Which is the Best Internet Security Software ?

There are many companies that will sell you security - But which do you need ? We selected 16 Security and Antivirus Products through their paces to see how the free packages measure up against commercial offerings.

Fundamentally, all security software is focused on the same job - keeping your data and applications safe from cyber-criminals. But there's a wide selection of software on offer, and a range of different approaches. Finding the ideal security software package means weighing up several variables.

Naturally, the first question to consider is how effectively a given program guards against malware. It should prevent as much malicious software as possible from installing and running on a PC or laptop - but it shouldn't be over-sensitive, producing "false-positive" alarms when a legitimate tool accesses system files or opens a network connection. A security suite that repeatedly asks for permission to run everyday programs is rather intrusive, and is arguably failing to do its job properly.

Another aspect to consider is the impact a package has on your system. Happily, the days when bloated security software could make a PC slow to a crawl appear to be well and truly behind us - we noticed no significant slowdown from any of the packages on test this month. But all security software needs to stay resident in memory, and its RAM footprint can be a significant consideration, especially for older PCs that might be functioning with only 1GB or 2GB of memory.

There are plenty of subjective considerations to factor in as well. When possible danger is detected, some may want a program that handles the threat silently and automatically; others will prefer a security suite that explains the situation clearly and provides options for handling it yourself. When it comes to adjusting a program's settings, a clear and usable interface is a boon - but the precise degree of control you'll want over the program will obviously depend on your personal preference.

Features vary too from package to package. Some security suites are loaded with custom firewalls, anti-spam agents, browser toolbars, password managers, system cleaners and even online backup systems. These features can be useful but in many cases a package that restricts itself to doing a few basic tasks well is all that's required.

At any rate, it's always essential to weigh up the value of a feature before paying extra for it in many cases, similar features can be found in free programs and services, such as the standalone AVG LinkScanner, the LastPass password manager. Piriform's CCleaner tool and the free Dropbox service.

Lastly, but obviously not least in the list of considerations, there's the price to think about. The headline prices for the commercial packages below are based on buying three-PC boxed copies from major online retailers; further options are usually available from publishers, should you need to protect large numbers of PCs in your dwelling.

Comparison 

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How we test ?

We award each product a mark out of six across five categories. The Performance score reflects the level of malware protection offered by each package. We test this using a Windows XP system (still the most common OS worldwide) to occess dozens of samples of real malware, served up online exactly as a real malicious site would try to. A package is counted as protecting us if it blocks the malware from reaching our system, or prevents it making changes to our system.

To test for false-positives, we run a range of legitimate but suspicious-looking applications, such as FileZilla FTP server and NirSoft SmartSniff network monitor. We count a false-positive if a package blocks the program outright, or asks us what to do.

The Performance score also factors in how long it takes each package to perform a quick scan, and how much memory it occupies: we quantify this by measuring system RAM usage two minutes after boot on a Windows 7 system.

The Features score reflects the range of features on offer, such as web protection or a gaming mode that suspends intrusive operations. The Ease of Use score reflects how attractive and usable each interface is, how clearly it communicates arising issues, and how easy it is to find and configure advanced settings.

The Value for Money score reflects how affordable each suite is, in light of how usable and effective it is. Where applicable, we base this on the price of a one-year, three-PC package at major online retailers. Naturally, free software can't be beaten on this count, but a commercial suite that offers great protection and useful features at a low annual price can still be a great investment.

Our Overall rating is an average of these scores, although due to rounding it may be slightly higher or lower than expected.

Conclusion :

Of all the suites, we found Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2012 as our Lab Winner. It is a Simple, Lightweight suite that offers great protection and useful extra features. But if you are looking for a free software, then we recommend AVG Antivirus Free 2012 - Heavyweight Suite, Plastered with Adverts - But great malware detection and web protection make it the best free option.

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Apple iPad 3 : Think twice about getting an iPad 2

Yes, think twice about getting an iPad 2 for this Christmas - the iPad 3 is set to arrive in the first three month of 2012. The incremental nature of the iPad 2's improvements over the original iPad suggest a big leap forward is due from the third generation device. Expect an improved screen, greater performance, further weight reductions and improved pricing.

