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GIGANEWS BLOG

You’re Invited to our Privacy Panel and Party at SXSW 2014


It’s been a rough year for the Internet. With everything from the NSA controversy, to data collection by corporations, to the repeal of Net Neutrality, we could all use a good time.

With that in mind, Giganews in partnership with Golden Frog and Data Foundry is hosting its second annual “Take Back Your Internet” party during SXSW. We’d like to invite you to join us on Sunday, March 9 in downtown Austin for an evening of networking with your fellow netizens who care as much as you do about online privacy.

As a VERY COOL added bonus, we’ve recruited some of the leading online privacy advocates in the world for an entertaining and informative panel discussion about the current and future state of online privacy. Various surveys indicate an overwhelming majority of people are concerned about their online privacy and are in favor of political initiatives and technical solutions that help preserve their privacy. But, is that still possible in an age of widespread Internet censorship, data collection, and mass surveillance by governments? We all leave a footprint online, but what can be done to keep it private when needed?

Our expert panel will examine the current state of online privacy in the U.S. and worldwide, the role that ISPs play in an open Internet, and the future of government policy regarding the Internet.

Privacy Panel Livestream:
If you can’t make it to the event in person, you can watch the Privacy Panel online as the event will be streamed LIVE at:

www.goldenfrog.com/sxsw2014/livestream

We’re also going to be accepting a few questions for the panelists on Twitter and our livestream page. Just Tweet us your privacy-related questions with hashtag #takebackyourinternet and include @giganews in your tweet.

PANEL DETAILS:
Is There Any Online Privacy Left? What Does The Future Hold?
An expert panel on what every internet user should know
Speakers:
Kevin Bankston – Policy Director of the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute
Evan Greer – Campaign Manager at Fight for the Future
Ali Sternburg – Public Policy Counsel at CCIA
Rep. Bryan Hughes of District Five in the Texas House of Representatives,
Ron Yokubaitis – Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Golden Frog, Giganews, Data Foundry and Texas.net
Panel Moderated by Stacey Higginbotham – Sr. Writer, GigaOM

We hope you can join us either in person at the event or via our Livestream. Don’t forget to post comments or tweet your questions to us with hashtag #takebackyourinternet during the event.

Event Information:
WHAT: Take Back Your Internet Party – 2014
WHEN: Sunday, March 9, 6-10pm
WHERE: The Bourbon Girl, #212 E 6th St, Austin, TX – 78701
EVENT SCHEDULE:
6pm Doors Open
7-8pm Expert Panel on Online Privacy
8-10pm Party Continues
DRINKS: Open Bar from 6-9.30pm
COST: No cost to you – just RSVP for the event while tickets last
(Note: This is an unofficial SXSW event, and a badge is not required to attend.)

RSVP For the event here: http://www.goldenfrog.com/sxsw2014

If you are in town, the event is free and doesn’t require a SXSW badge. Our space is limited, so please don’t delay in RSVPing. We hope you’ll join us.

New Chameleon™ VPN Protocol Defeats VPN Blocking

Access an unrestricted Internet with Golden Frog’s new technology

Our trusted partner Golden Frog just released Chameleon, their latest innovation that’s making news globally! In recent years there’s been growing concerns worldwide about VPN protocols being inspected, throttled and blocked by governments, corporations and ISPs via deep packet inspection (DPI). To counter this, Golden Frog’s engineers have developed a remarkable new VPN technology called Chameleon that is available in the VyprVPN apps for Windows, Mac and Android.

Chameleon scrambles OpenVPN packet metadata to ensure it’s not recognizable via DPI, while still keeping it fast and lightweight. Chameleon technology uses the unmodified OpenVPN 256-bit protocol for the underlying data encryption. The result is that VyprVPN users are able to bypass restrictive networks put in place by governments, corporations and ISPs to achieve an open internet experience without sacrificing the proven security for which OpenVPN has long been known. Chameleon helps you experience a truly open and uncensored Internet.

Benefits of Using Chameleon

Chameleon is proven to help users that live in or travel to countries such as China, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria by preventing blocking. Chameleon is also ideal for users worldwide experiencing VPN blocking and speed issues related to bandwidth throttling.

  • Defeat VPN Blocking via Deep Packet Inspection
  • Resolve Speed Issues Due To Bandwidth Throttling
  • Bypass Censorship Anywhere in The World

How to Access Chameleon:

Chameleon is included in Giganews Diamond accounts at no extra cost. Upgrade to a Giganews Diamond account today or if you don’t have a Giganews account, sign up risk free for a 14-day free trial. Currently Chameleon is only compatible with Windows, Mac and Android devices. Due to iOS-related VPN restrictions, Chameleon is not currently available for VyprVPN for iOS. Detailed set-up instructions are included in the Chameleon FAQ document.

