Advanced SystemCare

All it takes it a single visit to a compromised Web site to snare a nasty piece of malware or to pick up cookies that track your every browsing move. And there's nothing worse than a computer that is bogged down so much that it impedes your ability to work or play games. Advanced Systemcare aims to remedy whatever ails your computer by not only cleaning up junk files, malware, and invalid registry entries, but by giving your computer a boost to optimize your PC experience.

Advanced Systemcare's interface is broken down into four maintenance categories so as to not overwhelm you: Quick Care, Deep Care, Toolbox, and Turbo Boost. We started with Quick Care and with the Quick Malware Removal feature. We clicked Scan and the program quickly went to work and came back with no issues. (In all fairness, we regularly run full PC scans using our own security software, so we didn't expect the program to find anything here.) Next up to bat was the Registry Fix, which came back with a whopping 597 problems. We found this a little fishy since we had just tested a very reputable registry cleaner that had found and fixed all of our registry issues. Still, we went through the process of checking and unchecking which files we wanted the program to fix. Once we clicked the Repair Now option, the program went to work and the problem registry entries were remedied in a matter of seconds. The Deep Care feature takes it all a step further by offering deeper scans, as well as a Registry Defrag option, which we successfully used to tidy up our registry. We were a little miffed that the program didn't ask us if we wanted to back up our registry before making any changes. However, we'll give it a slight pass because the program does include a Rescue feature that lets you undo any registry changes, and offers the ability to create a restore point, which we recommend you do before you touch your registry. Our final stop on the tour was the Turbo Boost feature. From there, we selected Work Mode, which let us manually disable unnecessary services and background applications. We were skeptical of it actually doing anything to speed up our computer, but we have to admit that we did notice a slight difference in our computer's speed, and for the better. The program does include an online help guide, though we don't think you'll need it for handling basic cleaning tasks.

Pay close attention while installing Advanced Systemcare because it'll install an IObit toolbar if you don't decline. The program also leaves a folder behind after uninstallation. Still, we recommend it as a worthwhile program for keeping your system running on all cylinders.

Free registry repair and cleaner - Advanced SystemCare Free 6. What does it help? Slow down, freeze, crash and security threats are over. Advanced SystemCare Free is a comprehensive PC care utility that takes an one-click approach to help protect, repair and optimize your computer. Scanning and finding what other utilities miss, it can keep your PC error-free and smooth than ever. This fantastic program is available free of charge. Why Advanced SystemCare Free? New PC Performance - Do you remember the feeling of a brand new PC when you first bought it? Why not try Advanced SystemCare Free, a free PC tune-up utility that focuses on the performance of your PC. Computer Crashes without Reason - Have you ever encountered your PC crashes and you even did not know why. After months or years of using your PC, there might be plenty of changes, which added burdens to your PC but never get cleaned. What Advanced SystemCare Free does is to clean the stuffs that are left over and clean craps to make your PC neat and clean. Registry Repairing and Cleaning - As an elementary part to a PC, if it does not working well, then your computer will be in big trouble. What does Advanced SystemCare Free do? It cleans the records which is unnecessary to your PC but makes the PC running slow and produces troubles. It also repair parts that are missing and make the PC complete. What's new in Advanced SystemCare 6? + Brand New User Interface + New Surfing Protection Technology + New Performance Monitoring Technology + New Generation Technology + New Internet Boost Technology + Enhanced Registry Fix Technology + Improved Active Optimize Function + Improved Turbo Boost Function + Improved Toolbox + More Discovered by you

What's new in this version:

• Version 6.4.0.292:
• Updated database for Malware Removal for better security
• Updated database for Privacy Sweep for better privacy protection
• Updated database for Surfing Protection for safer online surfing and searching
• Updated multiple languages to the latest
• Updated and optimized multiple tools in Toolbox
• Added Support for Windows 8.1
• Fixed general bugs

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Virtual DJ

Atomix Productions' Virtual DJ Free not only mixes and mashes beats from a classic two-deck console, but also it serves as audio central for your system since it also records audio and video, burns discs, and even broadcasts online using a radio server or your own PC as a client-limited server. A survivor, Virtual DJ has been making music for millions of users for more than a decade. The latest version adds new controllers and full compatibility with Windows 8 multitouch surfaces. And it's still free.

