Tools for finding PC-performance bottlenecks-by Fred Langa

By Fred Langa

That old saying, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link," has its Windows analogue: "A PC is only as fast as its slowest subsystem."

You can use Windows' built-in performance-monitoring tools to detect which of your PC's major subsystems could be causing slowdowns.

Ideally, a PC's four major hardware subsystems — CPU, drive, memory (RAM), and networking — work together as a seamless whole, handing tasks off from one to another without delay or difficulty.

But if one subsystem can't keep up with its workload, the entire PC can bog down while the other subsystems wait for it to catch up.

Fortunately, there's an easy way to tell whether your PC has a hardware-based bottleneck.

All versions of Windows starting with Vista include a graphical performance-monitoring tool (Win7 and Win8 actually offer two) that shows, in near-real-time, how a PC's major hardware subsystems are being affected by their workload.

These monitoring tools vary somewhat, depending on the Windows version (even the names are different), but they're all extremely simple to use for basic performance monitoring. Side-by-side graphs display each subsystem's moment-by-moment level of activity, giving you a visual representation of workload changes, even as you run tasks on the PC.

Figure 1 shows an example clipped from Win8's Task Manager. Other monitor-tool versions look somewhat different but convey the same type of information.

Figure 1. Task Manager displaying subsystem activity for a healthy Win8 PC under a light workload

If your system has a hardware bottleneck, at least one of the graphs will be seriously out of step with the others. It'll typically show a sustained, high level of activity, while other subsystems have relatively low activity levels. For example, Figure 2 shows C: drive access pegged at 100 percent.

Figure 2. A serious mismatch in subsystem activity — 100 percent C: drive utilization — might indicate a bottleneck worth investigation.

Keep in mind, however, that every instance of high activity doesn't necessarily represent a true bottleneck. Sometimes, high subsystem activity is due to totally benign causes, as I'll show in a moment.

But if the monitors show that a particular hardware subsystem is routinely or frequently maxed out during normal, everyday system operations, the subsystem is likely to be the weak link in your PC's performance chain. It's probably the cause of most system slowdowns.

Deciphering Windows' built-in performance-monitoring tools. The rest of this article will show how to access and use Windows' performance-monitoring tools. I'll explain how to interpret what the graphs reveal and what to do if you suspect you've found a bottleneck.

Although this article focuses just on troubleshooting hardware-based bottlenecks, Windows' monitoring tools also provide detailed, fine-grained information about numerous aspects of software performance. Below, you'll find links to additional information for exploring more advanced monitoring-tool uses.

Accessing Win8's dual performance monitors

Windows 8 has a pair of performance monitors; the easiest to access and use is the Performance tab built into Win8's Task Manager. It's significantly more useful and better-looking than its Windows 7 counterpart.

To access it, open Task Manager by your preferred method — Win8.1 offers several ways. For example, there's the classic Ctrl + Alt + Del method. But you can also pop up the advanced-user menu by either clicking Windows key + x or right-clicking the Start button on the Desktop. Whichever menu you get to, select Task Manager.

You can open Task Manager directly by clicking Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by right-clicking an empty space on the Taskbar and selecting Task Manager. (If Task Manager opens as a small, relatively simple window, click the More details link at the bottom.)

With Task Manager open, select the Performance tab. You'll see a window that looks something like that shown in Figure 3 (though, of course, your performance details will differ).

Figure 3. Win8's Task Manager/Performance view is the easiest and best-looking performance-graphing tool Microsoft has ever offered.

Windows 8 also offers a version of the classic Windows Resource Monitor, which provides an extensive list of highly detailed performance-monitoring functions. The Win8 Resource Monitor operates much like the Win7 version, described in the next section.

Win8's Resource Monitor is available from Task Manager — simply click the Open Resource Monitor link at the bottom of the window. You can, of course, also enter resmon into the Win8 search box and click its name when it appears. Once open, Win8's Resource Monitor will look similar to Figure 4.

Figure 4. Win8's Resource Monitor still has an old-school look, but it lets you drill deeply into system-performance information.

For more information on Win8's Performance Monitor and Resource Monitor, see:

• "A visual tour of Win8's new Task Manager" – June 12, 2014, Best Practices
• "Windows 8 Task Manager in-depth" – Microsoft Windows blog
• "The Windows 8 Task Manager" – MSDN blog
• "Performance management: Monitoring CPU resources" – TechNet blog.

Note: Microsoft offers scant help for Win8's Resource Monitor. But as mentioned earlier, the Win8 tool operates much like Win7's. See the Win7 "More information" links below for additional guidance.

Accessing Win7's performance-monitoring tools

Windows 7's Task Manager also has a Performance tab. But as noted above, it's far more limited than its Win8 counterpart. I recommend skipping directly to Win7's Resource Monitor. Either click the link at the bottom of the Performance tab in Task Manager, or click Start and enter resmon into the search box. Click resmon when it appears. (You might be prompted for admin permission.) Win7's Resource Monitor will look like what's shown in Figure 5. (It's nearly identical to the Win8 version shown in Figure 4.)

Figure 5. Like its Win8 counterpart, Win7's Resource Monitor provides a detailed look at what's going on inside Windows.

For more information on performance monitoring in Win7, see:

• "What's new in performance and reliability monitoring" – TechNet page
• "Performance monitoring getting started guide" – TechNet page
• "Resource availability troubleshooting getting started guide" – TechNet page.

Vista's Reliability and Performance Monitor

The Reliability and Performance Monitor tool is located in Vista's Management Console.

To access it, click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Manage. (Again, you might be asked for admin permission.) When the Computer Management console opens, click Reliability and Performance in the left pane (see Figure 6).

Figure 6. Vista's Reliability and Performance monitor is found within the Computer Management console.

For more information, see:

• "Windows Vista performance and reliability monitoring step-by-step guide" – TechNet page
• "Selected scenarios for monitoring performance with Windows Vista" – TechNet page

Using Windows' performance-monitoring tools

To save space, I'll refer to all of Windows' performance-monitoring tools — Win8's Task Manager–based Performance monitor, Win7's and Win8's Resource Monitor, and Vista's Reliability and Performance Monitor — by the generic name of performance monitor.

The best way to check your PC for hardware bottlenecks is to open a performance monitor and position its graphs so that they're visible — or at least easily accessible — while you go about your everyday computing tasks.

