hidemyass.com

It is difficult to imagine where the world would be without the internet. It has made it so that we can share photos and videos of cute animals, consume all of the dank memes we love, and order unnecessary things from our favorite stores within just a few hours. It seems like this technology would be unbearable if it didn't exist. Nowadays, we can learn whatever we want, whenever we want, and from whomever we want. This is a huge boon to our educational opportunities and overall productivity.

Active Voice: Other than that, there was little spoken about the matter today. Today, we have nearly all of recorded history, facts, and figures at our fingertips through search engines on our phones. A quick Google search provides us with knowledge on any question we may have. It truly is an incredible time to be alive- since I started writing this review, my groceries have been delivered to my front door!

However, the internet isn't all fun and games. For all of the amazing things that make the internet a miraculous resource that has undeniably changed our lives for the better, it has also resulted in much darker and more insidious possibilities too. The internet is ripe with danger and malice. Especially if you don't have a secure and private connection to it. For every glorious advent of modern times that comes with the internet, there is a shadow.

And the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term "hackers" is that of people who exploit internet connections for their own gain, by accessing personal information or resources. This can include things like addresses, photos, and credit card numbers. Anyone with a bit of tech know-how and a desire to steal can do this, and it's something to be very worried about if your internet connection is not private and secure.

Many experts believe that the age of information is also the death of privacy. Due to pervasive surveillance by both public and private entities, many people feel as if there is nowhere to hide. Furthermore, data miners and marketing firms are able to obtain unprecedented access to our personal information through leaks or breaches. This can have serious consequences for our personal safety and well-being as well as that of our families.

Often, we are not even safe from our own governments. In fact, federal and state agencies can be some of the most egregious when it comes to spying on its citizens, as well as censoring what sites can and cannot be accessed. The overwhelming majority of countries in the "free world" have been documented monitoring civilian activity. And, of course, nearly every known repressive regime does the same while also banning and censoring hundreds of thousands of sites. In other words, George Orwell's concept of Big Brother is alive and well in the 21st century.

If you frequently use public wifi connections, you are at risk for online attacks. Public internet is insecure, and this is where many online attacks occur.

There is a glimmer of hope, however. Whether you are a concerned citizen who wishes to shake off the government or an ISP?s monitoring of your data, just a regular person who is concerned for their online safety, or a citizen under a despotic government- a good Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be a potential solution to all these concerns. With so many VPNs to choose from, though, at so many different price points, it can be hard to figure out which one is the best for you. So today we will look at one of the highest-rated VPNs on the market: HMA VPN.

History

Hide My Ass (HMA) recently changed their name to a somewhat cryptic initialism of the original. Their logo, of a donkey dressed up to look like a private investigator, has survived the company's rebranding efforts. In 2005, Jack Cator of Norfolk, England created HMA. Often lauded as a prodigy, Cator was only 16 when he created his VPN service. Gavin stone age 16 was primarily concerned with the restrictions his school had on accessing and downloading music and games over their network. He developed HMA in order to bypass these restrictions.

Cator has stated that the first HMA server was created in a matter of just a few hours using open-source code. The first iteration of HMA was more like a proxy than a proper VPN, however. From there, the site privately routed the user to their desired website in-browser.

By 2014, HMA had acquired 10 million users and 215,000 paying subscribers. HMA's VPN caught the attention of AVG Technologies, who purchased the company outright for $40 million. Today, it is one of the most widely used VPN services in the world.

Design

The HMA interface is one of the most intuitive and user-friendly I have seen. It really doesn't get any simpler than this. Simply click "on" and, thanks to HMA's lightning connect feature, the program automatically detects the strongest private network on the server in your area. You can, of course, also choose to select a specific network from a list by searching your location, but you will likely never strictly need to do so. Just hit the "on" button and enjoy endless private browsing.

Content

There is not a whole lot of content on the HMA website or app. The only thing it does is select a function and connect to the lightning network. The program and app are very lightweight, and they won't slow down your browsing or streaming experience too much. However, there are some content concerns to be aware of when using HMA. For example, some people might use this website or app to do things that could get them in trouble with the law, like gambling or buying drugs. Since Netflix is accessible without issue on HMA (as advertised), streaming speeds and qualities can be pretty hit or miss. In my tests, however, streaming speeds and qualities were pretty inconsistent. This is one of the big issues with many VPNs; their impact on buffering and streaming speeds. Unfortunately, HMA does not appear to reliably deliver a top-notch viewing experience when it comes to streaming from your favorite services.

Desktop and Mobile Experience

HMA VPN is available on all the big-name devices. Users of Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux can enjoy HMA in the program and app form. If you run Linux, Ubuntu, or something similar, however, you might want to look elsewhere because HMA guarantees an equally easy and user-friendly experience.

Pricing and Plans

I am pleased to report that, unlike many VPNs out there, HMA offers a 7-day free trial period. So, feel free to give it a try without necessarily committing to a years-long payment plan. Once you have given HMA a week, you can choose from the following payment plans: You will be billed $6.99/month for 12 months.

-For 36 months, I will pay you $4.29/month.

Is it true that HMA VPN is not necessarily the best deal on the market? However, it is also certainly not unaffordable by any means.