WinZip (32-bit) 8.0

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: CNET Staff

The reigning top dog of the utility world gets some nice behind-the-scenes improvements while maintaining the familiar usability and interface that we've come to trust. WinZip is still king at creating ZIP archives, and this new version expands its kingdom on a number of fronts. New features include AES 128- and 256-bit encryption for tighter security, an improved compression algorithm that gives you better compression ratios, and new technologies that remove the size restrictions on ZIP archives. Other handy features include a user-friendly zipping wizard, a split archive function that converts even very large ZIP files into manageable sizes for easier e-mailing, span-disk capability for complete backups, integration with virus-protection software, and the ability to drop whole programs into one self-extracting archive.

Although this is the most compatible version to date, WinZip still relies on ZIP alone to archive your files. We would have liked to see support for RAR, ISO, and ACE archives. Overall, however, WinZip is a fantastic program, and the new features improve on what it does best. Whether you're an old pro or a new user, this is a must-have upgrade. Watch the CNET video review of WinZip (32-bit):

Publisher's description

From WinZip Computing :

WinZip is a straightforward, fast,and easy-to-use zipping and unzipping utility that includes built-insupport for popular Internet file formats such as TAR, ZIP, UUencode,XXencode, BinHex, MIME, and Unix-compressed files. Older ARC, ARJ, andLZH files are supported via external programs (see screen shot).

Version 8.0 comes with the following new features:
1.	Instant email, which compresses one ormore files, then attaches the compressed files to a blank message inyour email client.
2.	An enhanced WinZip wizard that allowsyou to create and update ZIP files and extract and install from MIME andsimilarly encoded files.
3.	An enhanced Classic interface that ismore like Windows (an Explorer-style toolbar isavailable).
4.	WinZipnow automatically installs Windows desktop themes and screensavers thatit has extracted.

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