What can be done if I dropped my smartphone in water?

- Craig

As everyone knows, electronics and moisture are not a good mix and what you do in the early stages after introducing your favorite device to liquid is critical.

The first thing to do is turn it off and take out the battery (iPhone users don't have the battery removal option, so turning it off is critical). The biggest mistake that's made in these panic situations is repeatedly trying to get the device to power up hoping that everything will be ok; each attempt could be your last!

Your best chances of recovery will be to not turn it back on until you are absolutely certain that all of the moisture has been removed or has evaporated.

Liquid is a fantastic conductor of electrical energy and can easily cause an electronic 'short', which causes electricity to flow across circuitry in improper channels (thus the term 'short circuit').

If your smartphone has a memory or sim card, be sure to remove it as well as the data stored on it could also be at risk.

Depending upon the amount of time that it was left on while wet, you may be able to simply get the device cleared of the water and have it work perfectly.

Once the battery has been removed, open or remove any other panels or slots then wipe down all the surfaces with an absorbent paper or cloth towel. Rotate it various directions to see if you can coax any large collections of water out of the unit.

The next step is to either let the device sit in a warm and dry environment (like on top of a stereo receiver or cable converter box, but away from the open vents) so the liquid can evaporate; usually within 12 to 24 hours.

If you want to accelerate the evaporation, a long standing trick in electronic circles is to put the device in a sealed container filled with uncooked rice then place it in a warm environment like in your car in summer months or in the afore mentioned locations.

For those that have the misfortune of dropping a device into a liquid other than water, the task will be more involved, especially if the liquid has a sticky residue like soda or coffee.

In those cases, the electronic surfaces that have come in contact with the sticky liquid will have to be cleaned with either isopropyl rubbing alcohol or a plastic safe electronic spray cleaner.

In order to do this, it will typically require that you take the device apart to reach the surfaces that need to be cleaned.

As with the water, if you don't clean off the sticky residue even after it's had enough time to evaporate, you risk the chances of the residue shorting out the circuitry as well.

If you don't know how to take apart your device, you can use one the more useful technical resources that will show you via video: YouTube!

If you search YouTube.com for your specific device with the term 'take apart' in front of it, you will likely found dozens of videos that show the step-by-step process for taking the unit apart so you can completely clean the electronics of the sticky residue.

Link to the original content.

What are the pros and cons of 'cloud computing'?

- Jason

In computer terms, when you hear the term 'cloud' it's a reference to the Internet (in early technical diagrams, the Internet was represented as a cloud).

Cloud computing has many different inferences, but in its simplest description, it refers to a computing application that resides on the Internet instead of your local computer's hard drive.

Cloud computing is often referred to as Software as a Service (SaaS) in the corporate IT world, as it offers businesses lower startup and maintenance costs for complex applications for an ongoing monthly fee.

Instead of having to buy special machines and special software, getting everything installed and configured, then building a strong backup system, companies can simply buy off the shelf average performance computers, connect them to the Internet and get started.

The ease of access to high-speed Internet connections and the popularity of Netbooks will likely help push the popularity of cloud computing.

For the average consumer, there are many free and low cost cloud computing options that many have been using for years without realizing what it was called.

Gmail is another good example of a consumer cloud computing offering as it's a very powerful e-mail system that is entirely housed and processed by Google's servers. Unlike Microsoft's Outlook Express, which is also free, you aren't tied to a single computer to get your e-mail.

Gmail, because it's in the cloud, can be accessed by any Internet connected computer from anywhere in the world, while those using Outlook Express must go to a specific machine or machines that have been configured to access the mail.

Another comparison is with tax preparation software; you can buy the disk, install it on your own computer (and only use it on that one computer), then be responsible for backup of the data OR you can sign up for an online account (no software to install) that allows you to do your taxes from home or work and eliminates the chances of losing your work if your computer crashes, is stolen or is destroyed in a fire.

