Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition 8.0
With behavior-based threat detection and integrated real-time monitoring, Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition focuses on core consumer security needsInstead of adding layers of bells and whistles--thereby slowing your computer and scans down--we have decided to focus on what really mattersAnniversary Edition provides advanced threat protection, and is significantly lighter and faster than our previous versions.
Numerous changes in Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition include: Behavior-based heuristical detection; Ad-Watch Live! integrated real-time protection; Customizable Profile Scans and full integration with Windows Security Center.
One of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware, Ad-Aware's excellent reputation is well-justifiedThe Anniversary Edition continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, but is still not quite perfect
Without a doubt, though, this version of Ad-Aware improves greatly on what has come beforeIt loads faster during your boot cycleScans take less time than before, too--the Quick Scan completed in less than 10 minutesAlthough we did notice a major false positive crop up for another program's uninstaller, there were no other flaws in the scanNew users should notice that the app performs faster than integrated antivirus and antimalware programs, because only the paid version of Ad-Aware comes with an antivirus engine
Some important features are disabled in the free versionWhile rootkit detection is present, heuristics and real-time registry protection are notAd-Aware Free cannot scan networked drives, and even a basic feature like the scheduler remains off-limits to nonpaying customersThe proprietary real-time defender Ad-Watch Live has been reconfigured to run more smoothly in the background, however, and long-time fans will notice the change.
Interface refinements make this the easiest-to-use Ad-Aware yetAction button placement at the bottom of the pane might feel odd to those familiar with older versions, but the forced continuity between windows is a plusLinks to drill down to more information are easy to see, as is the Settings buttonOverall, Ad-Aware continues to make improvements and seems to be unwilling to rest on its malware-removing laurels, but the free version is undeniably hamstrung.