Microsoft Signature: PCs Without Crapware, Just Like Macs

Microsoft has announced the Signature, a range of PCs which come without any crapware, and "carefully [tuned] to help achieve maximum performance."

Mac users: stop me here if this sounds familiar.

According to "industry experts" (actually, just one expert: Paul Thurrot), 95 percent of users surveyed preferred these slimmed down PCs over those bloated with junk. "Virtually all participants liked that the trialware was removed and replaced with a clean desktop and easy-to-use Start menu" says the blurb.

So far, so obvious. Of course we hate clutter and love faster computers. But doesn't it seem like Microsoft is firing its hardware partners up into the air like clay pigeons, and mercilessly gunning them down? Here are a few samples from the promo site. For the "media lover":

A PC with Microsoft Signature has less software running in the background, allowing your PC to focus on running smoothly or creating video files. Also, less trialware and sample software means more storage space for important things

For "the gamer":

You don’t want your processors busy talking to a trialware offer while you’re trying to keep Sergeant Major alive during an epic firefight, do you?

And for "the busy mom":

Your PC with Microsoft Signature means it’s ready to use right out of the box

Ouch. Take that Sony, Dell, Asus and every other PC manufacturer out there. But there's more. Being Microsoft, there couldn't just be one Signature range. Nope. You can also choose the $100 Signature Premium. This adds LoJack theft tracking, as well as a few other things that Mac users might find familiar.

Premium gives you one year of technical support, one session of in-store training (lord knows which store this will be in. I hope it's not Best Buy) and "priority access" to training events. Apple users can enjoy all of these just by walking into an Apple Store.

Various models of notebooks and "slates" are available, and I wonder just how much Microsoft had to pay the manufacturers to nix the bloatware.

Microsoft clearly deserves a thumbs up for cleaning the crap off its machines, but it comes over a little like a philandering husband who wants his wife to pay him not to cheat anymore.

Signature [Microsoft]