While you work, keep an eye on the performance graphs; you want to become familiar with how your PC responds to varying workloads. For example, note drive, CPU, and networking activity as you open applications, copy large and small files from one place to another, and download videos from the Web.

At times, some or all of your hardware subsystems will have relatively short bursts of maximum usage. That's completely normal; it's not necessarily a sign of trouble. In fact, it's what you want: to execute tasks as quickly as it can, a PC should bring all available resources to bear.

Some tasks will give one subsystem a long and heavy workout. For example, the Disk graph should show maximum activity when you're running a full system backup. If you're recalculating a giant spreadsheet or editing and rendering a large video file, you'd expect your CPU to be working flat-out for a while.

Such easily explained, high levels of sustained activity are generally not signs of a severe system bottleneck. On the other hand, frequent and/or long, unexplained slowdowns — especially during routine, day-to-day operations that shouldn't cause trouble — are another matter.

When your PC suddenly slows for no apparent reason, take a look at your performance graphs. If one particular subsystem is frequently registering sustained, maximum activity while the other subsystems are operating at much lower levels, it's almost assuredly the processing bottleneck.

Balancing performance across all subsystems

Obviously, it makes no sense to have a super-fast CPU and a slow hard drive or to try running memory-intensive applications such as virtual machines or video editing with just 2GB of RAM. If one subsystem is a frequent bottleneck for your computing work, you can improve performance by servicing, upgrading, or replacing that subsystem. Here are some ideas.

Disk bottlenecks: If performance monitoring indicates that a hard drive is causing frequent slowdowns, first try to correct the problem with a full round of disk maintenance and diagnostics. For how-to information, see the Jan. 16, 2014, Top Story, "Keep a healthy PC: A routine-maintenance guide"; skip down to the subsection labeled "Disk health."

If your hard drive is FAT-formatted (e.g., FAT32), consider converting it to NTFS, which is usually faster. The Windows built-in convert.exe tool can perform this conversion on the fly. See the Microsoft Windows article, "Convert a hard disk or partition to NTFS format."

Obscure drive alignment problems can also rob performance, especially on traditional, spinning-platter drives. For a discussion of drive alignment and some suggested tools (free and paid), see the Oct. 4, 2012, LangaList Plus column, "Drive alignment and solid-state drives."

If disk maintenance or software fixes don't improve things, your only real option is to upgrade to a faster hard drive.

Note: Before you shop for a new drive, measure your current drive's throughput and access speed with tools such as the Disk Throughput Tester (free; site) or HD Tune (free/paid; site). Then, when shopping for a new drive, you can focus on only those with significantly better/faster specs.

CPU bottlenecks: Visit your system vendor's website or the mainboard/chip manufacturer's site to see whether it offers diagnostic software. CPUs and mainboards are often tested as a unit. For example, Intel's Diagnostic and Performance Tools page offers links and descriptions for dozens of tools used to test CPUs and mainboards.

Other examples include the Dell diagnostic Knowledge Base webpage and HP's "Testing for hardware failures (Windows 7)" page.

If your CPU/mainboard is healthy, you're left with upgrading to a processor with more cores (info) and/or a higher clock rate (info). That might be possible, depending on the type of components and age of your system. But it's far simpler, surer, and — in the long run — usually less expensive to simply replace the entire PC with a newer, faster model — one whose components were designed to work together from the start.

Memory (RAM) bottlenecks: Check the memory subsystem's health with Microsoft's free Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool (MS Windows page). You can also try third-party tools such as the free, open-source Memtest86 (site) or Memtest86+ (site).

If your RAM is healthy, and you routinely come close to using all available memory, your best option is to add more RAM. Check your system documentation for the type and speed of memory chip the machine can use. If all memory slots are filled, you might have to replace your current memory modules with higher-capacity versions.

If your system already has all the RAM it can support, your only real option is a new mainboard or — far more simply — a new system.

Network bottlenecks: Networking problems can affect transfer speeds with network-attached storage devices and your ability to work online, but they rarely cause a general PC slowdown. Most networking issues are outside the PC — problems with cables, modems, and routers; Wi-Fi saturation; and so on. Still, for completeness, here's how to check for bottlenecks in a PC's networking subsystem.

First, run Windows' Network Diagnostics tool to see whether there's an easily correctable software or configuration problem. To do so, right-click the network icon in the Windows desktop's notification area. (If it's not visible, click the small "Show hidden icons" triangle icon in the notification area.) Select Troubleshoot problems and then let the automated repair tools do their thing.

If you prefer a more focused, manual approach, see "Network diagnostics & tracing in Windows 7" in a TechNet Magazine page. (Win8's and Vista's diagnostics are similar.)

Next, test your PC networking hardware with whatever tools the manufacturer offers. For example, Intel's "Administrative tools for Intel network adapters" page offers a collection of free diagnostic and management tools. A Realtek page offers a variety of similar tools for its networking hardware, including the simply named "Windows Diagnostic Program."

You can dig much deeper, if you wish

Although this article focuses on just one high-level task — identifying hardware bottlenecks — keep in mind that Windows' monitoring tools are actually capable of providing deeply detailed information on both hardware and software performance.

If the information in this article doesn't resolve your performance problem, use the performance-monitoring links provided above for your Windows version. In either case, you'll likely find that current versions of Windows have all the tools needed to track down exactly what's causing PC slowdowns.

Source: http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/tools-for-finding-pc-performance-bottlenecks/

The Ultimate Guide to Watching Online TV with Private Internet Access

Open the door to a world of video-streaming and entertainment through Private Internet Access.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) allow you to push your network traffic through an encrypted tunnel, making it easy to hide your identity, and to browse the Internet securely when using public access points.
Traditionally, they were one of the tricks of the trade for business travelers — VPNs were used primarily for weary, far-flung employees to to access their company’s internal network from public WiFi networks provided hotels and cafes. Other more privacy-concerned organizations used VPNs as a way for remote workers to send privileged communications without the risk of interception.







But more recently, the general public has started to use anonymous VPN services – such as those provided by Private Internet Access — in other, more interesting roles. For example, many use them in order to mitigate against ISP-level censorship, as is common in countries like China, the UAE and yes, even the United Kingdom. Others use VPNs as a tool to defend themselves against government surveillance of the Internet.
As a tool, VPNs are useful and versatile. Indeed, we’re a big fan of them at MakeUseOf and have listed some of the unusual potential applications for VPNs in the past. But did you also know that VPNs can help you catch up on the latest TV shows?
Yes, it’s true. There is a phenomenal amount of streaming websites which allow you to watch the latest shows, but are only available in certain locales. You might be familiar with some of the more prominent ones, such as Hulu, Netflix, and the BBC’s iPlayer.
These sites only allow people living in certain countries to access them. It seems unfair, doesn’t it? Just because you live in France or Germany, doesn’t mean that you should have to go without the latest episode of Family Guy. Similarly, just because you live in the US doesn’t mean that you should have to wait to watch the latest episode of Doctor Who.







