SUPERTHEMAN  Vuze is clunky, it has a stand-alone installer, it is Java (and very un-Mac-like) and it is becoming a social networking tool, which I have no desire in using. Transmission has no installer hiding funky files on my Mac. It is lean, mean and very Mac-like. Vuze pales in comparison. Vuze used to be a good program, but has strayed far from what it used to be. A native Mac program (written in code FOR the Mac, and not a stand-alone Java app) like Transmission completely trumps Vuze now.  
(Version 1.40b1)

SUPERTHEMAN  This program is fantastic. One thing I have always wanted was the ability to pick out individual files from a torrent package to download, and this program does it! XTorrent is the only other app I know that does this, and it costs too much and cripples your download after a certain amount of time (one hour?) unless you pay his exorbitant fee. Bottom line, this app is awesome, full-featured, very well supported and has an elegant interface that nicely conforms to Apple's Human Interface guidelines. Thanks to the developer!  
(Version 1.34)

SUPERTHEMAN  This is a fast and competent newsgroup downloading tool. It works quite well, the only gripes I have are, it won't automatically start downloading when you drop an nzb file on it, you have to tell it to. Also, it won't auto repair files using PARs.

What it does do, it does well and it is a pretty new program, so it probably isn't fair to fault it for not having the advanced feature of repairing RARs. However, starting to download files when you drop an nzb on it is something reasonable to expect at this point in development.

Considering how rock solid it is right now, and how well it does what it says it is supposed to do, I think this is a very promising tool for downloading files from newsgroups. It is very intuitive and the set-up is simple and straightforward. The only minor gripe about the interface is that it is a bit "Window-y", with letters underlined to indicate menu shortcuts. It just needs a little clean-up to make it more "Mac-like". The downloads are very fast, and it is able to open a user-defined number of connections (limited only by your provider).

This program hasn't replaced Unison for me yet, but if the developer adds repair functions, a "watch" folder for nzb files and makes the interface a bit more "Mac-like", it will. No program, not SABnzbd, not Nzb Drop, none will rival it then. Heres hoping the developer will add those features (and allow it to start downloading immediately upon nzb drop) and clean up the interface. It could be the best newsgroup downloading tool out there if those items are addressed (and it will then be worth the $20 asking price).  
(Version 2.0)

SUPERTHEMAN  There is no way to try out this program, because you have to purchase it to even TRY it. Then, on top of that, on the developer's site he tells you have to buy a code to use the beta, but he tells you not to buy a code just to try the beta. Sound confusing? It is.

A shareware program should have SOME functionality to try it out, especially when you have no idea if it will even WORK with your phone, and even more so when the program is a BETA!

It feels very greedy that a developer would allow NO try-out on a BETA program.  
(Version 2.0b2.1267)

SUPERTHEMAN  Why this program is EXCELLENT!

1) It uses the best codec’s for encoding/converting: LAME, Flac, Libsndfile, etc..

2) The interface is not *perfect*, but the Preferences pane is VERY easy to understand and VERY full-featured. All that is lacking is a common conversion pane that has tabs for converting or encoding, and so on. It just needs a bit of consolidating.

3) Very efficient usage of computer resources (I checked it all throughout various encoding/converting activities).

4) Superb progress indicators (percentage-based) which are constantly updated.

5) Nice little iTunes integration (adds tunes when done)

6) GREAT meta-tagging and album artwork lookup via the Internet (which even accommodates proxy connections).

7) 36 Output options! Thirty-six!

8) Great balance between "dummy" operation (for those who just want to tick one box and let it choose all the settings) and options for power-users who want to tweak many settings.

8) IT IS NEEDED - there aren't a bunch of programs just like this, it is unique and BLISSFULLY Mac-like and easy-to-use. No one but Unix geeks want to use the Terminal to convert MP3 files!

9) IT IS FREE!!! Developers are you PAYING ATTENTION?!?!

In a veritable SEA of mediocre or useless shareware, which is often chock full of well-functioning "nag" features, but poorly realized REAL features, this program WORKS and works WELL and is FREE! I'm sure we all understand that not everyone can offer the fruits of their labor free, but MANY shareware developers should take a very close and lengthy look at this to see what a program worth a shareware fee looks like. Try this in the future… get it running correctly as freeware, THEN convert to shareware at the next major update. People will be hooked by a *working* program and willing to pay the fee. STOP demanding payment for wares that DON'T WORK or are so buggy as to be unusable.

I cannot say enough good things about this product and it's creator. This is what Mac Freeware SHOULD be about, and is a shining example of how well a program should be running BEFORE asking for any money. Thanks so much for this great little program, which: does what it supposed to, does it well, does what others don't and doesn't charge an arm and a leg to do it. When/if you ever do upgrade this to shareware, I will be the first to write a check. Kudos to you sir, well done!  
(Version 0.6.1)