ANTenna Blog -- Security

The latest alliance targeting small and midsize business tech-needs is McAfee's just-announced linkup with PlumChoice to provide on-demand tech services to, well, to you.

Security company McAfee and support provider PlumChoice are offering a mixed-grill menu of services ranging from application and device tune-ups to remote training, network setup, backup management and help desk access.

The new joint service venture comes in a variety of configurations based on a business's particular service needs, the number of devices and amount of time involved, and so on, as noted on the bMighty Antenna this morning.

A quick glance at the companies' FAQ gives a sense of the breadth of the services they're pushing, along with the advice that if your computer is:

"over 4 years old, or running Windows 98 or older, we suggest you consider purchasing a new computer before spending a lot of money attempting to repair an older computer or attempting to install a new product (iPod, MP3 player, digital camera)."

Nice advice -- and nice to see them admitting that some repair and tech services can cost "a lot of money."

Prices look to -- again, at first glace -- be pretty much in-line with what you'd pay a local tech (and maybe lower if your tech includes house-call charges along with service fees.

McAfee/PlumChoice PC Optimization, for instance, runs $49.95.

$129.95 gets you their "PC Tune-Up."

Take a look at what you get for the money -- many of the services are, of course, matters you could take care of yourself. The cost/value question -- and, one would guess, McAfee/PlumChoice's marketing plan -- is whether or not your or your staff actually do these things (patch configuration, disk optimization, etc.) or whether you're already paying similar fees to have them done for you.

On the software front, their "Vista Upgrade Advisor" is $15.95, while Vista Training "starts at" $39.95.

Help desk access packages carry prices based on number of minutes per month, starting at $59.95 for a monthly half hour's worth of help.

An annual subscription plan including security suite, online backup service and "unlimited online support" runs $24.95 per machine plus a one-time $89.95 setup fee that includes the first month's subscription.

Not inexpensive, but probably worth a look if you're spending money on local tech services or have been doing without.

An intro billed as "limited time" offers a Free PC Diagnostic.