Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix

[Windfresh]

Hi all!

Today, as I see, Lavasoft has launched a new product- Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix and I wonder what qualities that programme has. Probably, some of you have given it a try? If you have, what are your impressions?

I also wonder which AV engine Lavasoft uses-in-house or licensed (Kaspersky, VirusBuster or others).

It is strange enough that I've failed to find comprehensive information on Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix on Lavasoft site (http://www.lavasoft.com/products/lavasoft_antivirus_helix.php?t=overview). But there is comprehensive data on Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix features on Softpedia. (http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Lavasoft-Anti-Virus-Helix.shtml)

Here are the screenshots of Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix . As to my perveted taste, they are ugly... (http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Lavasoft-Anti-Virus-Helix-Screenshot-116389.html)

[Pseudo]

The GUI looks exactly like Avira's (with different colors). If they aren't using the same engine... ???

[Criss]

i think they used avira engine because the gui and the description abt it all resemble avira.

[Firecat]

It is indeed based on the Avira engine. I noticed this product yesterday only, however, on account of my examinations I haven't been getting nearly enough free time to start discussions. Lavasoft also has a product that combines their Ad-Aware software with this.....

The big question is whether Lavasoft disabled the Anti-spyware features of Avira in this product since they have their own AS product, Ad-Aware. I guess someone will have to test it and find out..

[Firecat]

Update: looking at some descriptions at Lavasoft's site it appears this product is using the full Avira engine with adware/spyware and rootkit detection. The price is pretty good and there is an introductory offer running. For just a wee bit more you can also get Ad-Aware Plus + AV, which seems like a pretty good deal to me.

[progress]

There will be no free version, am I right? ???

[Firecat]

-{ Quote: "There will be no free version, am I right? ???" }-
It doesn't look like it......

[s4u]

The GUI looks good

[GES/POR]

Ugly, lol - its a beauty!

[pykko]

nice GUI.
Hope the new v9 engine will not be sold also. :D

[wtsinnc]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but the question I ask is "why" .

Why is Lavasoft marketing this ?

Is this going to replace Ad-Aware Plus + AV ?

Is this supposed to be superior to Avira Premium ?

If this is the same as Avira AV premium (AV +AS), why not buy Avira's version ?

Personally, I can't see Avira allowing Lavasoft to clone their award winning AV and use it to compete against them in the marketplace by offering a lower price or enhanced features which would lower the value of Avira's product.

Why not instead, a merger ?

Just wondering. :-\

[ambient_88]

-{ Quote: "Perhaps I'm missing something, but the question I ask is "why" .

Why is Lavasoft marketing this ?

Is this going to replace Ad-Aware Plus + AV ?

Is this supposed to be superior to Avira Premium ?

If this is the same as Avira AV premium (AV +AS), why not buy Avira's version ?

Personally, I can't see Avira allowing Lavasoft to clone their award winning AV and use it to compete against them in the marketplace by offering a lower price or enhanced features which would lower the value of Avira's product.

Why not instead, a merger ?

Just wondering. :-\" }-
It's not uncommon for a company to license a technology from another company. Kaspersky licensed their anti-virus technology to Checkpoint so that they can incorporate it into their products. Also, just because Avira licensed the technology to Lavasoft, that doesn't mean that it is identical to Avira's products.

Avira might've licensed their current technology to Lavasoft because they have a new one. Brand recognition also plays a part here. Personally, I would never buy/use anything from Lavasoft even though they are using Avira's engine (btw, I am using Avira AntiVir Premium).

Merger is a totally different thing than licensing a technology. It is costly and not always necessary.

[Einsturzende]

Avira and Helix GUI are ugly like hell, when they adopt some of Vista uniformity I will try it, I would rather use Antivirus 2009 rogue AV than this ...

[firzen771]

i dont like the GUI for ad awares AV, it looks too child like and scraped together, and although Avira's GUI is similar it definetly has a more professional look to it which is why i like Avira's GUI so much.

[tiagozt]

I tried Ad-Aware 2009 and didn't like the GUI. In Lavasoft Helix it's Avira clone and I like it. Testing...

[curious george]

Hey guys, take a look at this:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2336833,00.asp?kc=DAILYNEWS_121508_STORY2

[CubonesCastle]

-{ Quote: "Hi all!

Today, as I see, Lavasoft has launched a new product- Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix and I wonder what qualities that programme has. Probably, some of you have given it a try? If you have, what are your impressions?

I also wonder which AV engine Lavasoft uses-in-house or licensed (Kaspersky, VirusBuster or others).

