-Let's face it, Norton probably will be burdened with the albatross of shoddy software from other decade or so, but the Norton 2012 suit marked the 4th year in a row that Symantec has made a solid, useful security suit.
Hi, Seth Rosenblatt for CNET, and in this first look, I'll be giving you a once over for Norton internet security 2012, the more robust sibling of Norton antivirus.
Both are available at download.com.
Symantec security powerhouse
comes with some sharp improvements this year.
While performance continues to improve, the company is now on a place where it only has to maintain its lighting fast one-minute install and quick scan.
You won't have to reboot your computer, although you will have register on the Norton site, but most importantly, the disaster's impact on your system that Norton used to have is long thing of the past.
Instead, it actually offers comprehensive system monitoring and lets you know when it or any other program
takes an unnecessary toll on your computer.
Download insight is Norton's under the hood tech that creates reputation ratings for downloads.
It's been improved this year to look not only whether a file you're downloading a potential threat, but whether it will adversely affect stability too.
Here, you can see it in the application rating section.
Another big change is the introduction of Norton 360 startup manager to Norton internet security.
If you're a window savvy, you're probably comfortable at handling that stuff by hand,
but even for those in the no, the Norton version makes startup changes easier to implement.
Along with polling and community ratings, you can toggle a process on rough or delay it.
Norton management is a new feature that lets you control multiple instillations of Norton from one computer.
Click the management link, log in if you haven't, and after download the control file, it will open your default browser to the control console.
The will be able to remove I products, manage and fix basic security settings,
and remotely update subscription.
Note that at the time that we shot this video, the management feature wasn't ready, but it will be by the time you test out the suit.
The identify safe has been improved too.
It now include last pass styled password handling and cloud based syncing and vault, features that some competitors have had for a while.
Other new tweaks include safe web support from chrome and a rejiggered settings interface that's a bit easier to use.
Recent independent testing confirms that the Norton
is on top of the game when it comes to keeping new safe with low percentages of false positives and high scores for blocking the nasty.
Basically, Norton continues it's solid streak of keeping you safe.
Besides the high price, there's not a lot to dislike in your internet security 2012.
For CNET, I'm
Seth Rosenblatt.