New interface, features capstone Avast 8 (pictures)

Check out Avast's new look and new features, which include a file shredder, browser cleaner, and software update tool.

Seth Rosenblatt

Feb. 28, 2013 10:26 a.m. PT

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Avast

Avast Free goes white

Avast's changes its design and its color scheme. While the paid versions retain a dark theme, Avast Free goes back to basic white. The interface across all four versions is now much simpler, with big tiles and easier-to-reach advanced settings.

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Avast

Shields up, cap'n

Avast has finally put all of its "shields" in one management pane, to decrease your pain. They're available in all versions of the suite, depicted here in the Pro version.

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Avast

Introducing: Browser Cleanup

Avast's new browser cleanup tool would've been killer a few years back, but it's still useful for keeping your browser shipshape. It's available in all four versions.

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Avast

Never skip an update

Avast now comes with a software updater, which tells you when an installed program is out-of-date. It's available in all four Avast versions, although it comes with more options in the paid suites.

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Avast

Remote access in Avast?

An unusual move for Avast 8 was to include a remote access feature. The implementation sounds weird, too, with both computers required to have some version of the suite. A Web console would be better for easy access.