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NZB Completion Checker Supports Multiple Servers

April 24, 2012 by

April 2012 update – check out the latest NZB Completion Checker release.  NZBcc 1.1.0.0 alpha supports SSL and multiple news servers, has a password checker, HEAD and STAT validation methods, and will allow you to toggle servers between active and inactive.  Learn more about NZBcc 1.1.0.0 alpha and download it here.

We’re excited to share some new developments in one of our favorite Usenet tools, NZB Completion Checker.  The latest release of NZB Completion Checker, also known as NZBCC, includes support for multiple news servers.  A really cool addition for those who use more than one Usenet provider or in some cases multiple news servers from the same provider.  In addition to connecting to multiple servers you can also configure alternate SSL ports in the new version.  You can learn more about NZBCC and download it free here.

Configuring Multiple News Servers in NZB Completion Checker

After downloading the new NZBCC version 0.9 you’ll need to set up your news servers.  Those who have used NZBCC in the past will notice their servers are gone.  Without going into detail the developer decided to change up the configuration and store the information in a separate encrypted file.  So you’ll need to add your servers.

To add new servers to NZBCC open the program and click on the Setting button.  On the screen to follow just click on the first icon to the left ‘Add new server’.  From there you can add your username and password along with SSL preference and port number.  Then give the server a name and set the number of connections.

If you take a look at the top left you’ll notice we configured both UNS and Astraweb.  With UNS as our primary server.  As a quick note we tried testing with the full 20 connections but NZBCC gave some errors so we pulled back a bit.  Setting both UNS and Astraweb back to 5 connections.  Achieving fast results.  Remember you’re not actually downloading the content but rather just checking that the items listed in the NZB file are complete.

After setting up and testing the UseNetServer and Astraweb servers we visited Binsearch.info and downloaded a Ubuntu NZB file.  Then we selected the NZB file from the NZBCC home screen and clicked Start.  The program took less that a minute to check the 780 MB file.  You can check out the results below.

As you can see our Ubuntu NZB was 100% complete.  Since the download won’t require any PAR files you can let NZB Completion Checker rewrite your NZB file.  To set that up just go into the settings and click on the NZB Rewrite checkbox.  You can also set the file paths for the files.  This feature will save you time and bandwidth.

We definitely recommend you give NZB Completion Checker a try.  Head on over and download the latest version of NZBCC free from the developer’s site.  Remember the app is still in Alpha stage so you might run into some unexpected errors.  If so share them along with suggestions to help this useful app get even better.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Filed Under: NZB Completion Checker, Xtra Tagged With: ,

Enjoy 50 GB of Free Android Storage

March 19, 2012 by

Box.com is currently offering a promotion in tandem with the roll out of their new Android app.  Those who grab the app and log in before March 23rd, 2012 will receive 50 GB of free Android storage.  We’ve confirmed that the 50 GB of free storage is yours to keep indefinitely.  Visit the Android Market to download the new Box app.  Let us know what you think of the app and service as we’re currently working on more storage related content.

Here’s a list of the Box Android app features from their Android Market page:

* Access, create and view content on your Android phone or tablet
* Upload multiple images, videos and files from the SD card
* Save files to your SD card for offline access
* Easily share files and folders with links
* Invite colleagues to shared folders and leave comments on files for them (note that you’ll need to grant permission for the app to access your contacts – we only use this permission to quickly retrieve email addresses when you want to invite collaborators, and we do NOT store any contact information on Box’s servers)
* Find content fast with built-in search
* Save files you edit or create in other Android apps to your Box account
* Add a widget to your home screen to see updates on files by colleagues

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to compare the best Usenet packages including providers that offer free online storage.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs to keep up with the latest Usenet news and special offers.

