If you ever want to feel a bit of cognitive dissonance, just consider antivirus software.
For years, I’ve assumed that most people don’t need third-party antivirus tools and have cheerily passed this suggestion along to others. Microsoft builds its own virus scanner into Windows 10, while MacOS has strong built-in protections of its own and faces fewer security threats overall. The last time I can recall having virus problems on my PC was in the range of 10 to 20 years ago.
And yet, looking around for confirmation of this long-held belief quickly turns up an alternate universe in which my assumptions are wrong, and where antivirus software is a necessity for almost everyone, rather than just a sensible choice for certain niches. This advice comes not just from the companies that sell antivirus software, but from reputable sites like PCMag and TechRadar, which review antivirus products.
On top of that, nearly every laptop I’ve reviewed for PCWorld has come with some form of antivirus trialware from companies like McAfee and Norton. Those companies pay PC makers for placement, which wouldn’t make sense if people weren’t buying the products, right?
At this point, I’ve heard enough questions from readers—and family members—that I decided to dig a little deeper into the matter. What I’ve learned is that my initial assumptions were mostly correct: Most people can indeed skate by without extra antivirus software, but that doesn’t mean everyone should, or that you shouldn’t take any extra precautions to stay safe.
The case against extra antivirus
As an initial sanity check on my antivirus assumptions, I did the most obvious thing possible and put out the question on Twitter: Does Microsoft’s built-in Windows Security software provide enough protection for typical PC users?
The reasoning is simple: Windows Security is just as good, if not better, than other programs at sniffing out viruses. While this wasn’t always the case, Microsoft’s detection has improved considerably in recent years, to the point that the independent AV-TEST Institute has given it a perfect 6 out 6 in protection, usability, and performance, beating industry averages.
It’s also worth noting that modern computer protection has become decentralized away from a single virus scanner. Your web browser already tries to detect and block malicious websites on its own, and major webmail providers such as Gmail and Yahoo scan attachments for viruses before you can even download them. In my experience, Gmail’s Spam filter has also been excellent at warding off malicious emails in the first place, and Windows seems to be getting more aggressive about blocking unrecognized software, malicious or not. Antivirus, in the end, is just another line of defense.
Even so, Microsoft Defender (or Apple’s MacOS protections) might still miss certain kinds of malware, which is where Malwarebytes comes in. Sure enough, I installed Malwarebytes and found 15 potential threats tied to shady Chrome browser toolbars and search sites.
I never witnessed these unwanted programs running on my PC—Chrome seems to work just fine when I use it—but was glad to get rid of them either way. An extra scan with Malwarebytes is worth running if you want the extra peace of mind. (Just make sure to immediately disable Malwarebytes’ real-time protections, which override Microsoft’s scanner and are only available for a 14-day trial period anyway.)
What antivirus offers
Why do so many websites suggest that paying for antivirus software is necessary when evidence suggests otherwise? My inner cynic wants to point out that these sites often make money on affiliate sales commissions, and so they’re aligned with antivirus vendors in wanting to sell more software licenses.
But I also suspect a more innocent explanation: As a tech product reviewer, it’s easy to get deep in the weeds of feature comparisons and performance benchmarks while losing sight of the bigger picture. Someone whose job is to evaluate paid antivirus software will be inherently inclined to think that people need all those extra features, otherwise that job has little purpose. (You might fairly same the same thing about some of the apps and products I recommend, given that many people live happily without them.)
And to be fair, those antivirus programs do have their perks, including firewall management, ransomware protection, and detection of phishing sites that your browser might not always pick up. Even just reading about those features, it’s easy to become convinced that you need them. Maybe you do, if you’re engaged in riskier online behavior or don’t trust yourself to recognize malicious websites.
For most people, though, the money you might spend on antivirus is better invested in other ways of protecting yourself, like backing up your data so it’s safe regardless of what happens to your computer. On this, at least, everyone seems to be in total harmony.
A new perk for subscribers!
Hey folks, I’m excited to share a bit of news before we get on with the rest of the newsletter: As an Advisorator subscriber, you can now read every past issue of my other newsletter, Cord Cutter Weekly, on the members-only website. These archives are also searchable, as with previous Advisorator issues (though I’m still working on a way to separate the results by newsletter).
Adding the Cord Cutter Weekly archives was a popular feature request in my Advisorator reader survey from earlier this year, which perhaps isn’t too surprising given that most of you subscribe to both. Porting nearly five years’ worth of newsletters into WordPress wasn’t easy, but I’m glad to have done it. Please let me know if you run into any issues, and if by chance you’re not receiving Cord Cutter Weekly, you can sign up here.
Need to know
So long, HomePod: Apple has discontinued its original HomePod speaker, telling CNBC that it’s focusing on the $100 HomePod Mini instead. While Apple and other retailers still sell the full-sized HomePod—at its full list price of $300 to boot—supplies will presumably dry up before too long. I’ve seen no substantive rumors about a replacement outside of this Bloomberg story from last fall, which said Apple is debating whether to make a HomePod that’s pricier than the Mini, but cheaper than the original.
Though I commend Apple for its foray into high-end audio, that’s always going to be a tough sell at the scale that tech giants require, which might also explain why Google discontinued its Home Max smart speaker without a replacement last December. Better to leave the job to smaller companies like Sonos, which can sell fewer products and still consider themselves successful. (Apple says it will continue to support the original HomePod through software updates, at least.)
