(Credit: CNET)

The best antivirus software available does more than just stop computer viruses, it also addresses the myriad and complex modern threats that you'll encounter. Indeed, from the merged antivirus and anti-malware detection engines to enhancing online privacy controls, security suites are an essential part of Windows and Mac desktop life. And just like driving a car without wearing a seatbelt, you shouldn't try to get by can get by without using antivirus software just because you can.

Because of their long history of deleterious consequences to system performance, security suites deserve closer scrutiny than any other category of software.

Of course, it's important to look at how effective security suites are at stopping the bad guys. Any security suite, that can't hold up its responsibility to ensure your computer's protection isn't worth your time. Yet, there's another factor to consider. No matter how effective a security suite is, if it slows down your system too much you're not going to want to use it.

Avast Free Antivirus

Test environment

CNET currently tests security suites on a Dell XPS desktop running a 3.2GHz Core i7 processor with 8GB of DDR3 RAM, an Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS PCI-Express graphics card with 512MB of memory, a 1TB Western Digital hard drive (WDC3200AAKS), and Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1. Once we install the antivirus softwar... [Read more]

(Credit: Dropbox.com)

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Dropbox is one of the top cloud storage solutions for anyone who needs to share or collaborate on documents, audio or images. As long as you have Internet connectivity, you can access your files from anywhere, giving you peace of mind that a specific file won't be forgotten when you're away from the computer.

If you're often saving documents or images from the Web, you may notice that the process isn't very streamlined on its own. You either have to use the Dropbox software on your PC and choose that folder every time you want to save something, or you have to locate the file and upload it through your Web browser. With the first option, you could set your default download location to Dropbox, but you probably don't want to save every file to your limited-space account. In the end, neither of these options is ideal, so why not... [Read more]

Face it dude, what's done is done. Get over your ex by purging your collections and recollections so that you can get back in the game with a fresh state of body, mind, and wallet.

Don't do it man. Don't do it. I mean it!

Now for some precautionary measures. I'm not one to doubt you guys as those who lack self control and willpower, but hey, it's that time of year so why risk it? Use Stupid Phone Calls Blocker to stop yourself from 'accidentally' dialing that ex boyfriend/girlfriend of yours. You can also use this to stop incoming calls and texts from he/she-who-must-not-be-named. As an added bonus, create a blacklist to block other annoying folks or pestering telemarketers. Now you can freely hit the bars without worrying about any 'accidental' drunk dials. The demo version only lets you block one person, but that's all you'll need... hopefully.

Bonus: Make some cash by throwing out some old stuff. NeverLikedItAnyway is a marketplace for you to buy and sell gifts from your former boyfriend/girlfriends for a little extra spring cleaning and fatten up your wallet while you're at it. The website also features mini-testimonies and It's retail therapy at its finest.

And for more activities, check out our ... [Read more]

If you didn't get caught in Cupid's spray this year, we have some pretty good ideas for how to spend your free day. Take a day off and spend it with the classiest person you know: that special guy/gal in the mirror. Of course there's nothing stopping you from using this list to get started on the best date ever, if you're lucky enough to feel the sweet warm embrace of requited love.

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Go on an urban adventure The world is a big and terrifying place, and it will remind you of that fact every chance it gets. Don't go out unprepared and lost. Discover the mysterious outdoors with:

Field Trip (Android): Think Yelp but with a tracking GPS function. Field Trip will alert you of cool and interesting things around you. Find hidden museums, trending restaurants, and local hangouts; nothing will escape your notice. Taking no effort, Field Trip runs in the background and will send alerts whenever it detects that a secret hipster's den is nearby.

... [Read more]

The Firefox Nightly browser lets you switch among tabs arranged across the top of the browser window.

(Credit: Paul Rouget)

Mozilla is catching its browser up to Windows 8.

The Firefox Nightly version -- the precursor to Aurora, beta, and final releases -- now supports the touch-oriented, no-menu interface of Windows 8 formerly known as Metro, according to a tweet from Mozilla about the development.

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Mozilla developer Paul Rouget posted several screenshots of the Metro version of the early Firefox build.

The early... [Read more]

(Credit: Opera Software)

It was a good day for the WebKit browser engine yesterday when Opera Software adopted it in place of its in-house Presto. But yesterday's developments also became an opportunity for a high-profile JavaScript programmer to lodge criticisms about WebKit.

"Each release of Chrome or Safari generates excitement about new bleeding-edge features; nobody seems to worry about the stuff that's already (still!) broken," complained Dave Methvin, president of the jQuery foundation and a member of the core programming team that builds the widely used Web programming tool, in a blog post.

"jQuery Core has more lines of fixes and patches for WebKit than any other browser. In general these are not recent regressions, but long-standing problems that have yet to be addressed."

WebKit is a browser engine used initially in Apple's OS X and later in iOS and Google's Chrome products. It dominates in mobile, though there are variations among the versions from Apple, Google, and others using the software.

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• Web world bemoans loss of Opera independence
• ... [Read more]