Filed Under: Xtra Tagged With:

IPVanish Launches Global VPN Network

March 8, 2012 by

Those seeking to protect their online privacy should check out the public launch of IPVanish.  A number of Easynews members had the opportunity to test the new VPN service during it’s beta and we joined in as well.  IPVanish blends a mix of the best VPN offerings with the performance and reliability you’ve come to expect from a leading provider.  All at a great price.  New members enjoy unlimited VPN access for just $10 a month.

IPVanish launches with an impressive mix of features.  Starting with the VPN network itself.  IPVanish covers 14 countries with servers located in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Japan, Hungary, Turkey, Switzerland, Portugal and Malaysia.  Bringing the best VPN protocols – OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP to support a wide variety of devices.  Connect from Windows (7, Vista, XP), Mac or Ubuntu.  Along with iPhone, iPad and Android.  Their site includes setup guides for all the devices.

On top of the features and easy set up guides is the IPVanish VPN client.  A nice addition to the service and one that doesn’t normally come at launch.  With the IPVanish client members can easily connect to any server and switch between them on the fly.  This makes changing IP’s and locations a breeze.  As for performance the results of our IPVanish speed tests were impressive.  With download speeds over 25 Mbps.

The most important factor of the IPVanish launch and future success is their team.  We’ve seen their passion for building the best VPN service.  It was obvious to those who tested IPVanish.  Now we all help in celebrating their official launch.  We encourage you to sign up for IPVanish and try the service for yourself.  In their words:

Our passion and goal is to bring you the absolute best VPN service—the best speeds, the most secure connections, the best technical support, and the most competitive pricing available anywhere.

That sentence carries a lot of meaning.  We always talk about the ‘value’ offered by leading Usenet providers and the same applies to personal VPN.  Providing the best VPN service at the best possible price.  Our definition of a winner.  We look forward to the growth of IPVanish and welcome you to join us as members.

Visit vpnsp.com to learn more about VPN Services.  Follow us @VPNSP for the latest VPN specials.

Filed Under: Personal VPN, Xtra Tagged With: ,

Upload Binary Files to Usenet with JBinUp

January 19, 2012 by

Uploading or posting to Usenet can be a challenge.  As there are a number of steps you need to take to prepare the files before posting.  Not to mention the actual posting of the files to the desired newsgroup.  We won’t claim to be experts in this area but have had some experience using PowerPost in the past.  Recently an NGR Blog reader brought JBinUp to our attention.  The JBinUp java based upload client has some nice features.

Today we’re sharing information on the JBInUp application so this post isn’t meant as a Usenet posting guide.  If you’d like to learn more about preparing the files (splitting files, creating RAR’s, creating PAR’s, SFV, NFO, NZB, etc.) and posting to newsgroups check out the How To Post Binaries to Usenet guide on NGR.

Let’s say you want to post a home video to share on Usenet.  After the files are packaged and ready to upload to the appropriate newsgroup you’ll need a program like JBinUp or PowerPost to actually post the binary content to Usenet.  We were impressed by JBinUp’s user interface and features.  You can setup multiple Usenet providers and news servers along with the number of connections per server and whether or not to use SSL encryption.

Head over to JBinUp and check it out for yourself.  In the meantime here’s a list of features from their site:

- GUI giving easy access to many functionalities
- Multiserver capability
- NNTP and NNTPS support
- No connection limits
- Sequential Uploading
- Headercheck after upload
- Batchfunction for WinRar and Par2
- All uploads are encoded with the yEnc algorythm
- Creation of NZB-files after finishing a JBinUp mission is possible
- command line interface supported (coming soon)
- Multilanguage Support

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Filed Under: Xtra Tagged With: ,

Usenet Providers Join the Fight Against Censorship

January 18, 2012 by

Today some very popular websites including Wikipedia, Reddit, Google and WordPress are taking action to educate users on the far reaching censorship implications of pending legislation.  Specifically the Protect IP Act (PIPA) which is set for a vote in the Senate on January 24th and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that’s working it’s way through the House Judiciary Committee.  Usenet providers including Giganews and FastUsenet have joined the fight with ‘Stop Censorship’ messages linked to the EFF’s ‘Stop Internet Blacklist‘ page.

