Avira AntiVir Personal's excellent malware detection, disinfection, and scan speed earned it the top spot in our ranking of free antivirus software. Its interface could be better, though, and using the app means putting up with daily pop-up ads.

Excellent detection and disinfection, top-notch scan speed

Interface is unfriendly to novices, daily pop-up ads for paid version

Some less-than-friendly default behaviours make Avira AntiVir Personal a better choice for tech-savvy users who know how to muck about in the settings. If you're willing to put up with a somewhat clumsy interface and the recurring pop-up ads, in ...

If you're of the opinion that the world needs a browser specifically designed for power downloaders, then Wyzo 3 may well be for you. The free browser includes a set of tools that downloaders will welcome including multi-sourced downloads for faster ...

Free, gesture support, CoolIris integration

Support for Firefox add-ons may be a little confusing

If you live to download, and are looking for another browser, Wyzo is worth a try.

Browsing the web is significantly faster, can reopen closed tabs, PrivateBrowsing, free

Some of your add-ons may not be compatible yet

If you're a Firefox user, the upgrade to Mozilla Firefox 3.5 is a no-brainer. Browsing the web is significantly faster, the ability to re-open previously closed tabs and windows is a major improvement, and as for PrivateBrowsing... we won't delve into ...

Free, open source

Hard to complain about much given that it's free

VideoLAN Client is an essential download for anyone that watches video or plays music on their PC. It's a powerful tool that is now less intimidating to use, thanks to its steady refinement over several years, resulting in a less 'techy' preferences ...

Extremely fast page rendering

Too soon to make a definitive judgement

Safari 4 has come out of its short beta period to blossom as a remarkably attractive and well featured modern web browser. For Windows users, Safari has previously been something of an also-ran behind Firefox and IE, but with Safari 4, the browser ...

Fast

Still incomplete

Overall, this early preview version of Google Chrome for Mac looks and feels just about right, although it has quite a long way to go before it can make it mainstream or become your default browser. Keep in mind that this version is not for general use.

Explorer Pane can be extremely useful, updated layout and look of video search, Farecast

We didn't like the Quick Preview feature

Will the masses start binging instead of googling? If Microsoft continues to make progress with its ongoing tweaks and improvements to Bing - and steamrolls the existing landscape with its promised massive advertising campaign - it stands a chance of ...

Free, works on portable drives

Doesn't offer the same level of protection as SafeHouse Explorer Professional Edition

SafeHouse also comes in a Personal Edition ($44.35) or the Professional Edition, both of which add more functions and features, for greater protection and more convenience. However, the free SafeHouse Explorer provides good basic security on its own ...

One-touch optimisation, lots of tweaking possibilities

DriveSense works only with storage that's not part of a RAID array or virtualised

The focus on utility and choice makes System Mechanic 8.5 useful, and it presents itself in a way that's as clutter-free as you wish. If you want one-touch optimisation, this is your path to happiness. But if you can't keep yourself from tweaking ...

An interesting idea if put to suitable use

Would not run on Vista, overkill for users happy with conventional passwords

Password databases such as Password Manager Deluxe or KeePass are better places than PicturePIN-XP for holding large volumes of login and other encrypted data. PicturePIN is better seen as a technology in search of a decent application.