It's been nearly a year since long-term Windows diehard Andy Walker made the leap into the world of Mac - but how is he feeling about it a year later? What have the advantages been...and what does he still not like about the world of Mac?

The Internet is a great place to find things, get information, do research, and more. It's also a jungle out there with creepy-crawlies around every corner. With

viruses, spyware, malware, keyloggers, worms

and other such malware, having a computer without a robust security safety net in place is like hopping out of your car in a bad part of town waving $20 bills. This week Doc takes a look at three,

free security related products

that can protect you and test you level of protection.

Safari 4.0

knows that it's a jungle out there so it does everything it can to

keep you safe on the Web

. With built-in

phishing protection, malware protection, safe downloads, pop-up blocking, anti-virus

integration among its security features, you can surf the Internet with confidence.

In the world of Internet security, there are the bad guys; the malware creators, the spyware makers, the hackers, spammers and so on. Fortunately for legitimate online users, there are also the good guys; the anti-virus makers, the anti-spyware makers and the people that patrol the Internet to keep it safe. Symantec is one such good guy and Sean Carruthers got the chance to see one of three of it's worldwide

Security Operations Centers

, working 24/7, 365 days a year to do the online detective work that keeps the Internet (and your personal information) safe.

In the past you may have been annoyed by Windows always giving you messages about one thing or another. Notices about Windows Updates, messages about virus protection, warnings about the firewall and the like. Now, in Windows 7 RC 1, you can take control of User Account Control (UAC) or even turn UAC off entirely.

Michael "Doctor File Finder" Callahan takes a look at his

top five free anti-virus programs

. The available features may vary, but all of them are excellent products. They include

Rising Anti-Virus,

Free Antivirus and AntiSpyware - MWAV

,

Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus

,

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

, and

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition

.

Just as there are malware threats against computers there are also viruses that target mobile devices. Your BlackBerry can be protected, however, with a product like Security Shield. The program detects viruses and allows you to quarantine them.

Andy and Sean explain how an anti-virus program work by protecting your system against viruses and other harmful Internet mayhem, using fruit and a baseball bat.

Those who prey on others via spam and phishing have already jumped on the swine flu bandwagon. McAfee Avert Labs has reported a dramatic increase in swine flu related spam and phishing attacks.

Michael "Doc" Callahan runs through the finer points of online safety and security for parents, kids or just about anyone who wants a better understanding online safety, how to protect against online theft, phishing scams, spyware, viruses and more.

So, there's a new computer in your life, whether it's a desktop or a notebook. Let the Lab Rats be the first to say congratulations on your new addition. And, in classic Lab Rats form, offer some practical advice.
In episode 152, Andy and Sean take a look at what you should do after you've unboxed your new PC, have connected everything and are ready to boot it for the first time (how exciting!). The guys give some useful tips on how to stay safe and secure, along with a chronological listing of everything you need to do to make your PC your own.

Andy and Sean answer email about the PDF's, video card issues, virus/spyware infections, and more.

Andy and Sean show how Trojan horses work using watermelons in a food demo.

Andy and Sean battle it out on the merits of the two platforms.

Andy and Sean show you how to tighten security on Windows XP and Vista PCs.

Andy and Sean show you how to tweak your Mac.

Michael "Doc" Callahan runs through the finer points of online safety and security for parents, kids or just about anyone who wants a better understanding online safety, how to protect against online theft, phishing scams, spyware, viruses and more.

Michael "Doctor File Finder" Callahan takes a look at shining lights in the world of software. From the top five HTML editors to the five best image editors, the best anti-spyware, anti-virus and anti-malware programs, Doc has the prescription for what ails your PC or Mac.