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RAM Tracking review
4:00 pm | June 30, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

RAM Tracking is a British company that offers cloud-based fleet management services to large businesses. It was founded in 2004 and has served over 35,000 customers, with a 98% retention rate. RAM Tracking has helped its customers save over $200 million through its GPS tracking solutions.

RAM Tracking is a company that provides smart vehicle tracking systems, dash cameras, and software to help businesses manage their fleets efficiently. Thanks to its in-house development team, RAM Tracking is able to offer customized solutions based on the specific needs of each business, and it regularly updates its software to ensure that it is up-to-date with the latest technology.

RAM Tracking collects a wide range of data using various sensors. This data can be used to provide business owners with deeper insights into their fleet operations, helping them stay on top of things. Unlike other fleet management companies, RAM Tracking stores its data on cloud servers, allowing customers to access it at any time for up to three years.

RAM Tracking 1

(Image credit: RAM Tracking)

RAM Tracking: Pricing

Similar to many other fleet management solution providers, RAM Tracking does not clearly list its pricing and contract details on its website. Businesses are expected to contact the company directly to obtain a quote tailored to their needs; answering some basic questions and providing a business email and phone facilitates this. There are three different tiers of plans available: Lite, Core and Plus.

Based on a few online reviews, it appears that RAM Tracking offers long-term contracts of 3, 4, and 5 years. There is no mention of a monthly or short-term contract. Some users have suggested that this is one of the more affordable enterprise-grade fleet management solutions available, which is encouraging; however, the only way to be sure is to get a quote directly from RAM Tracking.

RAM Tracking does not disclose the minimum number of vehicles required to be eligible for its fleet management solution. However, the company does offer expert installation of hardware in vehicles, the cost of which is included in the contract.

RAM Tracking 2

(Image credit: RAM Tracking)

RAM Tracking: Features

RAM Tracking is a smart fleet management service provider that offers real-time fleet tracking and ensures the optimal health of your assets to ensure efficient operations.

The company claims to work closely with clients to help them manage their fleets efficiently, ensuring compliance requirements are met and fleet management goals are achieved.

Some of the features of RAM Tracking’s solution are:

  • Fleet tracking
  • Hardware
  • Compliance management
  • Asset tracking
  • Field service and scheduling

RAM Tracking 3

(Image credit: RAM Tracking)

RAM Tracking’s telematics solution provides 24/7 tracking, which keeps a detailed record of a vehicle’s movements even during non-business hours. This helps to reduce the risk of asset misuse and fuel waste.

RAM Tracking software helps businesses create efficient routing plans, reducing the administrative time required for route planning and other tasks. It also ensures driver safety by monitoring vehicle speed, and provides accurate ETAs for improved customer satisfaction, re-routing options, accurate client billing, and more.

Drivers frequently take their preferred route, regardless of whether it is the most fuel- and time-efficient one, which might cause deliveries to be delayed and additional expenses to be incurred. RAM Tracking not only aids operators in creating efficient routes, but it also helps them to ensure that drivers follow the assigned route.

RAM Tracking 4

(Image credit: RAM Tracking)

Other key features are:

Tracking: While this is a standard feature of any vehicle tracking solution, RAM Tracking offers an easy-to-use interface that makes vehicle tracking a breeze for everyone. Its software refreshes every 60 seconds to keep operators informed of the vehicle's location, and displays important driver information such as driver ID, vehicle registration details, vehicle speed, direction of travel, and more. Quick reports, such as the vehicle's mileage on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, can be accessed through the software whenever needed.

Compliance and safety: The solution helps drivers keep important documents and communications in the cloud, reducing the need for paperwork. Documents like proof of delivery can be shared directly with operators, ensuring that estimated times of arrival are met. It allows departments such as HR and others to generate reports on hours worked. The software notifies drivers if they are not following any regulatory guidelines, such as journey time without rest or other policies.

Reports: RAM Tracking provides comprehensive reports on various aspects of a fleet. Reports such as timesheets, financial reports, and more, help decision-makers identify assets that need to be replaced. It can also identify drivers who need coaching on their driving habits- or those who should be rewarded for their more efficient driving.

Geo-fencing: One of the most fundamental yet important features of RAM Tracking is the ability to create a geofenced area around a vehicle. The system notifies administrators of the asset's location whenever an asset/vehicle enters or exits the geofenced area. The software also sends immediate alerts based on incidents such as a crash, harsh braking, or sharp turns, ensuring the safety of both the drivers and their vehicles.

RAM Tracking 5

(Image credit: RAM Tracking)

RAM Tracking: Support

RAM Tracking offers support via an online form or through telephone. The phone support is available from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm, but it does not list the timezone. It has quite a few videos, blogs, FAQs and other training material for customers to solve basic queries around the use of the software, and generally better understand the product.

RAM Tracking’s social media channels also seem to be active with regular tweets and posts on its official Facebook page.

RAM Tracking: Final verdict

RAM Tracking's software is user-friendly, and its intuitive interface allows administrators to track vehicles efficiently. Users on various websites have given the service positive feedback, with a few mentions of occasional cloud sync issues.

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Trackimo fleet tracking review
6:11 pm | June 29, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Trackimo is a US-headquartered fleet management service provider offering a cloud-based solution that is ideal for fleet tracking a wide range of assets, including vehicles, mobile or non-mobile assets, personal vehicles, drones, machinery, and equipment.

Trackimo sells its products in over 150 countries, with the US, Canada, and Europe being its primary markets. The company offers solutions for both enterprises and personal use, such as GPS tracking devices. Trackimo provides real-time fleet monitoring and adds an extra layer of security for both the driver and the vehicle.

Trackimo pricing

(Image credit: Trackimo)

Trackimo: Pricing

Trackimo doesn’t list its pricing and related terms and conditions online. Also, the company does not mention its plans, and there is also no information about contract terms. We did find that you can get “Get GPS Tracking for $5 per month,” and there is a mention of a free sample that you need to qualify for, but the criteria are not indicated.

The only option to assess your eligibility is to get in touch with the company via an email, or going through the questions that ends with a request for your business email address.

Trackimo 1

(Image credit: Trackimo)

Trackimo: Features

Trackimo does not identify itself as a fleet management company. Instead, their website describes them as an "IoT solution provider with proprietary technology that enables worldwide connectivity for M2M devices," which refers to the wide range of solutions they offer.

Trackimo provides real-time updates that can help businesses increase profits by efficiently controlling costs such as maintenance and fuel, reducing insurance premiums, and reducing workload by automating tasks such as routing and scheduling.

The company sells a variety of tracking devices, including hardwired and plug-and-play models. Hardwired tracking devices are ideal for meeting regulatory requirements, while plug-and-play devices can be used in different vehicles as needed. This flexibility allows businesses to plan their hardware budgets more effectively.

(Image credit: Trackimo)

Trackimo's real-time tracker not only tracks the vehicle's location but also calculates the amount of time the vehicle is idling. This can help businesses identify reasons for fuel waste and coach drivers towards more efficient driving habits.

Trackimo offers user-friendly and feature-rich vehicle tracking software. It allows you to add up to 100 vehicles at a time and efficiently tracks their location and route. It also alerts you if a vehicle exceeds a preset speed limit.

(Image credit: Trackimo)

Some of the key features of Trackimo are as follows:

Efficient route planning: Trackimo helps organizations plan routes efficiently and automatically, reducing the workload of dispatchers. Proper route planning promotes cost-efficiency, as well-planned routes save on fuel costs and result in timely deliveries, which leads to higher customer satisfaction.

Employee safety: Trackimo’s GPS devices have an SOS button that sends an immediate alert to the operator in case of an emergency. The operator can also track the driver’s location and activity remotely, which further ensures their safety and well-being.

Reports: Trackimo's detailed reports on driver performance, fuel consumption, distance traveled, vehicle idling, maintenance, engine hours, and more can help decision-makers stay aware of even the smallest issues with their fleet operations. Decisions like replacing a vehicle, coaching or rewarding a driver, maintenance, and more can be easily made based on the trends in these reports. Trackimo offers customizable reports based on your requirements to ensure that even the smallest fleet operation can be tracked.

Driver visibility and vehicle tracking: Real-time tracking of vehicles allows operators and administrators to be aware of wear and tear issues, so they can arrange for timely servicing and maintenance of the vehicle and its vital parts such as the engine, battery, and tires. This also helps to reduce shrinkage and also track overtime, ensuring that eligible drivers are fairly compensated for the additional hours at work.

 

Trackimo’s fleet management solution also includes the ability to add points of interest and landmarks to a map, a roadmap view that shows the routes of all vehicles in an area, and a fleet summary that provides a comprehensive overview of the entire fleet’s current status.

Trackimo 2

(Image credit: Trackimo)

Trackimo: Support

Trackimo offers support via a dedicated helpline number, and online ticket system. The support team works from 10am to 1am EST on weekdays. We did not find chat or direct email options, nor an expected response time. While the company is present on various social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, its accounts on these sites are largely dormant without recent updates.

The company has a help center on its website that includes a variety of frequently asked questions and a user manual for self-help.

Trackimo: Final verdict

Trackimo provides a wide range of products and services to meet the needs of a variety of users, with its fleet management solution being the best fit for small and medium-sized fleets.

Trackimo is not accredited with Better Business Bureau, but the portal has rated the business with an 'A+' grade, due to its overall few complaints.

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Egnyte cloud storage review
10:09 am | June 24, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Egnyte is aimed squarely at business users, with an emphasis on data management, user profiles, controlled access, regulatory compliance, and everything else that businesses are going to be concerned with. It also throws a very impressive online web app into the mix. 

Egnyte Connect is one of the best cloud storage and file management tools, while Egnyte Protect is the matching governance part that enforces data protection and regulatory compliance. Here we'll be concentrating mainly on the 'Connect' part of the platform. 

Egnyte: Pricing & plans

First things first - this is purely a business platform, which makes pricing look high initially. However, the extensive list of features, security and regulation compliance that are built-in gives it extra value. There’s no free cloud storage option, but you’ll find four tiers with incrementally more features, which are all billed annually. 

