A best-of-breed approach to Internet security pays off. This flexible and resource-friendly suite returns to the A-List.

Ableton’s flair for innovation shows no sign of diminishing. This is the best version of Live yet.

An improved working environment and ground-breaking colour handling make Illustrator fresher than ever.

Photoshop moves beyond photo editing to conquer completely new territory.

Non-destructive image processing and creative filters feature in this comprehensive upgrade to the market leader.

New effects enable richer design results, while a host of other improvements boost productivity.

Powerful new versions of InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator, and now Acrobat 8 Professional too.

Existing export capabilities and new support for dynamic components make this a must for professional users

Improved media handling, Flash video support and greater interactivity see Captivate extend into new areas of training.

Vegas has a huge array of editing features for the money, plus powerful bundled DVD authoring.

It’s business as usual, but this consummate all-rounder continues to grow in power and value.

As it focuses more on the new user, beginners will find this release easy to get to grips with.

Scanning, site blocking and alerts improved over version 6.

New image editing tools and a more powerful library mode makes Lightroom 2 compelling. It's also compatible with Vista 64-bit.

Another minor revision, but the addition of privacy functions further extends its impressively wide focus

A new behavioural analysis module only adds to AVG’s capabilities, although it isn’t the most elegant marriage

It’s easy to believe that registry cleaners fall into the category of “computer voodoo”. You expect to perform a few ritualistic gestures and gain a faster, less problematic computer.

Improvements all round keep PowerPoint well ahead of the competition.

Behind-the-scenes changes make a huge difference, even if the interface is inconsistent.