Cloud computing offers flexibility, accessibility, transfers the responsibility for backup and upgrades to the host and is infinitely 'scaleable' to as many users as have access to an Internet connection.

The down side to cloud computing is that if you don't have access to the Internet, your connection goes down or the hosts servers get overloaded or attacked, you have no way to process your data or run your business.

If you run your business on a Gmail account, for example, and something happens to Google's mail servers, (as has happened on several occasions, generally for short periods) then you are unable to communicate with your customers during the outage.

Twitter's recent Distributed Denial Of Service attack that brought it down for several hours underscored what happens when millions of users rely on even a free service. Those that relied on Twitter as part of their business model were temporarily out of business with no alternatives during the outage.

Another concern with cloud computing is data security; since it's in the cloud it's exposed to the various ways that data can be compromised on the Internet.

The reality is that data is equally as exposed to security issues when it resides on local hard drives or local servers (viruses, Trojans, keyloggers, employees, etc.) so the issue isn't which is more secure, but which are you more comfortable with from a security standpoint.

It can be argued that large organizations that offer cloud computing applications are much more focused on round-the-clock security than most small-to-medium businesses, but you are ultimately putting yourself at the mercy of others.

For most businesses, a combination of cloud applications that talk to local systems where the data resides in both places is likely to be the best long-term solution.

For the average consumer, e-mail, photo sharing, video sharing, online backup, online gaming, social networking, stock trading and tax preparation are just a few of the existing areas where computing 'in the cloud' is very common.

Cloud computing IS for everyone, but it ISN'T for everything (yet), so as long as you weigh the pros and cons I've outlined above before making each decision, you can make an informed choice before committing yourself to the cloud!

Link to the original content.

For some reason, more e-mail that I am sending out seems to be getting caught in spam filters, which is a major problem in my business. What am I doing wrong or what can I do to avoid getting my messages trapped in spam filters?

- Gina

We all hate spam and want our e-mail programs to do a better job of fending off all the junk that pollutes our Inbox, but the flip side of the story is that it's getting more likely that real messages (I refer to as 'ham') will get caught in the gauntlet of filters.

To make things worse, it's entirely possible that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or mail service is stripping out messages before your local spam or junk mail filter can do its inspection.

When this happens, you will have no idea that a message was ever sent, because it won't ever make it into any of your locally accessible traps.

To be fair, mail systems have to deal with an enormous quantity of mail, the vast majority of which is junk messages. In every test of our mail servers over the years, over 94% of all messages were tagged as spam and another 3% were tagged as 'suspected' spam.

This means that on average, only 3% of the messages coming to our mail servers have passed all of the tests to be considered legitimate mail.

With this absurd ratio of 'spam to ham' it's no wonder why so many messages get mishandled.

Set the spam filter too low and lots of junk gets in; set it too high and lots of legit mail won't get through.

The battle rages on between spammers and spam filtering technology, but there are a number of things you can do to reduce the chances of getting your messages filtered.

The first is kind of obvious; don't be a spammer. When I say this, I mean don't ever send mass e-mails to everyone in your address book. If you need to send large groups of people a single message, look into services (such as ConstantContact.com) that know how to do it without being tagged as a spammer.

Since you are a business, never send mass e-mail to anyone that has not 'opted in' to your dispatches. If you are trying to connect with an individual, then send an individual personalized e-mail.

Many ISPs will automatically tag any message that goes to a large number of their users simultaneously as spam, unless all of the technical details of mass mailing messages are being followed (and these rules are constantly changing).

It's possible the format of your e-mail or signature is increasing your spam score before you even begin typing your message. Images or certain keywords can instantly increase the spam score of your message.

If you want to see if the base structure of your message is causing problems, send it to spamscore@politemail.com and you will get a detailed report highlighting any content that could cause your message to be tagged as spam.

If you send a lot of mail out, you can also install a free program from http://www.mailingcheck.com that can scan your messages to give you an idea of the spam score before you send them.
Link to the original content.