Sonos’ new speaker: Speaking of Sonos, the company is continuing to dabble in portable speakers with the Roam, a waterproof speaker with a 10-hour battery. It can use either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for streaming, and it has a clever handoff button for transferring music to or from other nearby Sonos speakers. Like other recent Sonos speakers, it supports either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice commands, and it can use AirPlay 2 for playing music from iOS or Mac devices.
Sonos seemed to be twisting in the wind just a year ago, so I’m glad to see the company coming up with clever ways to distinguish itself in a crowded field. While plenty of cheaper Bluetooth speakers abound, no one else has quite figured out how to sync them with other audio devices around the house in a seamless way. The Roam might be worth its premium price if it can pull off those transitions as advertised.
A major Chromebook update: Google just launched a bunch of new features for Chromebook users in Chrome OS 89. The most notable addition is a clever “Tote” feature, which provides quick access to recent screenshots and downloads from the right side of the task bar. (You can pin files to this section through the right-click menu of the file manager as well.)
The update also includes support for more virtual desktops, an expanded clipboard that saves up to five recent items, a built-in scanning app for printers, an accessibility setting that lets you select text to hear it out loud, and more. Android Police has a full rundown.
The incognito mode that isn’t: In not-so-great Google news, the company is facing a class action lawsuit over the Chrome browser’s Incognito mode, with plaintiffs saying that Google still tracks users’ browsing activity without adequate notification. A U.S. District Court judge refused to throw out the lawsuit this week despite Google’s protests.
Chrome’s Incognito mode does clearly state that it doesn’t stop websites from collecting data when you visit them. It’s less clear about the fact that some of those sites may be run by Google, using Google ads, or depending on Google for analytics.
Whether that distinction amounts to a legal liability isn’t for me to decide. But the lawsuit does present a fine opportunity to reiterate Incognito mode’s limitations: It’s useful for hiding the sites you visit from your browser’s History list, or for browsing without being logged into any of your online accounts, but it’s not a privacy panacea.
Tip of the moment
Stop wireless carrier creepiness: T-Mobile customers should strongly consider taking a minute to opt out of an unbecoming new program from the Un-carrier. According to the Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile will kick of a program in late April that monitors customers’ web browsing habits and sells the data to advertisers. Customers will be signed into this program by default, and as Ars Technica points out, the carrier may be running some version of it already.
So how do you opt out? Per this excellent Vox explainer, you can sign into T-Mobile’s online account dashboard, then head to Account > Profile Settings > Privacy and Notifications > Advertising & Analytics. (Yeesh.) Then, disable the options to make ads more relevant and to use data for analytics purposes. Ars Technica also suggests visiting T-Mobile’s Privacy tools and Do Not Sell pages to disable any permissions there.
Bear in mind that AT&T and Verizon have their own programs for selling customers’ data, though it’s unclear whether they’re as intrusive as T-Mobile’s. (Part of the problem with online privacy is that the inner workings are inscrutable.)
Still, you can opt out of those programs too. For AT&T, sign into the company’s “Consent Dashboard,” then head to Relevant Advertising and set the allow use option to “No.” For Verizon, head to this site and select “Don’t share” for all options.
Now try this
“Enchanted” web apps: If you’re willing to shake up the way you use popular apps on your iPhone, Channel is a delightful little app that makes other services less annoying. For instance, you can turn off Facebook’s obnoxious Messenger notifications, disable Stories in Instagram, hide comments in YouTube, or disable your online status indicator in LinkedIn.
The catch is that many of these “Enchantments” require you to use the mobile Safari web versions of sites like Facebook and Instagram, rather than their proper apps. Still, I don’t think that’s a huge problem, since you can transform any website into a home screen icon by pressing the Share button in Safari, then selecting “Add to Home Screen.” (Some sites, including Instagram, even behave a lot like their native apps when you do this.) At the very least, it’s worth checking out for a glimpse at how popular apps could improve by piling on fewer distractions.
A different way to video chat: I’ve been intrigued by Around ever since it launched a year ago, right at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike traditional video chat apps, Around presents the other participants as floating heads that appear on top of your other apps, so you can talk to them while working, collaborating, or playing games.
Unfortunately, Around was only available on an invite-only basis last year, right when people needed it most, but now it’s a a public beta that anyone can use. Give it a try if you’re feeling burned out by Zoom and can convince your friends or colleagues to get on board.
My FastCo colleague Doug Aamoth has some cool Kindle tricks to consider.
Spend wisely
The next time you’re in the market for a new iPhone, check Apple’s website for carrier deals. The company’s new “carrier offers” page lists current deals from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint in one place and lets you make the purchase through Apple directly. (For trade-in credit, you’ll still have to send the phone to the carrier instead of Apple.)
Apple’s site may also be a useful reference point for Android users, since the same deals tend to be available for other phones, though of course you’ll ultimately have to go through the carrier websites to get them.
Just make sure to read the fine print first, as these deals tend to require long-term commitments. AT&T, for instance, spreads out its $700 credit over three years, effectively sticking you with an early termination fee if you leave in the middle.
I’m going to keep this week’s sign-off brief since the newsletter’s already on the dense side, but please keep your thoughtful questions, comments and feedback coming. You can always reply to this email to get in touch or swing by Advisorator’s chat room on Slack.
Until next week,
Jared
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