AVG is continuing the trend of free coverage by launching version 8.0 of their free software. The new version offers the same basic coverage as version 7.5 and includes something new, a slimmed down version of LinkScanner, which is the browser add-on that warns against known malicious websites.
AVG offers version 8.0 as the latest free AV offering. (IMG: Grisoft)
AVG has offered free AV protection for several years. It comes highly recommended online whenever someone asks about solid free AV protection. The free version gets regular updates, but is missing most of what the paid version offers. One of the biggest things is that AVG Free has no support, the only support offered comes from an online forum which you can get peer help with an issue.
If you are looking for something that covers everything, then the free version of AVG will not meet your needs. However, using AVG Free and Spybot S&D with AD-Aware from Lavasoft, has been known to protect many computers. The bonus, as mentioned repeatedly, is that all of these products are free.
The new version of the free coverage adds LinkScanner, albeit a slimmer version. While offering the same protections and warnings, the free version of LinkScanner does not offer Drive-by-Downloading protection.
“With the release of AVG Free 8.0, we are underscoring our belief that all computer users, regardless of their computer usage needs, have the right to a safe and worry-free computing experience,” says Karel Obluk, chief technology officer at AVG Technologies.
Other free offerings from AVG, anti-Rootkit and anti-Spyware, are being phased out. The anti-Spyware engine has been combined with the anti-virus engine. The free anti-rootkit product has not been updated to 8.0 and will be discontinued at the same time as the other 7.5 products, but some of its detection capability (to the extent technically possible) has been included in AVG Free 8.0.
It is sad to see the free protection offered from AVG Rootkit and Spyware be phased out, but the free version of AVG 8.0 still offers solid protection.
If combined with other free protections for layering, you get decent coverage. Just remember, you do in this case get what you pay for, so again if you are looking for instant coverage, or want all the added protections, then free AVG will not give them to you.
Tech Herald recently reviewed AVG Internet Security 8, if you want to learn about the paid coverage head here:
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200818/851
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