Black Friday Usenet Specials : 2012 Holiday Deals

Nov. 25 update – most of the Black Friday deals have come and gone for this year.  There are still a few Thundernews offers active through Cyber Monday and holiday specials.  Here are some of our favorites:

  • ThunderNews: specials on unlimited Usenet and VPN access:
    • Unlimited Usenet + OctaneVPN – $11.99 a month
    • 500 GB block – $29.99
    • 200 GB block – $11.99
    • 100 GB block – $5.99
  • UseNetServer – unlimited Usenet for $10 a month or $95 a year
  • Newshosting – unlimited Usenet for $9.99 a month or $99 a year
  • NewsDemon – unlimited Usenet with online storage for $10 a month
  • Easynews – unlimited NNTP Usenet access for $9.95 a month

Nov. 22 update – we’ll be dropping all the Black Friday deals into a list as the details become available.  Some won’t be known until they launch but we’ll do our best to get you as many previews as possible.  So let’s get started.  Come back throughout the day for updates.  Please help us spread the word to show appreciation to all the providers participating this year.  Links to each special will be available once the deals go live.

  • NewsDemon – mystery deals start at 8:00 am
  • ThunderNews: specials on unlimited Usenet and VPN access
    • Unlimited Usenet + OctaneVPN – $12.99 a month
    • Unlimited Usenet – from $5 a month
    • 500 GB block – $29.99
    • 200 GB block – $11.99
    • 100 GB block – $5.99
  • NewsgroupDirect – Unlimited Usenet + 30 GB of online storage for $7 a month
  • theCubeNet: specials on unlimited, metered and block accounts
    • 100 GB block – $5.49 one time
    • 125 GB a month – $5.49 a month
    • Unlimited Usenet for $6.99 a month
    • Plus several more offers
  • UseNetNow: unlimited accounts for $8.99 a month (limited to the first 400 sign ups)
    • After Black Friday they will offer 6 months of access for $48 til year end
    • Black Friday deal goes live Friday at midnight
  • Frugal Usenet: unlimited accounts for $3.99 a month (limited to the first 400 sign ups)
    • After Black Friday they will offer 12 months of access for $40 til year end
    • Black Friday deal goes live Friday at midnight
  • BlockNews: 200 GB block accounts for $13.99 through the end of the year
    • Holiday block deal goes live Friday at midnight
  • More deals to come!

————————-

It’s almost time to launch the 2012 Black Friday Usenet deals again this year.  Last time around was a lot of fun and we plan to cover all the Thanksgiving / Black Friday / Holiday newsgroup specials right here again this year.  Enjoy some of the best deals of 2012 courtesy of top Usenet providers.  We’ll have some great holiday specials along with a few surprises.  Make sure to keep an eye on this post as we will begin to drop in the Black Friday deals Thanksgiving night.  From what we’ve heard so far this year will be fun as always.

We will start from the top and cover the top 10 Black Friday / Holiday Usenet deals of 2012.  Like most merchants, a number of Usenet providers like to keep their Black Friday promotions secret until they launch.  The details for some will start to materialize close to Thanksgiving Day.  No worries though as we plan to carry all the promotions.  Our list of deals will be updated as Black Friday draws closer so please check back for the best deals of 2012.  Click on any provider below or visit the Newsgroup Reviews home page for more info.

1.  UseNetServer – $10 unlimited Usenet access for life

UNS offers high retention, free SSL and Usenet search for $10 a month or $95 a year.  All included with 20 connections and unlimited newsgroup downloads.  Read our UNS review to learn more about the service.

2.  Newshosting – $9.99 unlimited Usenet access for life

Newshosting is offering unlimited Usenet downloads, a free newsreader with built-in search, 30 connections and SSL  for just $9.99 a month or $99 a year.  Read our Newshosting review for details.

3.  NewsDemon – $9.99 unlimited Usenet for life

NewsDemon offers unlimited newsgroup access along with a newsreader, 30 GB of online storage, SSL and 50 connections for just $9.99 a month.  Read our NewsDemon review to learn more.