With a VPN (we recommend Private Internet Access), you can bypass geographical restrictions by visiting those sites through local VPN endpoints — in other words, the websites will think you’re within the country and allow you access. While you might have already been aware of this geo-restriction workaround, you may not realize the vast quantity of amazing programming you can watch by accessing certain streaming video websites with a VPN.
This guide aims to show you what’s on offer, and to tell you the VPN endpoint you’ll need to use to access it. We’re going to take a trip across the world. From the US, to the UK, and finally Australia. Let’s see what we can watch.

Hulu

Hulu was founded in March 2007 with the vision that people should be able to watch the TV shows they want, legitimately, having to resort to illegal downloading. The principle was simple: you can watch a variety of television shows, clips and movies supported by advertisements. To access certain premium products from Hulu, you might have to pay a flat monthly fee.
Unsurprisingly, Hulu has been nothing short of a huge success. According to Internet ranking service Alexa, Hulu is one of the top 500 visited websites worldwide, and is visited by almost 25 million people each month. It has been a pioneer in the online streaming space.







But, there’s a pretty significant downside. Hulu is only available to residents of the United States and its associated territories, and Japan. That’s bad news for everyone else.
Around 2010, there were rumblings the video-on-demand titan would dip its toe into the European market, and expand into the UK and Ireland. Consumers on this side of the pond waited with baited breath. But unfortunately, due to the complex nature of licensing digital content for streaming, the plans were cancelled.
Which is a shame, because there are some phenomenal television on Hulu. Shows like South Park.








Earlier this year, Hulu signed a three-year deal to exclusively stream the hugely popular and profane animated series by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The entire catalog of 17 seasons is currently available to stream, in full length and uncensored.
Truth be told, if you love comedy, Hulu has you covered. It has everything you could possibly hope to watch. Their lineup ranges from the bitingly funny Colbert Show, to Scrubs, to the late-night institution that is Saturday Night Live.
If comedy isn’t your thing, Hulu also has no shortage of dramas, thrillers and action shows. Shows like the Vampire Diaries, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and Nashville.







And much like Amazon and Netflix, Hulu has its own original programming — shows you won’t find anywhere else, from the short-lived but critically acclaimed The Confession starring Keifer Sutherland and John Hurt, to the comedy stylings of Kevin Smith’s The Spoilers, which is their flagship film review show. Think Roger Ebert, but with a severe case of potty mouth.
If you’re not in the US, you can watch these shows on Hulu with a VPN from Private Internet Access. Just set your endpoint to an American one, and you’re golden.

Netflix

When Netflix first opened its subscription service in 1999, it was revolutionary. For the first time ever, consumers could rent movies online instead of having to drive down to Blockbuster and fork over cash for a scratched, beaten-up VHS tape. You’d just have to sign up to Netflix, request a specific film, and within a few days, a DVD was sent to you in the post.
A few things have happened since 1999.








Firstly, DVDs are slowly (but surely) going the way of the cassette tape. Now, everyone’s all about the streaming video. The driving force behind that has been the rise of fast and unmetered household broadband connections. This significant change in the home Internet market has made it possible for people to watch high definition content from their homes, with no physical media involved, and has resulted in the astronomical growth of Netflix.
Almost fifty million people own subscriptions to Netflix, which is available in the United States, Canada, South America and huge swathes of Europe. The march of Netflix shows no signs of stopping, either. Starting in the middle of 2015, it will make its debut appearance in New Zealand and Australia.
So, given that it’s nearly ubiquitous, why would you use a VPN service to watch Netflix?
Well, simply put — regional programming. The programming available in the UK is vastly different in quantity (and quality) than in, say, the United States, or Canada. If you want to catch up on previous seasons of Community, your best bet is Canadian Netflix. If you’re fan of The Thick Of It, or Top Gear, your best bet is British Netflix.









Fortunately, Netflix allows travelers to use their subscriptions in other countries. If you’re a European subscriber and you’re on vacation in the United States, Netflix will treat you like one of their American customers and allow you to enjoy the local offering.
With that said, wherever you are, you’ll be able to catch up on their award-winning original programming. Shows like Orange Is The New Black, which has earned its share of acclaim for dramatization of Piper Kerman’s true story of what happens when an affluent Bostonian’s criminal past catches up with her.
Netflix’s original content also extends into documentaries, such as The Square, which covered the Tahrir Square uprisings in Egypt, and was the first Internet-only documentary to earn an Oscar.







And I can’t not mention Lilyhammer, which features E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt as a New York gangster turned informant, who has found himself adjusting to live in the vastly different world of rural Norway.
Better still, Netflix cannot tell the difference between someone genuinely on vacation and someone connecting over a VPN service. So, what’s on offer?
Well, quite a lot. It’s hard not to overstate the vast differences between regional libraries. At the time of writing, Netflix US had just short of 9,000 movies and shows available to stream. British consumers have to make do with around 3,500 movies.
Your mileage will vary. I’ve found shows exclusively on Netflix Canada or Netflix Mexico. Similarly, some shows are only available in the UK or America. Your best bet is to switch between VPN endpoints.

CBS Online

If you don’t live in United States, you might not be familiar with CBS. But I’m fairly sure you’re familiar some of their work, and the shows they own the licenses to. CBS owns the rights to some of the biggest blockbusters you could care to name. I’m talking about massively successful, international successes.







Successes like Star Trek. Some years ago, CBS acquired Paramount Pictures. With it, they received the rights to Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek franchise. This is a franchise which is stretched for over fifty years and boasts some of the most dedicated fandom of all science fiction. It started with Canadian crooner William Shatner as Captain Kirk, and then went onto have successful reboots in the 90s with Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek DS9 and Star Trek Voyager. We won’t mention Enterprise.
More recently, the American broadcasting titan has had successes with the likes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; the latest reboot of the Sherlock Holmes franchise, Elementary, starring Lucy Liu and Jonny Lee Miller; and Two and a Half Men.
But the jewel in CBS’s crown is The Big Bang Theory. Although incredibly divisive, this is one of most watched shows on primetime television. Each episode draws in a mammoth 20 million viewers, and is the number one show in every Nielsen age category, from 2 to 11, to adults 55 and older.