My tech friend says that HP printers are better than Epson printers because the print head is part of the ink cartridge. What is your opinion?

- Angela

One of the main design differences between lower priced HP and Epson inkjet printers is that Epson incorporates the print heads as part of the printer while HP moves the print head to the cartridge.

Your friend's perspective of 'better' must be based on the 'what happens if the print heads become clogged' problem. With an HP (as well as Canon & Lexmark) when you change the ink cartridge, you change the print nozzles, whereas, if an Epson's print nozzles get clogged, you have a much bigger problem.

The fact that HP incorporates the print head as part of the ink cartridge has little to do with whether it's better or not as their more expensive printers move the print nozzles to the printer just like the Epson models.

The cost of the print head is what causes printer manufacturers to move them to the printer. Epson uses a more expensive Micro Piezo on all of their printers (versus the thermal approach used by the other brands), which is why their cartridges are simply ink wells.

The higher level HP printers use print heads with many more nozzles, which makes incorporating the print nozzles on the cartridges too costly.

If you rarely use your printer or go away for long periods of time, then the argument could be made that a low-cost HP inkjet printer would be cheaper to deal with if the print heads get clogged, but preventing the clogging for either type of printer is my preferred approach.

For those that are going to be away for long periods of time, leaving the ink cartridges in the printer for either design isn't a good idea. Epson printer cartridges shouldn't be pulled out and reused, so once you pull the cartridge you have little choice but to throw it out.

Several companies make cleaning cartridges specifically designed for the Epson printers (search Google for 'Epson cleaning cartridges'). After you remove the ink cartridges, following the directions for the cleaning cartridge process will generally remove all of the ink that typically dries out if left for a long period of time.

For thermal inkjet printers (HP, Canon & Lexmark), some have found success in removing the ink cartridges and placing them in a sealed bag (removing as much air as possible) along with a most paper towel and placing the bag in a cool, dark environment.

Another common reason that inkjet printers will get clogged, even if you use them a lot, is because they are turned off improperly.

If your inkjet printer is on a power strip and you turn everything off via the power strip, your printer never gets to finish its shutdown procedure that could include everything from a quick cleaning to the capping of the ink cartridges.

Always turn off your inkjet printers by hitting the power button on the printer. In virtually every brand or model, you will notice that the printer goes through many gyrations before completely powering down.

These extra processes are how inkjet printers prepare the print heads and nozzles for shutdown by clearing any extra ink and sealing off the ink reservoirs.

Repeated shutdowns via a power strip is an almost guaranteed way to cause print head issues on any inkjet printer as it's no different than pulling the power plug out of the wall while your computer is running.

Frankly, with today's low cost of color laser printers (several under $200) as well as the lower cost per page, considering one for your next printer will eliminate the clogged print head problem forever.

Link to the original content.

Why is data recovery on a hard drive so expensive?

- Norman

Few things in the computing world are as gut wrenching as the loss of data and it's often made worse when you learn how expensive it can be to retrieve your precious files.

The process for recovering lost files from a failed hard drive can be quite extensive and time consuming, which generally causes the cost of recovery to be expensive.

Hard drives are fairly complex mechanical devices that operate at very precise tolerances and any failure in any of the mechanical or electronic devices will render your data inaccessible.

Many people assume that the amount of data they want retrieved is the basis for what the recovery should cost.

Whether you need 1 file or 10,000 files has no real bearing on the cost of the recovery, because the real work (and expense) is resurrecting the hard drive in order to get any data at all.

The act of copying files from a recovered drive (once it has been rebuilt) requires very little time and requires no human interaction once the process is started.

In general, there are two very common data recovery scenarios: logical and physical.

A logical recovery is performed on a hard drive that is mechanically and electronically functioning properly but the data has become unusable due to corruption or file damage from user error, external hardware failure or virus attack.

