MegaUpload used to be one of the biggest file sharing sites in the world. For many it was the ultimate solution to file sharing problems by allowing anyone to upload files onto their servers for free so that anyone with the link could download these files onto their computer.  A service which seems fantastic to the average internet user, but what we don’t see is the costs for running these servers and services. Now, any honest company could quite easily add advertising to their site or limit usage of certain features to paying users only which MegaUpload chose not to do, instead they got involved in piracy.

For two years now MegaUpload has been under investigation by the FBI due to a large amount of pirate copied data being found on their servers. However, it was not until a few days ago that they were able to bring the giant Hong Kong based company down through leased servers in Virginia. The timing of this shut down comes pretty badly due to the world-wide internet demonstration against the SOPA act which has been proposed to be used on sites such as MegaUpload. Immediately users all over the world blamed SOPA without any background facts.

The real reason behind the shutdown is the suspicions against the owner and founder of MegaUpload, Kim Dotcom, and several of his employees. These crimes include both money laundering and conspiracy, which isn’t hard to believe after the raid against Dotcoms property which roughly summed up to a total wealth of around £5 million at Dotcoms £16 million residence in Auckland.

The question remains, what will happen to other file sharing sites such as Rapidshare, SoundCloud or even Dropbox? Even though SOPA has not yet been passed, the internet has been given a taste of what an internet controlled by SOPA could really be like. Even though MegaUpload is not US based one small slip up brought their whole company down. This could see many US companies moving their servers abroad and a huge loss in revenue for the US or the closing down of many, many more file sharing sites. The SOPA act says that the owner of a site is responsible for all material uploaded on the site, this meaning that users uploaded pirate material to MegaUpload which the owners of MegaUpload allowed, did nothing about and chose to earn money off. This is the reason for them being charged.

I personally believe it is time that all internet users started thinking twice about what they are doing on the web, where they are uploading things and what effect their actions will have on other people. It is easy to forget that there are real people behind the screen whose lives are affected by what you are doing online.

Article written by Tindris of www.creaspire.com

The prime features of the Kindle Fire are the 7 inch multi touch display along with the IPS (In-Plane Switching, Technology), a dual core processor and a Wi-Fi. It has 8 GB of storage capacity. Its external side dimensions are 7.5X4.7X0.45. It is devoid of a camera, a microphone and 3G connectivity. Its screen size is small, if compared to the iPad. It has a nice appeal about itself and thus would definitely arrest the attention of the buyers.

It is not burdened with a heavy weight and thus it’s easy to hold for long hours. Its size is similar to that of a big paperback, thus the users can hold it with one hand and flip through all the pages, just with the use of the thumb finger. Watching of a video alone is an excellent experience with this device. Video watching with two or more people would not prove to be a great experience for its small screen size.

The Kindle Fire runs an operating system, which has been actually forked from the original version of the operating system of Android. This hints at the fact that this device gets displayed at the stores without featuring the Google Maps, Gmail and other applications as well. It has access to the digital library of Amazon, which is huge in size and requires just a click of your fingers. This digital library comprises a bulk amount of applications, movies and songs. Thus use of this tablet would prove to be a pleasing and fascinating experience for the users.

This device comes along with not less than 1000 applications, which the users can easily download. The first applications to be used by the users comprise, games, such as the Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and others as well. The best applications are few in number. However, the experience related to browsing and playing are definitely superior.

When you function on your home screen, you browse through your content by shifting the list from the left side to the right side. The users can afford to affix their preferred music, books, movies or applications to the bookshelf, which is present not in reality but in effect. It is interesting to note that Amazon had purposely made indistinct a few of the Android elements, such as the “home” buttons and the “back buttons”.  The obscurity of these elements prevents to a certain extent the smooth operations of the device.

The concerned organization is also planning to launch this device with the Silk browser. According to Amazon, this browser would increase the loading speed.

Still a few things needs to be added to the Fire.

It surely is going to bring about a significant change in the market of tablet computers.