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The A to Z Guide of 3D TV

 

Frequently Asked Questions About 3D TVs

So you think you have seen it all in television technology? There were the color CRT TVs, which still occupy pride of place in the living rooms of most Indian homes and are priced relatively lower than what followed. Then came flat-screen TVs, that initially used so-called "plasma screens", but now use LCD screens. More recently we have been seeing the "LED backlight" televisions, that consume even less power than LCDs and claim better picture quality. Such large video screens in the home are great for movies, taking you closer to the theatre experience without having to resort to projectors and the like. Nowadays 3D movies are touted as the next big thing, from sci-fi to sports, documentaries to kids' flicks. Is there a chance of recreating the same experience at home? Here's what you need to know about selecting the best 3D home-theater gear.

If you are to believe manufacturers, a 3D HDTV makes your images look brilliant, promises explosions that make you flinch and landscapes that seem to be rolling out of your TV. It is claimed to be the biggest breakthrough to hit home theaters in years. In case you were thinking of buying a 3D TV, just read through this FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) guide to prevent making any mistakes while buying. We give you the low-down on 3D TVs - what is true, what isn't and how the system works.

How does 3D TV work?

All 3D displays work by showing each eye a slightly different image, which creates the illusion that you're seeing something from more than one angle. For example, the classic red-and-blue "anaglyph" 3D glasses achieved this effect by using the colored lenses to filter red light to one eye and blue light to the other.

The drawback of the anaglyph method, of course, is that it practically obliterates the color from the image. Instead of using a light filter, current 3D TVs work by combining a pair of powered glasses (called "active shutter glasses") with a television that has an infrared emitter. When the TV plays a 3D movie, it alternates between displaying an image for the left eye and displaying one for the right; its infrared emitter instructs your glasses when to dim the left lens and when to dim the right lens to create the illusion of 3D.

This method is significantly different from the one used in movie theaters, by the way. Most 3D movies use glasses that are polarized (kind of like sunglasses) differently in the left and right lens; a special filter fitted to the movie projector allows it to switch rapidly between images for your left eye and images for your right. In principle, it's similar to the red-and-blue 3D system, except that it keeps the color intact (though the polarization does dim the image a bit).

In any case, if you forgot to return your movie glasses after watching Avatar or Step Up 3D, you won't be able to use them with a 3D TV, since it uses a completely different display technology. 

What equipment do I need to be able to watch 3D content at home?

You'll need a 3D-capable HDTV, a pair of 3D glasses, and (if you want to watch 3D Blu-ray movies) a special Blu-ray player. Unfortunately, existing Blu-ray players available in the mass market won't quite cut it. For PlayStation 3 owners, Sony released a firmware upgrade in June to support 3D games, and the company is promising to provide a similar upgrade for 3D Blu-ray support in September.

As of now, it doesn't look as though you'll need to buy new HDMI cables or anything like that, so you may not have to spend on a special type of HDMI cable. Currently, a 3 metre long HDMI cable costs about Rs. 1,000 in the grey market, even with a non-prominent brand name label on it.

How can I tell whether my TV can display 3D images?

So far, only a handful of TVs from the big manufacturers can display 3D images: Samsung has a few higher-end LED-backlit LCDs (7000/8000/9000 series), plasmas (7000, 8000), and LCD TVs (750) that can handle 3D; other qualifying sets include Sony's Bravia XBR-LX900 series, LG's LX6500 and LX9500 televisions, and Panasonic's Viera VT25 line.

In other words, it's highly unlikely that you could possibly purchase a 3D-capable HDTV without realizing it. If you're still wondering whether your TV can show 3D images, just look it up on the manufacturer's Website--vendors aren't shy about promoting this capability on the relevant product page when they can.

LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony are the only big-name TV manufacturers with entries in the 3D arena already, though models from Philips, Sharp, and Toshiba should reach the market in the next year or so.

My HDTV says that it's "3D-Ready." What does that mean?

