{"id":12906,"date":"2026-05-05T15:01:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T15:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advisorator.com\/members\/?p=12906"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:29:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:29:41","slug":"extra-antivirus-is-still-overkill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advisorator.com\/members\/2026\/05\/05\/extra-antivirus-is-still-overkill\/","title":{"rendered":"Extra antivirus is still overkill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Antivirus revisited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plus: YouTube Downloader for Mac, classic Android (and iPhone) tips, and free live concert streams.<\/h3>\n\n\n
Jared Newman<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>May 5, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
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Hey there! I’m Jared Newman, a longtime tech journalist, and you’re reading the free edition of Advisorator, my weekly tech advice newsletter.<\/em> Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up<\/a> to get it every Tuesday.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In last week’s newsletter<\/a>, I briefly mentioned Microsoft’s claim that you don’t need to pay for Windows antivirus<\/a>, echoing something I’ve been saying for years<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everyone agrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing for PCMag, antivirus reviewer Neil Rubenking implored readers not to rely solely on Microsoft’s built-in virus protections<\/a>. Pointing to his decades of antivirus testing, he argues that Microsoft Defender doesn’t sufficiently protect against phishing attacks and online scams. He also took issue with Microsoft’s interface, limited features, and lack of protections on mobile devices. (He’s recommended Mac antivirus for similar reasons<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of which feels like a reason to revisit the topic in greater depth. While Rubenking makes some valid points about what Microsoft’s missing, most folks don’t need to lard on extra antivirus to make up for it …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rest of this week’s feature story is for Advisorator’s paying members<\/a>. Sign up to get weekly features, online resources, and access to my friendly Tech Buds forum. Get started here \u2192<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Newmy’s YouTube Downloader: Now on Mac!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One more little thing for Advisorator’s paying members: I’ve finally completed the Mac version of Newmy’s YouTube Downloader<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like the Windows version, this is a lightweight program that runs on your computer and connects to a bookmarklet in your web browser. Use it to quickly download an offline copy of the video you’re watching (with an option to save just an audio file instead) without leaving the current page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Advisorator membership here<\/a>, then head to the Newmy’s YouTube Downloader page<\/a> for installation links and instructions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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News in brief<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cheapest Mac Mini no more:<\/strong> Apple appears to have discontinued the $599 Mac Mini<\/a> with 256 GB of storage. It’s sold out at all major retailers and shows up as “unavailable” on Apple’s website. That leaves the $799 model with 512 GB of storage as the cheapest option for an Apple desktop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again, you can probably blame AI<\/a>. Data centers are eating up most of the computer industry’s memory production, and the Mac Mini has become unexpectedly popular among AI enthusiasts<\/a> wanting to run large language models locally. While Apple hasn’t confirmed the $599 Mac Mini’s demise, it may be prioritizing production of pricier models given the supply constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other notable news and reads:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n