Microsoft Security Essentials Beta Now Available
Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 November 2011 09:48 Written by Alan Tuesday, 29 November 2011 09:48
If you are a Microsoft beta tester then you likely got an email earlier today announcing the availability of the new Microsoft Security Essentials Beta. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free fully functional anti-virus, anti malware program that’s available for Windows Vista and Windows 7. The new beta was announced last week and became available this afternoon.
There are plenty of new feature available in the new version of Microsoft Security Essentials, including:
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Enhanced protection through automatic malware remediation: The Beta program will clean highly impacting malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction.
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Enhanced performance: The Beta includes many performance improvements to make sure your PC performance isn’t compromised.
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Simplified UI – Simplified UI makes Microsoft Security Essentials Beta easier to use.
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New and improved protection engine: The updated engine offers enhanced detection with cleanup capabilities and better performance.
There will be ongoing updates for this version Microsoft Security Essentials Beta, and when the beta ends you will be automatically upgraded to the final release version. “In addition to ongoing virus and spyware definition updates, we’ll provide software updates to the Beta for download through Microsoft Update on a periodic basis.”
The context of the email that Microsoft sent to beta testers earlier today can be read below. Over the next few days you can check back here to get our observations and opinions of the new version.
The Beta program has started!
You can now sign in and download the Beta from theMicrosoft Security Essentials Beta website.
The Beta program is a fully functional antimalware app with ongoing updates to help protect your PC from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. In addition to ongoing virus and spyware definition updates, we’ll provide software updates to the Beta for download through Microsoft Update on a periodic basis. To have these updates installed automatically, you must be subscribed to Microsoft Update with preferences set toAutomatically download and install new updates. Learn moreabout automatic updates through Microsoft Update.
During the Beta, you’ll receive additional emails from Microsoft inviting you to participate in optional surveys. These surveys provide us with important feedback that will help improve future versions of the product. Your participation makes a difference!
At the end of the Beta program, participants who are subscribed to automatic updates through Microsoft Update will be upgraded to the released version of Microsoft Security Essentials. Instructions for manually upgrading to the released version will be included in an email that you’ll receive at the end of the Beta period. Please note that to continue receiving technical support, you’ll need to upgrade or install the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials once it’s released.
Thanks again for participating in the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta program.
Best regards,
The Microsoft Security Essentials Team
Microsoft is Looking for Security Essentials Beta Testers
Last Updated on Friday, 18 November 2011 06:34 Written by Alan Friday, 18 November 2011 06:34
Microsoft is about to release a beta version of their Security Essentials tool. The Security Essentials software was released on September 29th, 2009 is now the most popular security software in North America, and one of the most popular worldwide. Part of it’s popularity is it’s price – it’s free. Part is that it just works really well and doesn’t bog down your computer like other (Norton and McAfee) security suites that are simply in the game of who can have the most features.
Microsoft has announced they are about to begin beta testing the next version of Security Essentials. The beta program, which was announced today on the Microsoft Technet blog, is only open to a limited number of people, although Microsoft didn’t release the number of beta versions they will distribute. During the first beta test in 2009 Microsoft limited distribution to 75,000 users.
Features in the Microsoft Security Essentials Beta will include:
- Enhanced protection through automatic malware remediation – The Beta will clean high-impact malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction.
- Enhanced performance – The Beta includes many performance improvements to make sure your PC performance isn’t negatively impacted.
- Simplified UI – Simplified UI makes Microsoft Security Essentials Beta easier to use.
- New and improved protection engine – The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities.
With Microsoft stating that the beta will be limited, users may want to sign up now by visiting the Microsoft Connect site. The Security Essentials beta is not yet out. Microsoft will be emailing testers when the beta is ready for download.