About the author: Shweta Ghoshal is a content writer, she has written contents about Mobile Application Development and IOS App Development

Vlingo is basically an app that does almost the same thing as Siri on the iPhone 4S. Vlingo is used a lot by many people around the world, trying to make life easier. For those of you who don’t know what Siri does, it is basically talking to your phone with commands. The Siri is much more advanced than Vlingo, but Vlingo is free.

Features

With Vlingo, you can do the following commands:

E-Mail

To email using Vlingo, you say the following. Email Jeff Subject Here’s the right way to do it

Send Message

To text using vlingo, you say the following. Text John message How’s it going, John?

Web Search

To web search using Vlingo, you say the following. Search paintings of bananas

Voice Dial

To call someone using Vlingo, you say the following. Call Ron Mobile

Facebook Status

To update your facebook status using Vlingo, you say the following. Facebook update needs coffee right now.

Note to Self

To make a note , you say the following. Note to Self buy milk.

Open Applications

To open an application, you say the following. Open Calender.

Maps

To find maps in the area, you say the following. Find coffee shops in Cambridge.

Ease of Use

Vlingo does not always recognize the name properly, and may detect the command differently. I was testing out Vlingo just a while ago, and it detects common names very easily. I tested the command “Open Application” and I said “Open Talking Tiger.” Instead, it went to a web search for Talking Typer. Vlingo is not a very great program, but it is decent. If you would want to use this a lot, I would recommend using the available widget for Vlingo. I wouldn’t recommend using this program for people who who have a contact list filled with uncommon names.

Overview

The free application “Vlingo” is a decent application for sending messages and calls, but I wouldn’t highly recommend this to anyone as an alternative to Siri. It’s voice detection isn’t the greatest, and it could get you in trouble if you call the wrong person. There are limited commands, but it’s better than nothing. Vlingo only uses 1 MB of data for every 150 times you speak to it, so data shouldn’t be a problem. What I recommend is for you to try it, if you like it, great. If you don’t, no one is forcing you to use it.

FileZilla is a free, open source cross platform File Transfer Protocol software. FTP software are mainly used for transferring/uploading files to your web site. FileZilla is one of the best, if not the best, FTP software because it is free, easy to use, and there are many features.

Exploring FileZilla

FileZilla is very easy to use, I recommend you try it if you are looking for a fast and easy FTP program. At the top of the program, there is a quick login, allowing for easy access to your site’s files. On the left side, it shows two boxes. The top box is where it shows the folders and the bottom box shows what is in the folders. This allows quick access to files since you can switch folder to folder without having to click a back button. On the right side, there are also two boxes. These two boxes show the content on your site. The top box displays the folders while the bottom box displays what is inside the folders. At the very bottom, there is one wide box that shows your Queued Files(getting ready for transfer), your Failed Transfers, and your Successful Transfers. There are three seperate tabs for each of these so it does not get crowded up and messy. Above your 4 boxes and under the quick login panel, there is a log of all the things that happens so that you can keep track of everything. It logs just about everything such as server disconnections, successful logins, successful file transfers, etc. Another cool feature is that you can have as many connections to servers you want with the server tab features. You just add a tab each time you want to connect to another server. You can switch tabs at any time. In the “View” drop down menu, you can disable anything you would like. This allows for user preference and ease of use.

FileZilla Compared to Others

FileZilla is by far, in my humble opinion, the best file transfer protocol program there is. CuteFTPPro and FTP Voyager are it’s only competition, as they are also widely used by many people around the world. FileZilla is free and open source, making it my choice of FTP programs. I would recommend anyone looking for an efficient FTP program to use FileZilla.

The Nokia X7 is a slim touch screen phone with a sleek look. This phone is good for anyone looking for an affordable phone that does the job. This phone does not run on Android or any popular OS, but it still runs smoothly with nice graphics.

