Final call for more iOS beta testers

Last week we released what we hope to be the final beta of the SpamDrain iOS app. Now we would like more users testing the beta before we push it to App Store. So…last chance folks before we make the final adjustments :-).

Please click the button below to join the beta program – and remember to add your device in TestFlight – otherwise we won’t be able to send you any beta builds.

Join the beta program

TestFlight_Color_Full_LightBG_CMYK We use Testflight for this beta program which is a well known platform for rolling out test versions of iOS apps. Click the button above to sign up with Testflight and join our beta program.

Once you have added your iOS devices and we have approved you as tester you will be able to install our current beta release.

SpamDrain for iOS 2.0 beta 1 released

Today we have released the first beta of our new iOS app. It will be available to a selected number of beta testers registered at TestFlight. If you are intereseted in joining the beta programe, please see our earlier post.

New features introduced in SpamDrain 2.0:

  • Search in filtered messages.
  • Renamed Archive and Report to Blocked and Allowed.
  • iPad support
  • Report and release now has more choices.
  • Empty filtered message per filtered address.
  • View filtered messages per address and not always all filtered addresses.
  • Filter search result based on classification, Ok, Spam, Newsletter, Virus etc.
  • Delete individual messages.
  • Report and release directly from message lists.
  • See messages that has been reported and released.
  • Update account and user information such as name and report email interval.

You will see feedback buttons inside the app. Please use them to send us feedback about this beta. We welcome all comments – both complaints and compliments and will try to use them to improve SpamDrain.

First iOS beta soon to be released

Today we did the one of the last updates to our servers to prepare for our new mobile apps. One more update is planned later today and some of the last bugs in the iOS app is also left to fix. After this we will finally release the first iOS beta to some of you who have registered your interest at TestFlight.

We also want to thank everyone who has signed up for the beta testing program. As for now we are very happy with the number of interested beta testers and we will soon start approve you in TestFlight.

Please make sure you have added a device in TestFlight since we won’t be able to send any releases to users without registered devices. So go into TestFlight on your iOS device and make sure to add it if you want to join the first beta release which we hope to send out tomorrow.

Beta testers wanted for new version of our iOS app

The past months we have been working on new versions of our mobile apps for iOS and Android. We will release both of them later this year starting with iOS in Q1 followed by Android in Q2. For our iOS app we have reached the point where we soon would like some help from our fantastic users. That’s right – you! Before we release the app to the App Store we would to get some help testing it to iron out any remaining bugs and get some final feedback before we go live.

Join the beta program

TestFlight_Color_Full_LightBG_CMYK We use Testflight for this beta program which is a well known platform for rolling out test versions of iOS apps. Click the button above to sign up with Testflight and join our beta program. Once we have a first beta ready for you to try out you will receive an email from Testflight with instructions on how to get it installed onto your device.

Below you see a sneak preview of the blocked (old archive) and allowed (old report) message lists.

New blocked with search function

New blocked with search function

New allowed email list with search function

New allowed email list with search function

New iOS app on the way

Today we have submitted a new version of our SpamDrain iOS app for review. In this update you will now be able to empty the Archive and Report sections which is handy if you want to keep your Archive clean. Using the Empty function enables you to keep track on new messages that have been filtered since you last emptied your Archive.

We have also fixed a very annoying bug that occurred for some users when signing up. They got stuck in the last step after having the error message “This field is required” presented. We finally managed to identify the root cause for this one.

Another change with this update is concerning Apple’s In App Purchase. For reasons unknown to us, Apple no longer allow services like SpamDrain to use their auto-renewable subscriptions. Instead we need to switch to non-renewing subscriptions. This means that you need to renew manually before the subscription ends. It’s not that big a deal since most of our users pay using our web page where it already works like this. But for our monthly subscribers that are used to getting their subscription renewed every month, there will be a change. We ask for your understanding – this is totally out of our control and is due to regulations from Apple.

If you like you can always renew your subscription by logging on to our web page: https://app.spamdrain.net and click the $ icon in the upper right corner.

If you pay your subscription through our web page, you do not need to worry about this change. It only concerns customers who use In App Purchase from within our app.