If you live in the U. S. please visit any of these sites to learn more and contact your representatives:

For those who would like to learn more about SOPA and PIPA we’ll repost information from the EFF ‘Stop The Internet Blacklist Legislation‘ page.  Please visit their site directly to send email to your representatives.

The Internet blacklist legislation—known as PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House—invites Internet security risks, threatens online speech, and hampers Internet innovation. Urge your members of Congress to reject this Internet blacklist campaign in both its forms!

To make the most impact right now, we’re asking YOU to do two things. Today, use our handy tool to send an email to your representatives, letting them know you oppose these bills and they should too. Then, on January 23, when the Senate is back in session (and scheduled to vote on PIPA on January 24), call your Senator and tell him or her that it’s time to stand with the Internet and against the Internet blacklists!

Big media and its allies in Congress are billing the Internet blacklist legislation as a new way to battle online infringement. But innovation and free speech advocates know that this initiative will do little to stop infringement online. What it will do is compromise Internet security, inhibit online expression, and slow growth in the technology sector.

As drafted, the legislation would grant the government and private parties unprecedented power to interfere with the Internet’s underlying infrastructure. The government would be able to force ISPs and search engines to block users’ attempts to reach certain websites’ URLs. In response, third parties will woo average users to alternative servers that offer access to the entire Internet (not just the newly censored U.S. version), which will create new computer security vulnerabilities as the Internet grows increasingly balkanized.

It gets worse: the blacklist bills’ provisions would give corporations and other private parties new powers to censor foreign websites with court orders that would cut off payment processors and advertisers. Broad immunity provisions (combined with a threat of litigation) would encourage service providers to overblock innocent users or even block websites voluntarily. This gives content companies every incentive to create unofficial blacklists of websites, which service providers would be under pressure to block without regard to the First Amendment.

Service providers would be forced to monitor and police their users’ activities as well, threatening the DMCA safe harbors that have been vital to online innovation over the last decade. SOPA gives the government new powers to go after sites that provide information about tools that might be used to bypass the blacklists – even though these are often the same tools used by democratic activists around the world to bypass Internet censorship mechanisms implemented by authoritarian governments like Iran and China.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) have led the charge in explaining how the blacklist bills threaten the very infrastructure of the open Internet, joined by a growing, bipartisan, group of Congress members. The White House also recently stated it will not support a bill that threatens free speech, innovation, and Internet security. But every Senator and Representative should be opposing the PROTECT IP Act and SOPA and we need to hold the White House to its word. Contact your members of Congress today to speak out!

We would like to personally thank Giganews and FastUsenet along with the EFF, Reddit, Wikipedia, Google, WordPress and everyone else working to fight against censorship.  Their efforts deserve action so contact your representatives today!  Let them know your views on the pending SOPA and PIPA legislation.

Here are some screenshots of the messages on some very popular websites today.

Google

Wikipedia

WordPress

As we write this post the Reddit site isn’t down yet but they will be in a few hours.  Their community has made a big impact on the effort to fight the SOPA and PIPA legislation.  As Reddit says in their post ‘There are powerful forces trying to censor the Internet‘.  We agree and encourage everyone to join in the fight against censorship.

Update: now that Reddit is down for the SOPA / PIPA protest we wanted to also share a screenshot of the site:

Reddit

Here are some more sites involved in today’s censorship protest:

Mozilla

Wired

Boing Boing

MoveOn.org

Craigslist

Follow us on Twitter @NewsgroupRevs for the latest Usenet news.