Features

For the Nokia X7, there is one button at the bottom, and one at the top for locking, unlocking, turning off, etc. The 8 megapixel camera allows for high definition photo shooting and easy shooting thanks to the camera shoot button at the side of the phone. The Nokia app store has a wide range of apps, many of them free. The touch screen keys are medium sized, allowing anyone with normal sized fingers to be able to use it efficiently. This phone is highly touch sensitive, making it a nice phone for any use. Nokia X7 has built in Wi-Fi, so a data plan is not necessarily needed. The back of the Nokia X7 is not open able, so you cannot take out the battery without some surgery.

Audio / Ports

The audio for this phone is outstanding. It has 4 speakers on each corner, contributing to the slick look of the phone. You can hear this phone from a great distance when put on Max volume, which is controlled by two buttons (increments and decrements) on the right side. The audio is very clear with no noise, and can also be enjoyed with headphones, as there is an audio jack. The SIM Card slot is on the left side, and can be easily opened. Also on the left side is the memory card slot, which is also easily accessible. The only other port on this phone would be the charger, which is located next to the on/off button at the top.

Overall

The Nokia X7 is a great buy for anyone looking for a cheap phone that is slim and sleek. I would suggest buying this phone for anyone who does not really care whether it is Android or iOS, just how the phone performs.

Camtasia is a video editor which can be bought for about $299 ($300). Compared to the $600 Sony Vegas, this is a good amount. The program also has a 30-day free trial if you are interested. Made by Techsmith, Camtasia provides good functionality and design. It features a drag and drop system to event out  videos and sounds. It also features a full selection of tools used for making a professional video.  Camtasia Studio also features many great features, such as direct production, narration, storyboard, sequences, and audio editing. It also has more advanced features, like exporting audio, voice toning, cursor effects, transitions, captions, call-outs, and an amazing screen recorder. The screen recorder is capable of recording your screen, as well as games, with detail comparable to FRAPS. Another good thing about the recorder is Region Selection, which lets you record certain parts of your screen instead of the whole thing. It also lets your record powerpoint presentations for later editing.  Camtasia allows publishing in multiple formats, as well as direct uploading to Youtube and other popular video websites. The design of Camtasia is easy to use, and takes a very short time to get used to. Camtasia can be used for professional video development, or everyday editing. Camtasia also comes pre-packed with premade sequences and sound effects which are useful for editing. Besides all of this, Camtasia features multiple tools which can be even more useful for advanced editing. These tools include:

Camtasia Theater:

• Allows editing on “Theater Pages”.
• Allows advanced video editing for smaller, more compact projects.
• Allows editing on Flash .swf Videos and Productions

Camplay:

• Allows quick playback for multiple files types and project files
• Compact and simple design

CamMenuMaker/CamMenuPlayer:

• Advanced tools for Making Video Menus
• A bit hard to get used to, but then becomes easy to use
• Playback for videos and projects
• Directly Linked to other Camtools.

While Camtasia is still expensive, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good, professional video editor comparable to Sony Vegas in some ways. Although better, cheaper options may exist, Camtasia is solid software which would be useful to almost anyone dealing with Video Editing.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Sometimes called the free version of Photoshop, also sometimes called a piece of garbage compared to Photoshop. GIMP, GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free graphic designing software that would be the closest to Photoshop. Now, we all know that Photoshop rules the markets in this genre, but let me tell you that GIMP is a great graphic designing software.

Disputes

The disputes between Photoshop and GIMP get very heated at times and people even go as far as to call GIMP a piece of junk that collects the feces of Photoshop. I will say this clearly. As a graphic designer myself, I can say that GIMP is an amazing program regardless if it was free or not! It basically can do everything that Photoshop can do (although, not everything that CS5 can do) and provides a free interface. GIMP provides you with all the tools you need to be an individual designer.

Features

Windows

Device Status – Shares status of tools being used

Layers – Shares status on Layers being used. Can also be used for selections, resizing, transparency, and other layer effects

Channels – RGB Colour combination

Paths – A window used to store data on paths

Colour map – Used to select colours. Can only be used if image is indexed. (Image>Mode>Indexed)

Histogram – Shows colour values in the active layer or selection.