And unsurprisingly, CBS wants a piece of the lucrative web streaming market. So it should come as no surprise they’ve released their own ersatz iPlayer. And you know what? It’s pretty good.
A surprisingly large swath of their catalog is available. Like the BBC’s iPlayer (below), some shows only include recent episodes which aired in the past few weeks. Don’t expect to watch the full back-catalog of Two Broke Girls, The Mentalist, or The Big Bang Theory.







Other shows are different though.
As previously mentioned, the entire Star Trek catalog is available to watch on the CBS player. Every episode, in its entirety. Ditto with Everybody Loves Raymond, Jericho, and Canadian cop drama, Flashpoint. Video quality isn’t too bad. It tends to hover around the 480p mark.
With that said, there’s a catch. From all these shows (in CBC parlance, ‘classics’), only a small selection of episodes are free. If you want the whole thing, you’ll have to become a member of CBS All Access, which is their premium (and paid) streaming package.
And if you’re used to advert-free BBC iPlayer and Netflix, you won’t be too happy to hear that the free episodes come jam-packed with advertising. Expect a 40-minute TV episode to feature at least four advertisement breaks, with each lasting minutes.
If you’re desperate for your Star Trek fix and you don’t fancy opening your wallet, you can circumvent this by watching them on startrek.com. Predictably, this is geo-restricted to customers in the United States, however. To watch it, you’ll need to fire up a US-located VPN, as you will with CBS Online, for that matter.

BBC iPlayer

Founded in 1922, the British Broadcasting Corporation is a media institution of magnificent proportions. With a stated aim of ‘to educate, inform, and entertain’, the BBC has produced some of the most enlightening radio and television programming the world has ever known.
It started life as a smattering of radio stations in the late twenties, before going on to pioneer broadcast television in the late thirties. This was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, only to resume in 1946. Since then, it has carved itself out a niche in the British television landscape as a fiercely independent producer of high-brow programming.








And although the BBC is one of the oldest broadcasters in the world, they’ve still managed to modernize. In the mid 70s, they pioneered a system named CEEFAX, which was almost the TV analog of RSS feeds. It allowed users to passively receive up-to-date news through their television sets, transmitted over the airwaves.
And two decades later, BBC launched their digital services. Those with the right kind of TV and receiver could take advantage of crisper, cleaner video and audio.
So, given this track record of innovation, it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that the BBC has managed to create an incredible streaming product that allows viewers to watch their favorite BBC shows, all from their web browser, Internet TV box, tablet, games console, or smartphone.







Meet iPlayer. It’s available on a startling array of devices, and allows you to catch up on videos aired in the past 30 days. It also allows you to watch television shows as it’s being broadcast, although if you’re a UK resident doing this without a TV license, you might be breaking the law. So, what’s on?
Well, if you’re a parent, you’ll certainly get a kick out of Ceebeebies. This is the section of the iPlayer site aimed at toddlers, babies and young children. This boasts a wealth of programming that should be sufficient to keep a child occupied on a rainy afternoon, including the charming Rastamouse and the educational and slightly moralistic Justin’s House.








And for slightly older children, there’s CBBC. This has locally sourced programming, like Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories, as well as American imports, like PBS’s Arthur. For technologically-inclined youngsters, there’s also Technobabble, which gently introduces the viewer how technology impacts the world around them.
We’ve not even mentioned the rest of the BBC’s offerings, yet. Obviously, there’s the likes of Doctor Who, which has captured the attention of fans both young and old for the past fifty years. Petrolheads will enjoy the coarse stylings of the Top Gear crew, whilst fans of drama will enjoy the variety of serials produced by the BBC on a regular basis.
Shows watched on iPlayer aren’t interrupted with adverts, since it is funded by UK license fee payments.
As you might expect though, you’re only going to get the BBC iPlayer in the UK. If you’re outside, you’re going to have to use a VPN service like Private Internet Access. Set your endpoint to the one with the Union Jack.

Channel 4: 4oD

Channel 4 is one of the UK’s four main terrestrial broadcasters, and has an interesting place in British broadcasting history.
It started life in 1982 as an alternative to the duopoly that existed at the time between the BBC and rival broadcaster ITV. And in the next twenty years, Channel 4 carved itself an important place in the UK media landscape. This is largely the result of its fiercely brave documentary programming, as well its tendency (for better, or for worse) to produce shows that pioneer new formats. This is doubly true when it comes to reality television, given Channel 4 was one of the first stations to broadcast Big Brother, which has since enjoyed success in the USA and India.
And not entirely unsurprisingly, Channel 4 programs can be streamed online. Anyone with a smartphone, tablet, computer or smart TV may view their programming through Channel 4’s 4oD player.








But what’s on offer?
Well, one of the biggest strengths of 4oD is its extensive back-catalogue. Unlike the BBC, Channel 4 allows you to stream a huge variety of previously-aired shows.
Shows like Skins. When first broadcast in 2007, it shocked many viewers with its controversial and visceral look into what life is like for teenagers growing up in modern, inner-city England. All seven seasons of Skins are available to stream online.







Channel 4 also produce some phenomenal drama shows. Shows like the darkly-funny Babylon, by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle, and Peep Show, featuring Mitchell and Webb.
There’s also no shortage of American imports, including The Big Bang Theory.
Their factual broadcasting is something to write home about, too. Their documentary repertoire is too vast to mention, although their standout series is Dispatches, which has tackled everything from social injustice, to poverty in modern day Britain, to regulation of the banking system. Their filmmaking is fierce, and fearless.









Channel 4 also has a decent amount of sports broadcasting. Although they lack premiership soccer and top-tier rugby, they offer other, more niche sports like professional poker, to American football, to cycling. If you have unusual taste in sports, Channel 4 has you covered.
But unlike the BBC’s content, 4oD’s broadcasting are supported by advertising. Although they’re technically publicly funded, they’re very much a commercial entity who fund their works through commercial means. This means advertisements.
But if you don’t fancy watching 4oD through their own website, they also serve their content through YouTube. Although, it’s worth noting that like the main 4oD website, it is only available to viewers based in the United Kingdom.
So, how do you get the best of UK public broadcasting? Through a VPN, of course. Just set your endpoint to the United Kingdom.