Multiple address filtering now available in regular SpamDrain – not only SpamDrain+

A while ago we modified our regular SpamDrain subscription slightly. You may now filter up to five addresses in a SpamDrain account (for only €9.99 or $14.99 / year and address) compared to single address filtering as before. This simplifies for all of you beloved customers who want to filter a couple of extra addresses since you do not need to manage separate logins to different SpamDrain accounts but may instead handle all filtering with one login to our site and iPhone and Android apps.

As before you may also choose SpamDrain+. With SpamDrain+ you may add multiple users, filter domains and utilize our personal support. For more info please visit http://spamdrain.net/en/spamdrain-plus

By the way…talking about our apps – we will shortly update our iPhone app so you can view filtering status for all your addresses and update your filtering settings. Stay tuned.

Domain administration update – aliases can now be managed

Today we have some good news for all our customers who filter their domain through SpamDrain. You will now be able to manage aliases to filtered addresses directly on the web. There is no extra cost for adding aliases but they must be mapped to one or several filtered addresses. You can also have aliases from one domain pointing to addresses in another one .

We have also improved domain handling so it should be easier to add and manage your domain filtering. You can now also search for both filtered addresses and aliases in the domains page. This feature is also available in the users page.

Please note that all changes made to the domain filtering will take up to five minutes before they propagate to all servers.

Help your friends get rid of spam and receive free SpamDrain months

Today we have made it easier for you to share SpamDrain and for you to get something out of it. Well, you probably already know that if everyone was using a great spam filter, sending spam wouldn’t pay off and the internet would be a much better and happier place. Help us making the world spam free by inviting your friends and colleagues to join SpamDrain and we will reward you with free months.

We have added a new Sharing page Share SpamDrain where you can send invites or share SpamDrain in your social networks, blogs, web pages etc. Simply Log in to your SpamDrain account and hit the Share icon in the upper right corner.

For every paying new filtered address you generate, we will add extra months to your subscription – depending on how many addresses you currently filter. For example, if you filter one address today, you will receive three free months for every new paying filtered address you generate. If you filter two addresses you will receive 1.5 free months for every new filtered address.

The more addresses your friends filter the more free months you receive. Isn’t that great?

If you are generating great volumes you will have the opportunity to join our reseller program instead and start earning real money.

So, start sharing today and make the world a bit more spam free.

Other new features in this update

  • Messages that you have retrieved from the archive can now be displayed and re-delivered.
  • Clearer indication when a message is blocked due to blacklisted sender.
  • Remove entries from blacklist.
  • You may now extend your subscription even when there is more than a year left.

New filter blocks newsletters and marketing emails

For some time we have working on a new type of filter which blocks newsletters and marketing emails. We have being testing it for a while we are really happy with the progress. So today we tell you a little bit more about how it works. Really soon we will enable new functionality in our iPhone, Android and web apps, enabling you to control this filter. (We actually updated our web site today already)

First, some background. As you know you can report spam that SpamDrain has failed to block. This is done in our mobile apps or by logging on to our web site. We have noticed that different users have different definitions of spam. The most obvious definition might be “spam is everything I don’t want in my inbox” (even messages you have accepted to receive but don’t take the time to unsubscribe to). However, there is a problem with this definition. Some people want coupon offers from their local store and some do not want them. With viagra mail it’s much simpler – nobody wants that crap.

We have therefore chosen to introduce this new filter which identifies newsletters and marketing emails and put them in your Archive marked as “Newsletters”. These emails are always listed in your daily/weekly/monthly SpamDrain report so you never have to worry about missing important offers. Of course, you will be able to retrieve/release these blocked message as usual. When retrieving blocked messages from the Archive, SpamDrain will learn not to block similar messages again. You can also turn this filter entirely off.

To train our filters to become even more efficient, we appreciate if you our users could give us a little help when retrieving a message: You will now be asked to classify the message. By helping us deciding why you are retrieving a specific message you will help improving the overall filtering accuracy. The choice you will be given is:

You will get the same question when retrieving a message in the mobile apps.

We hope you will like these improvements – and hey, if you don’t – you can always turn the newsletter filter off. We hope you will enjoy receiving even less spam in the future. Please let us know what you think about these updates.

Please let us know what you think about these updates.

More for more information about the newsletter filter and retrieval of messages from the Archive.