avast! Internet Security 8 beta is the first public preview of avast's next-generation suite, which now comes with a new interface and more extras and options than ever before.
Installation was quick and easy on a test Windows 7 system. The beta doesn't yet run properly on Windows 8, though, so don't even try it (compatibility is "coming soon", though, apparently).
If you're familiar with the product then you'll immediately notice the new interface. A compact and clean Home Page separates the beta's key functions into six panes, and clicking Scan for the first time immediately launched a Quick Scan. Click the Security tab, though, and you'll find all the usual controls for the suite's antivirus engine, spam filter, firewall and more, so there's plenty here to explore.
The left-hand toolbar also provides access to some interesting new tools. Software Updater checks your installed applications and alerts you to any available updates; Browser Cleanup aims to help you remove annoying addons from your browsers (although only IE and Firefox at the moment, at least on our system); and AccessAnywhere allows you to set up remote access to your PC. Some of these will apparently only be available via a commercial option called avast! Premier, but the Updater and Browser Cleanup tool can at least be trialled in this beta.
And of course there have also been improvements to the core protection technologies, so for instance FileRep and WebRep are now better able to identify and new threats in near real time.
Keep in mind that this is a beta, and it has all kinds of odd issues: translation problems, automatic profile detection fails in the firewall, there might be problems with Outlook plugins, and it notably affected performance on our test PC. Check the official product forum announcement to find out more.
avast! Internet Security v8 beta 3 brings these changes (since beta 2):
- avast! v8 now runs on Win8 too
- Problems with upgrading v7 to v8 on Win8 related to the network
- XP performance problem solved
- Automatic Profile detection in the firewall on Win7 solved
- No information popup on controlled PC when client is connected via avast! AccessAnywhere
- List of computers shows offline PCs and also those that don’t have AccessAnywhere activated
- BSODs & Webshield crashes fixed
- Problems with Security Center fixed
- Ad Blocker has now final facelift
- Stability issues with Outlook plugin solved
- UI might hang sometimes during connecting to avast! account
- Problems in data shredder solved
- After facebook registration setup might crash so reboot is required to start avast! service
- During softrial gui is not correctly updated
- Trial period could not be activated (update from v7 to v8)
- Missing pre-defined scan jobs (update from v7 to v8)
