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Print E-mail del.icio.us 42 comment(s) - last by JonnyDough.. on Mar 25 at 3:56 PM
Sony takes a few blows to the head over $49.99 "Fresh Start" option.

"Bloatware" is a term that is familiar to many new computer buyers. Most new computers come saddled with HDD and memory-robbing applications like trial versions of antivirus programs, various desktop search and chat applications, or perennial offenders like Adobe Acrobat.

Computer makers rely on these add-on programs to generate additional revenue in the age of decreasing computer prices -- bloatware can add as much as $60 in additional revenue for each computer sold.

Consumers, however, typically aren't amused by the overabundance of bloatware and typically 1) live with the bloatware if they are inept at removing the applications, 2) remove the applications one by one, or 3) perform a clean install of the operating system using an OEM CD/DVD and the product key on the bottom of the machine.

Neither option is an easy endeavor for computer buyers, so Sony wisely made the decision to offer customers the option of having bloatware removed from new VAIO computers before even leaving the factory. The option, called "Fresh Start", proclaimed that it would "free up valuable hard drive space" and "conserve memory and processing power".

Sony, however, made the unwise decision to charge customers a $49.99 fee for the bloatware removal. Whether the charge was intended to somewhat makeup for the estimated $60 windfall from the application publishers or just an effort to squeeze more money from its customers remains to be seen.

News of the $49.99 Fresh Start fee quickly spread around the Internet Saturday with sites taking Sony to task over the blunder. Sony quickly recoiled and removed the Fresh Start fee.

“We didn’t intend that to happen,” said Sony VAIO division Senior Vice President Mike Abary to ZDNET. “We’re removing the $49 charge."

Abary blamed the Fresh Start fee on a simple internal miscommunication within the company. He went on to confess all of Sony's sins with regards to bloatware on VAIO machines. “We heard the message loud and clear,” continued Abary. “VAIO is the poster child for negative experiences people had [with trialware]. We recognize that, and we acknowledge it. We’ve been really beat up by this issue. We’re listening and we’re taking action.”

The decision to offer Fresh Start was no doubt an excellent move on Sony's part, but the “internal miscommunication” left the company with egg on its face. Hopefully, other large computer makers will feel compelled to offer customers similar options – free of charge of course.

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The corporate dollar
By hp685685 on 3/23/2008 11:29:25 AM , Rating: 5
Wow that was quick. And the customer has spoken.




RE: The corporate dollar
By Gul Westfale on 3/23/08, Rating: -1
RE: The corporate dollar
By DASQ on 3/23/2008 12:59:19 PM , Rating: 4
*spew* What? Priced reasonably? When did this start happening?


RE: The corporate dollar
By feelingshorter on 3/23/2008 2:37:15 PM , Rating: 3
They are expensive but compared to what? People are so used to buying these crappy 500-600 dollar laptops and using it as their main desktop for HOME USAGE. I'm sorry but apparently your not lugging around a 5+ pound laptop to go to school with. If you want a laptop under 3lb with a 5 hour dvd play time (meaning it will have a very high MS word usage time), then Sony is the right choice for its price.

Compared to what? A macbook air for example? Whats the battery life on a macbook air? Not 5 hours of 10-12 hours or MS word usage? Yet it weights the same 3 lbs as the sony laptops? Thought so.

It started happening long time ago, its just people don't notice because when buying a PC you always look for 500-1000 ranges since PC laptops are so ridiculously cheap now. But i can't emphasis enough that the people that rate you up OBVIOUSLY doesn't lug around a 5 pound laptop that has a horrible 4 hour battery life. I would know since i bought into the 500-600 dollar range of laptops. My family has 3 but none of them are or can be used for real world usage outside the house. Such as business and for dedicated students.

If your going to bash Sony, give a solid example of the alternative. Don't even say macbook air! I swear, artists/musicians/writers are not corporate customers with the same needs are the expensive IBM/Sony laptops.


