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New McAfee Falcon Antivirus Software Now in Beta

Race to place paid antiviral protection on your PC is hot and heavy.

Robert McMillan, IDG News Service

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McAfee today released a beta version of its next-generation antivirus software, code-named Falcon.

The beta release comes just a few weeks after McAfee unveiled the new subscription suite, which it is billing as an alternative to Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare and Symantec's upcoming Norton 360.

Reaction to Microsoft Move

With Falcon, McAfee has redesigned two of its existing products--VirusScan and Internet Security Suite--and is introducing two offerings: PC Protection Plus and Total Protection. The products, which are expected to ship by September, all include a new user interface as well as the SiteAdvisor Web site-rating software that McAfee acquired earlier this year.

The security vendor released beta code for two of these four suites: VirusScan Plus--the entry-level consumer product--and Total Protection, its most feature-rich security software.

With OneCare now on retail shelves, traditional antivirus companies like McAfee are scrambling to come up with products that will keep them one step ahead of their new competitor. Microsoft has shaken things up in the consumer security space by throwing PC tuning and backup software into OneCare and by including three user licenses with each copy sold.

Like OneCare, McAfee Total Protection includes backup and restore, as well as PC tuning capabilities. VirusScan Plus does not perform backup and restore, but PC Protection Plus is being designed for VirusScan users who want a basic security product with that feature.

The fourth Falcon product, an updated version of McAfee's Internet Security Suite, will have all of the advanced features of Total Protection, save one: It won't have a wireless security capability.

Pricing

These products will range in price from $39.99, for the entry-level McAfee VirusScan Plus product, up to $99, for a multiuser version of McAfee Total Protection. Like Microsoft, McAfee plans to offer a single license for up to three users, a configuration that is designed to simplify home-office license management.

McAfee has no plans to release beta versions of PC Protection Plus and Internet Security Suite, the company said Friday.

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