP on a USB drive to move it from one machine to another, which is really useful if you’re reliant on other people’s PCs. Factor in extensive sound options including special effects and you’ve got an app that’s puts the fun back into functional.

Review and where to download: AIMP

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Ballz is my new digital enemy and favorite mobile game

I’ve played my fair share of iPhone games, but few have taken over my mind and life like Ballz. From Ketchapp, Ballz is about as simple as it is infuriating. It’s a mix between old-school Pong and Threes. The player starts with a single ball at the bottom of the screen and a number of blocks, each with a number, floating at the top of the screen. Pulling back with a finger and… Read More http://ift.tt/2oVUJel

Middle East startups are growing fast, and that’s even before the flying taxis arrive

The flight from Tehran to Dubai is about two hours, similar to the flight from New York to Chicago. The flight from Cairo to Beirut is one hour and 15 minutes. In more peaceful times, the drive from Beirut to Damascus in Syria would take you less than two hours. The interconnectedness of the Middle East / North Africa (MENA) region is apparent once you start travelling around —… Read More http://ift.tt/2qpVxIo

How Echo Look could feed Amazon’s big data fueled fashion ambitions

This week Amazon took the wraps off a new incarnation of its Alexa voice assistant, giving the AI an eye so it can see as well as speak and hear. The Echo Look also contains a depth sensor that’s being used, in the first instance, to create a bokeh effect for a hands-free style selfies feature that Amazon is hoping will sell the device to fashion lovers, by making their outfits pop… Read More

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A closer look at the Internet of Things 2.0 – and why it’s inevitable

Friday, 28 April 2017

Jack Dorsey just spent $9.5M buying more Twitter stock

Jack Dorsey is at it again — after purchasing $7 million in Twitter stock back in February, the Twitter CEO bought another $9.5 million today. After making his purchase, Dorsey posted the news on Facebook Twitter, sparking a one percent gain in the company’s after share price in after-hours trading. According to an SEC filing, Dorsey purchased 574,002 shares of Twitter stock… Read More

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Someone scraped 40,000 Tinder selfies to make a facial dataset for AI experiments

Tinder users have many motives for uploading their likeness to the dating app. But contributing a facial biometric to a downloadable dataset for training convolutional neural networks probably wasn’t top of their list when they signed up to swipe. Read More

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Tumblr just added a switch in the iOS Settings that lets you turn the porn back on

Here’s an interesting change: Tumblr’s iOS application just received an update which now lets you turn on or off adult-oriented, NSFW search results just by toggling a switch in iOS’s Settings. That’s right: you can now switch on or off the Tumblr porn with ease. Weirder still, Tumblr’s note about the change in the App Store update text says this was… Read More

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Want to delete your Uber account? It just got a lot easier

Uber has updated its app with a dedicated menu for controlling your privacy settings that includes another much-requested feature: the ability to delete your account.

Rolling out today, the ridesharing service's new settings allow users to tweak what personal data they share with Uber, such as location, notifications, and contacts all under one menu.

The biggest new feature, however, is that Uber now allows users to delete their account in-app with a single button tap.

Previously, customers who no longer needed (or were fed up with) the service had to contact Uber's support team to remove their account data from the service's servers.

Ironically, adding an option to quit Uber from its app could actually help the service, as customers tend to enjoy having the flexibility to start and stop using it as they choose, especially if they wind up unable to use the service anyway.

Speaking of flexibility, Uber will hold onto your account for 30 days after cancelling before it's gone for good, giving riders a chance to reinstate their service no-harm, no-foul if they suddenly have a change of heart.

Uber plans to take to the skies in 2020

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Download of the day: GIMP

GIMP

GIMP (the GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free photo-editor that's powerful enough to rival paid-for software like Photoshop, and it's surprisingly straightforward to use.

Its array of picture-perfecting tools make it easy to boost colors, correct tones, erase unwanted objects, apply artistic effects and even animate your pictures.