5 Must-Have Free Apps For a New Windows PC
Last Updated on Saturday, 24 September 2011 01:29 Written by Alan Monday, 3 October 2011 07:00
Back to school may be the second most popular time for new computers, behind only Christmas. When you buy or receive a new Windows computer then the first thing you want to do is customize it to suit your needs, tastes, and personality. Everyone wants their PC to feel like it’s really “theirs”. Sure there’s wallpaper, but what that really means is apps, and there are a few we have found to be indispensable for any computer that comes in the door here. There are certain functions that any PC should be able to perform, but either can’t out-of-the box., or can do better. That’s where the third-party software comes in.
You should, of course, always investigate any program before you install it. Read reviews, make sure the download source is reputable, and be skeptical, especially when dealing with free programs. Many software programs are free, and some of those are even open-source, but there are also rogues programs that masquerade as one thing, while hiding another in the background. Do your research, only trust reputable sources, and scan any file before opening it.
With that said, here are 5 free apps that are among the first I install on all new computers that come into our home. Following the list I will tell you of one paid app that we can’t live without and also what free app has recently left my list of “must-have” software.
Windows comes with a web browser – Internet Explorer – and the newer versions (8 and 9) are actually pretty darn good. However, thanks to how bad IE6 was, my family got in the habit of using Firefox. Now that habit is ingrained in us. We love the add-ons, or extensions, that are available. We love the customization with things like “Personas”. Most of all, we just plain love the way it works and the way Mozilla innovates. It was the first web browser to bring tabs and now they have added Sync, which keeps all of the PC’s up-to-date with user names, passwords, bookmarks, and even tabs. You can get a copy at the Mozilla site. On another note regarding web browsers, we also are really liking Google’s Chrome browser.
Every computer needs a PDF reader. Most users elect to stick to the one they know – Adobe Reader. But, Adobe software is actually more attacked than even Microsoft’s. Reader is second in attacks, only behind Adobe’s Flash software. If you want a fast, easy to use, less-vulnerable PDF reader than Adobe then you will want to check out Foxit. Foxit can do everything that Adobe can do, with a lot less security flaws. You can get a copy at the Foxit website.
Sharing and syncing files has become a huge part of today’s cloud-base technology world. Dropbox has free and tiered paid versions that allow users to share files with friends and family as well as sync files from other PC’s and access your files from anywhere that you have internet access. It’s especially good for sharing pictures with friends and family. My wife, a part-time teacher, even uses it for sharing files with her students. There are countless uses you can find for this software. Get it over at Dropbox.
Everybody downloads files from the internet, and a lot of them are compressed to make the files quicker to access. 7 Zip will decompress just about anything from .zip to .rar and most everything in between. Files it can handle include: ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DEB, DMG, FAT, HFS, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, VHD, WIM, XAR and Z. The best part is that it’s fast and very easy, even for novice users. To get a copy, just visit 7-zip.
The last app is the one I hate to mention, but the fact is, the web pretty much runs on Flash. So many web sites require it that it has become a necessity for everyone online. The good news is that it is slowly being fazed out. For now, though, surfers have to contend with Adobe’s oft-compromised app. Make sure you always install the latest updates as soon as they are available to keep your system as safe as possible. You can try and live without it, but it won’t take long until a website asks you to install the Adobe Flash Player. Get it at the Adobe website.
One Paid App You May Need and One Free One You No Longer Do
The one paid app I always need to install for my family is Microsoft Office. It’s not cheap, but there really isn’t any getting around it when you need it, and many users need it. You can try alternatives like Google Docs and Open Office, but the Microsoft version is still the most useful of all office apps.
One free app that I always installed, but no longer need, is Xmarks. They make plugins for every major browser, but when Firefox released their Sync tool, Xmarks became an unecessary addition for our computers. The Firefox Sync handles bookmarks, users names, passwords, tabs, and more.
There are a lot of programs that can be considered necessary for a computer, and it varies by user what those are. These are only five of them, but they will get anybody started down the path to being ready for whatever the web throws their way. Remember, stay safe and secure by watching any file you find online. Viruses and malware are only a mouse-click away.
