Free Spyware Anti Virus Software Download from Google

At the beginning of 2006 Google announced a new product called the "Google Pack." The Google Pack is essentially a selection of over 10 free software packages including free anti spyware & anti virus software. At the center of Google Pack there is an installer which simplifies the task of managing and keeping all the software updated.

To start with Google offered 2 good anti virus and anti spyware software programs. The anti virus software was Symantec's Norton Anti Virus 2005 - not the latest version of the product but a more than competent ant virus solution. The major limitation with this product was that only 6 months of free virus definitions were provided after that point the user needed to upgrade.

The anti spyware software was provided by Lavasoft. The product was called "Ad-Aware SE" which was already freely available for free on popular download sites like CNet's Download.com. The spyware detection capabilities were good but by no means the best. You also needed to manually remember to update the spyware definitions and initiate scans.

In the Spring of 2007 Google replaced the free spyware & anti virus software offered by Google Pack. The anti virus software was still supplied by Symantec however the Norton Anti Virus 2005 was replaced by a special edition of Norton Security Scan which scans and also removes virus threats. The product is based on the award-winning Norton AntiVirus products. More importantly Norton Security Scan provides free updates and is not limited to just 6 months.

Google also replaced the anti spyware software with Spyware Doctor Starter Edition. Spyware Doctor consistently scores very highly it most magazine test and is usually fighting with Webroot's Spyware Sweeper for the 1st or 2nd spot. While the Starter Edition lacks some of the active spyware prevention features of the full version it still retain the powerful scanning and detection capabilities. As with Norton Security Scan definitions are free and automatic for life.

Google Pack also contains a number of other excellent applications. In my opinion Norton Security Scan and Spyware Doctor are good enough reasons to download Google Pack. You can learn more from the link below. If you are looking to protect your computer there is no better free spyware anti virus software download available.

Windows Vista Features and Improvements

The new Windows Vista operating system was made to be the most reliable Windows yet. Your will enjoy faster boot times and with the built in diagnostics and repair features you will be able to correct issues on the spot instead of calling a repair technician.

Improvements in Windows Vista are as follows:

1. Faster Boot and Resume: You will notice your system will be able to boot faster because of the way Windows Vista handle the scripts and application loading in the background.

2. New technology in Windows Vista can detect poor performance and tune up your system automatically.

3. Built-in Diagnostics: This nice feature will help find errors on your system and repair the problem for you or in the case of finding eminent disk failure will guide you through a backup process.

4. Increased Reliability: Windows Vista is a step up from XP. It is more reliable at reducing user disruptions and includes features to help manage crashes and computer hang ups.

5. Automatic Recovery: Windows Vista automatically diagnoses and recovers an unbootable system to a usable state with the help of the Startup Repair Tool (SRT) a step-by-step, diagnostics-based troubleshooter that provides users with a guided recovery experience for no-boot situations.

As with every new operating system Windows Vista is not without its flaws. Most errors and issues out there have a work around. With the release of Service pack 1 scheduled for the summer of 2007 many of these issue will be patched. With time Vista will replace XP and users are sure to embrace many of the new Vista features.

Best Free Anti Virus Software

Determining the best free anti virus software to use on your home computer is a fairly daunting task especially for your average home user. Protecting your computer against virus threats is a critical part of your computer’s security. The 2 main issues selecting the best free anti virus software are determining whether you can trust the site you are downloading the software from and whether the software you download will actually be effective removing viruses.

The good news is that Google has provided an answer. In 2006 Google announced “Google Pack” which is a collection of over 10 free software programs including a number of Google’s own software products like Google Desktop and the excellent Picasa 2 Photo Editor. Also included within Google Pack was a free anti virus software program supplied by a world-class security software vendor.

Symantec originally provided a version of Norton AntiVirus 2005 for Google Pack. The Norton AntiVirus range of products has been recognised for a number of years as one of the leading anti virus solutions for the home. The scanning and removal capability continuously performs well in independent tests. There was however one major limitation. Symantec was only prepared to provide virus definition updates which are central to product for a limited 6 month period and then the user needed to upgrade to a paid version.

At the beginning of 2007 Google addressed this issue with Symantec. The result was that Norton AntiVirus 2005 replaced by a new product called “Norton Security Scan.” Whilst, the new product was missing some of the more advanced features, it still retained the powerful scanning and removal capabilities of the Norton AntiVirus products. More importantly, Symantec agreed to provide free virus updates which were not limited to 6 months.

Given the fact the Norton Security Scan is based on the Norton AntiVirus products and the download is from a trusted Google site, Norton Security Scan is the best free anti virus software available today.