During our previous review we saw lower tier example pricing based on 10 users, with Team costing $1,200 per year and Business costing $2,400 per year. Enterprise Lite and Enterprise plans are based on 50 users, costing $21,000 and $36,000 per year respectively. Since our last review, the pricing page no longer indicates amounts but instead prompts users to sign up for a trial or contact the company for a quote. 

You can sign up for a 15-day free trial without giving up your payment details which offers reassurance that this really is a trial to get to know the product before committing long-term. 

There are other advantages to choosing a higher tier, including multi-factor authentication and better support options. If you've got more than 100 employees or you need additional features such as an archiving service or more advanced user management, then you need to contact Egnyte directly for a quote.

Some subscriptions have access to additional, paid services, including SMS two-factor authentication and mobile PDF annotation.

(Image credit: Egnyte)

Egnyte: Interface

It's hard to imagine a cleaner or speedier interface than the one Egnyte serves up, with quick and straightforward access to your files and folders. 

Whether you need to add a comment to a document, or share a folder with a colleague, or assign a task to someone on your team, Egnyte handles it very smoothly. It's one of the best and most modern-looking interfaces we've seen when it comes to cloud storage services. 

Viewing common file types inside the browser is no problem, nor is adding comments to files whenever you need to. We used this preview feature to open two audio files in our test folder and they played without issue. 

The quality of the Egnyte interface extends to the excellent user management and system reporting tools. Everything is neatly laid out and easy to access, so you can see exactly what you need to – which files and folders are shared with whom, recent file activity on your drive, who has permission to do what, how much of your total storage has been used up, and so on and so on. 

Rather than occupying space on your hard drive, Egnyte creates a network storage device helping to reduce the pressure on your built-in drive, which isn’t always the case with cloud backup and storage solutions.

When it comes to the desktop clients for Windows and macOS, and the mobile apps for Android and iOS, these are a bit more basic in functionality, though similarly well designed. The apps don't really match up to the web interface in your browser, but then again they don't really need to. Users can select offline access for the files they need, which is handy for balancing local storage. As we noted, you can also quickly sync files through right clicking on any folder. 

We are pleased with the mobile-specific settings that help users to manage the typically smaller local storage available, including the option to clear all cache and data, an overall limit for the Egnyte app to occupy on your device, and automatic deletion of files after a specified time. File size warnings are also available for mobile and wifi networks separately, which is useful for those with restricted data plans.

It’s worth noting that M1 Mac users need to take a few additional steps to enable the deeper integration required by the desktop client, which involves booting the computer up in a reduced security mode. This was easy enough to set up following some on-screen instructions.

(Image credit: Egnyte)

Egnyte: Features 

At the simplest level, Egnyte is a web app for accessing a file system that you can administer as needed, as well as desktop sync applications that make locally stored files travel automatically to the cloud. 

Dig a little deeper, and the strength of the service is in the detail of how those files are controlled and distributed, and how Egnyte splices very elegantly into the other software tools that many companies already use.

For example, documents in both Microsoft 365 and Google Docs can be created through the Egnyte web interface in the cloud. This means real-time online collaboration tools when working with other team members. These can be locked from modification by other users while you're editing them, too. 

There are mobile apps for Android and iOS, and hundreds of other integrations, including Salesforce, Slack, SAP, Gmail, Zoho, SharePoint Online, Active Directory, OneNote, AutoCAD, Freshdesk, Trello, Confluence, RightSignature and more, which is why this cloud backup tool is best valued by businesses.

When it comes to the desktop sync tools, you have to move files to the designated drive on your system. The desktop client creates a drive named Egnyte (in our tests on a Windows 11 machine this defaulted to drive letter 'Y'). 

One feature that really impressed us was the ability to right click on any folder and choose ‘Connect to Egnyte’ to automatically begin syncing, although the sync process itself had more mixed results (see below). 

Still, most of the key features and options that you'll need are accessible through the excellent web interface rather than the apps for desktop or mobile. Old versions of files can be recovered if needed, and there's support for offline files (with the integration of a NAS, if needed) that you can turn to should your internet connection go down. Sharing files and folders is straightforward too, and very well managed.

Egnyte is very strong in terms of individual user management and regulatory compliance too, again emphasizing just how appealing it's likely to be to business users, more so than smaller teams and individuals such as self-employed workers. Through extra apps and inherent design, Egnyte has considered most of the scenarios that a business will encounter if they move to cloud storage from a conventional file server model, and an API for connecting with bespoke software solutions is available as well, helping to make the transfer to a cloud-based platform smoother.

Regardless of the subscription level, file sizes are limited to 100GB which we find to be limiting for larger businesses dealing with large media files. That said, a 100GB file is especially large and most businesses may never need to exceed this.

(Image credit: Egnyte)

Egnyte: Security

Security is an area where Egnyte offers a top-drawer service: the company claims that all customer files live in a Tier II SSAE-16 compliant facility, encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption with the option to be further protected with extra authentication layers (if you have one of the plans supporting more users). 

Top-tier users get Egnyte Key Management, where encryption keys can live elsewhere – like Amazon Cloud HSM or Microsoft Azure Key, for example.

As always, those that want to take responsibility for their own keys need to realize that should the key be lost, those files will be encrypted for eternity, effectively – that's the downside of complete, end-to-end encryption. 

Data in transit is protected by 256-Bit SSL encryption according to the Egnyte website, though we assume that TLS is used in practice as it's more modern and secure. 

Egnyte also excels at the smaller security stuff, such as control over who has access to files and folders at a very granular level. Sharing with clients and vendors is fully audited and easily revocable. Data from computers and mobile devices can be remotely wiped too.

Zero-knowledge encryption - available on some other cloud platforms - isn’t available with Egnyte, however this does come with certain trade-offs in terms of integrations and other features. 

We think most businesses would prefer the more extensive list of features found within Egnyte. However, if you’re in need of zero-knowledge security, you may want to look elsewhere. Egnyte does offer Enterprise Level key management so that users can keep control of their keys, although it stops short of promising the kind of full client-side encryption that would be needed for them to truly be unable to access any customer files. 

Admins have access to various logs - as do users for their own accounts - including logins, uploads, downloads, and file sharing, helping users to monitor any compromises from their end, too. Because different countries have different privacy regulations, data is either stored in a US or European data center.

Egnyte: Our tests 

We tested Egnyte across three core areas, measuring sync speed, file recovery and versioning. These tests were performed on a Windows 11 virtual machine running the Egnyte desktop client. Our VM was connected to the internet via fiber broadband and a VPN server, which consistently showed an average upload speed of 70 Mbps  

Egnyte cloud storage being put through its paces by TechRadar Pro

(Image credit: Egnyte)
  • Test 1 - Sync speed

For our initial test, we copied a 650 MB folder into the application directory. We then measured how quickly the desktop client was able to sync the files to the cloud. 

In our original tests in 2022, we were pleased with the upload and download speeds using both the desktop client and browser portal. We managed to upload a 1GB test file in less than five minutes on macOS - one of the fastest speeds we’ve encountered. 

A sub-one-minute download time - using our stable 350Mbps connection - for the same file is equally impressive, convincing us that this a powerful tool that should be able to keep up with most business’s needs. 

There’s the option for limiting bandwidth in order to preserve some speed for other network-reliant tasks. But, left to its own devices, it seems that only your Internet connection is likely to be the primary limiting factor for syncing files.

Our latest tests weren't quite so successful. We right clicked the folder containing our test files and chose ‘Connect to Egnyte’ to begin syncing. The desktop client took around 2 minutes to upload the first 21 but became stuck on one rather large (208MB) audio file. We closed and relaunched the client but still it failed to upload fully to the cloud.

In order to give Egnyte the benefit of the doubt, we tried uploading the same files directly via the web interface. 17 of the 22 files uploaded within 2 minutes, including the one which had flummoxed the desktop client but five of the MP3 files showed as upload failed.   

We aren't sure if this issue relates specifically to the files we tried to upload or to an issue with Egnyte, so encourage you to carry out your own tests before paying for a subscription.

  • Test 2 - File recovery 

Having struggled with syncing, we're pleased to say that file recovery was much simpler. We focused on the test files which had been uploaded successfully to the web interface. On a related note, making things a bit easier is a great perk from Egnyte: you receive a personalized subdomain to access the online portal. 

We selected all the files and chose ‘Move to Trash’. Once they appeared there it was a simple matter to choose Restore. Files are always restored to their original locations. 

Egnyte cloud storage being put through its paces by TechRadar Pro

(Image credit: Egnyte)
  • Test 3 - Versioning

Versioning is a really important feature, especially if you’re making a lot of changes to files and need to view previous versions. 

To test file versioning in Egnyte, we right-clicked our test document - a .docx file - to try syncing through the ‘Connect to Egnyte’ option. However, it seems this isn't available for files.

After creating a special folder just for the test document though, we were able to get syncing underway. We then opened the local file, removed all text except the intro, saved and quit. The desktop client showed this change had been synced immediately.

When we logged in via the online cloud portal, we selected the file and found ‘Versions and History’. From here we chose the ‘make current’ option next to the original file to revert to the unmodified version. The process was extremely quick and simple. 

Egnyte: Verdict 

What works best about Egnyte is that it hasn't been tempted down the path of adding too many features: while it might at first glance seem a little sparse in terms of what you get compared with alternatives from the likes of Google or Microsoft, Egnyte smartly focuses on what businesses need most from a cloud storage system, and then delivers it.

In other words, it gets out of the way. Files and folders are managed in the cloud, and the responsibility for keeping them safe and secure is with Egnyte, not spread around a combination of other companies and internal IT staff. 

While we had some issues syncing data in our most recent tests, this doesn't detract from the fact that the clean interface and flexibility of Egnyte makes it a powerful cloud storage tool. 

Using this service is all about having the confidence to hand over responsibilities to an external company, and Egnyte does more than most to earn that trust - it's certainly one of the best business orientated solutions for those wanting to transition away from internal file server technologies. 