ABC’s iView

The UK has the BBC. Canada has the CBC. So, it makes sense that Australia has the ABC.
Founded in 1932, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the antipodean equivalent of the BBC, having spent the majority of its life producing high-brow educational and cultural programming. For the first 40 years of its life, it was a radio-only organization, but later, it inevitably joined the television revolution.
Since then, the ABC closely followed the path its British counterpart has taken. It too has launched digital TV stations, leaving the fuzzy analogue world behind, and it too has launched an Internet streaming site.







It’s called iView, and if you want to enjoy the best of the Australian television world, you need to check it out.
But what’s on offer? Admittedly, the ABC doesn’t quite have the blockbuster successes of the BBC. Many of their shows isn’t internationally known, which is a shame. Otherwise, their programming lineup is excellent, particularly their comedy franchises.








Perhaps the most widely known is The Chaser. This six-piece comedy group has had a number of successful runs, including the internationally known Chaser’s War On Everything which was notorious for courting controversy and tabloid outrage. After a brief hiatus, their latest show is The Chaser’s Media Circus, which is currently airing on broadcast television, and can be watched on iView.
And if you remember Summer Heights High, you’ll probably remember Jonah, the slightly recidivist playground bully with a tendency to interrupt his classes with amusing tirades of chain-profanity. He has his own show with Jonah from Tonga, and that’s also available on iView.
There are even some pretty incredible science programming. One standout example is Catalyst. If you’re familiar with Bill Nye The Science Guy or Bang Goes The Theory, this show will feel pretty familiar.
Given the ABC’s close relationship with their British counterpart, it’s hardly surprising there’s also a wealth of British programming. At the time of writing, they’re airing a documentary featuring the life story of Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, featuring former Python Eric Idle, in addition to David Attenborough’s Kingdom Of Plants series and Death In Paradise.








Given Australia’s proud sporting history, it makes sense iView has a lot to offer in this respect. Fans of national, regional and international sport are covered, and there’s everything from basketball to Aussie-rules football.
Like the BBC iPlayer, ABC iView doesn’t run advertising on their online video. It’s always good to know that whatever you watch won’t be interrupted with an advert for dishwasher soap or toothpaste.
As you might expect, watching the best of Aussie TV is easy. Just set your VPN endpoint to Australia, and you’re golden. Mate.

Around The World With A VPN

There’s some great programming here. And we’ve travelled across the Anglophone world, from America to the United Kingdom, to Australia. There’s a lot on offer, and whether you’re a parent looking for some family-friendly viewing for your children, or if you’re just looking for some visceral, cutting-edge comedy, we’re confident there’s a site out there with the right content for you.
But far too often, getting that content isn’t possible without circumventing some geo-restrictions.
We’re able to do that by using a VPN service, and there are no shortage of VPN providers. Indeed, we’ve written about them in the past, and we’re big fans of Private Internet Access. Why?







A few reasons, actually. We love their strong, industry-standard encryption, which prevents governments and ISPs from intercepting our traffic. We love how many endpoints they have, which stretch from America to Romania, to Israel, to Australia, and everywhere in between. We love their hands-off approach to customer privacy, with no logs retained. We love how affordable they are, with a subscription costing only $39.95 per year, which works out to about $3.33 per month. We even love how you can pay with Bitcoin, as well as most major credit cards and Paypal.

You can find out more at their official website.
Are there any other video streaming sites you recommend? Found any clever ways to get around geo-restrictions?

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-ultimate-guide-to-watching-online-tv-with-private-internet-access/

Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users

PCWORLD- It’s official, folks: Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for existing Windows users—as long as you claim it quickly.

Kicking off the consumer-focused Windows 10 event in Redmond on Tuesday, Microsoft operating system chief Terry Myerson announced that current users of Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free for one year after the operating system launches. Once you’ve claimed the upgrade, Microsoft will keep you updated for the supported lifetime of the device.


“We think of Windows 10 as a service,” Myerson said.
Is there a catch? Here's the fine print from the Windows 10 page on Microsoft's site:
“It is our intent that most of these devices will qualify, but some hardware/software requirements apply and feature availability may vary by device. Devices must be connected to the internet and have Windows Update enabled. ISP fees may apply. Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 Update required. Some editions are excluded: Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, and Windows RT/RT 8.1. Active Software Assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise outside of this offer. We will be sharing more information and additional offer terms in coming months.”

The decision to make Windows 10 a free upgrade for existing users—at least for a limited time—makes sense. Windows 8 users have vocally expressed their displeasure with the operating system, prompting happy Windows 7 users to stay put on that OS. That hinders Microsoft's ability to execute its vision for a service-centric, cloud-connected future for Windows; making Windows 10 free could spur more users into embracing a modern Microsoft operating system.

And hey, it'd be weird to charge for Windows 10 after Windows 8 flopped so hard and Apple started giving away OS upgrades. Right?

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2873214/windows-10-will-be-a-free-upgrade-for-windows-7-and-8-users.html

System Restore On Reboot – Deep Freeze Your Windows Installation With Free Tools

If you’ve ever wanted to maintain a system state to keep it secure and not allow any changes, then you might want to try deep freezing your Windows computer.
Unlike a factory reset, which wipes everything back to the manufacturer’s default, a deep freeze allows you to create a specific system state that you want your computer to restore back to. Windows 8 has built-in utilities to restore and refresh your system, but this is a bit different.
There are paid and free applications to help you accomplish this, so we’re going to look at both and see what’s available on the market.

What Is Deep Freeze?

Deep Freeze is an application that resets the system state every time you reboot your computer. This means that any change to the system, like installing a program or adjusting a setting, will be forgotten when the system starts up again.



Deep Freeze is developed by Faronics and is available on modern versions of Windows. It’s suitable for a single computer workstation or an entire server. While Deep Freeze is a very useful tool, the downside is that it’s commercial. There’s nothing inherently wrong with paying for software, but there are a number of free alternatives out there that might suit you better.
Download: Deep Freeze (30-day free trial) or purchase full edition (price on request).

Why Would I Need It?

Have you ever used a public computer? Those found in hotels or libraries will probably use some sort of system restoring software. This is because these systems are set up to run in a very specific way. Users may accidentally download malware, attempt to install a program or alter the visual style of the computer – to keep tabs on this across all systems and then fix any changes is far too time consuming.



