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Technology Bytes
by Francine Brokaw
Ad-Aware Pro Anniversary Edition
We all know that dangers lurk in cyber space. Besides virus attacks, your computer could be the victim of malware and other malicious files that sneak into your hard drive and cause havoc, not to mention making you the target of identity theft. This all new edition is the most comprehensive program to take on the threats from the cyber world.
Ad-Aware comes in three versions. There is a free download which monitors for malware with “Ad Watch Live.” This is the basic version that watches and removes malware. Keeping your computer safe from spyware, keyloggers, and Trojans is important whenever you go online, and this program is vigilant about that. This edition has real-time monitoring and automatic updates, so once you install it, that’s all you do. Everything is taken care of by the program and you can rest easier.
Ad-Aware Plus adds an anti-virus portion to their basic version, as well as child protection. Parents can block specific websites they do not want their children to view. As we have heard over and over in the news, many sites prey on children. Now simply block bad sites and rest assured your child cannot obtain access to them. Also included in this version is an advanced Ad Watch Live.
Ad-Aware Pro adds even more with an advanced toolbox which is great for those of us who continually delete our files. You can erase your history and temporary files in one click. This is an additional privacy tool. As you might know, your computer saves the addresses of the sites you visit as well as the temporary files that are downloaded without your knowledge while you are using your system. With the single click in the toolbox, all those files are deleted. This not only keeps your privacy, but also by deleting unnecessary files it speeds up your system.
The toolbox gives users the option to view and terminate running processes on your computer as well as view and cancel the processes that start when your system is turned on. There is also the option to reverse browser hijack entries and create navigation shortcuts and submit suspicious files to the company to assist in worldwide blockage of bad files.
The company claims this new edition uses less resources in your computer. They say it uses 74% less than their previous version. Because I never had the entire suite installed in my system in the past I cannot attest to the fact that this edition is faster. I do know that with everything installed (the Pro version), at times my system runs a little slower. But with the privacy and protection this product offers, I will gladly give up a teeny bit of speed for the security and peace of mind it offers.
Also, some users might want the anti-virus engine turned off if they have another AV program already running, but if you need a complete suite, this definitely has it all. I did test the AV engine and it seemed to work fine.
You are able to personalize this suite by scheduling when to run scans, when to download updates, what files to ignore, what folders to scan, and more. And the single-click track sweeping that erases your history and other temporary files is a big bonus for me. I use this continually. It works with IE, Firefox, and Opera web browsers.
All three versions offer detection, repair, and removal of malicious files. If you want more, then select one of the other versions. Personally, I have benefited from the Pro version, but that is a personal decision you need to make. Whatever you choose, this is a handy program to have on your computer for protection of your identity as well as your system.
For more information and to download the product, go to their site.
© 2009 Francine Brokaw
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