Hard drives have a 'table of contents' that guide the computer to the location of the stored files. If the table of contents becomes corrupted, locating the desired files becomes impossible for the operating system (Windows, MacOS, etc.)

Logical recoveries can be performed by technicians that have the knowledge and tools to work with data at the binary level to reconstruct the lost files and tend to be less costly.

Physical recoveries are necessary when a hard drive has experienced a mechanical or electronic failure. Physical recoveries require substantially more resources, tools and experience and must be performed in climate and dust controlled environments.

To add to the cost, often times a 'donor' hard drive must be located that can be used for spare parts. Locating a donor that is an exact match is critical or the recovery attempt will be unsuccessful.

Locating a donor requires far more than just finding another hard drive of the same size from the same manufacturer. For example, if you have a Seagate 80Gb hard drive that was manufactured in Malaysia, the donor can't be a drive that was manufactured from the Thailand plant because it won't have the exact same version of the firmware or supporting electronics.

The secondary market for used hard drives that are cataloged at this level is substantially more expensive than going to a used computer store and grabbing whatever they have lying around, so paying $200 - $300 for a donor once it's located is not out of the ordinary.

The worst case scenario is a hard drive that requires both a physical and a logical recovery as the cost goes up even further since two separate recoveries are required in order to recover the data.

Of course the best way to avoid ever having to pay an expensive data recovery bill is to keep your pictures, music and data files backed up regularly!
Link to the original content.

Should I be concerned using Twitter since they were attacked by hackers?

- Julie

The recent shutdown of Twitter by what is referred to as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack should not concern Twitter users from a security or privacy standpoint.

A DDoS attack is generally used to render a website useless because the attackers have an agenda that is served by wreaking havoc on the site. In most cases, it is financially motivated (blackmail) or cause motivated (we want you to change the way you do business, etc.), but we have yet to understand the motivation behind this attack.

Think of it as a very popular radio station contest that generates so many callers that no one can get through. A DDoS is simply the ability to get a large number of computers to all simultaneously bombard a single website with thousands of requests, which makes it impossible for regular traffic to get through (we all get a 'busy' signal).

Since Twitter was not the only site attacked, it's very likely that someone was using this as a demonstration of a powerful 'botnet'.

As we have discussed in this column before, botnets are a collection of infected computers that can be remotely controlled by a single computer to perform any instruction that is sent out.

Many of today's viruses and worms are designed to slowly and silently 'recruit' agents for these networks as the larger the botnet, the more damage, spam, identity theft and other malicious activities it can generate.

This means that many of you that are reading this column are unknowingly participating in these attacks, because your computer has silently been infected and recruited as an agent on a botnet.

Once the network of compromised computers gets big enough, it's offered out to the Internet underworld as a 'rental by hour' weapon to do whatever the renter wants to do with it.

Unless you have built a business around your ability to use Twitter, you shouldn't really be too concerned about the attack as DDoS attacks of various forms have been going on for over a decade.

Past high profile DDoS attack victims include CNN, Yahoo, E-bay & Microsoft just to name a few and these types of attacks will continue to plague the Internet.

The real awareness from this event should be that if we all made sure that our computers were kept up-to-date and avoided dangerous activities that expose us to becoming a silent agent, these types of attacks would be less likely.

Unfortunately, far too many Internet users are 'asleep at the wheel' when it comes to keeping their computer maintained and protected from the daily threats.

You are most likely to become infected by a botnet agent if you don't relentlessly keep your operating system (Windows, MacOS, etc.) and anti-malware programs up to date and especially if you are careless about what you click on or download (fake video scams are very popular at the moment).

Users of file sharing networks, adult content sites, crack code sites or any of the fringe activities on the Internet are at a much higher risk of being infected as what you think you are downloading or viewing is distracting you so the agent can slip in behind the scenes.

As I have said for years, if you live in a household with high-speed Internet and teenagers, you better make extra sure you understand what kind of activity is taking place on your computers.