Selection Editor – Edits selections (inverts, selection positions, etc.)

Navigation – Navigates the page where you want it

Undo History – undoes history any amount with a click of the mouse

Pointer – Displays coordinates of pointer

Sample Points – While the Color Picker can display color information about one pixel, the “Sample Points” dialog can display the data of four pixels of the active layer or the image, at the same time.

Colours -An FG/BG Colour picker

Brushes – Displays Brushes

Patterns – Displays Patterns

Gradients – Displays Gradients

Palettes – Displays Palettes

Fonts – Displays Fonts

Buffers – view and manage any named buffers you have created.

Images – displays the list of open images on your screen

Document History – displays the list of the documents you have opened in previous sessions

Templates – Templates are templates for an image format to be created.

Tools – Displays the tools you can use in GIMP

Error Consoles – Logs your errors

Animation

Animation on GIMP is very useful for simple or more intermediate animations. You can’t make any 3D animations like you can on Cinema 4D by Maxon, but it does the job. GIMP uses layers as frames, providing some inconveniences, but it should only take some experience with it to overcome. Tutorial on how to do animation in GIMP:

Hi guys, today I’m going to be showing you how to animate in GIMP.

So first off, open your canvas, I chose 300×100, and type your text.

On a new layer, type some more text.

And again, more text on a new layer.

You have made a very simple animation just now! To view your animation go to Filters>Animation>Playback and press play. This is what it should look like:

Is this animation too fast or what? Of course it’s too fast. To make your animation slower, you can duplicate the layers or even better, just rename the layer to have numbers in ms. Ex. (1000ms)

Your animation should now look like this:

Now I will be showing you a text effect with GIMP Animation. First, put your text in the image.

Duplicate that image 5 times so you have 6 copies. On the bottom layer, go to Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur – 5 Hor 5 Ver. Do the same for the next 4 layers except decrease the Hor and Ver numbers each time. Ex. Layer 1 – 5/5 Layer 2 – 4/4 Layer 3 – 3/3 etc.

Leave the last copy as is. The effect that you should get is a blur and then it comes in to focus. In my animation below, I did something wrong so I didn’t get the desired effect. Still, I hope this tutorial helps.

How to save an animation:

After creating your animation, go to Filters>Animation>Optimize for GIF and then a new window should come up. Go to Image>Mode>Indexed and press okay. Press save and make sure to include .gif after your file name. It will ask you to merge visible layers or save as animation. That’s exactly what you want, so check save as animation. Press okay and you are done.

Blending Options

In Photoshop, there is a blending option menu. In GIMP, there isn’t one. This has created some arguments on why Photoshop is better. What a lot of GIMPers do know is that you can still create the same effect, the only difference is that you are not clicking a button. For example, instead of clicking an outer glow button, you would duplicate the image, grow it, fill it with the colour of choice and then guassian blur it. Not very complicated, but still creates a thing to nag about.

Interface

The GIMP interface is a very user friendly interface, displaying every tool on the toolbar. In my opinion, it is more friendly than Photoshop. GIMP displays all its options and it is very easy to find.

Overall

The greatest argument between Photoshop users trying out GIMP is that it is hard to use. Well, what I have to say to you is, of course it will be “hard” to use because you are migrating from a software and the things you are used to are not in the same places. It is like moving from one house to another. Things are different. Anyways, GIMP is a great free graphic designing software and is the #2 in my opinion, running right behind Photoshop CS5. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good and free graphic design program.

The Wii U will be the next big thing in the nintendo world and it uses a very unique system. Of course, this is what nintendo is known for. The Wii U is a system that uses a very unique controller which has a 6.2 inch screen on it. The Wii U controller can interact with your TV or just play a game on it’s own. This has been built to be used with wii controllers and games. It has been made to work with your wii.