Like similar tools, Virtual DJ takes its functional and style cues from the traditional pro DJ console, with the side-by-side, turntable-style scratch pads surrounded by duplicate control sets. You can change its skin from the Config. button on the top edge. The lower half of Virtual DJ's interface is tabbed for those features you need the most: Browser, Sampler, Effects, and Record; each with a submenu accessing main features. For instance, under Record, we could Record Audio, Burn CD, Broadcast, and Record Video. The Sampler has 12 tracks with large, easy-to-see sliders and Play and Rec buttons, while the Effects tab offers both Sound and Video Effects as well as Video Transitions. We started with the Browser, which is anchored by a specialized, music-oriented tree view in the left sidebar. We dragged some MP3s into the right and left decks. Virtual DJ showed each song's spectral energy in a small graph in each deck and in a larger graph along the top displaying sampled selections. Virtual DJ automatically integrated our selection into the main spectral view (which can be grabbed, dragged, and altered) and loaded it on the scratch pad. A cool touch: Virtual DJ illuminates and aligns sampled tracks on the pad's rim, just as if they'd been the grooves on vinyl records.

The only beef we could muster over Virtual DJ is actually common to all such programs, and they inherited it from the real deal: The need to cram two full sets of as many highly-visible controls as will fit into an ergonomically useful space. Even there, Virtual DJ Free has them beat.

With more than a million new downloads every months, VirtualDJ is the most widely used DJ software, and the uncontested leader of non-timecode digital DJing. It has been used around the world for the past 10 years by bedroom DJs and professional superstars alike to rock millions of parties, and has been chosen by leading DJ brands such as Pioneer, Numark, Hercules, Denon, Gemini, or Vestax, to be included with most of their digital DJ controllers. With its cutting-edge beatlock engine, your songs will always stay on the beat, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ. The automatic seamless loop engine and synchronized sampler will let you perform astounding remixes on the fly. The video engine lets you mix and scratch music videos or karaoke as easily as audio. With NetSearch and MusicGroups, you will stay on the edge of the musical trends. And with the versatile VDJScript language and hundreds of downloadable skins, you can tailor your software to your exact needs. Whether you are a professional experienced DJ, or a music enthusiast, VirtualDJ is all you need to get the party started.

What's new in this version: Version 7.4 adds our new ContentUnlimited subscription plans, full compatibility with Windows8 multi-touch surfaces, dozen of new controllers native compatibility.

                                                       Free Download Virtual DJ

CCleaner

Nowadays, cookies, temporary files, and various other means of tracking your Web footprint are par for the course. Some of these trackers are useful, while others can be potentially intrusive. Thankfully, there are myriad freeware cleaners out there that help keep your system in check. CCleaner is one of the better ones for its ease of use and powerful cleaning capabilities.

CCleaner's simple and intuitive layout will appeal to users of all skill levels. Its four features -- Cleaner, Registry, Tools, and Options -- are prominently displayed on the left side of the window. We started with the Cleaner first, which breaks down your cleaning options into two tabs: Windows and Applications. The program works by first analyzing your system and then running the cleaner itself. By selecting the appropriate check boxes, we were able to clean our temporary Internet files, cookies, history, and cache in both Internet Explorer and Firefox at the same time, as well as empty our Recycle Bin and rid our computer of Windows log files. The Registry feature acts in the same fashion, letting you check off on the options you'd like to scan for issues. In less than 30 seconds, the program had scanned and displayed a long list of invalid entries that we could then opt to fix or leave alone by unchecking the boxes. In less time than it took to scan, the program fixed the issues we had selected. One note: We did have to run the Registry cleaner three times in a row before it came back with no issues found; each time it came back with fewer and fewer invalid entries. Using the Tools feature, we were able to manage our startup programs and successfully uninstall programs. We especially liked that CCleaner lets you manage your cookies so that you don't delete ones that are useful when browsing the Web. As with all Registry cleaners, we recommend that you proceed with caution before fixing or deleting any files. CCleaner does offer an online help feature, but for basic cleaning, you probably won't need it.

By default, the project opts you in for installing desktop and Start menu shortcuts, as well as adding run and open options in your Context menu. It also opts you in for installing Google Chrome and making it your default browser, so you'll have to uncheck the boxes to opt out. CCleaner installs and uninstalls without leaving any files or folders behind.

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner.

What's new in this version:

Improved Internet Explorer DOMStore cookie cleaning.

Enhanced Firefox Internet History cleaning.

Added free text entry for include and exclude items.

Optimized Startup tool browser detection.

Updated procedure for recursive folder analysis and cleaning.

Improved system monitoring startup procedure (CCleaner Professional).

Added CDBurnerXP, UltraEdit, Photodex ProShow Producer, SketchUp Make 2013 and HandBrake cleaning.

Minor GUI improvements.

Minor bug fixes.

