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Ukrainian avast! 5 is coming… soon!
After a long time of keeping everything in secret, I’m glad that I can now disclose some preliminary information about the upcoming avast! version 5. The first thing to note is that the product is coming relatively soon. Namely, we’re currently planning to release it this October.
The product will be offered in three flavors: a free AV (that will supersede avast! 4.8 Home Edition), a paid AV (successor of avast! Professional Edition) and a full Internet Security suite. As usual, all customers (or users) with a valid avast! subscription will get a free upgrade to this new version.
The free AV will, of course, contain all the features from the existing Home Edition, plus a couple of new extras (I’ll be sharing more details on the blog as time goes by). The paid AV now includes a new virtualization module as well as all the features from the free AV and features previously exclusive to avast! 4.8 Pro. And finally, the suite adds an antispam and firewall module and will thus provide you with a complete, worry-free protection.
All three products will share the same antivirus engine (e.g. all of them will still have exactly same detection rates) that has been substantially improved and optimized. It may sound like a cliché, but it’s a fact: the new engine can detect more viruses, while actually consuming less resources.
The performance optimizations were not confined to the AV engine only; the program now uses various tricks to feel as light as possible and to not interfere with your work in any way. For example, we have radically improved the time it takes the computer to boot, making the slowdown imposed by avast! almost unnoticeable. I’ll be very interested in getting some feedback from you on this one (as soon as you get a chance to test it – please read on).
Starting with version 5, avast! now officially supports heuristics (proactive detection), although between me and you, many of the stuff has already been present in the previous versions – but we haven’t marketed it in any way. Also, detection of Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) has been added. Additionally, version 5 includes a new code emulator (or in fact, a dynamic translation module, to be technically correct) that will be of great help e.g. when unpacking malware samples packed/protected by unknown packers (as is the case pretty often).
All three products also feature a new user interface which has been completely redesigned for this new version. We’re abandoning the dual (simple vs. enhanced) UI model and replacing it with a single comfortable console, designed for both novice and experienced users. I’m attaching a couple of screenshots to give you an idea of what the product actually looks like.
File System Shield (formerly "Standard Shield")
File System Shield Settings
Scan page
Scan Settings
Shield Statistics
Virus notification
The beta testing of avast! 5 will start in a couple of weeks (roughly by the end of July / beginning of August), so if you are interested to give it a try, please check back soon as I’ll be posting the details here on the blog as well as on our forums.
avast! on Twitter
avast! on Facebook
Yeah that would be awesome! I can never send them Via Email because avast! won’t let me unless i shut it down while i send it…many AVs have this future, why not implement it in avast! too? Think about it! It would take you’re AV a step closer to perfection
A web-based sample submission system is under development.
@vlk
Sir What is the exact date will you release the 5.0??
Yes vlk, we want to have a date for avast 5 beta release
Vlk, I’m a user from China, I want to know that will the beta release before Aug,15th?
Besides, if it realeases, where can I download it?
Thanks!
@Gabriel
where can i get a beta so i can check this out,
i am a member of a geme clan that love avast . i would like to test it and report back to the clan. can someone from avast let me know please.
SWEET vlk! Can’t Wait!
I’m not a staff member, just a comune user of avast! 4.8 Home Edition, and why are you people keep asking when it’s going to go out when vlk already sayd it’s going to be out this WEEK!
This will be able to download here, since i asume vlk or someone from the staff will post a link to it here, or it will be showned at avast.com
ok vlk, your dates given are basically gone. It is time to unleash this beta and lets get this going.
Looks promising. When can we finally expect the beta?
C’mon VLK, it’s now mid week and I can sense some very un-settled people. How far off are you guys from releasing the beta. Can you sort of put a nail on a day this week this will be available, or are is Alwil/Avast going to come out with an excuse that will keep existing and possibly new customers hanging?……..Await your reply with confidence
lol people be patient, do you want a rushed security product? I think not…
I can’t wait anymore…
When is it ready and Where can i download the beta version of avast ( will it be announced on the home page ? )
Why so much secrecy VLK, and why is it you are taking so long in giving us all a genuine and honest answer. Do you think you’ll be in a position to give us a date this week as promised that the beta will released and available for download. Thx….
disperating…
Ne secrecy, really. As I said on Monday:
We’re in the process finalizing the beta bits, that’s all.
Which means?? How much time will approximately it take?
I’m just anxiously waiting 
And I don’t mean to be rude
AHHHH’ big yawn –I just woke up NO ALARM BELL so NO AVAST 5 beta. R U Trying to send me back to NORTON. Oh Oh heaven protect us long sufering computer addicts –Promises promises.
vlk never comments on my missives – doesn´t take me seriously NOT AT ALL CONTENT.
Please could we at least get it this weekend?
i think that they are making the last things and making the program avaideble for download…. Be happy that avast is taking more time and hopefully make a great program not like AVG 8…
2 days left and we still don’t have a definite date as to when the beta is going to be released…….