Filed Under: Usenet Providers, Xtra Tagged With: , ,

Giganews Dump Truck Online Storage Review

January 4, 2012 by

We’ve been waiting for WebDAV support to test Giganews new online storage service – Dump Truck.  Giganews partnered with Golden Frog to offer members Dump Truck online storage.  Golden Frog also developed their Mimo Usenet client and VyprVPN service.  They had a strong end of the year releasing a VPN client for VyprVPN along with Dump Truck access for all Giganews members and most recently adding WebDAV support.

Before jumping into our hands-on review of Dump Truck we’d like to first share some of the features we observed along with future updates and the base storage offered with each Giganews account type.

Dump Truck Features

Here are some of the features we noticed while testing the Dump Truck service:

  • Simple web user interface
  • Easy to create folders and navigate
  • Drag and drop files (under 200 MB)
  • HTML uploader for files over 200 MB
  • SSL file transfer plus AES encryption
  • We tested Dump Truck with Air Sharing WebDAV app via iPad
  • For a full list of features visit the Giganews Dump Truck page

Giganews also mentions the following features to come:

  • iOS and Android Apps (WebDAV apps already available)
  • Windows and Mac clients
  • Public and private sharing
  • Personal encryption keys

The sharing features along with personal encryption key will add a new dimension to the service.

Dump Truck Storage Pricing

Here is a list of Giganews base storage and add-on storage prices:

  • Diamond members – 30 GB free
  • All other members – 5 GB free
  • 50 GB extra – $9.99 a month
  • 100 GB extra – $19.99 a month
  • 500 GB extra – $69.99 a month
  • 1 TB extra – $99.99 a month

Hands-On Dump Truck Review

We started by testing the Giganews Dump Truck online storage service via Firefox on a Windows 7 system.  First uploading an Umphrey’s McGee concert (nugs.net purchase) which amounted to 282 MB.  The upload took about 14 minutes to complete.  Here’s a screenshot of the music being uploaded to Dump Truck.

As you can see there is a progress bar at the bottom that shows how far along you are in the current upload.  Along with a usage bar to the left showing how much storage you have used along with how much free storage is still available.  You might also notice up top that we created an Umphreys folder for the songs.

The first test went well.  It took some time to upload but everything worked just fine.  Next we tried to upload a Ubuntu distro of 712 MB.  We tried via drag and drop but received a message that files larger than 200 MB needed to be uploaded through their HTML uploader.  Here’s the HTML upload screen:

After browsing out to the Ubuntu file we set it to upload.  The status showed uploading with the file name at the bottom of the screen but the progress bar never budged.  We gave up after two and a half hours and cancelled the Ubuntu upload.  The files up to 30 MB in size uploaded well but the 712 MB file appeared to hang.

Dump Truck WebDAV Testing

We were especially interested in testing the new WebDAV support for iPhone and iPad.  Since the Air Sharing iOS apps are sold separately (iPhone vs iPad) we decided to test on the iPad for the larger screen.  The Air Sharing app was easy to download ($3.99) and setup was a breeze using Giganews Air Sharing guide.

After downloading the app and adding the Dump Truck storage as a new server we were able to access our Umphrey’s tunes on the iPad.  We tested playing a song which quickly downloaded and started playing on the iPad.  The process of setting up and using the iPad for Dump Truck to play our music was seamless.

Dump Truck Review – Conclusion

We enjoyed testing the Dump Truck service and look forward to the future updates.  Especially the Windows / Mac apps and file sharing options.  The only issue we had was trying to upload the 712 MB Ubuntu file.  Something we’ll test again once the Windows client is released.  All in all though we were impressed by the service.  It’s simply a place to store files for now along with the WebDAV support.  Soon though the service will take on a new life with the public / private file sharing features.  Stay tuned for more Dump Truck coverage.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Filed Under: Dump Truck, Giganews, Usenet Providers, Xtra Tagged With: ,

Giganews Dump Truck Opens Early Access

October 20, 2011 by

Back in July Giganews announced they were partnering with Golden Frog to bring Diamond members a new online storage feature called Dump Truck.  Since then they have taken registration requests for early access to Dump Truck.  Today the first round of early adopters received emails inviting them to test the new service.  Giganews will be sending out more invitations in the weeks to come so members still have time to register.