Hackers know that teenagers are fearless on the Internet and the they always look to get something for nothing, so they plant infected files all over the Internet where they know teens like to congregate.

Botnet agents are very good at hiding from your security software, so in addition to keeping everything updated, if you notice that your computer's hard drive light or Internet activity lights are constantly flashing when you aren't doing anything, have a technically experienced person 'take a look under the hood' to make sure that you aren't unknowingly part of a botnet.
Link to the original content.

I heard someone call your radio show saying that all public wifi is completely unsecured and anyone around you could easily see anything that you were doing...is this true and if so, what should I be doing to protect my computer?

-Nathan

The convenience and relative low cost of wireless technology has helped foster a huge network of over 100,000 U.S. public wifi 'hotspots' specifically designed to allow anyone to freely connect and access the Internet.

The fact that anyone can connect also means that those with malicious intent can be lurking as well.

While I agree that there are security risks when connecting to public wifi systems, I wouldn't say that 'anyone' around you could electronically 'see what you are doing'.

In order to intercept your transmissions, a fellow user would have to install special software called a 'packet sniffer' which secretly copies unsecured packets transmitted on the same network or create a 'man-in-the-middle' exploit to trick you into connecting directly to their computer instead of a wifi access point.

Packet sniffers are readily available on the Internet and any motivated 14-year old could figure out how to use one, but that doesn't mean that everyone around you has one.

The other issues is even if they can see what website you are surfing while you are at the airport, no harm is done unless you access your e-mail account, an online banking site or other normally secured resources on the Internet.

Secured sites on the Internet will show up as 'https:' instead of 'http', so if you do need to type sensitive information into your computer, make sure you are doing it on a page that has the 'https:' prefix so your transmissions are being encrypted.

Sadly, many web-based e-mail systems have a secured login page, but once you get past it, the rest of the pages are not secured. The easiest way to tell if your webmail system is secure at all times is to log in, then go to your Inbox and see if the 'https:' remained.

If your webmail does not encrypt pages after the login screen, then you need to think twice about using it on public wifi networks without adding additional security software, such as VPN - Virtual Private Network software (more on this later).

To avoid the 'man-in-the-middle' attack, be very careful to look at the icon next to each available connection when you are attempting to connect to a wifi network. A fake wifi connection will appear as two computers instead something that looks like an antenna.

This type of exploit is especially prevalent at airports or hotels that charge for Internet access. Hackers will setup something that looks like a free alternative to the pay services, which causes folks to try them first.

For most users, if you connect to anything and get Internet access, you don't think anything of it and continue on with your business, which is exactly what they want you to do.

Windows XP users can change a setting in their wireless network adapters to tell Windows not to allow connections to 'Ad Hoc' or machine-to-machine networks (Vista users by default have this turned on). Step-by-step direction for XP users can be found at: http://bit.ly/AOVxR .

The ultimate security for road warriors comes in two options: pay for a cellular based data service or use VPN software to protect everything that you type in public.

There are a number of free and low cost options for personal VPN software, but it's important that you understand the differences before making a decision. Free systems monitize the service by taking over your browser and adding a banner ad to everything that you do. In addition, these free services make money by giving advertisers targeted audiences, which means they will be tracking everything you do. If you want true privacy, don't consider a free VPN service.

If you only need to secure your system for a short trip, companies like SurfBouncer ( http://bit.ly/dThlV ) offer weekly or monthly options starting at $4.99 a week.

If you are on the road a lot more often or deal with lots of secured access while on the road, Witopia ( http://bit.ly/12durT ) offers services starting at $39.99 per year that works with both Windows and Mac as well as many handhelds such as iPhones & Windows Mobile 5 & 6 devices.
Link to the original content.

I'm getting more interested in the upcoming Windows 7 as most reports online seem to say that it's much better than Vista. My question is, can I upgrade directly from Windows XP to Windows 7 without having to first install Vista?