Brickhouse Security review
12:45 pm | June 23, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Security | Comments: Off

Brickhouse Security is a New York-based company that offers GPS fleet tracking services. Founded in 2005, the company offers various security and tracking solutions. A trusted brand in the US, Brickhouse Security offers services to over 80% of Fortune 500 companies, along with 2,500+ government agencies. Furthermore, the firm also boasts over 40,000 companies globally as its clients.

Brickhouse Security sells a wide variety of tracking hardware including GPS trackers, surveillance cameras and other security systems. These products are plug-and-play vehicle tracking devices, as well as advanced hardware and software solutions tailored to specific business requirements.

(Image credit: Brickhouse Security)

Brickhouse Security: Pricing

Brickhouse Security offers a diverse range of hardware options with pricing starting at $29.99 for the Livewire Dash GPS Vehicle Tracker. This tracker provides updates every 60 seconds and offers access to highly detailed reports on your fleet's travel history. Unfortunately, it does not list specific monthly pricing tiers on its website.

However, Brickhouse offers a free demo for companies to test out its services and products. Their products also come with free, unlimited lifetime technical support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

(Image credit: Brickhouse Security)

Brickhouse Security: Features

Brickhouse Security offers smart GPS fleet tracking services equipped with features that will likely meet the requirements of most businesses. These solutions not only efficiently track and manage assets on the move, but also help clients optimize their workforce, fleet, and enhance cost efficiency.

Brickhouse Security’s solution aims to help clients with:

  • Reducing the number of traffic and compliance violations
  • Reducing fuel expenses by managing routes efficiently
  • Efficiently handling dispatch and scheduling
  • Improving the vehicle’s lifespan
  • Ensuring driver safety
  • Providing driver training on better driving habits

The company offers a wide variety of customizable reports, such as efficiency reports, vehicle maintenance reports, safety reports, and driver scorecards. These reports can significantly help key decision-makers in optimizing fleet operations.

Brickhouse Security offers a cloud-based solution that can be accessed from anywhere using any device. The solution is accessible via the web, which hosts two different platforms. TrackView is applicable for clients who joined before October 2019, and customers who signed up after October can log in to the newer LocateGPS dashboard. The company also offers a mobile app for Android and iOS.

The company offers both hardwired as well as battery-powered GPS trackers, all dependent on 4G for connectivity.

(Image credit: Brickhouse Security)

The key features of Brickhouse Security are:

Real-time tracking: Real-time tracking allows operators to stay in control of the fleet, ensure drivers adhere to their assigned routes, and assist them in case of any issues. It also keeps them informed about the ETA, traffic status, and delays, and allows them to efficiently dispatch the nearest vehicle to the job site.

Reducing costs: Efficiently managing your fleet results in reduced fuel costs, leading to an overall reduction in expenses. Features like geofencing ensure that drivers follow their designated route, and detailed reports like idling reports help identify where fuel is being wasted. Optimizing routes also helps as drivers often have a favored route which may not always be the most fuel-efficient.

ELD compliance: Brickhouse Security offers an ELD compliant tracking solution that helps reduce penalties during roadside inspections. By electronically recording drivers' Hours of Service (HoS), vehicle log errors, and more, the solution reduces paperwork and improves compliance.

Variety of tracking hardware: Brickhouse Security provides a diverse range of tracking solutions, including hardwired options for compliance requirements, plug-and-play devices, and battery-operated trackers. This allows companies to optimize hardware costs and choose the appropriate tracker based on the specific needs of each vehicle. 

Geo-fencing: While a basic feature with all GPS tracking solutions, Brickhouse Security allows you to create a geo-fence for every asset. Every time an asset enters or exits the designated area, the system alerts the operators instantly. 

Technical support: Brickhouse Security offers free and lifetime technical support for all the hardware it sells. Unfortunately, Brickhouse Security doesn’t specify if the support is available on-site as well.

(Image credit: Brickhouse Security)

Brickhouse Security: Customer Support

Brickhouse Security’s support team can be reached via a direct call, chat, email or SMS. The company has a toll-free number for calls and texts in the US, plus an international helpline. There is a live chat option as well, and both the call center and live chat team are available between 10am to 7pm on weekdays.

Additionally, the website hosts a comprehensive Knowledge Base for troubleshooting common problems. While Brickhouse's social media accounts are not very active, its YouTube channel is occasionally updated.

Brickhouse Security: Final verdict

Brickhouse Security has an impressive line-up of customers, including many major businesses. It offers a plethora of hardware devices that come with free and lifetime technical support. Unfortunately, it does not prioritize marketing and releasing new content for its social media platforms. 

Despite being accredited by the Better Business Bureau, Brickhouse Security lacks substantial reviews on the Bureau's platform, which may pose challenges for consumers seeking user-based feedback before making a purchase. However, it's noteworthy that it has a commendably low number of complaints, an incredible feat for a company as old and as big as Brickhouse Security.

Hola Free VPN review
7:03 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Security | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Sign up with a regular VPN and you'll probably expect access to a carefully managed network of high-powered dedicated servers, while support for the very latest encryption and protocols blocks all unauthorized access to your traffic.

Hola isn't like that at all.

The Israeli company describes its offering as a "community powered (Peer-to-Peer) VPN". You'll get to choose a destination country from a list of 41 options, but Hola routes your traffic through other Hola user's computers, rather than its own network.

The service is much more basic than other VPNs – there is no P2P support, no dedicated IPs, no port forwarding – but there are some possible benefits, especially if you're looking to unblock Netflix or other sites or platforms.

Conventional VPNs often struggle with unblocking, exactly because they route their traffic through relatively few servers. Having large numbers of users with the same data center IP addresses makes them easy to detect and block.

But with Hola, your traffic could be routed through any of thousands of ordinary devices in ordinary homes. From the website's point of view, your browsing looks no different to its other visitors, which means you're far less likely to get annoying "unavailable in your region"-type warnings.

One obvious concern here is that although you get to use the bandwidth of other Hola nodes, they can also use yours. This isn't just regular internet users looking to stream TV shows in other countries. Hola also makes money by selling some of your bandwidth to businesses, as a reliable way to access web data from around the world.

Plenty of people don't like this idea on principle. The approach has created some very bad Hola-related headlines in the past, and left the company with a horrible reputation for privacy.

From a practical point of view, though, Hola shouldn't have much impact on your system. The company points out that it only routes traffic through devices if they're completely idle and not running on battery power, and even then, Hola doesn't use more than 3MB data on mobile devices, 100MB on desktops.

There’s still scope for problems. If your system becomes the exit node for another Hola user who's hacking, sending spam or downloading something illegal, for instance, your IP address may be recorded as the offender.

Fortunately, if you like the concept of Hola, there's a simple way to avoid the risk: switch from a free plan to a paid option and you won't have to share bandwidth.

Privacy

Hola collects quite a bit of data about its users online activity (Image credit: Hola)

Pricing

Hola is available in a free plan, but this has many issues. It allows others to use your bandwidth, displays regular popups while you're connected, and limits the usage you can make of the service each day.

Uncomfortable with that? Then we'd really recommend you sign up with a real VPN, but if for some reason you're keen on Hola, you can also upgrade to Hola Premium. 

The service supports Windows, Mac, iOS and some Android devices, and can be set up to run on routers, gaming consoles, smart TVs and more. Hola Premium allows you to connect up to 10 of these devices simultaneously, and as you're a paying customer, no one else will be able to use your bandwidth.

Prices start high at $14.99 billed monthly, or an equivalent $7.69 on the annual plan. You could sign up with ExpressVPN, a vastly superior service which actually will protect your privacy, for a very similar price ($12.95 monthly, $8.32 on the annual plan.)

Hola's pricing is designed to push you to the three-year plan, though, which is far cheaper at $2.99 a month. That's good value, but again, you can get far better VPNs for much less. 

The excellent Private Internet Access gives you three years plus three free months for $2.03 a month, for example. That translates to 39 months of coverage for $79, while Hola offers 36 months for $107.55.

The Hola Ultra plan allows connecting up to 20 devices, and adds support for Smart DNS and 4K streaming. Sounds reasonable, at least until you see the very high prices: $29.99 billed monthly, $19.99 on the annual plan, $7.99 over three years. Private Internet supports unlimited devices, also has smart DNS and should have no difficulty with 4K streaming, all from barely a quarter of the price.

If you do decide to sign up, Hola's payment options include credit card, PayPal, Google Pay and more.

Hola has a money-back guarantee, but beware, this only applies if you've never made a single Hola Premium connection, and you make your claim within 14 days of purchase. Most VPNs allow you to use the service as much as you like for a full 30 days to decide if the service is right for you.

Privacy and logging

In theory, signing up with a VPN can be a great way to shield your browsing from snoopers.

In practice, there's a problem. Sure, using a VPN prevents your ISP from tracking what you're doing, but it also gives your provider a perfect chance to do the same. That's why it's important to check that your chosen VPN doesn't log any of your online activities.

We took a look at Hola's Privacy Policy,  and quickly realized this is as far away from a 'no log' VPN as it's possible to get.

When you use the service, for example, the policy says Hola might log your IP address, operating system, browser type, the web pages you visit, when you arrive, and how much time you spend on each one.

If this is a mobile device, Hola also makes a careful note of all your installed apps.

Hola says it doesn't 'rent or sell any Personal Information', but that's not as reassuring as it sounds. The company also says it may share Personal Information with 'subsidiaries' and 'affiliated companies.' Even if Hola doesn't rent or sell your data, that doesn't tell you what these other companies might be doing with it.

There's another potential catch. In data protection terms, "Personal Information" refers to items that identify an individual, so Hola is telling us that it won't sell user contact details. Your browsing history isn’t necessarily 'Personal Information', though, and there's nothing here that says Hola can't sell it, or "share" it with an "affiliated company" for some other purpose.

It gets worse (no, really.) Hola says it may also share your Personal Information and other data to comply with legal requests or to detect fraud or violations of its policies. So not only might the company hand your browsing history over if the authorities ask, but it also reserves the right to analyze it for potential 'violations.'

