COMPUTER SECURITY. Norton 360 ‘aims to cover all the bases’ with one product
Jim Jamieson
Province
What is it? Norton 360 Internet security package
Price: $89.99
Why you need it: Everyone needs some kind of security suite if they are on the Net.
Why you don’t: You’re too busy e-mailing the final details of a business deal with a nice gentleman from Nigeria.
Our rating: three mice
The consumer PC security business has become a challenging field of play for Symantec Corp.
Once the big kahuna in the struggle with online malware, Symantec and its Norton line of products have had their supremacy threatened by Microsoft Corp.’s move into the market and the entrenchment of other competitors such as McAfee.
The company recently pledged to cut $200 million in costs and lay off five per cent of its workers.
Microsoft’s Windows Live OneCare, launched last year, offers multi-level protection and Norton 360 is Symantec’s attempt to trump that.
Meant for the typical home user, Norton 360 aims to cover all the bases in one comprehensive product. It offers:
– The usual PC protection against malicious code.
– Transactional security, including anti-phishing and website authentication;
– In-computer and online backup and restore capabilities, including two gigs of online storage;
– PC tuneup, which removes unnecessary files and defragments the hard drive;
– A free add-on offers anti-spam and parental controls.
© The Vancouver Province 2007
