Tech-Freak Stuff » Cool Softwares

Review: Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2012 Antivirus

Rohit Sane — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:53:32 +0000

The Internet is a dangerous place, and cyber criminals are getting more creative in ways to target you and your valuable personal information. Norton Internet Security is one of the most trusted brands out there for protecting computers from such attacks. Norton has been a big player in the security market for quite sometime now, and we have never doubted its capability to offer the best security services. We get into the details of what the Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2012 package has to offer…

A faster Installation and a Lower Start-up Time
Though this is not the features you would generally relate an Antivirus software with, but a lot of these softwares take a long time for getting installed. NIS 2012 gets installed in 60-90 seconds and you are then good-to-go once you update the latest virus-definition databases.

Also, you would notice that a majority of Antivirus softwares present in the Start-Up list increase your booting time, but thats not really the case with NIS 2012. It loads faster and is smoother to work with than its older versions.

A better and easy to use Interface
It is noted that the interface of the NIS 2012 has changed quite a bit to reduce the clutter and the menus make our life easier. You may observe that, the screen gets divided into two horizontal sections which give us details of how well we are secured on the basis of various upcoming virus threats.

Protection Features
The SONAR 4.0 technology used, helps find suspicious process based on a behavioral “profile”. SONAR 4.0 also introduces protection against Non Process Threats (NPTs). That means, the processes which are not exactly running but can infect other running processes are also been taken care of.

The Norton Power Eraser runs in Windows Pre-Install Environment (WinPE) and will be accessible when running the Norton Bootable Recovery Tool. Thus, it can scan the system from the OSs and other partitions where the Malware or suspicious softwares are not working; for better and uninterrupted scanning.

Norton Safe Search bar in Google Chrome lets users know SafeWeb site safety ratings for Web sites and search results; so as to stop the users from visiting sites with malicious content. Identity Safe provided in the browsers is the industry-leading phishing protection offered by NIS 2012.

The Identity Safe 2012 feature allows you to store sensitive data on secured Norton Cloud servers. You can save your Passwords, Credit card details, etc on Norton servers. You can use it on various computers as it creates your online profile in the Norton account.

The Download Insights feature tells you which application will crash your PC. A “Reliable” rating means that the chances of this program crashing are minimal; on the other end, “Very unstable” means that the chances of this program crashing are high.

The Bandwidth Metering of Norton is a very important feature for people who connect to different Internet devices regularly. You may not want Norton to use up a lot of bandwidth on a few of your devices, but its okay on some. You can put such bandwidth restrictions on the Norton software using these feature.

The In-Product Support feature helps you scan for any installation or configuration errors in the Norton software and also allows you to AutoFix all those issues. So, you are at the peace of your mind!

Price and Verdict
Norton Internet Security 2012 is not only an Antivirus software but also has an inbuilt Firewall too. Considering the increase in Internet crime, it is not advised to run your Computer without an Antivirus software. Also, the MRP of Rs. 1220 for a single PC license for a year is pretty affordable.

Now the question arises, Is NIS 2012 worth it? I would give it a 4/5 for the security features it offers at this price. I hope, it answers all your questions!

Review: Norton Mobile Security for Android Smartphones

Krunal Jhaveri — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:13:46 +0000

We protect our PCs with Antivirus programs, Firewalls, etc. With more and more people switching to Smartphones and Tablets for activities such as Internet browsing and Online transactions, securing these devices has now become a high priority.

What do we do if our phones become a target of vicious Internet attacks? Our mobile phones are now our primary source of personal information and hence we would always want some good security provider to safeguard this vital information. With the rise in the sales of Android devices, hackers have been attracted to the one of world’s largest mobile platform. According to reports by Norton, Android is the number One target for hackers, making it necessary for users to protect themselves from any unauthorized access.

Here is where Norton has brought out an excellent Mobile Security solution with the new Nortion Mobile Security App for Android Smartphones. This app not only sets regular virus scans but also comes with amazing new features such as call-blocking, remote lock and wipe functionality and anti-theft protection.

Downloading and Installation
You just need to go to http://www.norton.com/nms and download the Android app. The Licence key can be purchased online as well as through a lot of retail outlets. After the installation you can enter the activation key, to get a full working version of the App for one year.

Anti-Theft
You need to set up your password which can help you Remote Lock, Remote Locate and Remote Wipe all the data from your device by just sending one SMS. You need to add upto 5 buddies, who can send a Special SMS command to your phone which can Lock or Unlock your phone in case of theft. But, it is possible only when the SIM card of the phone remains unchanged. If the SIM card is changed, this feature does prove to be of any help.