4.  Easynews – $9.95 unlimited Usenet for life

Easynews is offering unlimited NNTP Usenet access along with 1,500 days of binary retention and 20 SSL connections for just $9.95 a month.  Read our Easynews review to learn more.

5.  ThunderNews – $10.49 unlimited Usenet for life

ThunderNews includes unlimited Usenet access with secure (SSL) encryption, 50 connections and a free newsreader for $10.49 a month.  Read our ThunderNews review to learn more.

6.  Astraweb – $11 unlimited Usenet access for life

The deal that started it all.  Astraweb is still offering $11 a month / $96 a year unlimited Usenet access with 20 connections, SSL  and high binary retention.  Read our Astraweb review for more details.

7.  Ngroups – $9.99 unlimited Usenet access

Ngroups NGR special includes unlimited Usenet access with 20 SSL connections and free unlimited Livedrive online storage for just $9.99 a month.  Read our Ngroups review for more details.

8.  NewsgroupDirect – $16 unlimited Usenet + storage

NewsgroupDirect is offering unlimited newsgroup downloads along with 50 connections, secure SSL encryption and online storage for $16 a month.  Read our NewsgroupDirect review to learn more.

9.  MaximumUsenet – $9.99 unlimited Usenet access

MaximumUsenet offers NGR visitors unlimited access to newsgroups along with free SSL encryption and 50 connections. for just $9.99 a month.  Read our Maximum Usenet review for more details.

10.  UseNetNow – $10.39 unlimited Usenet access

UseNetNow offers NGR visitors unlimited Usenet downloads along with free SSL encryption and 50 connections. for just $10.39 a month.  Read our UseNetNow review for more details.

A sincere thank you to all the Usenet providers offering holiday specials.  We  appreciate your efforts and consideration in making the deals available.  To our NGR visitors we hope you enjoy the Black Friday / holiday Usenet deals.  Save some money and enjoy the best premium newsgroup access!

Ngroups Now Accepts Amazon Payments

Ngroups members can now use Amazon to pay for their Usenet membership.  This is the first time we’ve seen a newsgroup provider set Amazon as a payment option.  Apparently you can even set up a recurring subscription and let Amazon take care of everything automatically.  We’re assuming Amazon then bills your credit card.

Ngroups offers a wide set of features for a good price.  With their NGR special users can enjoy unlimited Usenet access with free online storage and personal VPN for just $9.99 a month.  Ngroups partnered with Livedrive for the online storage.  While the VPN provides users with access to servers in both the U. S. and Europe.

Here’s some more Amazon payment information from Ngroups:

Update: We now also accept Amazon payments, so if you have an account with Amazon.com or any of the local Amazon web sites, you can pay using the payment methods you have defined in your Amazon account!
Via Amazon you can also create a new Recurring subscription, so you don\’t have to renew manually.

If you want to continue having an automatically renewing subscription, you will be able to create a new one from your account Control Panel, (log in on top of this page), and you will then keep your current account information.
Currently available options for recurring subscriptions are Credit/Debit Card or Amazon Payments.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Ngroups VPN Hands-On Review

Last week we wrote about Ngroups releasing a new VPN service and including it free with unlimited Usenet plans.  With VPN access ranging from 50 GB a month for ‘Unlimited Eco’ members to unlimited VPN for ‘Unlimited Extra’ subscribers.  Since then we’ve had a chance to test the service for ourselves and will be sharing our impressions.  Note: NGR visitors can enjoy Unlimited Eco accounts for just $9.99 a month.

Ngroups VPN Review

Ngroups ‘Unlimited Eco’ and ‘Unlimited Extra’ members already enjoy unlimited online storage from Livedrive.  Now they can also take advantage of Ngroups new VPN offering which is provided by ItsVPN.  Ngroups unlimited subscribers can connect to VPN servers in the U. S. or Europe via PPTP protocol.  Those interested in more locations can consider the additional plan options from ItsVPN or compare VPN services.

The first thing we noticed when testing Ngroups VPN is the easy integration of their systems.  There is no need to setup a different account.  Simply use your Ngroups username and password to connect to either VPN server.