Visit our website to learn more about Chameleon »

If you’ve already tried Chameleon, Golden Frog would love to get feedback on how Chameleon has helped you.

To stay up to date on VyprVPN, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on Giganews Facebook, Giganews Twitter, Giganews YouTube Channel, and Giganews Google+.

Giganews is First Usenet Provider To Reach 2,000 Days of Retention

We’re proud to announce that on January 26, Giganews became the first Usenet provider in the world to reach 2,000 days of high-quality binary retention for more than 110,000 existing newsgroups! The 2,000-day milestone, which is more than 5.5 years of retention, represents more than 25 petabytes of Usenet messages on the Giganews servers.

This is a huge feat in the industry and we are proud to be the only Usenet service that delivers the same speed and article completion across the approximately 45 billion articles with 110,000 newsgroups equally. Giganews is 50 percent bigger today than at this point last year and we continue to add servers with this kind of growth in mind.

Get a closer look at what this milestone means

We put together a fun and informative graphical representation of what 2000 days of retention looks like and what we’ve accomplished over the years.

View and share the infographic online

Hundreds of Terabytes of data gets uploaded to Giganews every day, and retention refers to the time that data remains on the Giganews servers and is therefore accessible to our customers. Two thousand days of retention guarantees that you can easily find and access articles that have been posted more than five years ago and text from more than 10 years ago.

We are constantly working to make Giganews the world’s best Usenet service and just like our retention, we have no plans on stopping. We truly appreciate the great customers who stand behind us. Thanks for your continued support and feedback.

If you’re not already a Giganews member, we invite you to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Private Sharing Beta Now Available for Dump Truck Web App

Collaborating and sharing files and folder using Dump Truck secure online storage is now a lot easier. Golden Frog just made available its new Private Sharing beta feature for Dump Truck to all Giganews users. Using the Dump Truck Web App, users can now use Private Sharing to easily and securely collaborate on files and folders with other Dump Truck users. This new feature is ideal for small businesses, and for sharing files with family and friends. Giganews users can also easily invite anyone to access shared folders and assign a permission level, with just an email address. When a privately shared file or folder is changed, added or deleted, the changes synchronize to all users who have joined the share.

Previously, Dump Truck only enabled users to share files and/or folders with others via a Public Link. Users also had the option to add an expiration date and a password to the link but they could not collaborate on these files. The new Private Sharing feature now allows for collaboration, easy access and secure sharing!

Dump Truck Private Sharing Features

  • Any changes to a folder will show up for all users who have access to it, allowing for easier collaboration
  • There are multiple permission level options for each folder. You can also edit the permission level after you share the folder
  • Unlike many competitors, Dump Truck supports Read-Only access. If you choose this option, users can view files but cannot modify them
  • With the right permission levels, users can move, rename and edit shared files and folders
  • Users can access shared files across all Dump Truck desktop, mobile and web applications

How to Get Started

Dump Truck secure online storage is included FREE with every Giganews account. Any Giganews member using Dump Truck can access the Private Sharing Beta. Here’s how you can get started:

  1. If you’re not already using Dump Truck, download the Windows, Mac, Android or iOS app today
  2. If you’re an existing Dump Truck user, update the Dump Truck Mac or Windows app. Note: You could lose some of your data if you don’t update your apps first
  3. Log into the Beta version of the Web App and start sharing folders with Dump Truck users using their email address
  4. Share your valuable feedback with Golden Frog by using the Beta Feedback form on the site

Desktop App Update Required

Although you can share folders via Private Sharing only through the web app, you can access shared folders via our desktop apps. Privately shared files will be synced to your desktop using the Dump Truck desktop app. Golden Frog recently updated the Dump Truck Mac and Windows apps to version 1.2.2 to support the Private Sharing beta. In order to use Private Sharing, you must update the Dump Truck desktop app. Note: You could lose some of your data if you don’t update your apps first. Update from within the app by clicking on “Update Available” in the main menu, or you can download the latest version of the Mac or Windows app.

Dump Truck secure online storage is included FREE with every Giganews account. Use Dump Truck to store, sync and access your photos, documents or files from anywhere in the world. Created by Golden Frog with a focus on speed and security, Dump Truck uses 256-bit encryption to secure your files and delivers the same unlimited speeds you expect from Giganews.

If you’re not already a Giganews member, we invite you to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Enter the VyprVPN 2.0 Launch Giveaway to Win an Xbox One, Nexus Tablet & Free VPN Service!

Our trusted partner Golden Frog just launched the sleek, new VyprVPN 2.0 Apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS last week. Giganews members with VyprVPN will love the 2.0 apps for being faster, easier-to-use, and more stable and intuitive than any other VPN app!