Anti Malware
This is like the normal antivirus software, but works with a great speed and does not slow down the device at all. There are options to select scheduled scanning or manual scans also. The Malware definition files can be updated with ease.

Call and SMS blocking
There are dedicated Apps for this function, but this functionality built-in this app proves to be very helpful and reduces the need for an extra app. You can add and remove various Contact numbers to your Blocked List of Calls and SMS so that you need not get irritated from undue Mobile notifications. Various configuration options are available for blocking only SMSs, or only Calls, or both.

Web Protection
It protects you from fraudulent web-based sites and content. Sites which spread Malware or which leak out your private information can be blocked with this feature. The only problem is that you need to work with the default Android Browser to be safe. This feature is not compatible with other Browser Apps installed on Android.

Conclusion
Norton Mobile Security is a very powerful app if used in a proper way, but its ineffectiveness to work with other Browsers except for the default one and no Internet enabled locking of phones makes it seem a little weak. Its Call and SMS blocking feature along with the Anti-Malware feature which is the main feature of the App work perfectly.

We would give this app, a 3.5 / 5 for delivering top class Malware protection.

App2Fame Challenge 2011 on txtWeb aims to create a library of unique SMS based applications

Rohit Sane — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:20:38 +0000

For those who don’t know what is txtWeb, it is a platform where one can create and deploy SMS based Applications which can run on any mobile phone even without a Data plan for Internet usage. The Applications created by this community of developers can be accessed via any cellphone anywhere for gaining the required information.

To give you a rough idea of how it works, if you SMS @STD Location name to 92433 42000, then you will get the STD code of the Name of the place delivered to your Cell phone via SMS. It is to be noted that no premium rates are charged for sending the SMS request and receiving SMSs from them. (Only normal SMS Messaging rates apply)

Also, txtWeb.com is FREE for both users and developers/publishers, so anyone can join as a publisher and create their SMS application which is hosted for free and is available to use for everyone!

txtWeb has now launched the App2Fame Challenge 2011 to look for creative and innovative applications which can potentially to impact the lives of billions of mobile users. Mouth-watering prizes are up for grabs for the “Most Popular” and “Judges Choice” Award, but a lot of consolation prizes available too. Top five student developers would be eligible for an internship with the sponsor or its affiliates.

The entries to this contest will be closed on June 30, and the number of unique users will be measured between July 1, 2011 and July 30, 2011 (200 users will be the minimum eligibility criteria). Results will be announced in the First week of August. For more information regarding this contest: Visit App2Fame.com

Samsung Bada 2 screenshots leaked (version 2.01)

Rohit Sane — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:48:25 +0000

There has been a lot of speculation regarding an update to Samsung’s very own Bada OS. And now, we have got a few leaked screenshots of the Samsung Wave GT-S8530 phone running a new version of Bada, specifically the Bada 2.01.

After careful observation, we observed that most of the Icons are revamped with a new look. Also, there is a new purple coloured icon named, “Music Hub”. This was not available in the previous firmware!

On further observation, we find that all the screenshots are originally of 479 x 798 pixels resolution, except for the “About” screen which is of 480 x 800 pixels resolution which is the native resolution of the phone. It appears that, the other screenshots were edited or resized using a photo-editing software. (reason unknown)

It may also mean that only the About screen is true, which shows the Bada version 2.01 mentioned in it.

These photos were leaked by one of the moderators of Bada-World.pl, whose profile is named “pawlakpl”.

Free Essential tools for Web Designing

Rohit Sane — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:12:10 +0000

There are billions of websites on the Internet and many website owners have realized that standing out from the crowd can be difficult. The content of the site not only has to be relevant and helpful, but the layout of everything should be user-friendly and pleasant to look at, as well. So the perfect combination of looks as well as information makes a successful and popular website. Even though it can be a little tricky to strike the proper balance, some of the web-design tools can be of great help.

<<Image Credit>>

Have a look at some of them given below:

Browser Shots – This does not occur to many web masters, but the layout of a site is not necessarily viewed as it should be in certain online browsers. In other words, some browsers may not be able to handle or read the layout as well as others, causing it to look buggy and unorganized. It is therefore important for a designer to check their site on various browsers using Browser Shots. If there are any problems they can then be fixed in a quick and timely manner. This method is called Cross Browser testing.

