IAmBigBrother

Product: IamBigBrother Vendor: InternetSafetySoftware.com Price: $29.99 ($9.99/month for Remote Monitoring option) Editor Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Pros

+ Good value – the program has most of the features of programs costing three times as much.

Cons

- Does not record P2P file downloads.

Review

We tested each activity monitoring program by first installing the program with all logging options enabled. Next, we ran different applications to see what activity was logged. During the test, we visited websites with Internet Explorer, engaged in chats with AOL Instant Messenger, sent emails using Outlook, Outlook Express, and Hotmail, and downloaded files using FTP and the P2P program Limewire.

Feature Set

IamBigBrother captures keystrokes typed into any application, monitors Internet activity, and logs activity within the most popular Internet services like AOL, MSN, and Yahoo. IamBigBrother supports using keywords to highlight activities when the keyword is used (for example in an Instant Message conversation.) For an additional $9.99 per month, you can view the activity logs from anywhere using a web browser.

Installation

The installation of IamBigBrother went smoothly. After a restart, we were told to click ‘Setup’ to configure the program. Configuration included the entering of keywords that the program will later highlight in the activity logs.

Ease of Use

IamBigBrother is well integrated with America Online as it has a customized interface for viewing instant message conversations, chat rooms, and AOL email. IamBigBrother also has specialized interfaces for monitoring Microsoft Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ. Activity logs are organized by date and activity which makes finding a particular activity or chat conversation very easy.

Monitoring Effectiveness

IamBigBrother successfully recorded both sides of our AOL Instant Messenger conversation, as well as, all of our emails using Outlook Express and Hotmail. Microsoft Outlook, however, is not supported. File downloads with Limewire and FTP were not logged, although the usage of those programs did show up in the ‘Programs Run’ log. IamBigBrother did record all websites visited using Internet Explorer.

Documentation

IamBigBrother’s documentation consists of a short online FAQ and a web based demonstration. The simplicity of the IamBigBrother interface makes the lack of documentation forgivable.

Summary

IamBigBrother is an excellent activity monitor if you are not concerned about monitoring P2P downloads. All of the program’s advertised features worked as expected and the user interface is well organized and integrated with the popular online services. If you don’t want to spend a hundred dollars for an activity monitor, you can’t go wrong with this product.

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