VLK…….Are you in a position to tell as to how close to 100% you are guys are?…….Will it be this week or this week in 2010!………
I certainly hope there are not major problems with Version 5.
There must be a good reason for this delay.
Come on VLK…..where are you?……..
Why the no reply……or is it that you are genuinally busy trying to get the beta released or is it that you need thinking space/time to come up with another excuse.
What is it with you people? You want free good programs but don’t give developers time to work on them, you put a knife at they’re necks to rush the process so they can get it out and then criticize them, that they got out a lauzy and rushed product, have patience! VLK already sayd they’re in the final stage of processing the beta bits, when it’s out, it’s out!
@Gabriel
I appreciate your comment, but then if it is such a big project then remarks should not be made about the release date for this week or that (past tense), it would be ready by end of July/beginning of August.
For such a big and upcoming company false hopes should not be advised for those who have been waiting way past the cut off date in patient.
C’mon, people, I can’t wait anymore.:)))Give me the beta!!!!:D:D
VLK, Is the link likely to be available for download today?…….
I am seriously starting to doubt avasts capabilities in having this beta released on time.
Can someone reply back on this blog forum and start to give out some straight answers rather than beat around the bush!…….
Come on VLK, Is the beta really going to be released this week?…….
I am seriously starting to doubt Avasts/Alwils capabilities in having this beta released on time.
Can you start to give some straight answers ASAP as to how close you are instead of avoiding people and beating around the bush!……….
Vijay, could you please stop flooding the blog with the same messages? (out of the 20 last comments 7 belong to you).
To paraphrase someone more famous, “…avast is never late, Frodo Baggins, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”
;’D
@vlk
Apologies VLK, didn’t mean to offend you or anyone.
It’s that I thought my comments where not coming through to the forum as I could not view them.
Just one of many people frustrated at the mo.
I appreciate that you guys are working non stop but would be good to know how near or far you guys are in finishing the beta.
Agreed and not all of us use a FREE avast!
Ehhhhh, in fact, my RAM is rather poor.
I wonder whether Avast!5 will act well in my PC. Pity! Ennnnnn^^^
Free or comercial, same thing, or almost…that’s an obvious motive why they aren’t rushing it, they are a respected AV company, if they get out a defective beta out, they will lose clients, respect and not to mention millions…
I don’t need to pay for avast!, i use avast! 4.8 Home Edition + another apps and my computer is 100% free of malicious and rogue applications.
Seems like that Avast as failed in having the beta released for this week.
When do we get the next update, if any from you guys?………………..
hey give VLK a break! Have any of you tried writing an antivirus program? It ain’t as easy as it looks!!
Does the new avast have that Cloud thing ???
Will it include male and female sounds?
Don`t know why we are posting all these blogs seems nobody pays any atention untill such time as vlk gets browned off with us. Maybe he will send me to hell that way I`ll know he`s there. Then I won`t need Avast becos down there it so full of malware, no way Avast could deal with em Sorry to be using up so much space – I`m fed up too
Hey vlk, i forgot to ask, will avast! 5 Home Edition have the speaking promts? As in: when it updates or finds a malicious application?
Sorry, i’m just curious.
What beta version of Avast! (HE/PE/ISS) will be available for downloading and when?
“The beta, when it is released, will be for some of the well known (by the Avast forum) users to test.
That means about 300 useful posts.”
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=47657.0
It’s a joke???
Is avast! 5 going to have a firewall? Or it won’t have one like all the other avast! versions….
Hey VLK….Are you still there or have you left Avast!………
Hey, what is wrong with you? VLK and the boys from ALWIL are very busy working hard to give us the best antivirus and your criticism only! Have a little patience, I also want to try the beta version but I prefer to wait a bit and they did not release a mediocre beta with many bugs and that up could damage my system. I know that they have postponed the date for releasing the beta but they certainly have good reasons. Do not you think? Come on boy, calm and wait a bit, I do not think you have to do a lot of time because surely the release of the beta will be soon
But then don’t you think that the boys from Alwil should apologize for the delay and let everyone know when it will be likely to be released.
Common courtesy it’s called!………..
Hi,
this is veryyyyyyyyyyyy gooooooooood,
veryyyyy thanks.
please talk about system requirements of this version… this version is working on AMD Athlon XP 1500+ AND 1GB RAM ???
Can anyone at Alwil give an update on this soooo called beta release.
Is it still going ahead or have you guys given up on this project?…….
Yeah… the previous deadline was passed so the least you could you would tell us why and if possible establish a new one
Hey VLK……Is it just me or did anyone else see a note posted just earlier on from you to advise that the beta won’t be released until 01st September with no explanation as to why?……..
If this were my blog and I had asinine people make demands like some here, I shut the comment section off. Wait, wait, wait, you impatience little wimp. You had the beta you’d be the first complaining that you had trouble