14 DAY TRIAL // Panda Security has made an important step toward the finalization of what the security outfit is referring to as the first Cloud-based free antivirus for Windows. In this regard, the third Beta development milestone of Panda Cloud Antivirus is now available for download, bringing to the table a range of enhancements, illustrative of the fact that the security company, although largely quiet on the progress of its Cloud security solution in the past months, was anything but inactive.
Testers and early adopters have already had a chance to get a taste of the third Beta for Panda Cloud Antivirus in mid-September 2009. At that time, the security company released a Preview of the Beta 2 milestone, with no added functionality to the bits. However, the September limited Preview Release of Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 3 was designed to expand the support offered in order to include 64-bit (x64) Windows Vista and 64-bit Windows 7. The fully fledged Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 3, made available on October 26th, is designed to support both the 32-bit and the 64-bit versions of Windows 7, the latest iteration of the Windows client, generally available for public purchase since October 22nd.
As an integral part of the natural evolution of any development process, Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 3 features a range of bug fixes. According to Panda's senior research advisor, Pedro Bustamante, testers should no longer see a performance depreciation following the installation of Panda Cloud Antivirus and should encounter fewer issues during scans, including errors and the process becoming stuck. Panda Security also dealt with the “Problems with Internet connectivity” popup message and reduced the number of unnecessary operations in BackgroundScan.
On the surface of the product early adopters will notice an overhauled graphical user interface. Coming to complement the user-friendly redesign is work done to boost the quality of Panda Cloud Antivirus. Bustamante notes that “Panda has kicked up a notch performance via cache optimization, memory management, management of Recycle Bin and restoration of disinfected objects, quick scan option.” The actual Panda Cloud Antivirus website and associated services have also been revamped, and there are now new technical support forums, and a new collective intelligence real-time activity monitor.
“Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta3 introduces a new website where people are able to create accounts and use those credentials to login to their Panda Cloud Antivirus product instead of using license keys which need to be renewed every year. This allows users to access the online Support Forums and other Panda Cloud Antivirus services which we’re still building,” Bustamante explained.
Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 3 is available for download here.
Our very own Ionut Ilascu has published an excellent review of Panda Cloud Antivirus here.