Why you need it

Editing photos with GIMP can be as simple or involved as you like. Its convenient automatic picture-enhancing tools include automatic white balance adjustment to correct color casts caused by lighting conditions, saturation enhancement, sharpening, red-eye correction and noise removal.

There are also fun Instagram-style filters, including settings for ageing your pictures, applying filmstrip effects, replicating the effect of an old photocopier and even adding coffee stains. There are also automatic ‘beautify’ filters to perfect your portraits.

More advanced options include a clone stamp for removing flaws and unwanted objects from pictures, manual adjustment of color curves, and support for layers.

If all that isn’t enough, GIMP can be expanded further still using downloadable plug-ins. If you’re looking for a great photo editor without the expense of Photoshop, GIMP is the best around.

Review and where to download: GIMP

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The best free alternative to WinRAR 2017

WinRAR is an excellent tool for compressing and archiving files – it's fast, able to split archives into volumes, and offers secure 256-bit password encryption.

However, despite a generous 40-day trial, WinRAR isn't free (a license will set you back £28.45, US$34.71, AU$45.71) and there are lots of excellent free alternatives to consider before reaching for your credit card.

What is RAR format?

WinRAR's native file type, RAR, is a proprietary file archive format. The compression algorithm is the property of developer Eugene Roshal.

Roshal has published the code for extracting RAR archives, but not for creating them. At the time of writing, WinRAR is the only Windows desktop software that lets users make their own RAR archives, but many free tools are capable of opening them using the publicly available source code.

Here we've looked at programs that can extract RAR archives and offer a similar feature set to WinRAR.

1. 7-Zip

A WinRAR alternative that delivers high compression and secure encryption

Its interface might look dated compared to its rivals, but 7-Zip is a highly capable WinRAR alternative that grants you full access to features that other software hides behind a paywall.

It can extract pretty much every archive type around (including RAR, of course), and can pack files in XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP, and WIM formats, plus its own native format, 7Z. This file type delivers high compression, and supports AES-256 encryption to secure your files.

7-Zip can integrate seamlessly with Windows, incorporating itself into the context menu so you can create or extract archives with a couple of clicks.

Best of all, 7-Zip is open source, so there’s no need to register, and it’s completely free for personal and commercial use.

Review and where to download: 7-Zip

2. PeaZip

A security-focused archiving tool that’s great for sharing and receiving files

PeaZip is another excellent open source file archiving tool capable of extracting RAR files, and a whole lot more besides.

7-Zip makes a virtue of its tiny footprint (it occupies roughly 1GB on your hard drive), but PeaZip’s chief focus is security. It allows you to scan the contents of file archives with your usual security software (including Avast, AVG, Avira, and Comodo’s free antivirus suites) before extracting them.

PeaZip’s native format, PEA (pack, encrypt and authenticate) combines excellent compression with optional integrity checking and authenticated encryption. It also supports multi-volume archives. All of this makes it an excellent choice for sharing and receiving files, and an excellent alternative to WinRAR.

Download here: PeaZip

3. Zipware

Some WinRAR alternatives can be overwhelming. Zipware keeps it simple

Zipware’s interface is as straightforward as they come (most of the time you’ll only need its two main buttons – New and Open), but it’s not short on features. Like PeaZip, it puts a heavy emphasis of the security, enabling you to scan the contents of archives before extracting them and setting their contents free on your PC.

You can open or create archives by dragging files into Zipware’s main interface, or using the options it adds to Windows’ context menu.

This WinRAR alternative can extract every compressed file type you’re likely to come across, but it can only create archives in ZIP, 7-ZIP, or self-extracting EXE format. It can, however, create multi-volume archives, and can generate checksums for authentication purposes.

Download here: Zipware

4. Bandizip

Quick and convenient, but the lack of virus-scanning is a shame

Convenience is the name of the game with this free file archiving tool – from the team behind the superb Bandicam screen recorder.