RE: The corporate dollar
By murphyslabrat on 3/23/2008 4:20:01 PM , Rating: 4
Erm, I happen to be lugging around a $525 Dell Vostro 1000 (memory increase). Considering that I have about 30 lbs. of textbooks in my pack, those 6 lbs aren't any sort of issue at all. Furthermore, considering that I am often working on homework or browsing for extended periods (I have a hefty commute to school, and no internet at home), I bring the AC adapter with me.

If those extra 2lbs are a problem, maybe you should spend some time in a gym.


RE: The corporate dollar
By pauluskc on 3/24/2008 9:19:04 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
If those extra 2lbs are a problem, maybe you should spend some time in a gym.

I second this motion! Stop whining about how light your laptop isn't and go to the gym. Do it. Do it. Just do it(tm).


RE: The corporate dollar
By headbox on 3/23/2008 9:16:13 PM , Rating: 5
So how long have you worked for Sony?

P.S. There's no Vaio that gets 10-12 hours of battery life.


RE: The corporate dollar
By Samus on 3/24/2008 7:18:40 AM , Rating: 2
I'd take any IBM Thinkpad over any Sony VAIO. Think hard about what I just said.


RE: The corporate dollar
By Joz on 3/24/2008 3:06:32 PM , Rating: 2
*lenovo thinkpad

Specific: x300 :D


RE: The corporate dollar
By Gul Westfale on 3/23/2008 4:30:45 PM , Rating: 1
http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_i...

i paid $1200 for a toshiba with similar specs only a year ago, so i consider the sony above to be very reasonably priced.


RE: The corporate dollar
By Jedi2155 on 3/23/2008 5:30:42 PM , Rating: 2
Perhaps, you just needed to be a better shopper and research more. Unless you are rich, then every everything would usually be "reasonably well priced"


RE: The corporate dollar
By Gul Westfale on 3/23/2008 9:00:48 PM , Rating: 3
nope... laptops (like most tech goods) just happen to decrease in price over time.


RE: The corporate dollar
By See Spot Run on 3/23/2008 1:10:46 PM , Rating: 2
*cough* root kits *cough*


RE: The corporate dollar
By KaiserCSS on 3/23/2008 4:32:17 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
Priced reasonably...


*monocle*

Good Sir, I find it necessary to point out the fallacy of your statement.

Tally ho, gents!


afraid of bad press
By freaqie on 3/23/2008 11:30:34 AM , Rating: 3
so obviously they are afraid of the bad press.
and so they should btw...

anyway a victory for the consumers




RE: afraid of bad press
By jadeskye on 3/23/2008 11:42:48 AM , Rating: 2
I think sony thinks they're invinciable when it comes to customers. Customers are just large walking dollar signs.

Chances are that even they realised in this case they're batshit crazy and can't charge people to NOT perform a service.


RE: afraid of bad press
By MrPickins on 3/23/2008 11:47:53 AM , Rating: 1
How is this "not performing a service"?

Sony is taking a loss, so is passing the cost along to the buyer. Business 101...

Oh, and if you think any corporation looks at consumers as anything other than dollar signs, you're fooling yourself.


RE: afraid of bad press
By ElrondElvish on 3/23/2008 3:14:28 PM , Rating: 3
Business 101?

Hardly. Pissing off potential customers by having headlines all over the net tell how you they remove bloatware for cash is hardly Business 101. Any *other* company's PR department would have flagged this from the get go. Instead, they'd have slightly increased the price of each component for a $50 gross increase in price then touting how they were the first to remove bloatware from their systems.

Win-Win.

This was clearly boneheaded.


RE: afraid of bad press
By Schrag4 on 3/23/2008 7:24:17 PM , Rating: 2
Actually, I kind of agree with MrPickins. However, I think they should have taken the opposite approach. The 'Fresh Start' option should be the standard option, as everyone here would agree. However, you should have the option of loading the PC up with bloatware and taking a price cut. Of course only the most strapped-for-cash would choose this option, and the average price for a PC would go up rougly 60 bucks, but who cares.


RE: afraid of bad press
By wordsworm on 3/23/2008 9:44:42 PM , Rating: 2
I was thinking along the lines of what you said. However, I was thinking more in terms of a mail in rebate for the bloat loaded PCs. Certainly the way they went about it was a mistake that could have easily been avoided.