As part of Golden Frog’s VyprVPN 2.0 launch celebration, you can enter their month-long giveaway to win fabulous prizes like an Xbox One, a Nexus 7 tablet and one-year VyprVPN Premier Accounts!

You can choose how you enter the giveaway from a list of approved actions! Plus they’re allowing unlimited entries over the next four weeks, so go back to the page every day to get additional entries.

Enter the VyprVPN 2.0 Launch Giveaway »

Golden Frog’s new VyprVPN 2.0 Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android are now available for download. If you already have VyprVPN on your desktop or mobile devices just update your app. Learn more about the VyprVPN 2.0 Apps »

Conditions Apply. Must be 18 years of age to enter. Contest closes at midnight CST on Dec. 26, 2013. Weekly winners will be announced every Monday and grand prize winners will be announced on Jan. 2, 2014 on Facebook and Twitter. Shipping date of prizes is subject to availability of items. Participation in this promotion is subject to Golden Frog’s official rules which can be seen inside the contest widget here.

Golden Frog Launches Re-Imagined VyprVPN 2.0 Apps

VyprVPN 2.0Golden Frog just unveiled their shiny, new VyprVPN 2.0 Apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The re-imagined 2.0 apps are faster, easier-to-use, and more stable and intuitive than ever before! Giganews members with VyprVPN already love using the fastest VPN service in the world. Now with the 2.0 apps you get even more time-saving features like one-click connect, one-tap server location selection, and a ping test to choose the fastest server.

As part of a major app redesign, Golden Frog’s engineers and designers ensured their 2.0 apps sync better with their VPN network for faster, more stable connections. Their goal, as always, is to make it easier for users to take control of their internet privacy and security. They also made the VyprVPN 2.0 apps as consistent as possible across all platforms, so the experience is seamless on all devices.

Learn more about the VyprVPN 2.0 apps »

What’s New in the VyprVPN 2.0 Apps?

App Screenshot

OS iconVyprVPN for Windows

  • checkmarkNew 2.0 Interface
  • checkmarkSpeed Graph with upload and download speeds
  • checkmarkAbility to favorite servers for quick access
  • checkmarkPing test to find fastest servers

Download VyprVPN for Windows »

App Screenshot

OS iconVyprVPN for Mac

  • checkmarkNew 2.0 Interface with Retina support
  • checkmarkSpeed graph with upload and download speeds
  • checkmarkAbility to favorite servers for quick access
  • checkmarkPing test to find fastest servers

Download VyprVPN for Mac »

App Screenshot

OS iconVyprVPN for Android

  • checkmarkNew 2.0 Interface
  • checkmarkSpeed graph with upload and download speeds
  • checkmarkAdded IP Location Map
  • checkmarkAbility to favorite servers for quick access
  • checkmarkPing test to find fastest servers

Download VyprVPN for Android »

App Screenshot

OS iconVyprVPN for iOS

  • checkmarkNew 2.0 Interface
  • checkmarkManual connection mode now available
  • checkmarkFavorite servers for quick access
  • checkmarkPing test to find fastest servers
  • checkmarkSwitch between Manual or On Demand mode without downloading new VPN profile

Download VyprVPN for iOS »

The VyprVPN 2.0 Apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS are now available for download!

Our partner Golden Frog continues to work towards ensuring an open and free internet and improving our users’ privacy and security. Once you download the apps, it would be great if you took a few minutes to add a review to the iTunes or Google Play app store.

P.S. If you already have VyprVPN Apps, simply update your app.

If you don’t have VyprVPN and want protection for your internet connection while at home or on the go, upgrade to Diamond or Platinum get VyprVPN included for free! If you’re not already a Giganews member, we invite you to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

To stay up to date on VyprVPN, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on Giganews Facebook, Giganews Twitter, Giganews YouTube Channel, and Giganews Google+.

Golden Frog Adds VPN Location in Perth, Their Third in Australia!

Golden Frog is continuing to expand their VyprVPN service in Aussieland! The company just announced the launch of their new VyprVPN server in Perth, their third in Australia! Earlier this month the company launched VPN servers in Sydney and Melbourne.

The new VPN location in Perth is available for all VyprVPN protocols, including PPTP, L2TP/IPsec, and OpenVPN. VyprVPN users now have access to 41+ server locations in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

How to Access the Perth VyprVPN Location:

  • VyprVPN Desktop – If you use VyprVPN Desktop, the new server cluster will automatically be available when you choose your server location.
  • VyprVPN Mobile – To enable Perth as an option using VyprVPN Mobile, simply log out of the app and log back in.
  • Manual Setup – If you manually set up VyprVPN on your operating system, you can update your VyprVPN hostname to: au3.vpn.giganews.com

Golden Frog offers unlimited VPN server switching and never throttles your connection. They have over 200,000 IP addresses so server connections are always available.