According to today’s Giganews announcement the Dump Truck service currently features:

  • Intuitive web interface with drag and drop upload
  • Simple and secure file structure
  • 256-bit SSL encryption for uploads and downloads
  • Files are encrypted on-disk with 256-bit AES encryption
  • Access to your files anywhere in the world

With these additional features coming soon:

  • iPad, iPhone, and Android online storage apps – Storage while on the go
  • Windows and Mac desktop application – Access your files just like any other drive
  • Public and private sharing – Share with the world or simply your friends
  • Password Protection – Control the access to your data
  • WebDAV Support -Access Dump Truck using DAV clients and apps

Giganews offers Diamond subscribers premium features including VyprVPN PPTP / L2TP VPN access and Mimo Usenet browser with Golden Frog search.  Dump Truck will be the latest addition to the Usenet bundle.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Filed Under: Dump Truck, Giganews Tagged With: ,

Ngroups VPN Hands-On Review

October 17, 2011 by

Last week we wrote about Ngroups releasing a new VPN service and including it free with unlimited Usenet plans.  With VPN access ranging from 50 GB a month for ‘Unlimited Eco’ members to unlimited VPN for ‘Unlimited Extra’ subscribers.  Since then we’ve had a chance to test the service for ourselves and will be sharing our impressions.  Note: NGR visitors can enjoy Unlimited Eco accounts for just $9.99 a month.

Ngroups VPN Review

Ngroups ‘Unlimited Eco’ and ‘Unlimited Extra’ members already enjoy unlimited online storage from Livedrive.  Now they can also take advantage of Ngroups new VPN offering which is provided by ItsVPN.  Ngroups unlimited subscribers can connect to VPN servers in the U. S. or Europe via PPTP protocol.  Those interested in more locations can consider the additional plan options from ItsVPN or compare VPN services.

The first thing we noticed when testing Ngroups VPN is the easy integration of their systems.  There is no need to setup a different account.  Simply use your Ngroups username and password to connect to either VPN server.

Ngroups VPN Server Addresses:

  • United States – vpn.us.Ngroups.NET
  • Europe – vpn.eu.Ngroups.NET

Ngroups VPN Protocols:

Since Ngroups is offering PPTP connections their VPN is a breeze to setup.  They include a link to instructions inside the account control panel.  With tutorials for Windows 7, Vista and XP.  Along with Mac OS X and Linux (Ubuntu).  While PPTP isn’t quite as secure as other protocols like OpenVPN, it is compatible with a wide variety of devices.  Including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android.  Ngroups includes those setup guides as well.

Ngroups VPN Speed Test:

  • As you can see below we ran a speed test before connecting to Ngroups VPN.  With a download speed of 43.41 Mb/s and upload of 3.17 Mb/s.  After connecting to the U. S. Ngroups VPN server we retested.  The download speed was 9.21 Mb/s and upload was 3.01 Mb/s.  We’ve seen faster and slower.  You can compare the results to other providers in the VPN speed test section of VPNSP.  You can expect some slow down from any VPN as it encrypts the traffic.  The Ngroups VPN performed well enough to stream Netflix.

  • We also tested a connection to their European VPN server.  Understanding that the distance will definitely reduce performance.  The results were 2.44 Mb/s download and 2.85 Mb/s upstream.  As expected the ping times were pretty high as well.  If you’re in Europe and test the service please let us know you’re results.  We would guess the performance is acceptable given our experience with testing the U. S. VPN server.

Ngroups VPN vs. Giganews VPN:

  • Since Giganews released their VyprVPN service, Ngroups is the first major Usenet service to respond with their own offering.  So I guess it’s only fair to compare the two offerings.
  • Ngroups VPN offers PPTP connections with servers in the United States and Europe along with unlimited Usenet and online storage for $9.99 a month (NGR Deal).
  • Giganews VPN offers PPTP and L2TP/IPSec connections with servers in the U. S., U. K., France, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.  Along with unlimited Usenet for $34.99 a month.

