If you follow the tech field at all, you have undoubtedly heard about Apple’s announcement regarding Apple Music. The statement at their conference on June 8th, 2015 said that they would launch their new music service, Apple Music, on June 30th, 2015. At the same time, they are also releasing their new iPhone operating system, iOS 8.4, to match these changes. The new Beats 1 radio is said to have a live streaming service from three locations in big markets, and these radio stations will keep the pulse of the local cities. The cities of New York City, Los Angeles, and London are to be a station called “Beats 1” and will have real DJs as well as exclusive interviews. In addition to live radio stations, Apple Music is also a musical suggestion and streaming service that will allow you to listen to your favorite artists as well as suggest songs you may want to listen to.
| Rank | VPN Service | Price | Visit | Server Locations | No Logs | Browser Extensions | Smart DNS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | $6.67 |  | 160 |  | | |
| 2 |  | $3.49 | | 87 | | | |
| 3 |  | $2.19 | | 95 | | | |
| 4 |  | $3.99 | | 73 | | ||
| 5 |  | $1.99 | | 58 | |
Apple wants to keep more of their user data private. The idea there, is the device should know you, not the company behind the device. Though I do not question Apple’s motives for privacy, there are plenty of people out there that would love to obtain that sort of data. That is why you should look in to a good VPN service to add an extra layer of protection to keep your information safe.
With the release of iOS 8.4, Apple has promised some good things. Unlike most streaming or suggestion services that only allow you to have one profile, they are offering one profile for $9.99 a month or the family plan for just $14.99 a month after the three month free trial (and yes, you can listen to the newest Taylor Swift album). That is to say that if you have others in the household, your profile will not be changed because of their tastes. In future releases of the iOS, the assistant (Siri) is going to be faster and more proactive, thus learning the user’s routine and attempting to expedite things. Specifically, say you always make a commute and listen to music, and you plug your headphones in. Siri will know this info and open the music app for your listening enjoyment.
Apple Music will have coverage to over 126 countries, worldwide. In almost any country you are in, you would be able to access your library. What if you want to listen to Apple Music in a different region? Well, you would need a good VPN . I know what you are saying, when would I ever be outside of a country that did not support the service? There are counties out there you may travel to that may not offer access to Apple Music or might have offer a different selection of songs based on region Geo-blocking is a technology used that is able to identify where a user is based on their IP address. A VPN will show that you are in one of the areas that is supported, and viola, you have access.
So whether you are interested in an extra layer of security to make sure people do not use your personal information for dubious reasons, or you want to make sure you have access to your music no matter where in the world you are, a good VPN service is a strong choice. The question is, which one should you choose?
Luckily, we have some good suggestions on which ones to pick. All of our recommendations have custom clients, so all you have to do is select a country, and push the shiny button. Here are our thoughts on selections.
1. ExpressVPN
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A benefit that you can take advantage of when connecting to a VPN is to help you access sites like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video in different areas. Because of licensing rights, not everything is available in every country. As connected as the world is, ExpressVPN feels you should be able to see your favorite movies and TV shows everywhere. To do so, you would need to connect to a VPN in the country that offers the content. That way, you’ll be able to see it no matter where you are.
If you play games online, you may have heard about Distributive Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Those are attacks that can put a stop to your gaming experience in a hurry. However, the way around that is to connect to a VPN server. By doing so, you can get around those types of attacks because it changes your IP address. Whether you play competitively or casually, you have better things to concentrate on than not being able to compete in your favorite game.
The ExpressVPN team goes the extra mile to provide a feature rich service. They are also strong privacy advocates. They offer a $5,000 Future of Privacy scholarship every year to help promote privacy among college students. Just a quick example of their dedication to spreading the message of privacy around the world. Just as important, they offer a premium network to allow for fast connections. This makes the service an excellent choice for downloading and streaming. Test their network for yourself with their 30-day money-back guarantee. Sign up for 12 months and get 3 months free with our ExpressVPN deal.
2. NordVPN
Since many stream sports on mobile phones these days, some wireless companies have given their users the ability to watch on their devices free of charge. Of course, that is offered in several different countries. If you are traveling abroad, though, you may have to miss out on seeing your favorite team in action. The solution is to connect to a VPN server from NordVPN. When you do, you make the blocking software think you are still in the correct region. That way, you won’t have to miss out on the great moments of your sport.
When you take a look at encryption protocols, NordVPN has you covered. Instead of dealing with some of the less secure ones like PPTP, the company offers you three different alternatives to use. Whether you like the highly adaptable IKEv2, known as an NGE (Next Generation Encryption) protocol, OpenVPN (which many experts consider to be the gold standard), or the newcomer to the group, NordLynx (a proprietary protocol that uses WireGuard technology), you can find them all with NordVPN. While some may worry about using WireGuard because of the flaws, the company made its protocol to address those issues.
3. Private Internet Access
If you are one of the many people that like to stream sports on your favorite mobile device, connecting to a VPN server from Private Internet Access may be useful to you. More and more providers are allowing their users to watch some sports for free. Great examples of that include baseball and American football in the US. However, if you are traveling abroad or are otherwise outside of your home area, you would miss out on those games. By connecting to a VPN server you should be able to regain the access you wish.
Since the world now spends more time on mobile devices than desktop computers, WiFi grows ever-more essential. If you are one of the many that does, we suggest that you connect to a VPN server from Private Internet Access to protect your privacy. The truth is, hackers are mostly invisible. They could be across the room or at the next table over. Since using Private Internet Access will encrypt your WiFi data and utilize a firewall, you can make sure that everything you do is protected.
4. IPVanish
When you are trying to protect your privacy, making sure your different apps and websites have unique passwords is crucial. However, many users struggle with that. Luckily, you get access to a password generator provided by IPVanish. Of course, that will help you come up with a secure and unique password. Whether you want to come up with one or hundreds, you can create passwords that are up to 64 characters long, and you can choose the quality strength. Additionally, you can omit similar characters and copy your new passwords to a clipboard.
No matter where you are from, you probably know that the US has some excellent streaming services. Whether it is an stand alone service like HBO Now, a package of channels like Sling TV, or others, you will miss out on them unless you connect to a VPN server. Luckily, IPVanish makes it easy. All you have to do is pick a server from the US if that is the region you wish to use. Then, log in with your credentials and you are all set.
5. PrivadoVPN
Whether you are an ex-pat or traveling abroad, you should not have to miss out on your favorite sports. We are glad to tell you that PrivadoVPN agrees. What you’ll need to do is connect to a VPN server from your home region. Then, you can log in to whichever streaming service you normally use. That way, you’ll make the usual blocking software think you are home, and you can catch up and watch your favorite sports live.
Security-minded users usually want to know where their VPN providers are located. Since PrivadoVPN does not use virtual locations, the answer to that question is even more important. Fortunately, the company is located in Switzerland. That means it is out of the “14 Eyes” jurisdiction. Even if the company kept logs (which they do not), you would only be subject to the privacy-centric Swiss privacy laws. They do not feel you should have to compromise your security when connecting to their VPN servers.