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Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

he bottom line: A lack of recent substantive updates haven't prevented Malwarebytes Anti-Malware from staying on top of the on-demand malware-killing mountain.

Review:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a surprisingly effective anti-malware tool given that it hasn't received any major updates in the past few years. Sure, the scans are a bit faster and the installation is definitely smoother, but overall the product remains unaltered.

Installation
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, or MBAM as it's often abbreviated, has a rapid installation process that simultaneously loads the program onto your computer and updates its detection engine when you run the installer. The whole process took under 5 minutes on our computer.

Interface
MBAM is no paragon of design aesthetics, but it is usable. It opens directly to its Scanner tab, and offers eight other tabs in a horizontal row. Few options per tab keep down the clutter.

What it lacks in visual pop it makes up for in utility. The rest of the tabs let you access the updater, quarantine, scan logs, the ignore list, program settings, and the FileAssassin tool for deleting locked files. The About tab tells you relevant program information, such as version number, while the Protection tab provides access to the real-time protection features. If you're in the freeware version, Protection provides a near-instantaneous, one-click path to upgrade to the trial.

However useful MBAM is, the text-heavy interface clearly identifies it as a tool for power users, although there are more complicated malware removal tools out there. Considering that the program's major function is to scan, and that's generally a one-click process, we'd like to see a more accessible interface in the future.

Features and support
Malwarebytes' primary feature is to scan your computer for the bad guys, and on that level it's quite successful. It offers a quick scan, a full scan, and a flash scan to analyze memory and autorun objects. It comes with Malwarebytes' proprietary Chameleon technology, which lets the program install on many infected computers even when the malware blocks other detection tools.

MBAM supports multiple drive scanning including networked drives, context menu options including a scan-on-demand function for individual files, and the FileAssassin option under the More Tools section for removing locked files.

In the premium version, the Protection controls block zero-day infections from malicious sites and files, along with the scheduler. We'd prefer one or the other be available in the free version, since many full security suites offer both in their paid versions.

MBAM has built its reputation as one of the pre-eminent malware removers over the years on a nearly entirely word-of-mouth campaign. Extra features are lacking, historically. This is only marginally more than a one-function wonder, but it's so good at what it does that it's practically required for you to have it.

Performance
Malwarebytes is a relatively speedy malware remover, with the quick scan taking about 7 minutes and 30 seconds to finish even with other high-resource programs running. The heuristics engine proved on multiple computers during empirical testing that it was capable of determining the difference between false positives and dangerous apps.

Surprisingly, the premium Protection component didn't slow down startup times, even when it's configured to start with Windows.

Conclusions
Overall, though, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a responsive malware remover that does what it says it will, and with a minimum of fuss. The cost of the premium upgrade is a bit steep given what the free version can do, but it's a fair price if you feel more comfortable paying for your computer security.

alwarebytes Anti-Malware combines powerful new technologies built to seek out, destroy, and prevent malware infections.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is an easy-to-use anti-malware application available in both a Free and PRO version. The Free version is well-known for its detection and removal capabilities, and the PRO version uses advanced protection technologies to proactively stop malware infections. Additionally, Malwarebytes offers a host of extra utilities as well as an approachable forum community to help you combat any piece of malware that exists in the wild.

What's new in this version: Version 1.75 Added the ability to scan within archives

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AVG AntiVirus Free 2014

AVG's Anti-Virus and Internet Security line follows on the heel of last year's highly-ranked security suite by not merely incorporating some minor but key tweaks to both its front-end and back-end, but a stronger push toward personal data management and privacy utilities that help prevent uninvited access to your files. Though many threats still exist, security programs as they stand now start to encompass areas of privacy utilities. Whereas the majority of threats were once external viruses trying to force their way into your machines, nowadays malware focus more on tricking users to inadvertently open doors for hijacking.

Version 2013 was AVG's first push toward adopting and remixing the Modern UI movement. Not just a response to competitors, the Modern UI movement represents an overall push toward creating a more streamlined security experience. For the average consumer, what your anti-virus and anti-malware programs do to protect your computer have followed a set it and forget it mentality.

Balancing along the fine line of being both approachable yet empowering is a key goal of not just AVG but also just about any utility software developer: Modern UI has the visual appeal, but does it evoke control and the sense of security over all the software's power features?

In our last review, we commended AVG's decision to reduce the installation steps. It still contains a toolbar offer, and despite the universal hatred toward being fooled into installing yet another browser helper object, AVG's toolbar actually does include useful security options like Do Not Track. Again it's a tradeoff but if you really wanted DNT's features, then there's a standalone version available for free on Firefox and Chrome in their respective extension stores.

