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
Senior writer Seth Rosenblatt covered Google and security for CNET News, with occasional forays into tech and pop culture. Formerly a CNET Reviews senior editor for software, he has written about nearly every category of software and app available.
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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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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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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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Avast now comes with a software updater, which tells you when an installed program is out-of-date.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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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.
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Send your data to Davy Jones' locker
Avast 8 Premier offers a multitiered data shredder, a smart move for maintaining file security.