Ngroups VPN Server Addresses:

  • United States – vpn.us.Ngroups.NET
  • Europe – vpn.eu.Ngroups.NET

Ngroups VPN Protocols:

Since Ngroups is offering PPTP connections their VPN is a breeze to setup.  They include a link to instructions inside the account control panel.  With tutorials for Windows 7, Vista and XP.  Along with Mac OS X and Linux (Ubuntu).  While PPTP isn’t quite as secure as other protocols like OpenVPN, it is compatible with a wide variety of devices.  Including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android.  Ngroups includes those setup guides as well.

Ngroups VPN Speed Test:

  • As you can see below we ran a speed test before connecting to Ngroups VPN.  With a download speed of 43.41 Mb/s and upload of 3.17 Mb/s.  After connecting to the U. S. Ngroups VPN server we retested.  The download speed was 9.21 Mb/s and upload was 3.01 Mb/s.  We’ve seen faster and slower.  You can compare the results to other providers in the VPN speed test section of VPNSP.  You can expect some slow down from any VPN as it encrypts the traffic.  The Ngroups VPN performed well enough to stream Netflix.

  • We also tested a connection to their European VPN server.  Understanding that the distance will definitely reduce performance.  The results were 2.44 Mb/s download and 2.85 Mb/s upstream.  As expected the ping times were pretty high as well.  If you’re in Europe and test the service please let us know you’re results.  We would guess the performance is acceptable given our experience with testing the U. S. VPN server.

Ngroups VPN vs. Giganews VPN:

  • Since Giganews released their VyprVPN service, Ngroups is the first major Usenet service to respond with their own offering.  So I guess it’s only fair to compare the two offerings.
  • Ngroups VPN offers PPTP connections with servers in the United States and Europe along with unlimited Usenet and online storage for $9.99 a month (NGR Deal).
  • Giganews VPN offers PPTP and L2TP/IPSec connections with servers in the U. S., U. K., France, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.  Along with unlimited Usenet for $34.99 a month.

Ngroups VPN Review – Conclusion:

We enjoyed testing the Ngroups VPN service.  The performance was fast enough to stream Netflix in the U. S.  We’ve tested several VPN services and Ngroups (ItsVPN) would rank somewhere in the middle.  Which is pretty darn good considering they are offering it free to unlimited Usenet members.  We look forward to keeping an eye on Ngroups Usenet + online storage + VPN services.  Those who would like to join can save 10%.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest offers.

Ngroups Adds Free VPN Service

Earlier today Ngroups announced the addition of free VPN access for their unlimited Usenet members.  Now in addition to unlimited online storage users can also enjoy online privacy.  Personal VPN services like the one being offered by Ngroups help protect users privacy.  In addition to securing public WiFi connections and unblocking content from abroad.  Ngroups offers 50 GB or unlimited VPN based on your Usenet plan.

According to the announcement members can connect to VPN servers in either the US or Europe.  In the near future we will bring you more details on the VPN offering along with a review.  In the meantime NGR visitors can enjoy unlimited Usenet access + online storage and 50 GB of VPN access for just $9.99 a month.

Here’s a summary of Ngroups new VPN offering emailed to us earlier today:

As part of our commitment to excellence, we have updated our service offerings for the Usenet newsgroup services at our Ngroups.NET web site.

We are now offering:

FREE VPN service, included for users having an Unlimited Ngroups.NET Usenet account.

The VPN service offers servers in two locations, US or Europe.

  • “Unlimited Eco” account users are limited to 5Mbps speed and 50GB/month transfer via the VPN servers. (But off course still no limit in Usenet downloads by normal means, direct nntp or nntps not via the VPN.)
  •  ”Unlimited Extra” users have no limit in speed or transfer via the VPN servers.

The VPN servers are of course available for use with ANY service, normal web browsing, VOIP, Web TV services, etc.

(The only exception is outgoing E-mail – to prevent spammers from using the service to send bulk emails.)

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news.