A few manufacturers have sold TVs labeled as "3D-Ready." Many of the models in Mitsubishi's DLP HDTV line carry this designation, for example, as do a handful of Sony Bravia TVs. While the definition of "3D-Ready" varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, the term typically means that the set can display 3D content but lacks the IR emitter needed to sync the TV's image to the glasses--so you'll need to buy that separately. Also, because the 3D techniques found in DLP TVs ("Wobulating") sacrifice detail for a 3D image, if your source media is in 1080p ("Full HD"), it'll show in 3D at half that resolution.

How much does a 3D TV cost?

The total cost of fully 3D-ifying your home-theater setup depends on such factors as the set's display size and other features. Generally speaking however, you're looking at investing at least Rs. one Lakh upon the set itself, plus anywhere from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 for a 3D Blu-ray player and Rs. 7,500 for each additional pair of active shutter glasses (some TV sets will come bundled with one or two pairs).

What kind of content can I watch in 3D?

At the time of writing this, not much 3D content is out there. After you've spent a bunch of money on a 3D setup, you might very well find that you can't watch anything in 3D quite yet.

So far, few 3D Blu-ray movies are available (Amazon.com lists only Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Monsters vs. Aliens). In the US, sports fans can get ESPN's 3D channel, where 3D is available only for specific events on the schedule. You can be quite sure that 3D content through cable TV will be a long time coming to India. Aside from Blu-ray and ESPN 3D content, you could hook up your TV to your computer and play some of the more recent PC games in 3D mode. Of course, this demands your PC to be very up-to-date in terms of specifications.

 

3D gaming has begun to emerge as a big draw for consumers. In addition to the PS3 firmware upgrade mentioned earlier, PC gaming has supported 3D for a year and a half now via kits such as the nVidia GeForce 3D Vision, which you can pair with a compatible 3D display to run plenty of games in 3D. Wondering if your favorite titles will work in 3D? Check out nVidia's recommended 3D game list.

Can everyone see 3D images?

Regrettably, not everyone can see 3D. Somewhere between 4 and 10 percent of people simply can't see 3D images, though apparently the appropriate kind of stereoscopic vision can be "learned." Meanwhile, the disclaimers attached to 3D TV and theater displays are quite interesting. To judge from them, 3D TV isn't for the young, drunk, elderly, or pregnant, and watching it can actually cause disorientation, so you might want to hold off on buying a set until its precise effects are better known.

Can I watch regular 2D content on a 3D TV?

Yes, you can watch normal 2D shows on a 3D TV. (If you smirked to yourself while reading this, just remember that your friends and family will probably start asking you the same question during the holiday shopping season.)

Some 3D apps and devices offer support for upconverting a 2D source to 3D, though at this point such support comes mostly from Samsung's TV and Blu-ray lineup. The latest release of Cyberlink PowerDVD can upconvert to 3D with passable results, too. The upconverting modes probably won't make you want to re-watch your entire Blu-ray collection, but it's a promising start.

Do I need to wear those dorky glasses?

Yes--for now, at least. A number of companies are working on no-glasses 3D, or "auto-stereoscopic" displays, most of which use a lenticular lens system that displays a different image depending on where you're standing in relation to the display (if you've ever seen a movie poster that shifted as you walked by, it's the same idea). For the time being, however, it's substantially more expensive: a Chinese company named TCL sells such a 42-inch display for about Rs. 10 Lakh. Samsung is working on a lenticular lens display, too, though it's designed for commercial use (think flashy signs and such).

Will my 3D glasses fit over my corrective glasses?

Yep. All 3D glasses are designed to fit comfortably over corrective glasses, though you'll want to try a pair on before you buy them. Unfortunately, nothing is available on the market at the moment to make you feel like less of a doofus for wearing glasses over your glasses.

Will my glasses work on all 3D TVs?

Not quite. In the rush to hit the market with 3D displays, manufacturers never paused to hammer out a design standard for active-shutter glasses, meaning that your Panasonic glasses won't work with your friend's Sony TV. A few solutions may be in the works, though.

XpanD offers universal 3D active-shutter glasses that can determine the type of TV you're using based on its IR signal and adapt accordingly. We haven't tried them out yet, but the company claims that they work with most of the 3D displays on the market. In the meantime, you can use your Samsung glasses with Panasonic sets (and vice versa)--but only if you wear the mismatched glasses upside-down.

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