Still in any doubt? Compare the Chrome Store 'Privacy practices' page for NordVPN and Hola. The NordVPN page says it will not collect or use your data. Hola's says it collects personally identifiable information, financial and payment information, authentication information, personal communications, location, web history, and user activity.

Put it all together, and if you care at all about privacy, Hola is clearly not the service for you. Check out the best free VPNs for far more trustworthy providers who'll genuinely protect your privacy rather than compromise it.

Hola Browser

Hola provides its users with a custom version of the Chromium browser (Image credit: Hola)

Security

Hola protects your web traffic using the IKEV2 protocol by default, and the Hola site says apps can also fall back to the older PPTP/L2TP protocols if IKEv2 won't connect.

This gets you AES-256 encryption with relatively basic SHA1 integrity checks. Hola's Windows app allowed us to customize encryption settings, so you can switch to SHA256 or SHA384, for instance. But the app also offers some very poor choices, including MD5 hashing and DES3 encryption, a near 50-year-old protocol which is so vulnerable to attack that NIST says it should no longer be used. (You don't have to select these, but there's always a chance someone might do so by accident, and we're struggling to see why they're on the list at all.)

Although Hola's default encryption settings are enough to, say, shield your web traffic on public Wi-Fi, they can't match the security you'll get with the top VPN competitions. Most providers use leading edge protocols such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, for instance. PPTP and L2TP are so insecure that the bulk of the industry dropped them long, long ago, and although IKEv2 isn't a bad option, it's also on the way out. (NordVPN began removing IKEv2 support in June 2023, for instance, as it doesn't offer the best security.)

Hola apps

Hola has apps for Windows, Mac, and iOS devices, but the Android situation is more uncertain. Hola has apps available on the Samsung Galaxy and Huawei stores, but not Google Play.

Confusingly, we noticed a 'Hola VPN Proxy Unblocker' app on Google Play, which uses an old Hola logo to add a little more legitimacy, but has nothing to do with the real Hola company. We would expect Hola to make more of an effort to detect bogus apps trying to cash in on its name, but in the meantime, download apps directly from the setup links on Hola's website, and if you're using Android, install the Chrome extension instead.

Hola's mobile and desktop apps (stripped-down versions of Chromium) have a plain but very familiar interface: a big On/ Off button, a list of locations underneath, and a handful of icons for tasks such as managing your account or tweaking a few settings. If you've used another VPN app you'll figure it out immediately and even if you're a total VPN newbie, it'll only take a minute or two.

One of the reasons the apps are so straightforward is they have almost no features. The Location menu is a simple list of countries with a search box, for instance: there's no server load information, no ping times, no Recent Locations list, no Sort option, no Favorites system, no 'right-click a Hola icon and choose a country' option, nothing else at all.

Sometimes Windows VPN apps hide useful features away in a Settings box, but Hola's options are relatively basic. There's the usual 'launch with Windows' and "automatically connect" settings; an App Kill Switch to close specific apps if the VPN unexpectedly drops, and (as we discussed above) some largely unnecessary encryption options, but that's about it. If you're hoping for split tunneling, "auto-connect on accessing Wi-Fi", ad blocking, DNS tweaks, or anything similar, then prepare for disappointment.

Simplicity can work if what you get works well, for instance, but that's not the case here. The app took an average of 15 seconds to connect, for instance; that would quickly wear down our patience, especially when ExpressVPN's Windows app took around one second on the same system.

Occasionally the app didn't connect at all, displaying a cryptic "there was an internal authentication error" message, along with what looked like a clickable "try again" link (although clicking this did nothing.) We found a "Fix connection" menu option that fixed these connection issues, which is better than nothing, although we're struggling to see why the app didn't automatically use that when its initial connection failed.

Overall, the apps are both far more basic and far less professional than most of the VPN competition. Even if you just want to connect to your nearest server and do nothing else at all, there are many far better and more reliable options elsewhere in the VPN world.

Hola Chrome extension

The simplest way to sample Hola is via its Chrome, Opera or Edge browser extensions. Hand over your email address to create a free account, and you can begin unblocking sites immediately.

The extension is very easy to use. Tap a shortcut to common destinations such as Netflix, or enter the domain you'd like to unblock, and Hola connects and takes you there immediately.

This worked well for us, and we managed to view exclusive Netflix content in the US, Australia, and Canada from our UK location.

The free version has some annoyances and limitations. It popped up alerts every 10 minutes, for instance. After 30 minutes, we also had to wait for a 60-second countdown. There's also a limit on your usage per day, although this doesn't appear to be fixed. Many reports say you can only use the service for an hour, but Hola doesn't give a figure, and we made it to around 75 minutes before the clock ran out.

Still, if you've a quick and easy task in mind—checking Twitter when it's blocked on your network, say—then Hola is one of the more reliable free ways to make that happen.

DNS leak and kill switch tests

A VPN must shield all your traffic from snoopers, and in part that means directing all your DNS queries (the requests which translate domains like techradar.com to IP addresses) through the VPN's encrypted tunnel.

We checked Hola for problems with DNSLeakTest.com, DNSLeak.com, IPLeak.net, and others, but none of them spotted any DNS, WebRTC or other leaks.

Hola's Windows app includes an application kill switch to close specified apps if it detects the connection has dropped. You could get Hola to close your browser if the VPN failed, for instance, to reduce the chance that your browsing might be unprotected.

Although this approach has some value, we prefer the full system kill switch you'll get with most VPNs. If Surfshark's connection drops, for instance, its kill switch automatically blocks all internet activity on your device, without you having to manually specify every possible process with a network connection (a very good idea, because there are way more than you think).

To test this, we added an app to the kill switch, connected to Hola, and then turned our router off and on to simulate a network failure. The app didn't react for more than a minute, then switched its display to show that the VPN was off. It didn't raise a notification to warn us, though, and the kill switch had no effect, either: our target app continued to run as normal.

We tried manually closing Hola's connection, instead. The app reconnected, but the lengthy connection time meant our traffic could be unprotected for several seconds. 

We expect a decent VPN app to at least display a notification when it spots the disconnect, then tell us that it's redialling, and when the connection is established. Hola's Windows app just displayed its status as 'On' at all times, with no alerts or notifications to tell us when we were (or were not) protected. And again, despite the service reconnecting (so it must have known the VPN had dropped), the app kill switch had no effect.

While this doesn't prove the kill switch is entirely useless - maybe it activates in other situations that we didn't test - it's still a very poor performance overall. A simple notification if the connection drops would at least allow the user to stop what they were doing, if necessary, but the app couldn't even manage that.

Unblocking

Hola was able to unblock many popular streaming sites in our tests but you're limited to just an hour per day unless you upgrade to a paid plan (Image credit: Hola)

Netflix and streaming

Hola sells itself mostly on the ability to unblock top websites, especially Netflix and other streaming platforms.

We found Hola's free browser extension successfully unblocked Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan.

Hola Premium works a little differently, so we ran some extra tests. It also allowed us to view exclusive Netflix content in the US, UK, Canada, and Japan, and with Australia on its second try (having to retry is a hassle, but as long as a service is unblocked at least once in three connections, we count it as a pass.) The app got us easy access to a couple of other top US platforms in Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. It worked with regional sites including Australia's 9Now and 10 Play, and the UK's BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4.

That's an excellent set of results, but some other services are just as effective. Private Internet Access also unblocked 100% of our test streaming platforms when we last checked, for instance, for a fraction of the cost of Hola Premium.

Hulu

We replaced our normal speed tests for this review and streamed 4K video from popular streaming sites to determine Hola's performance (Image credit: Hola)

Performance

We measure the top speed of any VPN by running multiple top performance tests (SpeedTest.net, Cloudflare, Measurement Lab, and more) from a UK data center with a 1 Gbps internet connection.

Hola's download speeds averaged around 180 Mbps to 240 Mbps, more or less what we'd expect for an IKEv2 connection.

Providers who support WireGuard or similar protocols can be much faster. For example, NordVPN and Surfshark all reached over 950 Mbps in their most recent tests. But, realistically, Hola's performance is more than enough for browsing, streaming, and most other web tasks.

Support

If Hola doesn't work for you, there are a couple of ways to get some help and advice.

Hola's web-based Help Center is a searchable support site with articles on installation, troubleshooting, billing, and more.

There's a lot of information on offer. The Setup Guide area has sections for 11 platforms, for instance, many with step-by-step advice on how to get Hola running.

But there are also some significant problems. We couldn't find even a mention of Hola's Windows kill switch, for instance, or some of its other more advanced features. And although Google removed Hola from the Play Store long ago, Hola still hasn't removed its "Get Hola for Android" link. Clicking it now leads you to a 'we can't find that page' link; very unprofessional.

There's no live chat, but paying customers can contact Hola's support team via email (free users are stuck with the website, unfortunately).

We fired off a message explaining that our Windows app kill switch didn't work, we'd uninstalled and reinstalled with no change, and asked what to try next.

A reply arrived about 8 hours later. That's a reasonable response time, but the reply wasn't the best. Instead of simply accepting what we said or sounding apologetic, the agent began: "I have tested the app kill switch and it works as it should." Saying to a customer who has a problem, "Well it works for me," is never going to create the best impression.

Still, we were intrigued. we responded "How did you test the kill switch?" hoping to get help improving our own tests. But, for some reason, our agent didn't want to explain exactly what he had done, and four days and no reply later, we finally gave up.

Final verdict

 Yes, Hola can unblock most websites, but at what cost? The free version requires you to share your IP address, bandwidth and browsing history with the company (and who knows else), while the paid edition charges 2-3 times as much as some top providers, yet still has more logging than almost anyone else. Run (don't work) to our Best VPN list and choose a provider who will care about your privacy, rather than trash it. 

Hola Free VPN review
7:03 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Security | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Sign up with a regular VPN and you'll probably expect access to a carefully managed network of high-powered dedicated servers, while support for the very latest encryption and protocols blocks all unauthorized access to your traffic.

Hola isn't like that at all.

The Israeli company describes its offering as a "community powered (Peer-to-Peer) VPN". You'll get to choose a destination country from a list of 41 options, but Hola routes your traffic through other Hola user's computers, rather than its own network.