Bandizip can extract all the usual archive types (RAR included), and create new archives in ZIP, ZIPX, TAR, TGZ, LZH, ISO, 7Z, and self-extracting EXE format. It can integrate with Windows’ context menu, but unlike some other file archiving tools, it doesn’t do so without your prior authorization – a feature we appreciate.

To help you package up your files as quickly as possible, this free WinRAR alternative can skip any files that won’t compress particularly well. You can also check the integrity of files, but you can’t scan for malware before extracting them.

Download here: Bandizip

5. Ashampoo Zip Free

A nicely designed tool, but the teasers of premium content can be tiresome

Ashampoo Zip Free is a well designed WinRAR alternative, held back by a few irritating quirks. When you install the software, you’ll be prompted to enter a registration code. To do this, you have to sign up for a free account using your email address and a password that uses a combination of numbers, letters and special characters. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be sent a message containing a verification link, which will take you to a page where you can copy your code. The account enables you to link all your Ashampoo software together if you choose to upgrade to one of its premium tools, but it’s a cumbersome process.

Ashampoo Zip Free can extract files from over 30 archive types (including RAR), and create ZIP, 7-ZIP, CAB, TAR, and LHA packages. You can make multi-volume archives, protect them with AES encryption, and preview files before extracting them.

Ashampoo Zip Free has an attractive tile-based interface, but on closer inspection, most of the tiles are just teasers of the company’s premium software. Some options that are free in other tools (including extracting multiple archives simultaneously and converting them to other formats) are exclusive to the premium version of Ashampoo Zip too, which is a shame.

Download here: Ashampoo Zip Free

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Plug and Play launches a fintech accelerator in Paris

Plug and Play is launching a new accelerator based in Paris. This time, the company is partnering with French bank BNP Paribas and focusing on fintech startups. The first batch of startups has just been picked. Plug and Play has launched multiple accelerators with a different business model than most accelerators. Instead of taking some equity in exchange of what you get from the… Read More http://ift.tt/2oFBnOq

Best VPN for Mac: Our 5 top choices

Mac users can get somewhat complacent about security, but they shouldn’t – Apple’s desktop computers are being increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, and it never pays to let your guard down.

Certainly, as well as competent antivirus, folks with a Mac need a quality Virtual Private Network just as much as anyone on Windows – although not every VPN service provides a client or satisfactory support for macOS users. However, if you’re stuck as to which provider to go with, help is at hand…

How to choose the best VPN for Mac

It’s not always easy to find a Mac-friendly VPN service. Obviously enough, it’s important to choose a provider that offers a pre-configured client for its service. Having a good Mac client is a huge boon in terms of simply making things as easy as possible. Solid iOS support is also a welcome feature if you’re heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem and have an iPhone as well as a Mac.

The 5 best VPN services of 2017

Next, you need powerful security with strong encryption, which goes without saying, and an easily understandable privacy policy that makes it perfectly clear what data is kept by the provider. Good performance levels obviously don’t hurt, either. Below are the five best VPN services for Mac that we've picked out for you.

We’ve also highlighted the best antivirus software for your Mac

ExpressVPN is our top choice for the best all-round VPN service on the Mac. Their dedicated app is intuitive and very user-friendly, which features a one-click option for connecting, as well as some advanced options. It uses 256-bit OpenVPN encryption both over UDP and TCP protocols and comes with a kill switch.

There’s also a very good iOS app so you get a complete Apple VPN experience. Great speeds, a favourable privacy policy and 24/7 customer support rounds off an excellent Mac VPN experience.

Nevertheless, the pricing slightly tarnishes things. The service is a tad pricier than most other VPN providers, with no free trial – but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN offers three price plans, with the 12-month plan offering the best value. The packages available are:

When it comes to security, NordVPN does it like no other. Its own ‘Double VPN’ technology encrypts data twice – in other words, it passes your data through two separate VPN servers to make things even more secure – while there are additional security extras such as encrypted chat, web proxy extensions and so on.