E3: 2011 Trailer

Cnet reports the E3 2011 speakers on the Wii U.

Features

This system is going to consist of many features. With the wii fit board, you can weigh your self and interact with the controller. There are also games where you can interact with the controller to your TV. The Wii U was also made so that if someone were to turn off the TV while you were playing, you can just continue the game on your controller. All the wii equipment will also work with this controller, as they have made it compatible. In the trailer, it shows you a man switching from playing the wii to the Wii U. This was the main purpose of making the Wii U. Some other great features include a microphone, a webcam, 2 analog sticks, the ordinary alphabet buttons, R, L,zR, and zL. With this system, the 6.2 inch touch screen can also be used for accurately drawing, as this is a high sensitivity touch screen. The internet can be browsed with the Wii U, and webcam chatting will be popular for this controller. Games are going to be specially made for the Wii U so that you can interact with the touch screen to the TV.

Final Looks

I personally think that the Wii U will be a huge success as many of Wii consumers will also purchase this amazing addition to their play. The product will be released in 2012, there is no set date. Rumors have it that it will release near christmas. So, what do you guys think of the Wii U?

Maple: Cygnus Knights Edition for iDevices

Maplestory is a famous online, 2D sidescrolling MMORPG made by Nexon. It’s cute, yet RPG-like appeal has attracted tons of people. To help promote the franchise, Nexon released two Maplestory RPG’s for iDevices. The two “editions” they released were “Thief Edition” and “Cygnus Knights Edition.” Both have major differences, some good, some bad. Today, I’ll be reviewing the formerly paid edition, Cygnus Knights Edition.

First Impressions

My first impression at this game was quite good. I saw the graphics and immediately recognized the original graphics from the game. The controls seemed typical for a platformer on an iDevice. The menu seemed fairly generic also, but it wasn’t terrible. All the graphics are cute and chibi-like, so I could tell the gameplay wasn’t going to be hardcore. Overall, my first impression was a 8/10.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Cygnus Knights is exactly like Maplestory, but with worse controls. The storyline is very generic and I found it to be a bit overemphasized and typical. There’s very little back story, and the game’s story dosen’t get progressively better. At all. The storyline gets more confusing, and more unexplained. Now, I haven’t finished the game yet either. The reason for this lies in the sheer difficulty of it. The quests (missions) are the same. Every quest has one of four objectives: Talk to Someone, Kill Monsters, Gather Items (by killing monsters or picking up off ground), or Playing a mini-game. As the game progresses, the missions’ difficulties become harder and harder. Of course, this is expected. The quests become very monotonous and dull overtime, making the game more of a boring time-waster than an actual game that you want to play whenever you have free time. The aspect of exploring the world is always fun, but exploring is limited to the storyline. It’s not very open, and most quests don’t give hints about where to go or what to kill. It’s implied. This can be frustrating. Besides this, the controls are pretty bad. Jumping is absolutely horrid. Since this is the biggest part of the game, gameplay can be extremely frustrating. Bosses are extremely overpowered, and there are very few. The game has little variety, and can make you very bored in very little time. The main quest chain is lengthy and progressive, which is good. There is also tons of side-quests. One of the biggest aspects of this game is level grinding. It is impossible to beat this game by just doing story quests. Side Quests are required if you actually want to level-up and do damage. Besides this, all armor is overpowered. When you’re level 20 and defeated a zone, the next zone will sell equipment at level 40. How much sense does that make? Besides this, most items are actually UNDERPOWERED. All armor and weapons are pretty much useless. They all do little damage, and barely protect you. The Mini-Games are fun, but they can be extremely hard and frustrating. Besides all of this, all monsters are overpowered. Always. You’ll always find yourself using the same skill over and over to do damage instead of actually attacking. Even though this may all seem negative, the game isn’t terrible. The graphics are nice, and there is no lag. Game play can be smooth, and the game can be a fun time waster. It also includes multiplayer bonus mini-games, which are always fun. This is a good addition to the game. Overall, the gameplay was a 6.5/10.