Adobe Photoshop – Photoshop has long been declared essential by people who not only put websites together, but by other aspects of media as well. Photographers have learned that they can change the brightness of their images, crop out parts that they do not like, and so on. Students have learned that with a little research they can put together collages and other things for school. No matter what project a person may want to tackle, this tool can help them get there. When it comes to layouts, Photoshop can help create something attractive and professional regardless of topic.

Firebug – Firebug is a tool that can be “attached” to the browser. Its a Browser Addon which can be installed in the browser (popular in Firefox). Its purpose is simple; to help anyone that wants to learn more about how a certain part of a layout is structured. Some designers may for example wonder how a site managed to make the text for links larger when clicked on, among other tricks. All they need to do is click on the Firebug icon located at the bottom of the browser, and they will learn more about that specific trick. Aside from worrying about the best hosting service for their site, a web designer should not have to spend hours researching how to do one piece of coding.

MeasureIt – MeasureIt is another Firefox tool that can assist those that wish to have a good site layout. MeasureIt helps a person that wants to figure out how big something is on a page, such as an image. Although not as helpful as Firebug, it is still something that anyone serious about website layouts should look into. On top of finding the right web hosting companies, it does not hurt to use this tool, as it helps is approximating the required Bandwidth and other details.

Windows 8’s “so called” new and improved ‘Advanced Task Manager’

tirsina — Sat, 07 May 2011 09:23:17 +0000

More and more details about Windows 8 are coming out but they do not seem to reveal a whole new operating system. They rather make us think of Windows 7. (Do have a look at the New and Expected features in Windows 8 and also about the Windows 8 MileStone 1 coming out)

We have found a lot of online journals creating a hype about the new improved Task Manager in Windows 8. Here is what we think about it!

Windows 8 Task Manager – A simplified version
Windows 8 Task Manager has been completely redesigned and it includes many more features which users can use to assess the operating system’s status.

When we open the Task manager we see at first a simple list showing the running apps and their components. If we press the More Information button we can see a full set of tools which shows what the processes that are consuming too many resources are and how we can disable them without compromising the operating system’s stability.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Processes
The Processes section shows a list of all the running apps, their components and the components that belong to the OS. The list comprises several categories (Applications, Background Programs and Windows System-Critical Programs) so as to assess the running apps more easily. Resource usage is displayed in real time for each running app; abnormalities such as excessive processor overloading or RAM overloading, bandwidth and data volume transferred to the hard disk are displayed, therefore there is no need to visually inspect all the running processes.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Startup
The Startup Tab shows all the apps that run automatically once the OS has been loaded and we can disable those we do not really need. Using the Startup Impact feature we can find out how much these apps slow down the OS loading.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Users
The Users tab shows all running apps for each user account therefore we can know exactly the amount of resources used by each and every user.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Performance Dashboard
The Performance Dashboard tab provides a complete list of all the running processes together with thorough information regarding resource usage and each resource’s PID code.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Services
The Services Tab shows a list with all the OS’s active features and information about resource consumption together with a general description for each feature.

Windows 8 Task Manager – Dashboard
The Dashboard section is similar to the Performance tab from the previous Task Manager and offers several charts showing the loading level for each processor, RAM usage, Hard disk’s activity and Network traffic.

At first glance, Windows 8 Task Manager seems to be a good tool for both advanced users and beginners. It represents an improvement compared to the old Task Manager we got used to from the Windows XP era.

3 Excellent Expected Features on Windows 8

tirsina — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:45:14 +0000

These days, no week passes by without the release of some new details, more or less official, about Windows 8. Now, Windows 8 has reached the Milestone 3 threshold and with this, several new features have been revealed, the most important one being the Cloud Sync Option. With the help of this option, users can synchronize their files and folders stored on the HDD to those stored on an external server via Internet.

The second feature revealed at the beginning of this week is the Hybrid Boot, which reduces the booting time needed when the computer is restarted following a Shut Down. This feature is somehow similar to sleep mode. Windows 8 Italy reported they have managed to boot up Windows 8 in less than 20 seconds. Hybrid Boot increases the operating system’s speed but, of course, results can vary since speed depends on the system configuration!

The third feature, which is definitely going to be much appreciated by users, is the possibility to store Windows 8 on a USB flash drive (requiring a minimum memory of 16 GB) and then to run it on another computer (or even run it on the system from where the operation took place) directly from that USB flash drive. This requires the use of a feature whose name is thought to be Portable Workspaces. Apparently, only Windows 8 Enterprise users could store their operating system on a storage device so one could conclude that Portable Workplace does not address to private users.

