AVG's 2014 range adds new privacy tools, better disk cleanup

AVG has announced the public availability of its 2014 product range, including AVG AntiVirus FREE 2014, AVG AntiVirus 2014, AVG Internet Security 2014, AVG Premium Security 2014 and AVG PC TuneUp 2014.

All the security applications now include a File Shredder, which allows users to securely delete files or folders so that they can't be recovered at some later date.

If you'd rather protect your documents, then they can alternatively be stored in the new AVG Data Safe, a secure and encrypted virtual disk. This feature isn't available in AVG AntiVirus FREE, and AVG AntiVirus can only create a single safe, but Internet Security and Premium Security allow you to create more.

More generally, AVG says that malware detection was improved with the new releases, and that they're all fully Windows 8.1 compatible.But the most substantial 2014 changes are in AVG PC TuneUp, and in particular its extended disk cleanup tools. A new Disk Cleaner can remove all kinds of Windows and other temporary files, including from iTunes and Windows 8 Store apps. A Duplicate Finder locates and removes unnecessary identical files, while the Browser Cleaner supports removing old data from 25 of the most common browsers (including Chrome, Firefox, IE, Opera, Safari and more).

Elsewhere, a "Flight Mode" option makes it even easier to save battery life by switching off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with a single click. And there are smaller improvements to the Registry and Shortcut cleaners, the Live Optimization modules, automatic update system, Settings Centre and more, all presented in an improved interface.

AVG AntiVirus FREE 2014, AVG AntiVirus 2014, AVG Internet Security 2014, AVG Premium Security 2014 and AVG PC TuneUp 2014 builds and 30-day trials are available now.