Public Wi-Fi…it’s a bit like a public toilet, really. You never know what you’re gonna walk in on. Some public Wi-Fi is wonderful…but other spots are a bit questionable. If you spend a lot of time in coffee shops, restaurants, libraries, or other public Wi-Fi areas, you need to make sure you are protected from any nefarious characters who are using the same network as you. Enter Cloak, a way to stay safe on public Wi-Fi for both iOS and Mac OS X users.

What is it and what does it do

Main Functionality

Touted as “the easiest VPN you’ve ever used,” Cloak helps users to stay safe on unsecured, public Wi-Fi. Cloak protects you on the go, whether you are on your MacBook, or using an iOS device.

Pros

• A Cloak plan covers both your Mac OS X device and your iOS device
• Great user FAQ on their App Store page
• Easy to set up and use: Press one button and you’re safe.
• Cloak helps you access blocked sites and get full web access no matter where you are.

Cons

• Some users have complained that Cloak slows down their connection. To be fair, they take those issues seriously and will help you out if you email them
• Cloak is free to try for a month: sign up for a free 30-day trial on their website. Plans cost between $7.99 and $11.99 per month, and both plans have a data cap. Would be good to have an unlimited plan option.

Discussion

I love that Cloak does more than just protect you: being free to access whatever sites you want, no matter what the current restrictions may be around you…that’s sheer cool. Also cool: the simplicity with which you can review your account status, including how much data you have left. I do really wish their was an unlimited plan. You can be connected for an unlimited amount of hours, but data is capped.

One of the best features for the Mac version of Cloak is the OverCloak mode. A lot of times when you use a VPN, you aren’t as secure as you might think. During the time it takes them to start up, your Twitter, email, and other applications might already be establishing network connections….and that kind of defeats the point of a secure VPN. In OverCloak mode, your Mac is on lockdown until it establishes an encrypted connection. Only essential data will go through before encryption is in place.

On both iOS and Mac OS X, Cloak is understated. Unlike other VPN tools I’d used in the past, this is unobtrusive. You will have to remember to turn Javascript on in Safari in order to make use of Cloak. I know that kind of a scary proposition, given hoe Java has been exploited in recent months. It seems a little ironic that to prevent Java-related security issues, you have to use Cloak (and so by extension, Java.)

Conclusion and download link

If you want to prevent people from snooping or stealing from you when you’re on public Wi-Fi, Cloak can help to protect you. And given all of the recent security issues with Java, the time has some to make sure you are on a VPN so you can stay safe. You get to try Cloak for a whole month and see if it is right for you, and the actual download is free. With no risk on your part, why wouldn’t you want to try out this supremely helpful app?

Price: Free (Trial period lasts 30 days, monthly plans range from $7.99 t0 $11.99)

Version reviewed: 1.5.0 

Requires iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, version 4.3 or later for iOS devices. 

Download size: 14.0 MB

Cloak on for iOS and for Mac OS X