The service is much more basic than other VPNs – there is no P2P support, no dedicated IPs, no port forwarding – but there are some possible benefits, especially if you're looking to unblock Netflix or other sites or platforms.

Conventional VPNs often struggle with unblocking, exactly because they route their traffic through relatively few servers. Having large numbers of users with the same data center IP addresses makes them easy to detect and block.

But with Hola, your traffic could be routed through any of thousands of ordinary devices in ordinary homes. From the website's point of view, your browsing looks no different to its other visitors, which means you're far less likely to get annoying "unavailable in your region"-type warnings.

One obvious concern here is that although you get to use the bandwidth of other Hola nodes, they can also use yours. This isn't just regular internet users looking to stream TV shows in other countries. Hola also makes money by selling some of your bandwidth to businesses, as a reliable way to access web data from around the world.

Plenty of people don't like this idea on principle. The approach has created some very bad Hola-related headlines in the past, and left the company with a horrible reputation for privacy.

From a practical point of view, though, Hola shouldn't have much impact on your system. The company points out that it only routes traffic through devices if they're completely idle and not running on battery power, and even then, Hola doesn't use more than 3MB data on mobile devices, 100MB on desktops.

There’s still scope for problems. If your system becomes the exit node for another Hola user who's hacking, sending spam or downloading something illegal, for instance, your IP address may be recorded as the offender.

Fortunately, if you like the concept of Hola, there's a simple way to avoid the risk: switch from a free plan to a paid option and you won't have to share bandwidth.

Privacy

Hola collects quite a bit of data about its users online activity (Image credit: Hola)

Pricing

Hola is available in a free plan, but this has many issues. It allows others to use your bandwidth, displays regular popups while you're connected, and limits the usage you can make of the service each day.

Uncomfortable with that? Then we'd really recommend you sign up with a real VPN, but if for some reason you're keen on Hola, you can also upgrade to Hola Premium. 

The service supports Windows, Mac, iOS and some Android devices, and can be set up to run on routers, gaming consoles, smart TVs and more. Hola Premium allows you to connect up to 10 of these devices simultaneously, and as you're a paying customer, no one else will be able to use your bandwidth.

Prices start high at $14.99 billed monthly, or an equivalent $7.69 on the annual plan. You could sign up with ExpressVPN, a vastly superior service which actually will protect your privacy, for a very similar price ($12.95 monthly, $8.32 on the annual plan.)

Hola's pricing is designed to push you to the three-year plan, though, which is far cheaper at $2.99 a month. That's good value, but again, you can get far better VPNs for much less. 

The excellent Private Internet Access gives you three years plus three free months for $2.03 a month, for example. That translates to 39 months of coverage for $79, while Hola offers 36 months for $107.55.

The Hola Ultra plan allows connecting up to 20 devices, and adds support for Smart DNS and 4K streaming. Sounds reasonable, at least until you see the very high prices: $29.99 billed monthly, $19.99 on the annual plan, $7.99 over three years. Private Internet supports unlimited devices, also has smart DNS and should have no difficulty with 4K streaming, all from barely a quarter of the price.

If you do decide to sign up, Hola's payment options include credit card, PayPal, Google Pay and more.

Hola has a money-back guarantee, but beware, this only applies if you've never made a single Hola Premium connection, and you make your claim within 14 days of purchase. Most VPNs allow you to use the service as much as you like for a full 30 days to decide if the service is right for you.

Privacy and logging

In theory, signing up with a VPN can be a great way to shield your browsing from snoopers.

In practice, there's a problem. Sure, using a VPN prevents your ISP from tracking what you're doing, but it also gives your provider a perfect chance to do the same. That's why it's important to check that your chosen VPN doesn't log any of your online activities.

We took a look at Hola's Privacy Policy,  and quickly realized this is as far away from a 'no log' VPN as it's possible to get.

When you use the service, for example, the policy says Hola might log your IP address, operating system, browser type, the web pages you visit, when you arrive, and how much time you spend on each one.

If this is a mobile device, Hola also makes a careful note of all your installed apps.

Hola says it doesn't 'rent or sell any Personal Information', but that's not as reassuring as it sounds. The company also says it may share Personal Information with 'subsidiaries' and 'affiliated companies.' Even if Hola doesn't rent or sell your data, that doesn't tell you what these other companies might be doing with it.

There's another potential catch. In data protection terms, "Personal Information" refers to items that identify an individual, so Hola is telling us that it won't sell user contact details. Your browsing history isn’t necessarily 'Personal Information', though, and there's nothing here that says Hola can't sell it, or "share" it with an "affiliated company" for some other purpose.

It gets worse (no, really.) Hola says it may also share your Personal Information and other data to comply with legal requests or to detect fraud or violations of its policies. So not only might the company hand your browsing history over if the authorities ask, but it also reserves the right to analyze it for potential 'violations.'

Still in any doubt? Compare the Chrome Store 'Privacy practices' page for NordVPN and Hola. The NordVPN page says it will not collect or use your data. Hola's says it collects personally identifiable information, financial and payment information, authentication information, personal communications, location, web history, and user activity.

Put it all together, and if you care at all about privacy, Hola is clearly not the service for you. Check out the best free VPNs for far more trustworthy providers who'll genuinely protect your privacy rather than compromise it.

Hola Browser

Hola provides its users with a custom version of the Chromium browser (Image credit: Hola)

Security

Hola protects your web traffic using the IKEV2 protocol by default, and the Hola site says apps can also fall back to the older PPTP/L2TP protocols if IKEv2 won't connect.

This gets you AES-256 encryption with relatively basic SHA1 integrity checks. Hola's Windows app allowed us to customize encryption settings, so you can switch to SHA256 or SHA384, for instance. But the app also offers some very poor choices, including MD5 hashing and DES3 encryption, a near 50-year-old protocol which is so vulnerable to attack that NIST says it should no longer be used. (You don't have to select these, but there's always a chance someone might do so by accident, and we're struggling to see why they're on the list at all.)

Although Hola's default encryption settings are enough to, say, shield your web traffic on public Wi-Fi, they can't match the security you'll get with the top VPN competitions. Most providers use leading edge protocols such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, for instance. PPTP and L2TP are so insecure that the bulk of the industry dropped them long, long ago, and although IKEv2 isn't a bad option, it's also on the way out. (NordVPN began removing IKEv2 support in June 2023, for instance, as it doesn't offer the best security.)

Hola apps

Hola has apps for Windows, Mac, and iOS devices, but the Android situation is more uncertain. Hola has apps available on the Samsung Galaxy and Huawei stores, but not Google Play.

Confusingly, we noticed a 'Hola VPN Proxy Unblocker' app on Google Play, which uses an old Hola logo to add a little more legitimacy, but has nothing to do with the real Hola company. We would expect Hola to make more of an effort to detect bogus apps trying to cash in on its name, but in the meantime, download apps directly from the setup links on Hola's website, and if you're using Android, install the Chrome extension instead.

Hola's mobile and desktop apps (stripped-down versions of Chromium) have a plain but very familiar interface: a big On/ Off button, a list of locations underneath, and a handful of icons for tasks such as managing your account or tweaking a few settings. If you've used another VPN app you'll figure it out immediately and even if you're a total VPN newbie, it'll only take a minute or two.

One of the reasons the apps are so straightforward is they have almost no features. The Location menu is a simple list of countries with a search box, for instance: there's no server load information, no ping times, no Recent Locations list, no Sort option, no Favorites system, no 'right-click a Hola icon and choose a country' option, nothing else at all.

Sometimes Windows VPN apps hide useful features away in a Settings box, but Hola's options are relatively basic. There's the usual 'launch with Windows' and "automatically connect" settings; an App Kill Switch to close specific apps if the VPN unexpectedly drops, and (as we discussed above) some largely unnecessary encryption options, but that's about it. If you're hoping for split tunneling, "auto-connect on accessing Wi-Fi", ad blocking, DNS tweaks, or anything similar, then prepare for disappointment.

Simplicity can work if what you get works well, for instance, but that's not the case here. The app took an average of 15 seconds to connect, for instance; that would quickly wear down our patience, especially when ExpressVPN's Windows app took around one second on the same system.

Occasionally the app didn't connect at all, displaying a cryptic "there was an internal authentication error" message, along with what looked like a clickable "try again" link (although clicking this did nothing.) We found a "Fix connection" menu option that fixed these connection issues, which is better than nothing, although we're struggling to see why the app didn't automatically use that when its initial connection failed.

Overall, the apps are both far more basic and far less professional than most of the VPN competition. Even if you just want to connect to your nearest server and do nothing else at all, there are many far better and more reliable options elsewhere in the VPN world.

Hola Chrome extension

The simplest way to sample Hola is via its Chrome, Opera or Edge browser extensions. Hand over your email address to create a free account, and you can begin unblocking sites immediately.

The extension is very easy to use. Tap a shortcut to common destinations such as Netflix, or enter the domain you'd like to unblock, and Hola connects and takes you there immediately.

This worked well for us, and we managed to view exclusive Netflix content in the US, Australia, and Canada from our UK location.

The free version has some annoyances and limitations. It popped up alerts every 10 minutes, for instance. After 30 minutes, we also had to wait for a 60-second countdown. There's also a limit on your usage per day, although this doesn't appear to be fixed. Many reports say you can only use the service for an hour, but Hola doesn't give a figure, and we made it to around 75 minutes before the clock ran out.

Still, if you've a quick and easy task in mind—checking Twitter when it's blocked on your network, say—then Hola is one of the more reliable free ways to make that happen.

DNS leak and kill switch tests

A VPN must shield all your traffic from snoopers, and in part that means directing all your DNS queries (the requests which translate domains like techradar.com to IP addresses) through the VPN's encrypted tunnel.

We checked Hola for problems with DNSLeakTest.com, DNSLeak.com, IPLeak.net, and others, but none of them spotted any DNS, WebRTC or other leaks.