Not only does it come in handy for businesses, but deep freezing a system can be beneficial to you as an individual, too. Have you ever set up a computer for a friend or relative only to return at a later date to find it riddled with junk? Or perhaps they’ve changed a setting somewhere and they don’t know how to get it back to normal?
Save yourself the hassle of fulfilling the tech support role and instead let their computer dismiss any changes when they reboot. Additionally, be sure to read our guide on how to make their computer harder to break.

What Are The Free Alternatives?

If this sounds like something you might benefit from then we’ve rounded up a list of free software that will deep freeze your system. Be sure to post a comment below if you’ve used any of these before or have your own suggestion to add.

Steadier State

Steadier State is a program developed specifically for Windows 7. The name comes from Windows SteadyState, a free deep freezing utility that Microsoft provided for XP and Vista, which was discontinued and is no longer compatible with new operating systems.



A good thing about this program is that every time the system reboots, you can choose whether to roll back to the original state or keep the changes. It’s a simple little utility, but if you’re running Windows 7 off a few single machines, then it’ll do the job well.

Reboot Restore Rx

While Reboot Restore Rx does have a paid alternative (Drive Vaccine) that offers additional features, like scheduled restoring, remote managed and critical update automation, the free version does the job just fine for basic use.




The program supports Windows 2000 to Windows 8.1, both 32-bit and 64-bit, and is still being updated to this day. It’s a bit different to some other programs because it uses its own mini operating system that functions at the sector level of the hard drive, ensuring the master boot records’ integrity is kept.

ToolWiz Time Freeze

One of the great things about ToolWiz Time Freeze is its simplicity. All you need to do is tick a single box and the program will work its magic. You can also start the program while the system is running or alternatively enable it to automatically run on each boot.



You can add a password protection to your time freeze to make it harder for someone to disable the protection. ToolWiz Time Freeze is available on everything from Windows XP and above. It even claims to work on Windows 10, which is still in beta!

‘Till Windows Freezes Over

Whether you just want to protect your own computer or a whole bank of them, deep freezing a system can come in very useful. No longer do you have to worry about anything troubling your system again – simply restart and the changes are gone!
You don’t even have to use these programs permanently. For example, there might be times where you let someone play around on your system and you could enable one of these utilities prior to the fact in order to maintain your preferred state.

There’s loads of uses for a deep freeze and luckily an arsenal of free programs to help you out!
Do you make use of any deep freeze software? If so, how does it come in useful for you? Do you have any other freeware to add to our list?

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/system-restore-reboot-deep-freeze-windows-installation-free-tools/

How to get Windows 10's best new features today

Windows 9? Fuhgeddaboutit. Microsoft skipped that digit and jumped straight to Windows 10 for the next-gen version of its operating system. Revealed at a preview event on September 30, Windows 10 aims to atone for the sins of Windows 8 by wooing PC power users with a mix of compromise and outright bribery. 

A reborn Start menu, windowed Metro apps, virtual desktop support, and enhanced Command Prompt tools are enticing lures indeed. Alas, Windows 10 itself isn't expected until the middle of 2015—a veritable eternity for folks slogging through Windows 8's Live Tiles. But fear not! You don't have to wait to get the best of Windows 10 today.
Microsoft will offer a Windows 10 Technical Preview in the months ahead of the operating system's launch, but if you don't like the idea of slapping pre-release OSes on your computer, some handy-dandy software can deliver some of Windows 10's highlight features to your Windows 8 PC today. 
Consider it a taste of things to come. Let's dig in!

 

The return of the Start Menu

A slew of Start menu replacements hit the web the second the Start Menu-less Windows 8 hit the streets, but when it comes time to put your cash on the line, the decision boils down to just two programs: Stardock’s Start8 and Classic Shell.

Stardock

Stardock’s polished Start8 Start Menu matches the color of your taskbar. (Click to enlarge.)

Those reviews have all the nitty-gritty details, but you’ll probably want to start with Classic Shell since it’s donationware. Classic Shell includes options for both Windows XP- and Windows 7-style Start menus, along with numerous customization options. You can tinker with what’s listed in the Classic Shell Start Menu, or even change the look of its Start button to an icon of your choice. Cool stuff, indeed.
Start8, meanwhile, offers either a Windows 7 Start Menu or a Modern UI-tinged Windows 8 Start Menu that’s more in line with what Microsoft itself is cooking up. The $5 Start8 app is more polished and easier to use than the open-source Classic Shell, which is chock full of ugly buttons. Start8 still offers plenty of options and features, though, and you can’t go wrong with either program.
You might also consider Start Menu Reviver. We didn't like it quite as much as Start8 or Classic Shell, but its tile-infused interface mimics the look of Windows 10's Start menu much more closely than its more classicly themed counterparts.

 

Windowed desktop Metro apps

Image: Microsoft

A Metro app running in a desktop window in Windows 10.

Sure, the Windows 8.1 spring update added plenty of mouse-friendly features, but it still doesn’t let you use Modern apps in desktop windows. If you want that capability today, you only have one place to turn: The utterly superb ModernMix software.
Again offered by Stardock—do you get the feeling that the folks at Stardock weren’t impressed by Windows 8?—ModernMix exists solely to let you run Windows Store apps in desktop Windows. It’s wonderful if you use Windows 8’s native apps, such as email, calendar, and Music, all of which stick to the Modern UI.

ModernMix in action. Seriously, buy it today.

ModernMix runs like a charm even with the updates recently introduced to Windows 8.1. It’s well worth the $5 admission price.

 

Virtual desktops

Image: Microsoft

Windows 10's virtual desktop feature in action.

Windows has long limited you to a single desktop interface. OS X and Linux operating systems, on the other hand, support virtual desktops—essentially multiple, configurable, virtual desktops you're able to switch between, so that you can have completely separate desktop interfaces for work and play or whatever.
But Windows 10 ditches that one desktop frame of mind, adding support for multiple desktops via a new "Task View" feature.

One PC, many virtual desktops, courtesy of Dexpot.

Why wait? If you want to start using virtual desktops on Windows today, just download Dexpot. It's not only free for personal use, it's chock full of UI hints that remind you that new desktop experiences are just a click away. Dexpot is insanely customizable and so finely polished that it makes virtual desktops feel like a native part of Windows—which they will soon indeed be.

