Mimo, Free Giganews Usenet Reader, Downloader

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 30, 2010
Updated • Jun 9, 2013
Software
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Many Internet users shy away from the Usenet because of the complexity of the setup. Users need an account, which they either get from their ISP, or a third party Usenet provider like Giganews. But a Usenet account is not all that is needed. Users furthermore need a Usenet client, like Newsbin, that acts as a interface. The client is used to upload and download files, and to take part in discussions on the Usenet.

Mimo is a new Usenet client by Golden Frog. The client is available exclusively for Giganews Diamond customers from November 1 onwards.

Giganews has announced changes to their pricing structure, which should be mentioned here before we continue with the review:

  • Diamond $34.99 (as of 1/1/2011)- Unlimited Usenet (downloads, speed) with 50 SSL Connections, VyprVPN, MIMO Usenet Browser and Search (BETA). Please note the price for Diamond will remain at $29.99 with a discount of 50% off for the first month at $14.99 for the rest of 2010, but on January 1, 2011 it will change to the new price.
  • Platinum $24.99- Unlimited Usenet (downloads, speed) with 20 SSL Connections. For people who want just Giganews Premium unlimited and secure Usenet without he belles and whistles!
  • Silver $14.99- Usenet access 50GB, unlimited speed + 20 SSL Connections
  • Bronze $9.99 - Usenet access 10GB, unlimited speed + 20 SSL Connections
  • Pearl $4.99 3GB + 20 SSL Connections

Nothing changes for existing Giganews users as they will pay the old prices for as long as they remain a member. New users who sign up for an account in 2010 also benefit from the old pricing structure. I've already mentioned that Diamond account users are the only users who can make use of the new newsgroups software Mimo. That's in addition to the VPN connection to the US and Europe they get as well, free of charge.

Mimo

If you are a Diamond user you can download Mimo from the official homepage. Please note that you need to supply your Giganews login credentials before you can use the program. Non-Diamond account owners will receive an error during account validation, Diamond users from November 1 on will be able to use the software.

Mimo offers browsing, searching and using newsgroups. The program is divided into three main areas.

giganews usenet reader

The left sidebar, which can be hidden by clicking on the left arrow icon displays favorite newsgroups of the user. It is possible to add and remove groups from the listing easily.

A click on a newsgroup opens the latest contents of the group in the right content area. Posts are displayed with their subject, type, date they have been posted and user who posted them.

A click on any post opens it in the lower half of the screen. This is similar to how many email programs handle messaging.

It is now possible to reply, email the poster, forward the message to email, block the poster or download file attachments if available. The option to download all file attachments at once is available, as well as the option to download individual attachments.

An alternative to that is the ability to load nzb files directly in the software. These files are directly downloaded once they have been added to Mimo. That's great for users who do not browse newsgroups regularly but handle most of the downloading via nzb. Mimo will furthermore unpack rar files automatically, and try to recover broken files. Both of these options can be unselected from the program's settings.

One of the most powerful features of Mimo is the ability to search for files on all groups. For that, the program uses its own Golden Frog Usenet Search engine and the third party NZBIndex service.

Search is pretty fast and it is possible to filter the results by size or age. Users who just want to get inspirations can use the group search, or browse all available groups. Groups can be added to the favorites, or accessed directly without adding them.

Mimo makes use of the Giganews Accelerator to speed up header retrieval (by using compression), and SSL to protect the connection from third parties.

Mimo Newsreader is not as sophisticated as Newsbin, but it offers a lot as a free alternative. Especially the Usenet search option is well implemented in the software.

Giganews is currently running a 50% off of the first month for new Diamond account customers. There is also a 14-day trial period for new users. Mimo is available for Windows and Mac.

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