It is strange enough that I've failed to find comprehensive information on Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix on Lavasoft site (http://www.lavasoft.com/products/lavasoft_antivirus_helix.php?t=overview). But there is comprehensive data on Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix features on Softpedia. (http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Lavasoft-Anti-Virus-Helix.shtml)

Here are the screenshots of Lavasoft Anti-Virus Helix . As to my perveted taste, they are ugly... (http://www.softpedia.com/progScreenshots/Lavasoft-Anti-Virus-Helix-Screenshot-116389.html)" }-

I think I'm a clone now
There's always two of me just a-hangin' around
I think I'm a clone now
'Cause every chromosome is a hand-me-down

[dw426]

-{ Quote: "I think I'm a clone now
There's always two of me just a-hangin' around
I think I'm a clone now
'Cause every chromosome is a hand-me-down
" }-


....I can't believe someone besides me remembers Tiffany, lol.

[CubonesCastle]

-{ Quote: "....I can't believe someone besides me remembers Tiffany, lol." }-

Honestly m8, I couldent resist xD

[QBgreen]

Tiffany?! That song was originally sung (and much better may I add) by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967.

[zfactor]

so is it avira or did they simply use just the engine. it looks almost to much like avira for it to just be the engine.. it almost looks like they simply changed the name.. for the price i may have to try this out

[FRug]

This is called OEM Licensing. Other Examples using Avira Technology are:

http://www.promark-inc.com/Product/images/desktop.gif

http://www.winload.de/bilder/screenshots/72365/120729708861177_medium.jpg

[zfactor]

i know companies lic software but this resembled avira almost to closely.. lol.. that reason i asked, im suprised they let them use something so close to their own i would have thought at least the gui or something normally would be changed up a bit

[rookieman]

This does resemble Avira quite a bit.Perhaps it will be v8 of Avira seeing that there's soon going to be a beta test of v9 in the near future.

[wtsinnc]

Last night, I downloaded/installed Avira Premium on Vista Ultimate and ran it with UAC turned off.

This morning, I downloaded/installed Lavasoft Helix application and configured it exactly as Avira ISS which was easy as all "under the hood" options are identical.

Both installs were on cloned images from my Vista Ultimate master via the free application Maxtor Maxblast.

Both installs were on Western Digital 80gb SATA HDDs.

Scan times were within a few seconds of each other, 8:58 for Avira and 8:53 for Helix with both installs at 12.4gb, although as is to be expected, the number of scanned files was different;
119,206 in the Avira install.
118,949 in the Helix install.

Avira Premium and Lavasoft Helix appear to be exactly the same application, only the default GUI color and text are different.

Exactly the same download/install/update scenario.

In Helix, there were several annoying pop-ups which appeared during the update and scan processes informing me that I was using a trial version and that updates could no longer be downloaded after the 30 day trial period.
Pretty standard (and expected) stuff.

I have a license for the Avira Premium, but it would not transfer to and activate Helix.

Overall, no surprises so far. I'm slightly disappointed that my Avira license would not transfer to Helix, but that's certainly no huge deal.

I'm hoping others will post with their impressions.

[gery]

To me is like Steganos IS using Avg. just change the name and a little bit from
the color

[Macstorm]

how the systray icon look like? i'm figuring it's just like the black 'X' design shown in screenshots..

[chia]

-{ Quote: "how the systray icon look like? i'm figuring it's just like the black 'X' design shown in screenshots.." }-

Yes, it's just a black X. I kind of like it better than the red umbrella.

Here's the component version numbers to Lavasoft's product if anyone who uses Antivir wishes to help us compare, and the tray icon too.

[Macstorm]

-{ Quote: "Yes, it's just a black X. I kind of like it better than the red umbrella." }-
ok thanks for confirming. As for the icon, i'm with the same opinion as you are ;)

[chia]

The icon is the only good looking part of the program other than the price. The rest of the GUI is horribly ugly :gack: .

Still not sure if this is just a rebranded Antivir or if it's crippled in some way. For the price it's hard to believe that it wouldn't be. Still waiting for others to chime in. I could live with the GUI if the same protection is there for a nice discount.

[Macstorm]

It's just a more colored GUI i'd say, i don't find it ugly really...well...as long as you don't stare at it all day long :D

I agree about the 'nice discount', but happily i already have my own 'great offer' for the official avira ;)

In the other hand, i don't see how Helix couldn't be a rebranded antivir. The only thing to find out now is if it runs as light as the 'original'..

[Big Apple]

The original Avira is cheaper! ;)