Note: Microsoft also offers a free mutli-desktop utility here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx

 

Bringing it all together

There you have it: For less than the cost of a large pizza, you can have Windows 10’s most-anticipated improvements right now. Give yourself time to get used to Dexpot and you'll wonder how you ever managed to work without virtual desktops. And once you’ve welcomed a Start Menu replacement and ModernMix into your workflow—especially paired with the Windows 8.1 spring Update’s tremendous tweaks—you might just be surprised how well those newfangled Modern apps translate to the familiar desktop experience.
Now if only there was a tool that added keyboard shortcuts to the Command Prompt...
Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 16, 2014 but was updated with virtual desktop information and tweaked language on September 12, 2014 when leaks of the Windows Technical Preview appeared. The article was updated again on September 30 2014 when Windows 10 was revealed.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2144540/dont-wait-for-windows-9-how-to-get-a-start-menu-windowed-metro-apps-today.html

Other links:

UxStyle memory patching: http://uxstyle.com
UltraUXThemePatcher: http://www.syssel.net/hoefs/software_uxtheme.php?lang=en
Windows 10 Theme for Windows 7: http://cu88.deviantart.com
Windows10 Theme for Windows 8.1: http://cu88.deviantart.com
Taskbar UserTile/Mosaic/Aura: http://angelwzr.deviantart.com
WinMetro: http://iobit.com/iobit-winmetro.php
Newgen: http://nsapps.net
RocketDock: http://rocketdock.com
expstart: http://coderforlife.com
Desktops: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx
Start Menu Reviver: http://www.reviversoft.com/start-menu-reviver/
Read more at http://www.windowsxlive.net/windows-10-ux-pack/#g1wO18TZ9V0BMQf3.99

How To Center Windows 7 Taskbar Items

Many of you are aware that Microsoft changed the taskbar in Windows 7 quite a bit in comparison to Vista and Windows XP. The taskbar is by no means a perfect solution, but it offers several improvements that make sense to the majority of users.
I for myself like the ability to pin programs, folders and files to the taskbar as it is a very comfortable option to open the items in the operating system.
The pinned and open items on the other hand are always located on the left side of the taskbar, on the right side of the start menu orb. Some users may want to change the location, especially if they have a widescreen monitor with lots of space on the taskbar.
Some users may prefer to center the taskbar items on the taskbar to improve their accessibility. A quick hack that does not take more than a minute can take care of it.



Windows 7 users have two options for this. They need another toolbar on the taskbar. They can use an existing toolbar, for instance Desktop, or create a blank folder on the system and select that folder for a new toolbar.
All they need to do to create a new toolbar is to right-click the Windows taskbar, select Toolbars and then New Toolbar. Browse to the location of the blank folder and select it. This adds the folder to the taskbar.



Now right-click the taskbar again, and click on Lock the taskbar to unlock it. This makes it possible to move taskbar items around. The new folder toolbar is added to the right of the taskbar. Move that new toolbar to the left in front of the taskbar items. This pushes the pinned items to the middle. It is possible to extend and move toolbars by dragging and dropping the dividers in front of each toolbar.




To make it quick. Drag the new folder toolbar to the left side in front of the pinned items toolbar. Once that is done move the original toolbar to the middle to center it.
Once the position is fixed right-click the folder toolbar, and remove show text and show title from the context menu. This hides the new toolbar completely from the taskbar, and keeps the normal toolbar with the pinned items and open programs in the middle of the taskbar. Right-click the taskbar again, and lock it to finalize the change.
It is possible to undo the change by right-clicking the taskbar, selecting toolbars from the menu and then the new folder toolbar to remove it from the taskbar.

Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2010/10/20/how-to-center-windows-7-taskbar-items/

Top List of Free VPN Services - from gHacks.net

By Martin Brinkmann on August 5, 2014 in Internet - Last Update: August 8, 2014 19

Finding a reliable free VPN provider can be a a daunting task. We have tested numerous providers that offer free VPN services and added only the best to this page.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), regardless of whether they are free or paid, offer a selection of features that make them attractive for several use-cases.
They can be used to access sites that are blocked otherwise, for instance in a school network, at work or country-wide. This includes situations where you cannot access a site due to bad routing on part of your ISP.
They can furthermore be used to protect the connection against snooping attacks, which is especially helpful if you connect to a network that you have little control over (think hotel, free WiFi at the airport or Starbucks).
Last but not least, they improve your privacy online by blocking direct access to your IP address.
Requirements
All VPN Providers listed below meet the following requirements:

1. Free accounts need to be offered, and they cannot be time-limited (meaning expire after a period of time).
2. They need to have a privacy policy or terms of use, or both.

List of Providers

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is available as a free and paid service. A client needs to be downloaded to supported desktop systems to connect to the virtual private network.
An ad is displayed regularly to free users which is one of the limitations of the service. While you get unlimited volume and bandwidth, you are automatically disconnected from the service after 3 hours of usage.
Paid Accounts: Starting at $6.99 per month.
Privacy Policy: http://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_us/privacypolicy
Terms of Service:  http://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_us/terms

 

Hotspot Shield

 

Hotspot Shield is one of the most popular free services available, likely because of its generous 750 Megabyte per day traffic limit. It is also one of the few applications that does not force you to create an account prior to using it.
The free version of the program will display advertisement on the other hand when it is being used. It furthermore makes only available a location in the US for connections, and will block access to select sites via its paywall as well.
Paid Accounts: $29.95 per year, no speed limits
Privacy Policy: http://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy
Terms of Service:  http://www.hotspotshield.com/terms

 

OpenVPN

 

The OpenVPN client for Windows requires Java. The installer will download Java if it is not installed on the system to complete the installation. The problem is that it will install an old Java version instead of the latest one which makes the system vulnerable to attacks.
You need to create an account before you can sign in to the service and connect to one of the server locations. It is possible to sign-up from within the client.
Paid Accounts: Start at $12 for 50 Gigabyte (no monthly fees)
Privacy Policy: https://www.privatetunnel.com/index.php/privacy.html
Terms of Service: https://www.privatetunnel.com/index.php/tos.html

 

PacketiX

This free service is part of an academic experiment run by a Japanese university. It uses its own proprietary protocol called PacketiX which impacts compatibility as it can only be run on devices the client is offered for.
To get started, you need to create a virtual HUB first on the service website to download the client software afterwards to the system.
The client itself is not the easiest to use as well, especially if you compare it to other VPN clients that can be switched on or off with a single mouse click.
You need to create a new VPN connection first before you can connect to the service. It is however interested to note that it makes available quite a few extra configuration options such as enabling remote management access.
Paid Accounts: No
Privacy Policy: http://www.packetix.net/en/terms/vpn.aspx
Terms of Service: http://www.packetix.net/en/terms/privacy.aspx

 

ProXPN

 

You need to create a free account before you can sign in to the local client. Note that you are asked to enter your phone number and email address during account creation and need to verify the email address immediately.
The free client is restricted to connecting to a single server location in the US using the OpenVPN protocol. The volume is unlimited but the speed of the connection is limited to 300 Kbps/s automatically by the application.
The client itself is slim and does not display many options that you can configure. All that you can do is disable its autostart and auto-connection features. The connection info tab displays detailed information about the connection though which can be useful for advanced users.

