You can’t go wrong with either Nero 7.5 Ultra Edition or Roxio super suites, but Roxio won our hearts with Easy Media Creator 9. We found that it takes a fast machine to really make it sing, but the video-editing combination of MyDVD, VideoWave, and CineMagic gave Easy Media Creator 9’s movie deck the...
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In our experience, SpySweeper captures more potential threats than any solution we have used, even now that most security suites include built-in spy guards. Its world-class research labs have a finger on spyware networks. The memory resident program is low-overhead and unobtrusive. It explains every process and option clearly and gives stellar control over...
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Because home networks may be the next battleground of security, this is the best and easiest product we have seen for monitoring and troubleshooting a network. It also lets you block wireless intruders and control any PC’s internal or external access privileges. Network Magic does what we hope security suites or Windows itself eventually...
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It should be said that the major security players; Symantec, McAfee, and Trend Micro, all released stellar updates this year that provide excellent protection and usability. But we continue to find that ZoneAlarm’s integrated suite of safeguards against viruses, worms, spyware, and identity theft is especially well suited to PC enthusiasts like us. It...
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1,900 tweaks in a database so vast it comes with its own search engine. It’s hard to imagine a Registry adjustment, an interface customization, or a performance enhancement that X-Setup Pro doesn’t enable with a simple toggle. You can even record your tweaks to a .REG file and import them to another PC. From...
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Among the all-in-one system cleaners and maintenance programs, we like System Suite 7 for its unexpected extras. Yes, it has one of the best Registry cleaners we’ve seen, strong disk diagnostics, and even a security suite tossed in to make it one of the most comprehensive bargains in the category. But we love its...
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The mother of all all-in-one utilities may best be suited for monster rigs. Like many Symantec/Norton products, this one can feel like it is taking over a piece of the operating system with its comprehensive suite of shields, backup, cleanup, performance, and diagnostic tools. Symantec rebuilt many of the components this year, and to...
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