Note that Ad-Aware Free doesn't protect against viruses or provide full real-time protection. To get those features, you'll need an antivirus product. Lavasoft's for-pay products, the $27 Ad-Aware Plus and the $40 Ad-Aware Pro, include antivirus protection--though it's not yet clear whether th

Also new to this version of Ad-Aware is a "Simple mode" that lets you set your configuration once, and never have to do it again. If you prefer, you can toggle to Advanced Mode, where you can select advanced features for customization. Note that Ad-Aware Free doesn't protect against viruse

 This long-standing program performed well in system disinfection. In one test, it detected and disabled all ten malware infections. It tended to miss less-critical things such as Registry changes or blocked access to the Windows Task Manager, but so did all the other free antivirus software we

 It tended to miss less-critical things such as Registry changes or blocked access to the Windows Task Manager, but so did all the other free antivirus software we tried. AVG also did well in avoiding false positives, making only one boy-who-cried-wolf mistake.The AVG package offers a good set

AVG's proactive detection and scan speed were both in the middle of the pack. The software was third in tests that evaluate the program's ability to block new and unknown malware. It ranked the same for on-access scan speed, which comes into play when you open or save a file. For on-demand scans it

 AVG displays an ad for its paid product at the bottom of the main program window, along with an occasional pop-up ad. Neither is especially intrusive, and the interface is generally straightforward enough for use on a daily basis.The AVG package offers a good set of features. Its LinkScanner c

 The AVG package offers a good set of features. Its LinkScanner component will try to detect and stop attacks on Web pages while you surf, and it will provide safety ratings for search results (you can download LinkScanner by itself).The program can scan e-mail, too, something only Avast Antivi

 But while that is a beneficial extra, the program's AVG toolbar with search options doesn't afford any additional protection; you can safely skip it during installation. You'll likely find most of the default settings appropriate, except for the daily full scan at noon. You can choose another

The AVG package offers a good set of features. Its LinkScanner component will try to detect and stop attacks on Web pages while you surf, and it will provide safety ratings for search results (you can download LinkScanner by itself).The program can scan e-mail, too, something only Avast Antivirus Ho

You're best bet for accessing any feature of the software is to use the menus across the top of the user interface. These work as you'd expect menus to work. However, once you access a particular feature this way, there'll be lots of times that you must use the JAWS cursor, or whatever reading featu