Graphics/Interface

The chibi graphics are classic, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the franchise. Most graphics are directly cut from the original game. This is fine. The shading is nice, and there are no real graphical errors. The Interface/GUI is exactly what you would expect from an iDevice RPG. It’s a typical Interface which isn’t too unique. It’s as generic as about every other RPG on the App Store. Overall, I’d give the graphics/interface a 7.5/10.

Sound

The sound was very generic. It was basically ripped from the game, and was exactly what I would expect from a generic RPG with a generic story. Not much to say here. Overall, it was a 8.5/10.

Presentation

The game used be very expensive. Prior to this month, it was between $2.99 and $4.99 (not confirmed, but I believe that was the price). The game being free really gave it a presentation boost. The actual game is presented very well. There are not many bugs, and there are minimal errors. There’s not much to say about it’s presentation. I’d give it a 8/10 (6/10 if it wasn’t free)
Last Words

The game is a solid, generic RPG that should appeal to all gamers of the RPG genre. It’s a good franchise promotion, and it is a good treat for people who like Maplestory itself. It’s not the best game on the market, but it’s worth a try while it’s free.

Final Rating: 7/10 (Generic, yet still fun. It’s fun but not amazing.)

Which One will you choose?

Unless you know close to nothing about computers, you would know that there are tons of security programs out there. Of course some of these are good, some of these are horrid, and others are fake. Today, I’ll be informing you about some of the choices you can use to protect your Windows computer.

1. Norton AntiVirus (5/10 Stars) – http://antivirus.norton.com/norton/

• Norton Antivirus comes in three packages: Antivirus 2012, Internet Security 2012, and Norton 360
• Norton Antivirus 2012 is very weak and cheap software that will only patch basic problems and prevent basic viruses
• Norton Internet Security is a fairly powerful option that will cover most problems on your computer.
• Norton 360, as stated in its name, is an all around protection for your computer. Of course, it’s about 2x the price also.
• Even though Norton boasts as one of the biggest name securities, I would not recommend it.
• Even 360 does not keep your computer as protected as other securities.
• It protects your Windows/system32 folder and other main hard drive assets, but can leave removable hardware open for attacks.
• The “24/7″ support is not great compared to other competitors
• Norton is a cheap, fairly efficient choice for computers with small storage space.  I would not even think about putting it on a 1TB desk top. It is by far better for netbooks and laptops.

2. McAfee (6/10 Stars) – http://home.mcafee.com/virusinfo/

• Comes in two packages: All Access and Total Protection
• Both have good features and are well integrated into the security program itself.
• It has an easy to use UI, unlike other security programs
• Has a SiteAdvisor Add-on, which is very useful
• All Access is much cheaper than Norton 360, and it provides security for multi-platform devices. (Phone, Computer, Mac, Tablet, Netbooks)
• Total Protection is only $50 and can be used on up to three computers.
• It has better protection than Norton, but it still leaves certain system32 patches open.
• If a virus actually completely infects your drive, McAfee will be useless.
• McAfee has thin protection for major viruses, and does nothing once your actually get them.
• It is better suited for desktops than laptops.

3. Avast (6.5/10 stars) – http://home.mcafee.com/virusinfo/

• Comes in 3 packages: Free, Pro, and Internet Security
• The Free Version is GREAT for Netbooks. It provides basic security for spyware, adware, and malware.
• The Pro Version is basically the Free Version of Steroids. It provides around 2.5x as much protection and is better for bigger computers.
• The Pro Version is fairly cheap. It is $40 for one year.
• Internet Security can hold up to three computers for one year for around $70.
• Avast boasts one of the most used securities in the world due to its free security program.
• The Internet Security Version provides very a safe computer experience.
• Avast does have problems with third party programs, especially ones that require you to have or use Administrator Access
• Avast is not compatible with some other programs, especially programming IDEs. This is a minor set back.