Hola's Windows app includes an application kill switch to close specified apps if it detects the connection has dropped. You could get Hola to close your browser if the VPN failed, for instance, to reduce the chance that your browsing might be unprotected.

Although this approach has some value, we prefer the full system kill switch you'll get with most VPNs. If Surfshark's connection drops, for instance, its kill switch automatically blocks all internet activity on your device, without you having to manually specify every possible process with a network connection (a very good idea, because there are way more than you think).

To test this, we added an app to the kill switch, connected to Hola, and then turned our router off and on to simulate a network failure. The app didn't react for more than a minute, then switched its display to show that the VPN was off. It didn't raise a notification to warn us, though, and the kill switch had no effect, either: our target app continued to run as normal.

We tried manually closing Hola's connection, instead. The app reconnected, but the lengthy connection time meant our traffic could be unprotected for several seconds. 

We expect a decent VPN app to at least display a notification when it spots the disconnect, then tell us that it's redialling, and when the connection is established. Hola's Windows app just displayed its status as 'On' at all times, with no alerts or notifications to tell us when we were (or were not) protected. And again, despite the service reconnecting (so it must have known the VPN had dropped), the app kill switch had no effect.

While this doesn't prove the kill switch is entirely useless - maybe it activates in other situations that we didn't test - it's still a very poor performance overall. A simple notification if the connection drops would at least allow the user to stop what they were doing, if necessary, but the app couldn't even manage that.

Unblocking

Hola was able to unblock many popular streaming sites in our tests but you're limited to just an hour per day unless you upgrade to a paid plan (Image credit: Hola)

Netflix and streaming

Hola sells itself mostly on the ability to unblock top websites, especially Netflix and other streaming platforms.

We found Hola's free browser extension successfully unblocked Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan.

Hola Premium works a little differently, so we ran some extra tests. It also allowed us to view exclusive Netflix content in the US, UK, Canada, and Japan, and with Australia on its second try (having to retry is a hassle, but as long as a service is unblocked at least once in three connections, we count it as a pass.) The app got us easy access to a couple of other top US platforms in Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. It worked with regional sites including Australia's 9Now and 10 Play, and the UK's BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4.

That's an excellent set of results, but some other services are just as effective. Private Internet Access also unblocked 100% of our test streaming platforms when we last checked, for instance, for a fraction of the cost of Hola Premium.

Hulu

We replaced our normal speed tests for this review and streamed 4K video from popular streaming sites to determine Hola's performance (Image credit: Hola)

Performance

We measure the top speed of any VPN by running multiple top performance tests (SpeedTest.net, Cloudflare, Measurement Lab, and more) from a UK data center with a 1 Gbps internet connection.

Hola's download speeds averaged around 180 Mbps to 240 Mbps, more or less what we'd expect for an IKEv2 connection.

Providers who support WireGuard or similar protocols can be much faster. For example, NordVPN and Surfshark all reached over 950 Mbps in their most recent tests. But, realistically, Hola's performance is more than enough for browsing, streaming, and most other web tasks.

Support

If Hola doesn't work for you, there are a couple of ways to get some help and advice.

Hola's web-based Help Center is a searchable support site with articles on installation, troubleshooting, billing, and more.

There's a lot of information on offer. The Setup Guide area has sections for 11 platforms, for instance, many with step-by-step advice on how to get Hola running.

But there are also some significant problems. We couldn't find even a mention of Hola's Windows kill switch, for instance, or some of its other more advanced features. And although Google removed Hola from the Play Store long ago, Hola still hasn't removed its "Get Hola for Android" link. Clicking it now leads you to a 'we can't find that page' link; very unprofessional.

There's no live chat, but paying customers can contact Hola's support team via email (free users are stuck with the website, unfortunately).

We fired off a message explaining that our Windows app kill switch didn't work, we'd uninstalled and reinstalled with no change, and asked what to try next.

A reply arrived about 8 hours later. That's a reasonable response time, but the reply wasn't the best. Instead of simply accepting what we said or sounding apologetic, the agent began: "I have tested the app kill switch and it works as it should." Saying to a customer who has a problem, "Well it works for me," is never going to create the best impression.

Still, we were intrigued. we responded "How did you test the kill switch?" hoping to get help improving our own tests. But, for some reason, our agent didn't want to explain exactly what he had done, and four days and no reply later, we finally gave up.

Final verdict

 Yes, Hola can unblock most websites, but at what cost? The free version requires you to share your IP address, bandwidth and browsing history with the company (and who knows else), while the paid edition charges 2-3 times as much as some top providers, yet still has more logging than almost anyone else. Run (don't work) to our Best VPN list and choose a provider who will care about your privacy, rather than trash it. 

Teletrac Navman fleet management review
12:00 pm | June 19, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Teletrac Navman was formed when Teletrac Inc and Navman Wireless combined their expertise to offer Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) based fleet management and telematics solutions. The company delivers real-time fleet tracking insights and analytics with the help of its specialized solutions to help clients optimize costs, monitor their fleets, and improve overall efficiency.

Teletrac Navman is a fleet management solution provider headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, with offices in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. It is one of the world’s largest providers, with over 40,000 clients tracking more than 500,000 vehicles across six continents. Its notable clients include Range Rover, the American Red Cross and Ryder.

Teletrac Navman pricing

(Image credit: TeletracNavman)

Teletrac Navman: Pricing

Teletrac Navman does not disclose its pricing information online. Like other fleet management companies, Teletrac Navman prefers potential customers to contact them directly for pricing information, as prices vary depending on the solution, contract length, and specific business requirements. This can be done through a contact portal after answering multiple questions, and then providing a business email. However, it would be more convenient if they provided a phone number or direct email instead.

It is expected that Teletrac would offer a three-year minimum contract, which is the industry standard. However, some fleet management companies do offer monthly plans with no minimum contract term, making them a good option for fleet companies looking for a more flexible commitment.

Based on some online reviews, it appears that Teletrac Navman requires a minimum of three vehicles to be eligible for its services.

The company does not currently list its tiers of plans, but previously had three different tiers of subscription listed on its website. These are:

Essential: This plan is perfect for smaller fleets and includes basic features like GPS tracking, a maintenance module, standard reporting, and flexible hardware options.

Professional: This plan provides a comprehensive fleet management solution that includes features such as high-definition GPS tracking, advanced analytics, safety analytics, an integrated dashboard camera, sensors, a compliance suite (ELD/IFTA/DVIR), and all of the benefits included in the Essential plan.

Enterprise: As the name implies, this solution is designed for businesses looking for a customized solution for fleets of 1,000+ vehicles. In addition to providing all of the advantages of the Professional tier, it also includes dedicated account managers, professional services support, custom integrations, and custom analytics and dashboards.

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Teletrac Navman 1 (Image credit: TeletracNavman)
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Teletrac Navman 3 (Image credit: TeletracNavman)

Teletrac Navman: Features

Teletrac Navman strives to provide a solution that meets the specific needs of each business. The company claims that its team of trained professionals understands the needs of all businesses and helps them identify and achieve their goals using its telematics solution.

The company offers a cloud-based tracking software called Director, which has a number of features that can help with fleet management, driver safety, and timely vehicle maintenance. In addition, the software is highly customizable, allowing clients to add or remove features based on their specific needs. This makes it ideal for managing fleets of any size or type of vehicle.

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(Image credit: TeletracNavman)

Some of the key features of Teletrac Navman are:

Fleet Tracking: Of course, this is a basic feature of any fleet management solution. Operators can monitor assets in real time, which improves efficiency and productivity. The software provides regular insights, such as vehicle location, activity reporting, and driver behavior reports, which are critical for safety and vehicle maintenance.

Teletrac Navman’s Director also provides two-way messaging between the driver and the operator, allowing them to give real-time feedback on incidents and share critical information about route changes. Instant alerts on fuel consumption and vehicle analytics help ensure the vehicle’s health and reduce the risk of fraudulent activities.

Another advantage of Director is that it comes with Google Maps integrated as the default mapping option. This is beneficial because users are generally familiar with Google Maps and the comprehensive mapping information it provides. This combines with geofencing to allow administrators to monitor the movement of vehicles and ensure that drivers follow the assigned route.

Compliance: Director provides drivers with peace of mind during roadside inspections. It syncs and stores data in the cloud, which reduces the amount of paperwork required. It also gives drivers instant access to Hours of Service, ELD, IFTA, and DVIR data on their tablets, ensuring compliance with local regulations. 

Driver Safety: The system uses data from various on-board sensors, the dashcam feed, and more to provide multiple reports that highlight driving behaviors such as harsh braking, using a cell phone while driving, sharp turns, speeding, and any traffic or compliance violations. These auto-generated reports can be used by operators to provide relevant coaching to drivers, along with recognizing drivers with good performance levels).

Maintenance and Fuel: The maintenance module in Director is designed to keep vehicles on the road and out of the service station. With features like real-time engine diagnostics, fuel usage monitoring, and idling reports, it is simple to track vehicle health and ensure that problems are addressed promptly. Advance scheduling of preventive maintenance helps avoid the risk of unexpected repair costs.

Reports: Director provides a variety of reports with detailed insights using a customized dashboard that enables informed decision-making and ongoing fleet performance assessments. These reports assist in identifying trends, resource utilization, and drivers who would benefit from coaching.

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(Image credit: TeletracNavman)

Teletrac Navman: Support

Teletrac Navman has a robust customer support team that responds to inquiries. Direct assistance is available by phone and through a contact portal, but the hours and days of operation, as well as the typical response time, are not specified. The company also offers a variety of online training materials, including webinars, videos, guides, and more. 

The organization's social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, are frequently updated.

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(Image credit: TeletracNavman)

Teletrac Navman: Final verdict

Teletrac Navman has been in the business for decades, and offers a range of services that are suitable for fleets of all sizes.

The company is no longer accredited by the Better Business Bureau with a rating of C-. Furthermore, the feedback left on Teletrac Navman is a concern, with a 1-star rating, and a raft of complaints.

In light of this, we suggest that you take advantage of the free demo and read the terms and conditions before signing a long-term contract.