 

Spotflux

 

Spotflux is offered as an ad-supported free service and paid premium services. What's interesting here is that you can download and use the desktop client without account registration so that you can test the service before you create an account.
The free version is limited to web connections though and it may also limit speed after the free three-day premium trial period.
Paid accounts:$5.99/y for mobile devices and $29.95 per year for up to five devices.
Privacy Policy: http://www.spotflux.com/policy.php
Terms of Service: http://www.spotflux.com/terms.php

 

Tunnelbear

 

TunnelBear is offered as a program that you need to install/run on your computer. It requires that you set up an account and confirm your email address before you can finalize the installation of the client by allowing it to install a new network adapter on the system.
The client itself uses a compact design that provides you with direct access to everything that is important. Here you can turn the VPN on or off, change the location you want to connect to, see your remaining bandwidth allocation for the month, and can open the options to configure it further.
You can turn on two interesting features in the options. Vigilant protects your connection until a connection to the Tunnelbear server has been established by blocking all http connections during that time.
TCP Override aims to improve the performance if the Internet connection is rather unreliable.
Paid accounts: unlimited traffic for $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year.
Privacy Policy: https://www.tunnelbear.com/privacy-policy/
Terms of Service: https://www.tunnelbear.com/terms-of-service/

 

USAIP

 

 

The service supports a wide variety of protocols, some of which allow you to create a new connection using the operating system's network manager so that you are not required to run a client on your system for that.
The free version of the service offers unlimited volume and traffic, but restricts the bandwidth to 200 Kbit/s automatically. Login and server information are provided on the company website.
Some users have reported that the service will disconnect free users automatically every 7 minutes.
Paid accounts: Start at $7.99 per month
Privacy Policy: http://www.usaip.eu/en/index.php
Terms of Service: http://www.usaip.eu/en/index.php

 

VPNBook

The free service is special. It has no volume limitations and provides you with login information on its website that you can use to set up a connection to one of the servers listed there without account creation.
The service is financed by advertising that is displayed on the company website and by selling paid dedicated VPN servers (virtual) to customers.
Setup requires either the download of the free OpenVPN client or to setup connections using PPTP on the operating system instead. Step by Step guides are available for popular operating systems that walk users through the process.
Passwords are changed regularly by the service which is why users need to visit the website frequently to get the new password and modify the connection settings.
Paid Accounts: Dedicated VPN Server for $7.95 per month
Privacy Policy: http://www.vpnbook.com/contact
Terms of Service: None

 

Your Freedom

 

Your Freedom is a VPN Provider that is supporting OpenVPN and PPTP connections. It limits free accounts to 2 hours of usage and 64 kbit/s automatically, but has no other restrictions in regards to bandwidth or allowed traffic.
To get started, you need to register an account on the official website and either download a client from it as well or configure the server manually using network tools that the operating system provides you with.
The limitation to 64 kbps/s makes it less than ideal for anything but basic web surfing.
Paid Accounts: Start at €4 per month.
Privacy Policy:
Terms of Service: http://www.your-freedom.net/index.php?id=aup

Short List of additional VPN Providers

Here is a list of additional providers which we have not had time to review in depth.

1. Security Kiss supports OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP. Free accounts are limited to 300 MB/day and servers in the US, UK, Germany and France.
2. VPN Reactor offers a free basic account that is speed and time limited (30 minutes, then wait 30 minutes before you can connect again). It offers access to a single server only for free users and blocks outbound email completely. The service does not keep logs.

Related Services

Some services provide access to features that are similar to what VPN offers. This is a short list of these alternatives:

1. JanusVM is powered by VMWare and uses technologies such as Tor, openVPN, Squid and Privoxy to improve a user's security and privacy while connected to the Internet. Has been updated in January 2010 the last time.
2. JonDoNym is a proxy client that is protecting your IP and encrypting your Internet traffic. It is available as a  client for Windows, Mac and Linux, and as a Live CD. The free service is limited to 30-50 kBit/s and files of up to 2 Megabyte in size.
3. Tor Project is a free and open source client that protects your privacy while you are on the Internet. Clients are available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android.

Provider	Based	Restrictions	Locations	Mobile	Logging	Protocols
CyberGhost	Germany	no limit, disconnect after 3h	Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Uk, Ireland, Italy, Luxenbourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, US	Android, iOS	no	OpenVPN
Hotspot Shield	USA	750 MB/day	US	Android, iOS	unknown	unknown
OpenVPN	USA	100 MB / month	US, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Netherlands	Android, iOS	yes	OpenVPN
PacketiX	Japan	no limit	Japan	no	yes	PacketiX
ProXPN	Netherlands	no limit, 300 Kbit/s	US	no	yes	OpenVPN
Spotflux	USA		USA	Android, iOS	limited	unknown
Tunnelbear	Canada	500 MB / month	US, UK, Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia, France, Netherlands	Android, iOS	no	OpenVPN
USAIP	Seychelles	no limit, 200 Kbit/s	Germany, Netherlands, US, Hungary, China, Luxenbourg and HongKong	yes	yes, 48 hours	PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN, SSTP
VPNBook	unknown	no limit	US, UK, Romania	all devices supporting protocols	IP and time	OpenVPN, PPTP
Your Freedom	Germany	no limit, 64 kbit/s, 2 hours connection time	UK, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, US, HongKong, Sweden, Panama	Android	unknown	OpenVPN, PPTP, Proxy

Conclusion

Quite a few services offer free VPN connections. While some finance their service through advertisement, others may limit free users in terms of connection period, bandwidth allocation or monthly traffic.
The majority of services are not usable for anything but light Internet surfing and maybe gaming. While there are some that are not as restricted, users who download a lot or watch media streams may want to consider signing up for a paid account to improve the overall experience.

Source: http://www.ghacks.net/2014/08/05/top-list-free-vpn-services/