DNA Testing UpdateWelcome to DNA Testing Update, my occasional web journal that keeps you up-to-date with what's new at DNA Testing Adviser. I’ll tell you about…
You can read my latest journal entries below; but you can also have DNA Testing Update delivered directly to your computer. How do I subscribe to DNA Testing Update? You don't even need an email address. It's easy to set up an RSS feed using the buttons on the left. If you're not familiar with RSS, click on the question mark above the RSS graphic to learn everything you need to know. DNA Testing Labs — An Independent GuideHow to choose the best DNA testing labs for paternity, genealogy, adoption search and other purposes. Permalink -- click for full blog post "DNA Testing Labs — An Independent Guide" Review of Family Tree DNA Testing LaboratoryThe DNA Testing Adviser shares his Top 10 Reasons for Choosing Family Tree DNA for genetic genealogy tests. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Review of Family Tree DNA Testing Laboratory" How 23andMe’s Relative Finder Uses DNA to Confirm KinshipHow you can use Relative Finder from DNA testing company 23andMe to measure family relationships from full siblings to distant cousins. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How 23andMe’s Relative Finder Uses DNA to Confirm Kinship" How DNA Kinship Testing Can Prove Two People Are RelatedLearn how siblings, half siblings & grandparents can confirm or exclude suspected relationships. See when DNA kinship testing can be used in court. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How DNA Kinship Testing Can Prove Two People Are Related" How DNA Relationship Testing Can Show Two People Are RelatedEverything you need to know about DNA relationship testing. Includes sibling testing, kinship testing, and a new DNA test that measures relatedness. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How DNA Relationship Testing Can Show Two People Are Related" Holiday Pricing on DNA Kits from 23andMeAs mentioned in my last blog, I've been participating in a Beta test of a new feature at 23andMe called Relative Finder. This feature compares your autosomal DNA with others in their database to find potential relatives. Automsomal DNA, sampled from all 23 chromosomes, reflects ALL your ancestors, not just your paternal (Y chromosome) or maternal (mitochondria) lines. Many genealogists in the Beta test are finding and confirming matches with previously unknown cousins. But I'm even more excited about the potential for adoptees and others who want to confirm that they have found their biological families. The 23andMe test is far more robust than traditional kinship testing. Any two people who take this test will see whether or not they are related. What's more, the Relative Finder can distinguish among full siblings, half siblings, first cousins, etc. Black Friday Discounts 23andMe is offering a special one-day sale on Black Friday, November 27th. Anyone buying three or more kits will receive a 40% discount, while those buying two kits will receive a 20% discount, and a single kit will receive a 10% discount. Holiday Season Pricing The deals after Black Firday are less generous and only on multiple-kit orders. From Saturday, November 28th through December 31, 2009 the following pricing will be in effect: 20% discount for three or more kits, and 10% for two kits. Each kit in multiple-kit orders can be assigned to a different person. But the entire order must be paid for by and shipped to only one person. I will be adding new pages to my site to discuss 23andMe and Relative Finder in more detail. Subscribers to my blog will be notified when these pages are added. Good News for Genealogists from 23andMeI've been participating in a Beta test of a new feature at 23andMe called Relative Finder, I've already confirmed a third cousin relationship with one of the other Beta participants. And I see a lot of potential for genealogists once the Relative Finder feature is launched across their entire user base. A 23andMe test does not replace traditional Y-DNA testing, because 23andMe only looks at SNPs and not STRs. And they do not test mitochondrial DNA quite as thoroughly as the Full Genome Sequence at Family Tree DNA. But they do read half a million locations in your autosomal DNA from all 23 chromosomes. Combine all that data with the new Relative Finder feature and you have the potential to find previously unknown relatives throughout your family tree. You're no longer limited to matches in the paternal and maternal lines. And the relatives you find may have information on your ancestors that you are missing. A New Ancestry-Only Edition Many people have been reluctant to try 23andMe because the ancestry data was only offered with health testing. Startng November 19th, 23and Me will offer separate Health and Ancestry editions. You will still be able to get both in their Complete edition or upgrade to the full package later. The only bad news, in my opinion, is that they are essentially using this opportunity to increase prices. The current full edition is priced at $399. The new Acestry-only edition will also be $399. And the Complete edition will go up to $499. If you are interested, I suggest you follow one of these strategies: 1. Order the current full editlion immediately before the new pricing starts this Thursday, 11/19/09. You will get the new Complete edition and save $100 over the new price. 2. Wait for a sale price on the Ancestry edition that MAY occur before the end of the year. I've seen hints of a sale but no guarantee it will happen. Holiday Season Promotion from Family Tree DNAFamily Tree DNA has announced a holiday season sale on its popular Y-DNA tests:
Y-DNA37 – promotional price $119 (reg. price $149) Y-DNA67 – promotional price $209 (reg. price $239) mtDNAPlus – promotional price $139 (reg. price $149) SuperDNA – promotional price $488 (reg. price $665)
Orders for the above tests need to be placed and paid for by December 31, 2009 to receive the sale price.
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