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

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

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

Symantec’s latest offering is lighter than ever and an extremely effective security package. And get this, a RAM footprint smaller than Kaspersky

With Flash media handling and integration with Acrobat.com the Acrobat platform embraces the Internet – at last

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

Not terribly pretty, but good security and features shine through.

With Web Standard/Premium, Design Premium AND Macromedia’s products now absorbed into CS3, choosing the right suite is EASY.

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.

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.

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

A rewritten front end makes Excel’s significant power far more accessible than before.

Not many new features, but the new interface breathes fresh life into an already great product.

Scanning, site blocking and alerts improved over version 6.