- Jerome

Windows 7 is shaping up to be one of the better releases from the folks in Redmond based on our testing of the soon to be released (Oct 22nd, 2009 as of this writing) operating system.

The buzz is that it's nothing more than a reworked version of Windows Vista, which is what makes it worth considering; it's not a first generation overhaul. Windows Vista has been proven to be a much more secure operating system, so an updated version that retains this higher level of security against all of the malicious code floating around the Internet has real value.

Everything that made migrating from Windows XP to Vista a big pain has been overcome and the rest of the world has had time to update their support for Vista as well.

To that end, those running Windows Vista can easily migrate to Windows 7 by performing an 'in-place' upgrade, which retains all of the programs, data, settings, favorites, etc. reducing the time to getting upgraded.

Windows XP users have some tougher choices to make, however. Microsoft is not supporting any form of in-place upgrade for Windows XP users to go directly to Windows 7 (and I can't blame them for minimizing their support exposure under the circumstances).

This means Windows XP users will have two choices on how to get upgraded to Windows 7: Wipe everything out and start from a fresh installation or upgrade to Windows Vista, then do another upgrade to Windows 7.

Neither of these options is easy or quick. Starting from scratch means that you must make sure you have a verified backup of your data before getting started, then wipe everything on your hard drive out, install the OS, reinstall all your programs (after making sure they are compatible with Windows 7/Vista), update drivers, service packs and patches then reset your printer and networking settings and restore your backed up data.

Performing an in-place upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista, then to Windows 7 will eliminate the grief of starting over, but exposes you to migrating problems, viruses and spyware along with your data and programs.

In my opinion, there is really only one choice for Windows XP users; start from scratch!

The amount of work will be about the same, but the end result is more controllable and give you a cleaner start.

The amount of grime and trauma that builds up in a computer over years of use, especially if it hasn't been serviced on a regular basis, is significant and best left behind during upgrades. Just think of it as the same exercise you go through when you buy a new computer.

If your computer is old enough (2006 or older) or lacks any real processing power, you may not want to even think about migrating to Windows 7 on your old system (a free upgrade adviser that will examine your hardware is available from Microsoft at http://bit.ly/DF3dL )

If you have to start over again anyway, buying a new computer with Windows 7 pre-installed or getting a new Vista system with an upgrade coupon for Windows 7 when it comes out might be a smarter way to go.

For anyone in the market for a new computer before the release of Windows 7 in October, be sure to check your options for buying an upgrade coupon or negotiating a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it comes out.

Everything that we have seen in our various tests of Windows 7 suggests that it is worth considering for just about any user, especially since mainstream support for Windows XP ended in April of 2009.
Link to the original content.

Some of the sites I visit ask for Adobe Flash Player in order to run any videos etc. I have gone to the link as well as Adobe and downloaded the player, but it doesn't seem to be found by the websites when I try to run a video. What am I doing wrong?

-Kathy

What you likely have done wrong is fall for one of the most common ploys by hackers these days to infect your computer with a worm.

Some time ago, we started seeing various ploys tricking people into installing malicious software into their computer under the auspices of needing an updated Adobe Flash player.

These clever 'social engineering' scams generally use salacious or provocative headlines in e-mails, on websites, through social media sites or instant messages to get folks to click on the links.

Often times, especially in the case of the 'KoobFace' worm commonly via social media sites, the message will suggest that the subject of the video is you, so that you are highly interested in viewing it. (ex: I can't believe they caught you on camera doing this!)

If they can get you overly concerned about seeing the video, then you'll likely be too distracted to realize that it's a scam.

For instance, if you were to look closely at a video that claims to be on Facebook or YouTube, generally speaking you will see a slightly stretched logo or a funny web address.

The message that tries to hook you will often have misspellings or bad grammar or even broken English.

To make things look more realistic, they generally steal the official Adobe Flash button from the Adobe website, so it looks legit when you are told you need the new version of the Flash Player. And if you assume that it must be coming from Adobe since it is their button, they once again got you to let your guard down.

