14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has moved Windows Live OneCare to the next stage, and introduced support for the 64-bit editions of Windows Vista as well as for the 32-bit versions. Initially made available as build 1.5 concomitantly with the release of Microsoft's latest operating system at the end of January 2007, OneCare's performances were far from rival solutions delivered by household names such as Symantec, Sophos, Kaspersky and McAfee. Windows Live OneCare 2.0 Beta went live. Microsoft revealed that the product is a direct result of customer input from Windows Live OneCare 1.5 combined with the new features developed following the release of the first version. According to the Redmond company, the pre-beta builds of OneCare 2.0 have been in tests for a period of several months.
"Windows Live OneCare 2.0 automatically manages an even greater number of security and maintenance tasks so users can spend more time using their PCs and less time maintaining them. In the new version, our aim was to help consumers better manage their home environment. Our research has shown that most homes now have approximately 2.5 computers. This means that in addition to securing and maintaining multiple PCs, consumers now need to do the extra work associated with connecting devices and securing networks. To ease this burden, we added to OneCare features such as multi-PC and home network management as well as printer sharing to help address the modern home environment," explained a member of the Windows Live OneCare Team.
One aspect that Microsoft focused on with version 2.0 is introducing advanced centralized backup to OneCare. In this manner, users will be able to use a single machine and instance of OneCare in order to perform centralized configuring, management and backup for all computers running version 2.0 of the anti-virus under the same license. Additionally, OneCare 2.0 will offer integration with Windows Live Folders. Thus, the security solution will also backup photos in the Live Microsoft cloud. Version 2.0 will implement proactive measures and offer recommendations to the user in relation to the overall system configuration, and even produce monthly reports of its activity.
"Multi-PC and home network management. Helps ease management of multiple-PC environments by providing a single navigation bar for monitoring the security and maintenance of networked computers. Also enables one-click actions to resolve issues among computers within a home PC network. Printer sharing support. Makes it easy to connect printers to local networks so all users in the vicinity can use the same printer. Start-time optimizer. Speeds PC boot time by removing rarely used applications from start-up menu. This helps to address one of the noticeable areas of frustration for PC users as time goes on," added the OneCare team member describing the new functionality introduced to OneCare 2.0.