Give the Gift of Usenet this Christmas

With Christmas shopping in full swing why not give the gift of Usenet this holiday season.  For less than $100 you can gift a full year of unlimited Usenet and free VPN access from leading providers including Newshosting and UseNetServer.  You can also pick up a monthly plan from $9.99 a month and enjoy unlimited Usenet access.  Some providers are even giving away a free month of VPN service to celebrate the holidays.

Newshosting Holiday Deal

Watch for the extras included with each newsgroup service.  All of the deals listed below include unlimited Usenet access but some have additional features.  For example Newshosting includes access to their client software with built in search engine.  While UseNetServer also offers a free search engine.  NewsDemon includes online storage.  All three providers offer VPN service.  Along with our friends at ThunderNews.

We have tested an would recommend every service on the list.  Here is a list of current Usenet specials that include a full year of Usenet access.  Click on any link below to take advantage of the discounted price.

1. Newshosting$99 for 12 months unlimited Usenet + Client + Search + VPN

2. UseNetServer$95 for 12 months unlimited Usenet + Search feature + VPN

3. ThunderNews$96 for 12 months unlimited Usenet + Newsreader

4. Astraweb$96 for 12 months unlimited Usenet

Here are some monthly recurring Usenet deals: that are sure to be appreciate this holiday season:

1. Newshosting$9.99 a months unlimited Usenet + Client + Search + 1 month of free VPN

2. UseNetServer$10 a month unlimited Usenet + Search feature + 1 month of free VPN

3. NewsDemon$9.99 a month unlimited Usenet + Storage + Newsreader or $12.99 with VPN.

4. Easynews$9.95 a month unlimited Usenet + Free web interface trial

5. ThunderNews$9.95 a month unlimited Usenet + Newsreader or $12.99 a month with VPN

6. Astraweb$11 a month unlimited Usenet account

7. Ngroups$9.99 a month unlimited newsgroups + Storage

8. Fast Usenet$9.95 a month unlimited Usenet

9. UseNetNow$10.39 a month unlimited Usenet

10. NewsgroupDirect$16 a month unlimited Usenet + Storage

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Newsgroup Reviews!

Have any questions?  If so feel free to contact us via Twitter @NewsgroupRevs.

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.

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!

Ngroups hits 800 Days of Binary Retention

Congratulations to Ngroups.net who just passed 800 days of binary retention.  The Usenet service also recently added Livedrive online storage to their feature list.


Ngroups surpassed 800 days binary retention earlier this week and is continuing to grow at 802 days at the time of this post.  In addition Ngroups is running their annual $9.99 Octoberfest special.

The Ngroups.net Octoberfest special includes:
– Unlimited Usenet access for $9.99 a month
– 800+ 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 Octoberfest special and enjoy!