Tech Bitch

Symantec’s all-in-one software security solution now includes backup to iPod, Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. The newest version also includes Symantec’s patent-pending ‘Browser Protection’ technology, which defends against drive-by downloads and other new or unknown threats that exploit vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer.

Designed to protect on multiple fronts, Norton 360 includes anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, intrusion protection, and SONAR behavioural detection technology. There is now also Norton Identity Safe, which stores passwords and other personal information securely, in addition to automatic form-filling capabilities and one-click log-in to trusted sites.

Fans of the product’s backup feature now have even more options. Local backup options now include Blu-Ray, iPods, HD-DVD discs, or shared drives, in addition to internal drives, CD/DVD drives, USB drives, mapped network drives, or external hard drives.

Also new to Norton 360 is Network Monitoring, which checks the status of wireless security, maps connected devices, alerting you when you are connected to an unsecure network. Smart Background Scheduler has been enhanced with the ability to prevent tasks from initiating automatically while in battery power mode and now throttles bandwidth for online backups to minimize impact on performance. Finally, you now have the option to manually scan individual files and folders and to shutdown your computer upon completion of a task.

Norton 360 version 2.0 is available now for £47.99 (includes 1-year service subscription and protection updates) and can be installed on up to three PCs. The product includes 2GB of online storage, though additional online storage can be purchased.

Yeah, I had to read this twice before I believed it too … The UK is apparently at the forefront of the high definition (HD) revolution and is leading the way in Europe in next generation disc sales. Clipboard meisters DEG Europe claims the volume of next-generation DVDs being sold in Europe increased 85 fold between 2006 and 2007 and is expected to rise exponentially into 2008.

Although consumers are continuing to purchase standard definition DVDs (those bargain bins are great, aren’t they!), the growth curve is falling off with a marginal increase in volume sales of just 4.2%. In terms of who’s buying the most DVDs, uber-geek Brits are leading the HD revolution with 34% of total next generation DVD sales.

Yves Caillaud, senior vice president international, Warner Home Video, said: “In 2007, we saw over 2.5 million units of high definition DVDs sold within Europe. To put this in context, when compared to the transfer from VHS to DVD in 1998, only 1,480,000 DVDs were sold in the first year. This clearly demonstrates the rapid consumer adoption of HD technologies.”

Hardware sales of next generation DVD players also look sweet. According to GfK tracking, 11,100 units were sold in January 2007 which soared to 124,000 by December 2007, showing a sharp increase towards the end of the year. But standard definition (SD) players are not going away and are still the most popular choice in the market with over 33 million more units being sold in the UK compared to UK sales of next generation players. The fact that SD players are the cheapest they have ever been, averaging at just £37 a player, is a plus I guess.