What is the most frustrating part of buying a new brand-name Windows PC? Is it starting it for the first time, expecting a super-quick machine, only to encounter and extremely slow bootup and sluggish performance due to pre-installed software? Or is it perhaps the fact that you might need to spend a couple of hours, if you’re computer savvy, to uninstall all the unnecessary programs that come pre-installed? Microsoft to the rescue! The Redmond giant now offers a $99 service at any of their 16 stores where you bring in your Windows 7 PC and they get rid of all the bloatware that OEMs preinstall, along with 90 days of phone support and access to the Answer Desk, Microsoft’s response to Apple’s Genius Bar.

Microsoft has been offering “Signature edition” computers for a while now, PCs without all the crap-ware, for a premium, but now they’ve expanded the “Signature” offering to any computer running Windows 7. So now consumers have the option of buying a low-end, crap-ware subsized computer, then spend an additional $99 to de-crapify it, or perhaps go with a premium brand, such as Alienware or Apple and pay a bit more upfront but they’ll be sure that they get the computer they paid for right out of the box.

Via [ZDNet]

Looking forward to getting a Windows 8 PC or laptop? Microsoft wants to you to know they’re going to come with a free gift: bloatware. Like past Windows versions, Windows 8 will come with plenty of useless trial and other crapware, but they’re happy to remove it for you. Just bring your PC to one of their 21 retail stores and fork over $99. Total ripoff! Hopefully, most users realize they can remove the bloatware themselves easily and for free with software like PC DeCrapifier.

Actually, Microsoft isn’t really to blame for bloatware. The manufacturers are. They stuff their PCs with it because the software makers pay them to. There is a glimmer of hope though. Microsoft has placed a limit on how many metro apps per device can be installed, but don’t expect it to put an end to bloatware all together. That would take Microsoft putting a total ban on such installations.

Via [PCWorld]