NordVPN’s clients for both macOS and iOS are rather basic compared to others, but keeping things simple can be advantageous for novices. This provider is also P2P-friendly and has a strict zero logs policy, which makes it perfect for those seeking an ultra-secure and private experience. The performance was slightly above average in our testing, too.

There's a free 3-day trial (hidden away in the FAQ), and NordVPN is a relatively affordable service. There are three plans available with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The 1-year plan is the most popular and obvious choice. The packages available are:

This Switzerland-based provider operates a tier-1 network and is solely in charge of its own servers – so it’s no wonder that VyprVPN does well on the performance front. In fact, in our testing we found that it more than doubled our download speeds compared to our regular rates (without the VPN running).

When it comes to Mac, there is a rather neat and, to our knowledge, unique feature. Namely, the ability to manage and customise your VPN connections on a per-app basis, allowing for better overall control of your online privacy. And in terms of security, you get VyprDNS, OpenVPN (160-bit and 256-bit), L2TP/IPsec protocols, as well as VyprVPN’s own Chameleon protocol for avoiding VPN blocking.

VyprVPN has two pricing plans with either monthly or annual billing. Monthly plans are rather expensive, so the yearly option is the best way to save money. Curiously, there are no refunds available from this provider, so be sure to utilise the three-day free trial in order to test the service out before you buy. The packages available are:

IPVanish’s Mac app features a nifty design and a few welcome options like a kill switch and automatic IP switching. The service is blazingly fast, and it’ll automatically hook you up to the fastest server available, a nice touch on the convenience front. Not only are download speeds fast with this VPN, it allows P2P.

OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols are supported, and there’s also decent iOS support and a wide coverage of servers, with no logging of the user’s activities.

However, you pay for the performance you get here. IPVanish doesn’t have a free trial, although there is a 7-day money-back guarantee with all three available plans. The 1-year subscription is clearly the best choice. The packages available are:

KeepSolid VPN Unlimited has all the right ingredients in optimal quantities. Its native Mac client is well-designed, and you can pick up nifty extras like a personal server or a personal static IP. The service also offers solid iOS support and doesn’t store any user information on the privacy front.

Performance varied a bit during testing, but overall it was solid enough, doing well on downloads but with things slowing up a bit more on uploads. And the choice of servers isn’t as extensive as some VPNs.

There are three price plans and they all represent good value for money, ranging from a monthly offering to a permanent ‘Infinity’ subscription. The 1-year plan offers the best savings (if you don’t need a permanent plan, that is) – and don’t forget you can avail yourself of a 7-day free trial to test the service out. The packages available are:

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The best free antivirus 2017

The best free video converter 2017

There are many reasons why you might want a video converter. You might want to play a particular video on a device that has limited storage and there need to reduce the size of the file. You might want to keep your entire video collection in the same format, but have a few rogue entries messing up your system. Or you might want to change a video recorded in a strange format on your phone into something that is more easily shared with others.

Converting video is nowhere near as complex a task as video editing, but many people will be put off doing it because of the mistaken belief that a complicated and expensive video editor is needed. In reality, you can do it for free; here is the best software you can use.

1. Freemake Video Converter

Quick, flexible and easy to use; the best free video converter today

Freemake has built up something of a name for itself for producing powerful yet easy to use software, and making it available free of charge. Freemake Video Converter is no exception, continuing the company's enviable track record.

The free video converter can not only convert files from your hard drive to almost any format, it can also be used to download and convert online videos from the likes of YouTube.

With simple editing tools to trim unwanted footage, the ability to add subtitles, and convert to and from DVD, Freemake Video Converter has all of your everyday conversion needs covered - and more.

One word of warning: the installer sneakily tries to add a malware blocker, browser search bar and, ironically, an ad remover. Pay close attention and be sure to use the custom installation option to avoid unwanted extras.

That aside, Freemake Video Converter is the best free video converter around.