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Onfleet fleet management review
12:30 pm | June 18, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Onfleet is a newer brand that offers fleet tracking services that are perfect for small fleets and startups looking to optimize their delivery operations. The company, which was founded in 2012, has already tracked over 500 million miles and facilitated over 150 million deliveries in 90 countries for over 1,000 customers.

This cloud-based solution streamlines delivery operations and maximizes efficiency by providing businesses with insights that enable them to make informed decisions. Onfleet indicates that its solution gets used by such notable corporations as Kroger and Total Wine and More.

Onfleet: Pricing

Onfleet is a company that values simplicity. It has a straightforward pricing scheme and lists most of its terms and conditions on its website. Unlike most companies in its industry, Onfleet offers a free 14-day trial, which allows you to test its services before you sign up.

The plans offered are monthly, and we did not find annual discounts.

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(Image credit: onfleet)

Unlike other companies, Onfleet’s charges are based on the number of tasks rather than the number of vehicles. It offers three different plans – Launch, Scale and Enterprise. The details of these plans follow below:

Launch: This is the entry-level plan that offers the least amount of features, but is the cheapest. Priced at $500 per month, this plan offers features like unlimited users, route optimization, 90 day historical analytics and photo and signature proof of delivery. It has 2,000 delivery or pickup tasks bundled with the subscription.

Scale: Available at $1150 per month, the Basic plan comes with 5,000 bundled tasks. As well as the features of the Launch plan, the Scale plan adds 1 year of historical analytics, advanced ETA notifications, standard onboarding and barcode scanning.

Enterprise: There is an Enterprise plan as well that is designed to be custom. It offers additional features like advanced route optimization, unlimited historical analytics, premium onboarding and a private label recipient tracking page. The pricing, however, is not mentioned online and the company prefers businesses to connect directly with the sales team to build this plan.

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Onfleet: Features

Onfleet is a cloud-based last-mile delivery management platform that helps businesses streamline their operations. It eliminates the need for paper invoices and multiple Excel spreadsheets, and features an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

Onfleet is different from other similar services in that it does not require the installation of hardware to track drivers. Instead, it relies on an app that is installed on the driver's smartphone or tablet. The app is compatible with most iPhones, iPads, and Android phones. Since no additional hardware is required (assuming most folks already have an appropriate smartphone), the initial investment is only the subscription fee. This makes the onboarding process easier.

Some of the key features of Onfleet’s solution are:

Predictive ETAs: Onfleet uses AI and machine learning to create algorithms that predict estimated times of arrival (ETAs) with high accuracy. This feature keeps tasks updated in real-time based on the driver's delivery route. Additionally, predictive ETA notifications are sent to recipients to keep them updated on the delivery status based on the tasks the driver completes. 

Proof of delivery: To ensure the real-time confirmation of delivery status, Onfleet offers various options for proof of delivery, such as collecting photos, signatures, and barcode scanning.

Two-way communication: Two-way communication between the operator and delivery staff helps them stay up-to-date on any issues related to delivery delays and driver safety. 

Route optimization: Onfleet’s system automatically creates the most efficient route for deliveries, taking into account factors like time, location, capacity, and traffic. It can also update the routes as needed, keeping the driver informed of any changes.

Auto Dispatch: This feature automatically assigns deliveries to drivers based on their past history and performance, which reduces the time and effort required to ensure timely deliveries. Alerts: Onfleet provides alerts based on a variety of triggers, such as estimated time of arrival (ETA), delivery completion, and so on. Alerts may also be sent to recipients to assist them in tracking their deliveries and the ETA.

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(Image credit: onfleet)

Onfleet: Support

Support is an area that could use some improvement, particularly direct support. The primary contact method is the contact portal, which means that there is no chat or fax as alternate methods. There is a direct email, but you need to search just a little too much as it should be listed on the contact page, but it is not. The contact portal does allow for attachments, such as images of the issue, but it does not provide an hours of operation, or an anticipated response time.

There is an option for a phone call for support, but it is pretty limited- in fact more limited than just about any other company in this area that offers phone support. The call needs to be scheduled, and Onfleet needs at least 24 hours of advance notice to schedule the phone call, which is pretty long when experiencing a service issue. Furthermore, you are limited to the number of phone calls each month, and they do not roll over from month to month. Even on the Enterprise plan, the limit is only 3 phone calls each month, and on the entry plan it is a single phone call.

Onfleet offers a host of training options including videos and online guides. Its social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are fairly active and the company keeps adding fresh content to the official blog.

Onfleet: Final verdict

Onfleet stands out from other fleet management companies in that it charges based on tasks rather than the number of vehicles. While it may not offer the full range of services of a full-fledged fleet management company, its solution is tailored to businesses involved in last-mile deliveries.

The business is not listed on the Better Business Bureau website, and therefore has no user reviews or ratings there.

More on fleet management and tracking:

Lytx fleet management review
6:15 pm | June 17, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Lytx is a unique fleet management platform that focuses on improving safety, efficiency, and productivity by utilizing data from fleet tracking. The company was founded in 1998 and takes pride in having assisted over 1.3 million drivers through a staggering 120+ billion miles of driving data.

Lytx, a San Diego, California-based company, develops and sells video-based telematics solutions worldwide. It uses driving data to train its AI and machine vision-based solution to accurately identify improper driving. The company also provides comprehensive information on various aspects of the fleet to enable decision-makers to concentrate on the more critical tasks at hand.

Lytx: Pricing

Lytx, like many telematics providers, does not list its pricing or contract details on its website. This is likely because the price varies depending on the client's requirements, the solution they choose, the size of their fleet, and industry-specific needs.

Therefore, the company prefers that potential buyers contact the sales team directly, as they can help find the perfect solution that meets their needs. This involves a contact portal, with an opportunity to provide the intended need, and then providing a work phone and email to initiate contact.

In addition to pricing, the company has also chosen not to disclose basic information such as the minimum vehicle limit or even the minimum contract length. While we can appreciate the need for custom quotes, we would prefer some basic pricing info. Based on industry standards, one can expect a monthly payment plan to be available, and long-term contract options may typically range from 12 to 36 months.

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(Image credit: Lytx)

Lytx: Features

Lytx uses video telematics to provide insights to operators and decision-makers. Connected devices such as cameras, sensors that are hardwired or plugged into the vehicle, and video data form the foundation of its fleet management solution.

The company asserts that its solution uses a combination of video data, vehicle data, and machine vision technology to generate actionable insights. It also provides more comprehensive and detailed insights than those provided by a regular telematics solution.

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Here are a few key features of Lytx’s fleet management solution:

Fleet Dashcams: Dashcams can help fleets increase efficiency, improve driver safety by providing video evidence of incidents, and provide proof of service or delivery. They can also help provide effective coaching to drivers by offering real-time in-cab alerts that remind them to stay focused while driving.

These dashcams provide a 360-degree view of the vehicle and have a built-in trigger that records videos of incidents such as sudden braking, swerving, cell phone use while driving, or any other dangerous driving behavior.

Dashcams can record continuously for up to 100 hours, so drivers can record specific incidents if necessary. This continuous recording can also be triggered remotely from the dashboard.

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Fleet safety solution: The system, which uses data from dashcams and other sensors as well as intelligence gathered from video data, can predict and reduce the likelihood of collisions. It can also recommend when a driver needs coaching based on their driving habits, which can help improve overall fleet safety and uninterrupted service.

The company provides two programs that use its patented machine vision and artificial intelligence (MV+AI) technology to identify over 60 risky driving behaviors both inside and outside of the vehicle. Lytx's MV+AI technology categorizes and delivers video as comprehensive insights within a company dashboard in the Risk Detection Service, assisting fleets in tracking and monitoring driver risk. With this program, fleets are aware of driver habits that are most likely to result in a collision.

The more comprehensive Driver Safety program provides highly effective coaching workflows, comprehensive reporting, and human-validated review, which helps fleets create lasting behavior change and improve their fleet performance.

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GPS Tracking: Real-time GPS tracking allows operators to locate, track, and manage their fleet at any time. By combining this with dashcam footage, fleet managers can be "virtually" present with the driver during their drive, allowing them to then schedule technicians as needed.

GPS tracking can help businesses provide faster and better customer service, increased efficiency, and boosted productivity by ensuring that drivers follow the assigned route, which also helps to save money on fuel costs.

For GPS fleet tracking, the company offers two distinct plans. The majority of other service providers include capabilities like the GPS location of the vehicle, optimized driver routing, preset geofences with notifications based on the vehicle entering and leaving the geofenced region, and third-party integration in their basic fleet tracking packages.

Fleet Tracking with video is a more advanced service that includes all the features of the basic plan, plus additional video intelligence such as visual service confirmation, vehicle/equipment monitoring, and collision evidence.

Compliance: Lytx provides a web-based automated solution to help businesses stay compliant with DOT regulations such as ELD, Hod, CSA data analysis, DVIR management, and more. The Hours of Service Management feature helps businesses to collect and review electronic logging devices (ELDs), paper logs, timesheets- or a combination of all three in a single system to track driver compliance.

(Image credit: Lytx)

Lytx: Support

Lytx offers support through email, a support portal and telephone on a 24/7 basis. The company has local helpline numbers for the US, UK, France, Ireland and South Africa.

The Lytx self-support training materials include an online knowledgebase, online training events, online courses and webinars, and the Lytx Compliance Services Portal. The contact details and links are all provided on the site, and the content is easy to access.

Its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and the like are regularly updated. The official YouTube channel previously got updated with a regular stream of content, but the latest video is over 2 years old.

Lytx: Final verdict

Lytx provides a comprehensive solution that helps identify vehicles that are likely to be expensive to maintain and operate. This well-established service uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict collisions and alert drivers and operators. While we would hope for some more transparent pricing, we appreciate the 24/7 support, the range of features, and the emphasis on driver safety that is sure to attract and keep users.

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Apple iCloud Drive review
11:21 pm | June 9, 2020

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Apple iCloud Drive continues to add new features and improvements, and they're certainly needed: Apple was slow out of the blocks with iCloud. For a long time, the service lagged behind the more polished of the best cloud storage providers, like Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox.