4. Windows Security Essentials (4/10 stars) - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials

• It is a free Windows Add-on Program that provides minimalist security for Windows computers.
• I would not recommend it, even though it is free.
• It is better for computers that need “place-holder security.” (Security on computers until actual security programs are bought)
• Provides protection of main files like System32 and Windows Essential Files.
• Really only protects against malware.
• Has poor spyware and adware defense.
• Does not handle most viruses very well.
• Is extremely compatible. Will work with 99.99% percent of windows programs.
• Provides backup for default windows security, such as Windows Firewall and Windows Defender.

5.  Bitdefender (7/10 stars) – http://bitdefender.com

• Three Types: Plus, Internet Security, and Total Security
• Filters data very well
• Is very useful and has a well put together UI and program.
• Provides protection to vulnerable areas, as well as areas set by the user.
• All three types provide more security than most basic security programs.
• Ranges from $50 – $80, which is cheap for security programs.
• Has a great support center.
• Has many great free add-ons: Search Filter, Two-Way Firewall, Encryption, Scan Dispatcher, and Site Advisor

6. Kapersky (8/10) – http://usa.kaspersky.com/store/kaspersky-store?c_id=GOO1673628

• Four Types: ONE Universal, Pure Total, Internet Security, and Anti-Virus 2012.
• Comes with Standard and Complete Protection versions.
• Provides a very easy to use UI and program.
• Provides great protection and filters most data very well.
• It Protects all vulnerable areas of the PC, with an exception of some  small patches.
• Ranges from $30 to $100
• Provides key features, such as: Remote Computer Control, All-in-one Protecion, Protection against spyware, adware, and malware, site filtering, Real-time scanning and protection, two-way firewalls, parental controls, and optimized security.
• Very customizable.
• Built for the average computer user.

7. AVG (6/10) – http://avg.com

• Two types: Anti-Virus, and Internet Security
• Ranges from $40 – $55
• Provides good protecion and basic data filtering
• Unfortunately has many holes that must be manually patched
• Can optimize and speed up your PC.
• Has free trials for both types of security.
• Stops most types of viruses.
• Has high compatibility.
• Money Back Guarantee
• Continuous Protection

8. BullGuard (7/10) – http://bullguard.com

• Four Types: Internet Security, Anti-Virus, Spamfilter, and Mobile
• 60 Day Free Trial
• Provides Compatible Support for Mobile Devices as well as PC’s themselves
• Very Customizable
• Provides great file backup
• Ranges from $Free – $60
• Spamfilter is a free utility
• Patches most holes
• Provides Protection and Filtering for most Windows Devices.
• Very Compatible.

9. PC Tools Doctor (6.5/10) - http://pctools.com

• Types: Internet Security, Spyware Doctor, Spyware Doctor + AntiVirus, Threatfire
• “Unique” approach to security
• Lacks features compared to others
• Provides great security, but only for certain areas or against certain types of Viruses.
• Threatfire is an add-on that helps boost protection. It works along side other programs and is highly compatible.
• Boosts PC performance.
• $Free – $50
• Works great, but does not fully protect everything.

10. CA Security (9/10) – http://www.ca.com/us/default.aspx

• In my opinion, it is one of, if not, the best securities out there.
• The actual site is hard to navigate.
• The software is amazing, and provides great protection.
• Can cost hefty amounts of money, but it is worth it.
• Has an Easy to use UI.
• Provides great protection and leaves little open spaces.
• Can instantly take care of major viruses.
• Has great program navigation, and is easily used.
• Instant Scan, Quick Scan, Auto-Scan, Full-Scan, and More give this software  the ease of use.
• Always runs in the background.
• Provides constant security.
• Access to all files. (Quarantined, Infected, Original, Etc.)

So, in the end it’s really up to you. Yet, as you can see, some programs are just clearly better than others. I guess it’s just up to you to decide how much money you want to spend for great security.

~SirShadowdeath

Original Image: http://www2.egov.gov.sg/online_newsletter/issue17/IMGS/security6_1.gif