Ngroups VPN Review – Conclusion:

We enjoyed testing the Ngroups VPN service.  The performance was fast enough to stream Netflix in the U. S.  We’ve tested several VPN services and Ngroups (ItsVPN) would rank somewhere in the middle.  Which is pretty darn good considering they are offering it free to unlimited Usenet members.  We look forward to keeping an eye on Ngroups Usenet + online storage + VPN services.  Those who would like to join can save 10%.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest offers.

Filed Under: Ngroups, Personal VPN, Usenet Providers Tagged With: ,

Ngroups Adds Free VPN Service

October 12, 2011 by

Earlier today Ngroups announced the addition of free VPN access for their unlimited Usenet members.  Now in addition to unlimited online storage users can also enjoy online privacy.  Personal VPN services like the one being offered by Ngroups help protect users privacy.  In addition to securing public WiFi connections and unblocking content from abroad.  Ngroups offers 50 GB or unlimited VPN based on your Usenet plan.

According to the announcement members can connect to VPN servers in either the US or Europe.  In the near future we will bring you more details on the VPN offering along with a review.  In the meantime NGR visitors can enjoy unlimited Usenet access + online storage and 50 GB of VPN access for just $9.99 a month.

Here’s a summary of Ngroups new VPN offering emailed to us earlier today:

As part of our commitment to excellence, we have updated our service offerings for the Usenet newsgroup services at our Ngroups.NET web site.

We are now offering:

FREE VPN service, included for users having an Unlimited Ngroups.NET Usenet account.

The VPN service offers servers in two locations, US or Europe.

  • “Unlimited Eco” account users are limited to 5Mbps speed and 50GB/month transfer via the VPN servers. (But off course still no limit in Usenet downloads by normal means, direct nntp or nntps not via the VPN.)
  •  ”Unlimited Extra” users have no limit in speed or transfer via the VPN servers.

The VPN servers are of course available for use with ANY service, normal web browsing, VOIP, Web TV services, etc.

(The only exception is outgoing E-mail – to prevent spammers from using the service to send bulk emails.)

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Filed Under: Ngroups, Personal VPN, Usenet Providers Tagged With: ,

MarqueeHD Media Center : Usenet In Your Living Room

September 27, 2011 by

A couple weeks ago we learned that the team over at MarqueeHD is testing the Newshosting Usenet client on their media center.  Along with supporting SABnzbd newsreader and a wide variety of online media services.  That sparked our interest enough to check out the video on their homepage and screenshots of SABnzbd running on the MarqueeHD.  We’ll let you know once the Newshosting client has been added.

Obviously our focus is on Usenet but the MarqueeHD offers a wide variety of pre-installed software.  Ranging from SABnzbd to Boxee and Firefox.  We’ll share more apps in a moment.  The media center runs on Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat which was aptly released on 10-10-2010. They are currently testing Ubuntu 11.10.

The MarqueeHD media center hardware specs include an Intel Core i3 Sandy Bridge 3.1GHz dual-core processor, NVIDIA GeForce 8400 video card, 4GB of ram (upgradable to 16 GB), 2 TB of hard drive space and a Loop air mouse.  You can find the full hardware specs for the MarqueeHD here.

The MarqueeHD media center includes software like SABnzbd, Newshosting client (coming soon), Boxee, Hulu, Amazon Video on Demand, Amazon MP3, Firefox web browser, Flash player, Rhythmbox music player, Tranmission BitTorrent client, several media players and more.  You can find the full software list here.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet providers, newsgroup client software and cool gadgets like the MarqueeHD media center.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest Usenet news.

Filed Under: Media Centers, Xtra Tagged With: , ,
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