Ngroups Crosses 1,100 Days of Binary Retention

At the beginning of August we added Ngroups to our list of Top 10 Usenet providers.  Since then we’ve heard from NGR visitors who were surprised by the quality of the service.  We appreciate your comments as I’m sure the Ngroups team does as well.  More on that in a moment.  Today we’d like to talk about Ngroups latest accomplishment.  Passing 1,100 days of binary retention.  That’s over three years of binaries.  An achievement we’ve written about a lot in the last few weeks.  At 1,100 days and growing Ngroups is among the leaders in the industry for retention.  Ngroups also offers NGR visitors unlimited Usenet + online storage for $9.99 a month.

If you’re new to Ngroups they offer a 3 day free trial to test the service.  We enjoy Ngroups for the variety of features and value.  Ngroups is a solid performer and has excellent completion.  What really draws us to Ngroups and now has them in our top 10 providers is the package of features offered for a low price.

Last year Ngroups partnered with Livedrive to offer their members free online storage.  We reviewed the Livedrive storage feature and were very impressed with the service.  While others offer free storage, Livedrive (free trial) allows you to do more.  Like stream content to your iPhone or iPad for example.

Considering the quality of service, retention (1,100+ days and counting), and extra storage feature you might expect Ngroups to charge a premium.  Yet they offer their Ngroups Eco plan for for $10.99 a month ($9.99 a month for our visitors).  Which includes unlimited Usenet access, 30 connections, 256-bit SSL encryption and free unlimited online storage via Livedrive.  An exceptional value for $9.99 a month.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet.  Including hands-on reviews of leading providers, guides, free trials and special offers.  Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest Usenet news.

Ngroups.net : NGR Top 10 Usenet Provider

As most of you know NewsgroupReviews (NGR) is always in transition.  With frequent updates to keep up with changes in the industry and our visitors interests.  The latest site update saw an addition to our “Top 10 Usenet Providers” list – Ngroups.net.  We’ve been a fan of Ngroups for a long time.  Especially since they added free personal online storage to the service last Fall.  We’re excited to have Ngroups in our top 10 providers list and thankful to the Ngroups team for offering NGR visitors a special discount – $9.99 unlimited Usenet + storage.

The $9.99 price is only one of the reasons Ngroups made the latest edition of our “Top 10 Usenet Providers” list.  There are several low priced Usenet services out there but quality and features vary quite a bit.  I think you’ll find that Ngroups offers a wide array of features for the price.

Starting with retention (since that seems to be where people focus first).  Ngroups currently supports 1,060+ days of binary retention and growing daily.  The Usenet features include free SSL, up to 60 connections and news servers in the United States and Europe.  Then you add free unlimited online storage.  Better yet Ngroups partnered with Livedrive to provide the storage, a leader in that industry.  Livedrive alone is worth $7.95 a month.  We enjoy the service quite a bit.  See our Ngroups storage review for more details.

Ngroups offers two unlimited Usenet accounts – Unlimited Eco and Unlimited Extra.  The only difference being number of connections.  With Unlimited Eco having 30 and Unlimited Extra with 60.  To give you some idea we tested the Ngroups service with 15 connections and easily maxed our 25 Mbps Internet connection.  So for most people the Unlimited Eco plan is plenty.  Not to mention the $9.99 price tag for NGR visitors.

Read our Ngroups review to learn more about the service or sign up for the NGR special and enjoy unlimited Usenet access + free Livedrive online storage for $9.99 a month.

Follow us on Twitter – @NewsgroupRevs for all the latest Usenet news and discount offers.

Top 10 Summer Usenet Promotions

It’s that time of year again.  Time to enjoy family vacations, outdoor activities and oh yeah, some of the best Usenet promotions of the year.  The summer season is typically slow for Usenet providers.  A good time for them to offer some exceptional discounts and test special offers that you won’t find other times of the year.  In a second we’ll list our top 10 Summer Usenet promotions.  Some were recently launched while others have continued into the summer.  All the discounts listed are recurring so enjoy the savings month after month.