Download here: Freemake Video Converter

2. Any Video Converter Free

Free and fast conversion for videos stored on your PC or published online

When it comes to the number of supported file formats, Any Video Converter Free certainly doesn't disappoint. Like Freemake Video Convertor, the program handles online as well as offline files, meaning that if you like the look of some videos on YouTube, you can quickly and easily convert them into a format suitable for offline viewing on your mobile without worrying about your data allowance. Incidentally, the same warning about unwanted software installations also applies.

More than just YouTube, you can also download and convert videos from Facebook, Vimeo, Metacafe and more, and Any Video Converter Free also features the option to rip audio from CDS and DVDs.

You'll find support for all of the video formats you can shake a stick at, including ready made profiles for different devices, and editing options such as trimming, cropping and rotating allow for basic cleanup tasks. If you want to get creative, you can experiment with video effects to achieve a completely unique look as well.

Review and where to download: Any Video Converter Free

3. Free HD Video Converter Factory

Video conversion and simple editing rolled into one convenient free package

Free HD Video Converter Factory prides itself on being so easy to use that its website features a 10-second guide to getting started. This might seem like an exaggeration, but it's actually true. You can drag and drop a video onto the program interface, or use the selection menu, select the format or destination device and hit the Run button. That really is all there is to it.

You'll be pleased to know that the software's convenience doesn't come at the expense of features. While you can start the conversion process in a matter of seconds, you may wish to spend a little more time customizing the output. Cutting, cropping and impressive special effects are all on hand to give your videos the look you want, and the way destination formats are presented is highly intuitive.

Beginners can select the make of device they want to play video on to ensure that the correct format is automatically selected, while more advanced users can make a manual selection and customise things further.

Download here: Free HD Video Converter Factory

4. Handbrake

An powerful video and audio converter that's made the leap from Mac to PC

Handbrake is a free video converter that's well known to Mac users, but less famous in the world of Windows. It is worth noting that this is still something of an experimental program and it hasn't even reached version 1.0 in its Windows incarnation, but that doesn't mean it should be overlooked.

Available for Mac, Windows and Linux, Handbrake is a great choice for anyone who works on multiple platforms, but is also great for anyone who is dedicated to Windows.

A slight word of warning: the other programs featured in this roundup have very approachable interfaces, but the same cannot really be said of Handbrake. The program is powerful, but utilitarian.

There are a lot of features that allow for fine-grained control of video conversion - including very precise cropping, advanced filtering, frame rate adjustment - but there are also presets for those who just want quick results. Handbrake may take a while to get used to, but the output is worth it.

Download here: Handbrake

5. MediaCoder

Whatever the video format, MediaCoder can help – and it's lightning fast

As we've seen, there are lots of great free video converters available to download, but MediaCoder stands out from the crowd thanks to its sheer speed and the number of audio and video formats it supports. No matter how old and obscure the format of that video you have lurking on an ancient hard drive, MediaCoder should be able to bring it bang up to date in next to no time.

The language used by the program ('transcoding' rather than 'converting', for instance) might be a little off-putting at first, but it's worth persevering.

Like HandBrake, MediaCoder's interface is slightly intimidating, but the payoff includes a load of extra features such as video joining, sound syncing, aspect ratio adjustment, and much more.

It would be easy to become overwhelmed by what's on offer here, but MediaCoder should be approached as a learning experience. Start off using the wizards to guide you, but as your confidence grows, you can make use of more of the tools on offer to take greater control of each process.

Download here: MediaCoder

Check out our guide to the best video editing software

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Best VPN for China: Our 5 top choices

As you’re probably aware, China has a history of very strict policies regarding online content. The country recently approved a new cybersecurity law, expected to go into effect this summer, which further establishes firm state control over information flows and tech equipment.

As for VPN providers, the situation is no different in the country. China routinely campaigns against VPNs, aiming to interrupt or completely block the services. Still, using a VPN is not illegal in China – the focus is on censorship, rather than punishment.