The problem is most folks are so worried about what's on the video that they blow right past the obvious 'red flags' that this may not be legit.

The fact that you go through the download and still can't see the video is a further indication that you have probably been had.

These infections are called worms, because once they make their way into your computer, they can 'worm' through the Internet without any help from humans.

Once you've been tricked, the possibilities for what they can or have been doing with your system are endless.

We have seen everything from key loggers to spam engines to botnet agents installed as a result of these scams and none of them are benign.

Make sure you have a technically savvy person examine and clean your system, especially if you use this computer for online banking or other highly sensitive tasks. (If so, immediately change your pass codes from a different computer that you know is clean as a precaution against ID theft.)

In the future, if any site tells you that you need an updated program for ANYTHING, don't take the sites word for it and don't accept the sites offerings unless you absolutely trust the source. Remember, creating fake YouTube, Facebook or CNN pages is very easy, so don't let your eyes fool you!

Instead, manually go to the site for downloading your updates (in this case, you should have gone to Adobe.com to download the latest Flash Player yourself) so you know exactly what is being installed.

If, after you manually update your player, the same site still says you need an update, you'll know that it's a scam.
Link to the original content.

What's the difference between free anti-virus programs and those that you pay for? Is the protection different or is it just the support?

- Matt

Now more than ever, we're all looking for ways to save money, but this area may not be in your best interest, depending upon who and how your computers are used.

Your question is about anti-virus (AV) programs, but the proper reference should really be anti-malware programs. Viruses, Trojans and worms are dealt with by anti-virus programs, while spyware and adware are generally addressed by programs designed to detect and remove those types of malware, generally referred to as anti-spyware.

A proper defense will always include both of these types of programs, so I'll address them separately.

With free anti-virus programs, you may notice that most of the companies that offer a free program also sell a commercial version of the same thing. This clearly indicates that there is a difference and you would be correct to assume that support is one of the big differences.

With the free programs, support is limited to FAQs and in some cases e-mail support, but for the most part, you will have to rely on the rest of the Internet community for any detailed help. Free programs are also only free for personal use (not businesses, although a few companies are playing with this concept).

At the core of paid & free AV programs, the basic anti-virus engine is the same; they search for 'signatures' of known virus code to detect and remove infections. If you are a fairly contentious surfer, don't engage in activities such as file sharing, warez cracks, adult content, online gambling or other high-risk behaviors, the basic free protection is likely to be adequate.

The 'signature' updates are generally the same, although some companies offer them less frequently for the free vs the pay versions.

The real difference in most cases is the sophistication level of additional protection against the newest types of exploits. Signature based AV programs can only update signatures once a new strain is discovered. That means, until the new threat has been discovered, a new signature string has been developed and you download it to your computer, you won't be protected against the new threat.

Most higher-level AV programs incorporate both signature level detection and behavioral analysis to help spot new threats for which there are no signatures because 'obfuscation' code (to confuse signature based AV) is a common practice with malware writers. In addition, many free programs don't have much if any protection against the growing threat of 'root-kits'.

When it comes to protecting yourself against adware and spyware threats, the parameters are a little different. Unlike AV programs, which you can only have one installed, anti-spyware programs can co-exist and provide a better blanket of protection.

One of the differences that can be significant in the anti-spyware arena is the proactive vs reactive protection. Most pay versions of anti-spyware have a more sophisticated 'proactive' component that helps prevent ever getting infected in the first place. Many of the free programs aren't that good at preventing the spyware from getting into your computer, but they are very good at detecting and removing once you are infected.

Installing a pay version with good prevention capabilities along with a couple of the free programs gives you the best of both worlds. No single anti-spyware program is capable of detecting and removing everything on the Internet, so by periodically running scans from several programs, you will have a better chance of keeping your computer cleaner (there is no way to avoid some of the digital 'grime' if you are going to be on the Information Superhighway).
Link to the original content.