Giganews members with VyprVPN now have unlimited access to the following VPN server locations:

  • Asia – Hong Kong
  • Australia – Melbourne New!
  • Australia – Perth New!
  • Australia – Sydney
  • Austria – Vienna
  • Belgium – Brussels
  • Canada – Toronto
  • Czech Republic – Prague
  • Denmark – Copenhagen
  • Europe – Luxembourg
  • Finland – Helsinki
  • France – Paris
  • Germany – Frankfurt
  • Iceland – Reykajvík New!
  • Indonesia – Jakarta
  • Ireland – Dublin
  • Italy – Rome
  • Japan – Tokyo
  • Lithuania – Vilnius
  • Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
  • Netherlands – Amsterdam
  • New Zealand – Auckland
  • Norway – Oslo
  • Philippines – Manilla New!
  • Poland – Warsaw
  • Portugal – Lisbon
  • Romania – Bucharest
  • Russia – Moscow
  • Singapore – Singapore
  • South Korea – Seoul
  • Spain – Madrid
  • Sweden – Stockholm
  • Switzerland – Zurich
  • Thailand – Bangkok
  • Turkey – Istanbul
  • Vietnam – Hanoi
  • U.K. – London
  • U.S. – Austin
  • U.S. – Los Angeles
  • U.S. – Miami
  • U.S. – Washington, D.C.

If you don’t have VyprVPN and want protection for your Internet connection while at home or on the go, add VyprVPN to your membership today. Or, upgrade to Diamond and get VyprVPN included free!

If you’re not already a Giganews member, we invite you to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

To stay up to date on VyprVPN, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on Giganews Facebook, Giganews Twitter, Giganews YouTube Channel, and Giganews Google+.

More Down Under! New VyprVPN Server Cluster in Melbourne, Australia!

Golden Frog is adding more options Down Under for VyprVPN users. The company just announced a new server cluster in Melbourne, Australia, the second of its clusters in the country. Earlier this year Golden Frog launched a server cluster in Sydney, and the company is scheduled to launch one soon in Perth.

The new server cluster in Melbourne is available for all VyprVPN protocols, including PPTP, L2TP/IPsec, and OpenVPN. VyprVPN users now have access to 40+ server cluster locations worldwide.

A remarkable 90% of Australia’s 22 million residents have internet access, of the highest rates in the world. But despite previously granting their people wide internet freedoms, internet censorship has slowly been going up in recent years. In November 2012 the government announced that over 90% of Australians using ISPs will have a web filter under new laws.

How to Access the Melbourne VyprVPN Server Cluster:

  • VyprVPN Desktop – For VyprVPN desktop users, the new cluster will automatically be available when you choose your server location.
  • VyprVPN Mobile – To enable Melbourne as an option for VyprVPN Mobile, just log out and log back into the app.
  • Manual Setup – If you manually set up VyprVPN on your operating system, you can update your VyprVPN hostname to: au2.vpn.giganews.com

Golden Frog offers unlimited VPN server switching and never throttles your connection. They have over 200,000 IP addresses so server connections are always available.

You now have unlimited access to the following global VPN server locations:

  • Asia – Hong Kong
  • Australia – Melbourne New!
  • Australia – Sydney
  • Austria – Vienna
  • Belgium – Brussels
  • Canada – Toronto
  • Czech Republic – Prague
  • Denmark – Copenhagen
  • Europe – Luxembourg
  • Finland – Helsinki
  • France – Paris
  • Germany – Frankfurt
  • Iceland – Reykajvík New!
  • Indonesia – Jakarta
  • Ireland – Dublin
  • Italy – Rome
  • Japan – Tokyo
  • Lithuania – Vilnius
  • Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
  • Netherlands – Amsterdam
  • New Zealand – Auckland
  • Norway – Oslo
  • Philippines – Manilla New!
  • Poland – Warsaw
  • Portugal – Lisbon
  • Romania – Bucharest
  • Russia – Moscow
  • Singapore – Singapore
  • South Korea – Seoul
  • Spain – Madrid
  • Sweden – Stockholm
  • Switzerland – Zurich
  • Thailand – Bangkok New!
  • Turkey – Istanbul
  • Vietnam – Hanoi
  • U.K. – London
  • U.S. – Austin
  • U.S. – Los Angeles
  • U.S. – Miami
  • U.S. – Washington, D.C.

If you don’t have VyprVPN and want protection for your Internet connection while at home or on the go, add VyprVPN to your membership today. Or, upgrade to Diamond and get VyprVPN included for free!

If you’re not already a Giganews member, we invite you to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

To stay up to date on VyprVPN, please subscribe to our blog and follow us on Giganews Facebook, Giganews Twitter, Giganews YouTube Channel, and Giganews Google+.