Public beta for AVG 8

Grisoft has launched a free beta version of the newly developed AVG 8. The software is said to offer many improvements and has apparently been reprogrammed from scratch.

Polished interface: AVG 8 has been redesigned. The users of older versions of AVG will have to get used to the new layout.

New features include a module for checking web and instant messenger traffic, the LinkScanner malicious script filter developed by the recently acquired Exploit Prevention Labs, and an anti-rootkit component. The new scan engine supposedly improves general detection rates and offers more effective heuristics – as well as being faster and requiring less resources than its predecessor. The new user interface is designed to make access easier for less experienced computer users, but the menu also still offers extended expert settings.

To take a preliminary look at the new software version you can register and download it from the vendor's beta page. Windows 2000, XP, Vista, the 64-bit versions of XP and Vista, Windows 2000 Server are supported, as is Windows Server 2003 both in its 32-bit and its 64-bit version. The beta version is running until March 1, 2008.

See also:

• Download AVG 8 Beta 2 (registration required)

(mba)