There are signs of Apple finding its feet with iCloud Drive though. The addition of new features like folder sharing is welcome, and integration with macOS and iOS keeps getting better all the time.

iCloud Drive: Pricing & plans 

Apple gives everyone 5GB of storage space for free with iCloud Drive. It’s not quite as generous some of the best free cloud storage services, less than Google Drive and on par with OneDrive. That 5GB won’t stretch far if you're syncing a lot of videos and photos to the cloud. After you've used up all that, you need to pay a monthly fee for some extra space.

Users have a choice of three tiers: 50GB for $0.99  a month, 200GB for $2.99 a month, or 2TB for $9.99 a month. 

That's broadly comparable with the consumer cloud storage services offered by rivals, including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. If you stop paying, your files don't go anywhere, but you won't be able to upload anything new.

All paid plans - known as iCloud+ - also include iCloud Private Relay which masks your IP address for a sense of anonymity online, the option to create multiple unique, random email addresses to sign up to third party apps known as Hide My Email, support for custom email domains, and storage for one, five, or unlimited HomeKit Secure Video-compatible cameras depending on the plan.

Three bundles are also available, only one of which is aimed at individuals. Along with 50GB of iCloud+ storage, it brings Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade subscriptions for $16.95 a month. 

Family plans upgrade the iCloud+ storage to 200GB, priced at $22.95 a month, and top-tier Premier plans add Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and 2TB of iCloud+ storage for $32.95 (£32.95) per month. 

iCloud Drive really makes the most sense for those already in the Apple ecosystem - in the same way OneDrive is best paired with Windows and Microsoft 365. With that in mind, we like the range of options and bundles available to help multi-service subscribers save money.

(Image credit: Apple)

iCloud Drive: Interface 

It’s no surprise that iCloud Drive is tightly integrated into macOS and iOS. Even if you don't sign up for extra storage, and don't use iCloud as your photo cloud storage, it's still deeply embedded in operating systems, if only to manage app backups and calendar and contact syncing.

iCloud Drive is right there inside the Finder on macOS, and you can also find a variety of options in System Preferences too. While it isn't able to back up an entire machine, it gets pretty close considering you can reinstall macOS and your programs from the web. Just about everything else that matters can be stored in iCloud. From what we can tell, file transfers are usually speedy and almost instantaneous.

If you're using iCloud Drive for Windows, the app will sit quite happily in your system tray. Just don't expect a great deal of feedback, as if you're syncing files it will simply tell you the number remaining, not report back on progress. 

Over on iOS, there is now a dedicated Files app with its own iCloud Drive section. You can copy, move, delete and share files without too much trouble, and everything has the usual visual appeal and slickness you would expect from Apple.

Support is non-existent for Android though – unless you count logging into the iCloud web portal in an Android browser, which is a tortuous process. 

No matter which platform you use, iCloud Drive doesn't have the advanced feature seen in other cloud storage clients such as being able to limit download/upload speeds. 

On the other hand the iCloud website has improved significantly in recent years, making it much easier to get at your files. You still can't stream videos directly from the web, unfortunately, but you can stream audio files as long as they're saved in common formats as well as preview images. 

We especially like the way that Files for iOS can display other cloud drives - like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive - directly in the app. Not only does this eliminate the need to go in via the third party app (it still needs to be installed on your device), but it should make syncing and accessing files easier with Apple offering a better, more consistent user experience for native apps.

In terms of the interface, everything about iCloud Drive is pretty much in line with the other software Apple makes. It's mostly polished and smooth, with a few occasional quirks. At least iCloud Drive no longer looks like a tagged-on afterthought whenever it appears, which was the case when it first appeared.

(Image credit: Apple)

iCloud Drive: Features 

As well as backing up data from certain apps - and this is really dependent on the app developer working with Apple to ensure compatibility - iCloud Drive is now a user-facing, more conventional cloud storage service:. It has its own entries in the Finder on macOS, and has its own apps on iPhones and iPads. The idea is you can back up anything you like, from PDF documents to images, to Apple's servers and get at it from anywhere.

To sign in to iCloud Drive, you'll need to create your own Apple ID. If this is the first time you've used one, you'll need to sign in to a Mac or iOS device first before being able to use iCloud Drive for windows.  

Our tests showed that iCloud Drive is only really of use for those on Apple hardware anyway. 

We found the biggest advantage to the software is that it just works without needing our attention or interference: it's not as hidden as it once was, but it's still designed to operate largely in the background, syncing your important files between mobile and desktop devices. Anything that gets added to your iCloud Drive is synced to the web, and on a Mac you can opt to include the Desktop and Documents folders as well.

iCloud Drive can run unobtrusively, automatically syncing files and optimizing space on your Mac’s hard drive. A couple of tests using the browser portal on an Apple device brought up the results we were expecting: the service can keep up with its competition and your own broadband connection is likely to be the limiting factor.

Because iCloud Drive is so closely integrated with the macOS experience, finding the various settings can pose its own challenges. Many of the user’s day-to-day experiences will lie in Finder, but certain settings are found in System Preferences - the app that controls computer-wide settings.

This includes the option to toggle on and off Optimize Mac Storage, which promises to keep files downloaded to your computer if you have enough space, and to remove these local copies as and when you run out of space. Other cloud storage solutions offer this too, but Apple is smart in the way that it optimizes this based on your frequently used files - it’s not as black and white as on or off. While this is great, some users would prefer more control over this, which cannot be had.

Basic file and folder sharing is included, but there's no native versioning for all files, so you can't get back older versions of files. Collaborating with others is best done using the macOS and iOS apps, however there is basic browser access for those working from other operating systems.

iCloud Drive: Security 

While iCloud Drive data is encrypted to keep it safe from prying eyes, not everything is end-to-end encrypted by default – that means Apple can technically get at the data if it wanted to, though there's no reason to suspect it would. Many other cloud storage services take the same approach, not least to make sure your files can be accessed easily from anywhere. 

Still, in 2016 Apple faced off with the FBI by refusing to create a 'backdoor' into a suspect's iPhone, citing user privacy. Since then, with iCloud's Standard Data Protection, certain data is protected via end-to-end encryption such as Health and the passwords stored in your iCloud Keychain. 

As of iOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1, iCloud users can also choose to enable Advanced Data Protection. This protects even more services with end-to-end encryption including iCloud Backups, Photos, Notes and more. Apple's Support Pages lists exactly what's secured in this way and what isn't. 

Apple accounts can also be protected with two-factor authentication and we would strongly recommend that you switch this on. This means that even if your username and password are exposed, unwelcome visitors can't get at your data without an extra code that's displayed on your phone or laptop - or, of course, by SMS. Apple has confirmed that signing in via 2FA is mandatory for new Apple ID's anyway, which is a huge step in the right direction. If you're already signed on an Apple device, you can approve login requests on new ones via a code. 

Overall, we found Apple and iCloud Drive do an impressive job of data security.

(Image credit: Apple)

iCloud Drive: Our tests 

We measured sync speed, file recovery, and versioning in Apple iCloud Drive. Tests were conducted on a Windows 11 virtual machine running the Windows iCloud desktop client. 

This VM was connected to the internet via fiber broadband and VPN server that showed average upload speeds of 70 Mbps  

Apple iCloud Drive cloud storage during our tests

(Image credit: Apple)
  • Test 1 - Sync speed

When we set up iCloud Drive on Windows, the client automatically created an 'iCloud Drive' folder in our home directory.

After copying our test files into this folder, the iCloud client stated it was “syncing 23 files”. There was no information on upload speed or the progress of individual files. After 12 minutes none of the files showed as synced, nor did they appear on the iCloud website.

We tried to pause the transfer and quit the iCloud Windows client but there are no options for this. Eventually we were able to stop it through pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del and invoking the Task Manager.

We next tried to upload the test files directly to the iCloud online portal. We had much more success here. 

Firstly the website explained it was unable to upload one of the files which had an unusual '.trigger' extension as it registered as 0 bytes in size. Still the remaining files began uploading immediately and we could see the progress of each one. 

In total our test folder of 22 files (625MB) took just over 90 seconds to upload. This is exactly what we expected for a 70 Mbps connection. It's just a shame we had to bypass the iCloud Desktop client to do it.   

Apple iCloud Drive cloud storage during our tests

(Image credit: Apple)
  • Test 2 - File recovery 

After uploading our test files via the iCloud website we checked the iCloud Drive folder on our device to see if they'd been synced there too. They hadn't.

Still, when we deleted the files via the iCloud website, they were immediately sent to Recently Deleted. Upon clicking on that section we were also able to choose Recover All. We used the iCloud website's preview feature to open up a couple of images and play some of the sound files to confirm recovery was a success - again, without using Apple's iCloud software for Windows.

Apple iCloud Drive cloud storage during our tests

(Image credit: Apple)
  • Test 3 - Versioning

For this test, we placed our test document - a .docx file - in the iCloud Drive home directory. Again we were stuck with the “uploading” message for minutes on end. 

We were able to upload the test file to iCloud Drive via the website. However, since it was a Microsoft Word document we couldn't preview or edit it, just download it again. 

Since iCloud also offers an online version of Apple Pages, we decided to create a new online Pages document and paste the text of the document in there. We edited the file to remove all text but the intro and saved our changes. The iCloud version of Pages recognized our changes and showed a version history, which we used to restore the original document.

Again, this underscores the message that iCloud is great, so long as you’re running Apple devices and its ecosystem of apps. 

iCloud Drive: Verdict 

iCloud Drive is a lot better than it used to be, and is now a proper cloud storage solution to compete with rivals from Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and others. However, despite recent improvements, it still doesn't offer quite as much as those other services – most obviously when it comes to having an Android app of any description, but also with lacking advanced features such as versioning and selective sync.

There are better cloud storage services out there. But if you’re already an Apple user, you’ll find iCloud Drive so well integrated into the company’s devices and apps that you might never need to switch to an alternative. macOS and iOS will always default to iCloud, so it's the most convenient option, but if you're otherwise looking to pay for a service we think your money is probably better spent elsewhere.

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