Like dogs, smartphones grow to reflect their owners – if those owners are savvy enough. Sprint’s new Sprint ID service offers users its American customers curated “packs” of apps, widgets and themes – from employers, brands, sports teams and more – for simple smartphone personalisation. More »
No one likes uninstalling bloatware, trialware and craplets from their freshly unboxed PCs. Microsoft finally acknowledges this by skipping the unnecessary third-party software in Microsoft retail store PCs. That’s truly great, but they should do a little more than that. More »
We hate crapware, you hate crapware, and Steve Ballmer hates crapware. Here’s what Ballmer said last night about it.
Dell’s expanding their no crapware option from their high-end XPS systems to their entire Dimension desktop and Inspiron notebook line; meaning you’re going to get the option at purchase time to opt-out of pre-installed trialware and shareware that slows down your computer considerably even when it’s brand new. The one caveat is that these computers aren’t entirely trialware free—it still has antivirus, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Google Tools left behind.
AU: You can now get the no crapware options from Dell Australia on the Vostro business line, and from recent discussions with local Dell reps this is set to expand, just not as quickly as on the US site. -SB
Regular readers know how much we hate preinstalled trialware on PCs. And how much we appreciate Dell’s XPS systems, which have an option for a “clean install” OS when you buy em. Well they’re moving that option to the Dimension desktop line, and Inspiron notebooks, too. And they’re shipping some machines with crapware uninstallers. Machines will still have trialware for Antivirus, but that’s acceptable. Good steps in the right direction, Dell. The rest of you flunky PC makers, we’ll be coming for you, soon.
AU: Off the back of this, I’ve asked Dell Australia why we can’t choose clean installs here at all yet. Will update when we get a response. -SB
This excellent video tests 8 new PCs for craplets in terms of trialware, drive space used, and set up times. Sony, HP and Dell are the worst offenders, although you can order a clean install of Dell’s XPS PCs.
There’s a Mac in there, too. But you know how that ends up. –Brian Lam Is Your PC Feeling A Little Bloated? [PC Pitstop] More »
The latest Mac ad throws fire on the flames of the War on Craplets.
A message to those PR people, engineers, product managers, VPs and CEOs at Dell, HP, Sony, Lenovo, and our other favorite PC makers: Don’t let the people in charge of putting these demos on your machines ruin your computers. Please, fight back, for our sake, and for the sake of your reputations. –Brian Lam
Mac vs PC [Apple via Hickey@Crunchgear]
Last week, Mossberg, Caesar of the WSJ’s Gadget Empire, declared war on PCs shipping with Craplets, the bloatware that comes with new computers. It was the most popular story on the WSJ’s website that day, and so this week Mossy followed up with a post for the people about how to smite those annoying little apps. Yes, Mossberg for the People!
He’s mentioned the crapware hunter-killer software Decrapifier. And that Dell’s XPS line can be ordered clean. Which all sounds… familiar. Very familiar. cough*backlink*cough!
He also talks about reinstalling the OS as soon as you get a new PC, which he doesn’t recommend because a) most newbs don’t know how b) install discs, if a PC comes with, often come with crapware on the install discs. And he lists buying from white box vendors and requesting a virginal OS installs, but only if they’re reputable.
Beyond that, it was interesting to see Walt mention that it was the most popular story on the WSJ that day, AND that lots of websites linked to the story. Somehow, I’m pretty sure the two are related. –Brian Lam
Ways You Can Avoid Getting Junk Programs On Your New Computer [WSJ]