1. Easynews – 100 Gig Free Usenet Trial

Easynews is going all out this summer.  Offering 100 gigs of free downloads to test their popular web Usenet service.  Better yet you don’t need a newsreader as Easynews is accessible via your favorite web browser or mobile device.  Take advantage of the Easynews free trial and enjoy two weeks and up to 100 gigs of free Usenet access.

2. UseNetServer – Unlimited Usenet for $10/mo. or $95/yr.

The UNS $10 promotion has been very popular since it launched.  UseNetServer continues to deliver an outstanding service for a low price.  With 1,040+ days of binary retention, 20 connections, free SSL and Usenet search engine.  Take advantage of the UNS summer promotion and enjoy unlimited Usenet access for $10 a month or $95 a year.  Saving you up to 55% on UseNetServer.

3. Newshosting – Unlimited Usenet for $9.99/mo. or $99/yr.

We consistently get the fastest speeds from the Newshosting news servers.  With over 1,040 days of binaries, free SSL and 30 connections for $9.99 a month.  Newshosting is quite possibly the best Usenet service on the market.  Take advantage of the Newshosting summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet for $9.99 a month or $99 a year.  Saving you up to 45% on Newshosting.

4. NewsDemon – Usenet + Newsreader + Storage for $9.99/mo.

NewsDemon offers more than just unlimited Usenet access.  With a package of features for their members including a free copy of News Rover newsreader and 30 gigs of free online storage.  Take advantage of the NewsDemon summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet access + News Rover newsreader + 30 GB of online storage for $9.99 a month.  Saving you 50% on NewsDemon.

5. Easynews – Unlimited NNTP Usenet for $9.95/mo.

Easynews is best known for their web interface but they also offer NNTP Usenet access.  With 1,000 days of binary retention, 20 connections and free SSL encryption.  Easynews NNTP access is on par with other leading newsgroup providers.  Take advantage of the Easynews summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet for $9.95 a month.  In addition to 14 days of free web access.

6. Astraweb – Unlimited DSL Usenet for $11/mo. or $96/yr.

Astraweb offers solid newsgroup service at an affordable price.  You can enjoy access to 1,040+ days of binary retention along with 20 connections and free 256-bit SSL encryption.  Access news servers in the US or Europe.  Take advantage of the Astraweb summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet for $11 a month or $96 a year.  Saving you up to 45% on Astraweb.

7. ThunderNews – Usenet + Newsreader for $10.49/mo.

ThunderNews brings members unlimited Usenet downloads along with a free licensed copy of News Rover newsgroup reader.  With over 1,040 days of binary retention, 20 connections and free SSL.  Take advantage of the ThunderNews summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet access + News Rover newsreader for $10.49 a month.  Saving you 50% on ThunderNews.

8. Ngroups – Unlimited Usenet + Storage for $9.99/mo.

Ngroups has partnered with Livedrive to offer subscribers unlimited Usenet access plus unlimited online storage.  With 1,025+ days of binary retention, 30 connections and free SSL encryption.  Access news servers in Europe or the US.  Take advantage of the Ngroups summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet access + Livedrive online backup for $9.99 a month.

9. UseNetNow – Unlimited Usenet for $10.39/mo.

UseNetNow has a reputation for providing quality Usenet service and excellent technical support.  With over 1,000 days of binary retention, 50 connections and free 256-bit SSL encryption for privacy.  Access newsgroup servers in the US or Europe.  Take advantage of the UseNetNow summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet downloads for $10.39 a month.

10. NewsgroupDirect – Usenet + Client + Storage for $16/mo.

NewsgroupDirect offers a wide range of features with their unlimited Usenet account.  Including a free newsreader and 30 GB of free online storage.  Take advantage of the NewsgroupDirect summer special and enjoy unlimited Usenet access + News Rover newsreader + 30 GB of online storage for $16 a month.  Saving you 20% on NewsgroupDirect.

Ngroups Crosses 1,000 Days of Binary Retention

Ngroups continues to grow binary retention.  They are now over 1,000 days of binaries.  In addition they are offering NewsgroupReviews visitors a special discount.  Pay just $9.99 a month for unlimited Usenet access (Ngroups unlimited Eco account).  Which is 10% off the regular $10.99/mo. price.

