Do you use Onavo Extend?

[M.Rizk]

When I got my iPhone 5S and moved to Egypt (my home country) to complete my college studies I found out that Skype was blocked over cellular coverage so I kept looking for a free and of course a secure VPN.

I found Onavo Protect which is really great. It offers a really fast and most importantly totally free and unlimited VPN.

I later found out that they have few other important apps as Onavo Extend which helps you save some data over the cellular coverage by compressing everything (Except emails unless you enable that option) and Onavo Count which tracks your data plan and tells you how much data each and every app or system process used.

​

I decided to install Onavo Extend too, and as it claims it has saved me about 150 MB this month. So I wanted to ask, any of you guys tried it before? If yes how much data do you usually save?

Btw, Onavo Extend doesn't compress VoIP (or AppStore downloads)


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[Just_Me_D]

Nope. Never used it.

 

[pr1nce]

I've never used it.

 

[taz323]

Nope, can't say I have.

 

[M.Rizk]

Me neither. Wouldn't do me much good because most of my data usage is in apps not web browsing.

It does compress the data traffic used by apps, and system services too! Check the screenshot. It doesn't compress VoIP though.


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[EmceeGeek]

First time hearing about it actually.

 

[M.Rizk]

Ok. I was basing my comment on your "doesn't compress AppStore downloads". I took that to mean anything downloaded from the AppStore and their use, not just the act of downloading. Thanks for the correction.
But I still won't be using it due to having an unlimited data plan with ATT.

Lucky you *Hands on wood*


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[Pirate]

I've used it and it works pretty well. I have had problems streaming videos, movies, and YouTube though.


Sent from the abyss.

 

[kd7irm]

I've used it off and on for a couple of years now, before Facebook bought the company at the first of the year I had little issue with it. It saved lots of data and seems to work 80% of the time.

But after the Facebook purchase of Onavo things went down hill drastically, there was little to no support, no app updates, blog and twitter accounts from them went silent and the website seemed abandoned. And to top off the issues came the new privacy policy, basically all of your info is available to them to use, sell and give to any third party they want for any reason they want, Including private identifying information for not just as long as you use the app but for at least one year they will retain and use that info.

I deleted. Then a few weeks later I noticed the new updated extend app from them and down loaded it. Seems to work, though not as well as the pre Facebook, seems the compression is not nearly as aggressive.

Four main things you need to know,
1-privacy policy
2-VPN (slight battery drain but not bad)
3-takes your LTE speed and drops it a few Mbps (not too noticeable). Takes a 8Mbps wifi and drops it to about 2Mbps (very noticeable, especially when trying to download video podcast or the like). Not 100% sure why it has this dramatic effect on wifi since it does not compress anything on wifi. (Ping times go from -50ms without onavo to anywhere from 200 to 400ms with onavo on wifi, that seems to indicate the traffic is still routed though their servers with or without compression)

4-It does make a nearly unusable weak cell data signal and makes it usable and faster, no joke. It's simple really, if a packet of data is compressed it can get through quicker and does it with less packet loss on a weak signal.

In the end Onavo was all about compression and saving data, with a little analytical info gathering on the side to pay the bills, Facebook is all about analytical info gathering and a little compression for data savings as a hook/side effect, in my humble opinion.
So yes it does work but like most things free, there is a cost.


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[Jaguarr40]

I have not seen or heard this. Has it been around long and just missed over it?

 

[kd7irm]

I would say at least since 2011, I know I've been using it for years.


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[kd7irm]

Test


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[sheasyler]

Yes! I love it! Been using it since 2009-ish...


Shea Marie

 

[kd7irm]

Just FYI.
New Onavo privacy setting lets you now op out of some of the data collection practices of past versions. Good news for those that want to save data and still keep some level of privacy at the same time.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I downloaded it over 2 years ago for my iPhone 4. Never actually used it. I was afraid it would mess up my phone. I had no wifi then. But with wifi, I have no need for it.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5