Finally, as for the folder organizing manner, there is a new Disk Cleanup which is going to provide more advanced options than the current program.

Other features available on Windows 8 are PDF Reader and Windows App Store..

Top 10 Best Free Spyware Removal Softwares

Rohit Sane — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:02:39 +0000

Spyware and various types of viruses can decelerate your computer, inflict havoc with pop-ups, and even make your computer collapse altogether. Spywares are generally meant to SPY on your computer activity and use it for malicious purposes without your permission and knowledge. However, there are ways of keeping spyware at bay. Let’s have a look at the Top 10 Free Spyware removal software tools. We suggest downloading any of these tools for complete satisfaction!

1. Lavasoft As-Ware Anniversary Edition
Lavasoft is known for being excellent in spyware removal but it is not that famous at preventing infection. So if you are just in search of a great Removal Software, this could be it.

2. Spyware Sweeper
This software offers constant monitoring that impedes spyware before it hits. It comes with superior detection and removal means and auto-updates for adamant spyware.

3. Ad-Aware Anti Malware 8.1.3
The creators of this software were one of the pioneers in anti malware. This software completes entire scans pretty fast and presents thorough screen info on what the software is hunting for and what it has found.

4. Malware Bytes
This one is a comparatively quick malware solution with its swift scan just taking a short amount of time, even while other heavy applications are running.

5. iObit Security 360
This utility spots and eradicates the deepest attacks, and offers protection from various types of viruses, spyware and other malware.

6. Spybot Search and Destroy
Known for quality, this software gives you a feature to review apps being loaded when the computer starts. I rate this one very highly!

7. Trend Micro Hijack This
This one generates a comprehensive file and registry settings report. There is no disjointing in scan results between unsafe and safe settings, so you can get rid of the items selectively.

8. Norton 360
Famous for its comprehensive performance and security solution, this Antivirus software is easy to install even for a beginner PC user.

9. Windows Defender
A solution for severely infected computers, this software is also known for not giving false alarms during scans. Is shipped along with Windows in most versions.

10. Spyware Doctor 2010
Spyware doctor presents an excellent assortment of malware defense tools, but its notoriously strict trial restrictions makes it hard to evaluate. Even then, it is still preferred by many for its higher performance.

This is a Guest Post by an Jasper who is an Adware Spyware defense expert and enjoys writing on topics like freeware utilities, types of viruses, antivirus, anti-spyware and software reviews.

Find Best Restaurants near you with Zomato Android App

Rohit Sane — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:11:00 +0000

The fact that the world is coming closer is accepted my all the netizens today. Now its time to accept the fact that, even Good Food is coming near you. I am talking about the Zomato Android App which helps you search for the best Restaurant in your vicinity by considering your location. (Good news for Android Phone Users, Right?)

This Android App is very user friendly and gives out all the major details about the restaurants which you may need including Contact details of that place, Menu cards, User Reviews, Photos of the Actual Place, Facilities Available, Average cost for 2 people, Timings, Ratings (individually on the basis of Food Quality, Service and Ambience) and Exact Address of the Place. You can also search for any particular restaurant to find more about it or also find some restaurant at a distant place where you wish to go!

The best part about this Zomato App is that you can call the Place directly from within the application so you don’t need to copy the Restaurant contact number anywhere. Also, it lets you know if any discount coupons available for restaurants.

This application is currently free and lists nearly all the restaurants in 5 Indian Cities namely Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune.

The Calculator and Sound Recorder Apps are Missing from the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Rohit Sane — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 08:27:02 +0000

Samsung Galaxy Tab was among the most awaited product by Android and Samsung fans and it is being made available in the market since more than a month now. So hows it? (Thanks to @gauravh1, I got hands on it)

It is really good. I really like it except for its Screen. Actually it is pretty good too and amazingly bright on full brightness but just not as good as the Super AMOLED of the Galaxy S.

Now the biggest blunder! (The Basic Apps are missing)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab does NOT have the Calculator and the Sound Recorder Apps by default. (I am not sure about its different versions shipping in different parts of the world, but the one I had my hands-on was not having it) And it is the problem faced by a lot of Galaxy Tab users all over the world!

The Galaxy Tab on T-Mobile in United States does have the Calculator but unsure about the Sound Recorder.

So, would you like to call the Galaxy Tab an example of unfinished Operation System or you would forgive the Samsung guys this time; and expect a Firmware upgrade soon?