By now, almost every major security software maker has more or less adopted the flat, Modern UI look and AVG has kept its own visuals mostly intact. The main screen is decorated with AVG's primary areas of protection that include your computer, browsing the Web, Identity protection features, e-mail protection, and extras that populate the second row if you opt to purchase the premium or Internet Security suites. It's the same as last year's design, but still a radical departure from the old AVG that's appreciated, yet still may take some getting used to for the more hands-on user. Thankfully, all it's older scan settings are still neatly tucked under the options, though they aren't nearly as touch-friendly.

All visual and organizational improvements aside, AVG 2014 (along with many other security suites we've seen) have more or less been continuing to dress a Windows 7 application without completely assimilating into the actual Modern UI environment, wholeheartedly. I can understand this context under the stance that there are still many who don't face a real urgency to upgrade to Windows 8. But if you're moving toward minimal input and maintenance for running a security program in the background, then perhaps Modern UI might be better suited in the long run.

Once AVG adapts to your machine, scan times are reduced tremendously.

For example, the options menu is still very much geared toward the mouse user, so having a meet-halfway kind of design slightly disrupts the overall experience of maintaining and protecting your machine with the touch of your fingers.

Data Safe is your lockbox to prevent unwanted tampering or snooping if you save files on a public machine.

Two notable additions to AVG Internet Security are File Shredder and Data Safe. File Shredder is a more permanent solution to deleting files and reducing any potential digital trails for recovery. By default, Windows doesn't actually delete files, even after clearing the Recycle Bin, with the exception of overly-large file sizes. For the average user, this might not seem like much but in the era of privacy concerns, it's a welcome feature that will slowly start to become more relevant to the average consumer.

Even Data Safe, AVG's own folder encryption, helps you create what is essentially a secured pseudo-partition in a native location that can only be unlocked with a password. It's a practical precaution for those who share their computers with others and wish to avoid having to create separate profiles.

AV-Test results for 2014 are currently not published, but the 2013 marks for Internet Security showed a slight drop in protection, going down from a 5.5 rating out of 6 to 5.0. Performance remained standard at 3.5 but usability shot up significantly from 4.5 to 5.5 out of 6. AV-Comparatives gave 2013 a 1.1 percent compromise rate in their real-world protection test in their July report. Overall, AVG has maintained a relatively consistent level of security, which is above average, but the gains in usability combined with reduced system load, makes this version one of the most lightweight protection solutions for your PC.

To call this version the best AVG yet is a no-brainer; AVG's security efficacy, though not the best, still remains consistently high scoring among AV evaluations across the board. And though detection rates have improved, the biggest strides for this year's version have been made in the areas of privacy tools that are genuinely useful. As for whether it's the "best" security program around, that may depend on your current needs. AVG's emphasis on privacy tools and reputation ranking attempts to combat malware through educating and empowering users, at least slightly, with tools that remain easy to use yet encourage users to actively manage their PC files. We especially recommend this year's suite for those who actively share their machine with other users.

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Avast Free Antivirus 2014

Pros

Design: Avast's new layout is a unique and clean take on managing security. Rather than copying a flat Metro look like so many others, Avast organizes its environment and prioritizes it in a sensible manner. Flat icons and subtle menu animations look great, secondary pop-out menus don't feel cluttered, and the toggle icon also helps create a cleaner experience.

Security: An improved firewall, noninvasive scanning, and a complementary, crowdsourced, whitelisting approach via Community IQ keeps this security suite on alert for untrustworthy sites and phishing scams. A noninvasive browser add-on protects your Web usage with built-in do not track integration and selective blockers for analytical and social trackers.

Utility: Avast represents itself as more of a security manager than just a conventional scanner. This version includes a command center-like dashboard for tracking security statistics, pop-up notifiers for system status and security news, a multidevice manager, and a streamlined upgrade pipeline via in-app store.

Cons:

Small disclosure: Installing certain components like browser plug-ins, useful though they may be, can also be viewed as an unwanted surprise. The installer gives you options to install various components but throws a lot of information and component offers to users at once without much to go by.

Varied performance: According to a previous protection report from August, Avast scored higher than the average scanner but still behind many of the top performers. The added browser plug-in, though great when it works, sometimes became sluggish when we tested out some sites with heavier analytic trackers.

Information overload: Global and personal stats are great to see, but are they really useful for the average user? Even an advanced technician can really get only so much value out of numbers without any real numerical or unit-based indication of what they represent. Perhaps a market researcher may get more use out of this.