Indeed, VPNs are very popular in China, especially among expatriates and those in academic circles. But circumventing the ‘Great Firewall’, the nickname given to the country’s vast system of online censorship, is becoming harder. It’s important to note that almost every major internet service provider is controlled by Chinese authorities.

How to choose the best VPN service for China

Dealing with this level of censorship of the net is far from easy, but some VPNs are willing to tackle the problem, having proven methods of maintaining uptime in a difficult online climate. Obviously you need to look for a capable service in this respect, and pick out a reliable VPN, too.

The 5 best VPN services of 2017

Choosing one with high quality customer support is also important, for when downtime does rear its ugly head. And obviously the number and range of available servers (particularly those in Asia) will help you obtain a better, faster connection. Tight security and privacy is, as ever, a primary consideration as well.

So which are the best VPN services for those based in China? We’ve picked out five top-notch efforts for your delectation.

We’ve also chosen the best VPNs for Windows and Mac

One of the main advantages of VyprVPN is its proprietary Chameleon security protocol which can help bypass VPN blocking, scrambling OpenVPN packet metadata to ensure it’s safe from the tendrils of deep packet inspection.

VyprVPN is a tier-1 VPN network, which means the outfit owns all of its servers. There are enough of them to ensure good performance (14 are located in Asia), along with solid support for mobile operating systems, and 24/7 live chat for troubleshooting.

The much-praised Chameleon protocol is excluded from the basic plan, which offers three simultaneous connections. On top of that, the service is expensive, but does offer a 30-day refund period and a three-day trial. Despite the cost, what’s on offer here could well be worth paying for – your best bet is the annual Premium plan to make sure you get the benefit from Chameleon, and save the most money. The packages available are:

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs in China, and it’s a go-to provider for many because it deftly navigates around the Great Firewall. The service’s wide array of server locations is a big plus, with Hong Kong and Singapore-based servers being especially relevant in this case.

ExpressVPN offers a consistent performance, with neat dedicated apps for the mobile experience. For any trouble that might occur, there’s round-the-clock live chat and email support available from China (the website is not blocked).

There’s no free trial of the service and the pricing isn’t cheap. Still, the 30-day money-back guarantee at least gives you some fall-back, and the year-long plan provides the best value for money. The packages available are:

This Hungarian VPN offers a rather enjoyable experience that’s easy to set up. Surprisingly, there is no native mobile support which is a shame, considering you can connect up to five devices simultaneously. Instead, the company offers detailed guides for configuring mobiles manually – although that won’t be ideal for beginners.

There are several servers in Asia which make for a reliable and speedy performance, and you get round-the-clock technical support. One of the more interesting features is the refund policy, which is valid for up to 10 hours, 100 sessions or 10GB of bandwidth.

Buffered VPN is somewhat expensive, with the 12-month plan providing the best value. The packages available are:

AirVPN is a very up-front service with an engaging forum community. That’s not surprising when you find out that it’s operated by ‘activists and hacktivists’ in defence of net neutrality and other online freedoms.

The website lists all the available servers and their current load. The number of server locations is low, admittedly, although seven are located in Asia. Nevertheless, the provider has no problems manoeuvring around geolocation restrictions and China is no exception. The service offers solid and reliable performance, even if signing up and getting going is a bit of a hassle.

AirVPN has reasonably priced plans – five of them, to be exact. A 3-day plan offers a convenient way to try the service out, while the 12-month plan boasts the best value for money. The packages available are:

StrongVPN is one of the favourites among visitors and expats in China. It supports the most popular platforms with detailed manual setup instructions for others. This VPN features a decent number of server locations, and has no problems navigating around the Great Firewall, with connections proving reliable and pretty fast.

And if you want security, there’s wide protocol support, up to 2048-bit encryption, along with StrongDNS, the company’s own concoction to protect against DNS leaks. However, there is a limit of two simultaneous device connections which spoils the fun just a little.

The plan selection consists of three options to pick from. All come with a 5-day money-back guarantee, with the annual plan clearly offering the best value for money. The packages available are:

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