Ngroups has crossed 1,00 days binary retention and is continuing to grow on a daily basis.  In addition Ngroups is offering a $9.99 NewsgroupReviews special.

The Ngroups.net NewsgroupReviews special includes:
- Unlimited Usenet access for $9.99 a month
- 1,000+ days of binary retention
- 1,095 days of text retention
- 99%+ completion rate
- Free 256-bit SSL encryption
- Free Livedrive unlimited online storage
- Access to over 110,000 newsgroups
- Up to 30 simultaneous connections
- Servers in the US and Europe
- 24/7 tech support

Read our Ngroups review to learn more about the service or sign up for their $9.99 unlimited special and enjoy!

Comparing Usenet Provider’s Online Storage

Earlier this month we wrote about the announcement of Giganews online storage efforts.  As they plan to offer Diamond customers beta access to personal online storage in the months to come.  How will it compare to leading online storage services?  Will it include the features that others like Dropbox, Livedrive, etc. offer?  Might other Usenet provider’s decide to offer similar services?  Well actually some already have.

We’ve been covering personal online storage for a year or so now.  As a few other Usenet provider’s started offering online backup last year.  The provider’s include NewsDemon and Newsgroupdirect (StorageNinja) along with Ngroups (Livedrive).  Each partnering with an online storage service to offer more value to their members.  NewsDemon and Ngroups include online storage with unlimited Usenet for $9.99 a month.

Let’s take a closer look at both StorageNinja and Livedrive.  Along with the newsgroup services that are using each online storage service.  Looking closely at how NewsDemon, NewsgroupDirect and Ngroups have incorporated online backup for their members.  As a nice add-on benefit.

StorageNinja

Both NewsDemon and NewsgroupDirect partnered with StorageNinja to offer personal online storage for their customers.  How does it work?  Simple enough.  Each unlimited Usenet subscriber gains the benefit of 30 GB online storage through StorageNinja.  With secure online access to your files.  The service is simple to use.  It lacks some of the bells and whistles of Livedrive but does well backing up your personal files online.

NewsDemon offers 975+ days of binary retention along with 1,400 days of text posts.  Subscribers enjoy unlimited Usenet access, 256-bit SSL, 50 connections, 30 GB online storage, News Rover and 24/7 support.  Take advantage of our NewsDemon $9.99 special for 50% off unlimited Usenet.

Livedrive

Ngroups partnered with Livedrive to offer personal online storage for their customers.  Ngroups unlimited members receive unlimited online storage.  How does it work?  Livedrive allows you to backup your hard drivve (or select files) remotely.  Accessing it online from any computer.  With the ability to share files between systems.  You can also stream music and video to your iPhone / iPad through the Livedrive service.

Ngroups offers 960 days of binary retention along with 1,095 days of text posts.  Subscribers enjoy unlimited Usenet access, 256-bit SSL, 30 connections and unlimited online storage through LiveDrive Backup.  Take advantage of our Ngroups $9.99 special to save on unlimited Usenet.

Ngroups $9.99 Unlimited Usenet + 900 Days Retention

Ngroups continues to grow binary retention.  They are now over 900 days of binaries.  In addition they have kindly provided NewsgroupReviews visitors with a special discount.  Pay just $9.99 a month for unlimited Usenet access (Ngroups unlimited Eco account).  Which is 10% off the regular $10.99/mo. price.

Ngroups has surpassed 900 days binary retention and is continuing to grow on a daily basis.  In addition Ngroups is offering a $9.99 NewsgroupReviews special.

The Ngroups.net NewsgroupReviews special includes:
- Unlimited Usenet access for $9.99 a month
- 900+ days of binary retention
- 1,095 days of text retention
- 99%+ completion rate
- Free 256-bit SSL encryption
- Free Livedrive unlimited online storage
- Access to over 110,000 newsgroups
- Up to 30 simultaneous connections
- Servers in the US and Europe
- 24/7 tech support

Read our Ngroups review to learn more about the service or sign up for their $9.99 unlimited special and enjoy!