Final Verdict:

This year's Avast release has distinguished itself as not just a malware or antivirus solution, but also as a full-on security monitor for your machine. It comes with great design, displaying a lot of information yet maintaining a high usability factor for the core feature of virus removal and malware scanning. Avast has created value beyond the security scanner, and this version is a huge leap over last year's Avast 8. We expect its protection scores to continue to increase as protection scores from third-party vendors get released.

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iPad Mini 2: What we expect regarding the price, specs, and release date of Apple's next iPad Mini

The 2012 iPad Mini: Will this be the template for 2013?

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

The iPad Mini is 1 year old. What will Apple do for an encore?

On October 22, Apple will have an event. While the company has given no agenda beyond the "We still have a lot to cover" tagline of the press conference invitation, new iPads are an inevitability. And that includes a new iPad Mini.

What do we know for sure? Nothing. But, while early rumored leaks point to some design changes in the larger iPad, there are still a surprising number of unknowns surrounding the second-gen iPad Mini. Yes, it will have the same basic form factor, and it will run iOS 7 out of the box. But what else?

I certainly have my own iPad Mini wish list, and it's pretty easy: a Retina Display, a faster processor, and as little expansion to the Mini's size and weight as possible.

As far as expectations, here are the best guesses as to what might happen.

The 2012 iPad Mini. Will the 2013 version change the display?

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Display: Retina, or no?
The existing iPad Mini has a perfectly serviceable 1,024x768-pixel 7.9-inch display, but its overall brightness, pixel density, and color quality aren’t nearly as good as the Retina Display iPad's. It seems like it's time for an increase in pixel count. Remember that -- because of difference in screen sizes -- the goal here is more about pixel density (pixels per inch, or PPI) than absolute resolution. Right now, the current Mini (163ppi) lags far behind the 9.7-inch Retina iPad (262ppi), the Retina iPhone 5S (326ppi), and -- its direct competitor -- the 7-inch 2013 Nexus 7 (323ppi).

On the other hand, some rumors suggest the new Mini will have exactly the same display as last year. Or maybe there will be two Mini models -- a new Retina Mini, and a stepdown low-res model (possibly just the 2012 Mini staying in the line).

The 2012 iPad Mini: The form is still pretty perfect.

Size and design: pretty much the same, but will it have colors?
The iPad Mini has a sweet-spot combination of small size and top-end features, and is an all-around newer design than the current fourth-gen iPad, so don’t expect it to change much. It might get a little thicker, though: if the larger iPad’s move to Retina is any indicator, a Retina Mini might need to get a little bit heavier to accommodate the extra power for that display. Either way, expect a nearly similar look and feel.

Will there be a golden Mini? Well, the odds for that are probably better than candy-colored models. Rumored leaked images, thus far, don't show any wild color schemes.

Processor: A6, or A7?
Last year’s iPad Mini had an A5 processor -- a 2011 model -- compared with the fourth-gen iPad’s A6X. If that pattern holds, then the new Mini could have an A6, and the larger iPad a 64-bit A7X. But maybe, just maybe, that Retina Mini will need even more graphics punch, in which case it could leap right to an A7 or A7X.

Will the Mini get the iPhone 5S Touch ID home button?

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Touch ID, or no?
The iPhone 5S has that new, very snazzy fingerprint-reading Touch ID home button, which begs to be included in other Apple products. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t surface in the higher-end 9.7-inch iPad, but could it make an appearance on the next iPad Mini, too? (At least one leaked photo -- albeit of unknown provenance -- suggests the answer is yes.) It all depends on whether the new Mini makes a leap into more “premium” territory in 2013.

Price: $329, or higher? (or, lower?)
Apple’s iOS devices historically stay the same price, more or less, year over year. That would mean a 16GB Retina Mini would cost $329.

But, $329 was always a bit of an unusual price. Maybe the Retina Mini climbs a bit higher if its features are more step-up. Then again, maybe the goal for this year's Mini is to remain affordable in a landscape of cheaper tablets.

One Mini, or two?
What about an even lower-priced iPad? The non-Retina Mini could stick around as an additional product, with a price that possibly drops a bit. That would create a two-tiered iPad Mini product lineup, and a larger 9.7-inch iPad. And, considering Apple hasn’t released a new iPod Touch this year, a lower-cost Mini would step into that role a bit.

Or, is that too many iPads? If the Retina Mini can stay at the same price as last year’s model, then maybe that doesn’t happen.

Stay tuned
Apple’s event is around the corner: we’ll know the answers soon enough, and we’ll be out in San Francisco bringing the news as it happens.