Social Networking Is Central To Microsoft’s KIN
The rumored "Project Pink" that Microsoft has been developing to succeed their Sidekick phone is real, as Microsoft unveiled it today. Named Kin One and Kin Two, these two devices launch with the same focus in mind: social networking. These phones are "designed to navigate your social life," Robbie Bach of Microsoft stated in the unveiling. "Windows Phone 7 is about simplifying your life. Kin is about amplifying your life."
Both Kin feature the 'Spot', where photo's or video that have been taken can be dragged to and then sent to friends or uploaded directly to various networking sites. Also, a feature labeled as "Kin Studio" syncs all the data on your device to a web server, meaning that all the content on the phone is also accessible via a web page. This seems like a great way to back up important files and contact information without worrying about setting up a sync schedule. This feature sounds like the Microsoft MyPhone App, but this is directly integrated into the device. Another aspect is of the phone is called "Kin Loop", a real time social networking hub that stays current with all the latest tweets, updates, and news stories.
The Kin One, in a form factor reminiscent of a miniaturized Palm Pre, is described by Microsoft as "a phone that is both small and nimble." This device is positioned as more of a social networking-only device, lacking the ability to shoot HD video and the stereo speakers that the Kin Two has.
The Kin Two is the champ of this pair, featuring all the social networking features that the Kin One has and trumping its feature set with some exclusive goodies, such as the afore mentioned HD camera and stereo speakers. Being described as "a whole lot of phone that's just the right size", this phone features a slide out keyboard (Touch Pro style) and is more media-centric than the Kin One. Below is a chart that lays out the specs of each device.
There is no release date, but look for them to be launched sometime this year. These devices are clearly targeting the typical teen user, with features that help them stay immersed in the world of the latest status update or the newest epic Twitter post. Think of this as a stepping stone for the younger crowd to migrate to Windows Phone 7 as they grow older, or least Microsoft hopes this will happen. But one looming question remains unanswered..
Can they play Farmville?
© 2010, BigDiesel07. All rights reserved.
Okay I’m gonna say it…
WTF Microsoft! Since you announced you guys are COMPLETELY redoing WM (starting with canceling Photon), everything you are putting out looks revolting. First your haphazard looking GUI, and now this phone that looks like a developmentally challenged apple with a screen?
What happened to PROFESSIONAL looking interfaces like Photon? What happened to PROFESSIONAL looking devices like the HTC Touch Diamond, Touch HD2, Touch Pro 1 & 2, Sony Xperia, etc?
In your attempts to make Windows “Phone” more popular, you’re forgetting about what Microsoft stands for… (besides a money-hungry company that cares about sales and not customers)
If you want to start controlling more aspects of mobile devices, FIRST put out a clean, attractive, and elegant device out that doesn’t look like an insulin pump, THEN worry about teenager crap like this!
Ok I am gonna say it and I dont have any inside info, wait until you see one, play with it and see how it works. and maybe its not for you, but this UI was created by Danger (the folks responsible for the sidekick) I dont think that this product is gonna knock blackberry out of the #1 spot for smart phones but it does definitively have a market
essentially this is the new sidekick and its not designed to be professional!!!
I do also believe that to make this work Verizon needs to have a Sidekick type plan one price for all the data and text if they dont this device will be a flash in the pan
This phone is geared toward the jr. high, high school and college kids. This phones main focus is social networking not professional purposes. If you read the article its says its replacing the sidekick and last time I heard it wasn’t a smartphone and that phone sucked to me since I like the expanded abilities of a smartphone. But for someone who just wants to play the phone is great and it fulfills their purposes so don’t knock it because you prefer smartphones. This is called versatility an essential ability for business’s these days. I think this is a good move for MS from a business standpoint it makes them versatile and involved in multiple areas of the mobile market. So stop using your emotions and use your brains this is business not an endeavor to keep you happy.
I’ts a nice dumbphone, not for me, for I see a lot of market for it…
Hardware wise, it (kin2) seems to have a lot of what people like about the evo / wish the evo was getting: hardware keyboard, multi input touch screen, 8mp camera that does hd video, dual speakers like the Q, and a ton of internal storage. We’ll have to wait and see what proc and how much ram they throw in there, but otherwise, I don’t have much to gripe about hardware wise.
I mean, I’m definitely not going to jump ship from the evo to this thing (I mean they’d have to pull a rabbit out of wp7′s *** to make me even consider even touching it inside a sprint store), but hopefully it’ll keep wp7 alive until they can get back to everything everyone loved about the original wm in wp8 or something lol.
These phones seem absolutely great. They’re not geared towards my needs, since I like real smartphones, but I could see tons and tons of people who would want one. I foresee success in the Kin’s future.
this morning I woke up to the radio reporting about this. one tidbit I hadn’t heard was that they are made by Sharp. talk about back from the dead…
@shaggylive – As are the T-Mobile Sidekicks. They were also made by Sharp.
Being a teenager myself (18), the Kin2 looks a bit appealing, but since I have a computer repair business, I need a full-functional smartphone, and a LARGE screen. I have the Touch Pro2 now, and my only complaint is the RAM, cpu speed, and lack of Android. Cannot wait for the Evo!
Bottomline: love the social-networking integration, but I’m satisfied with Sense UI’s implemenatation of that.
Is it a modified, reduced version of WM7 for these devices (Kin1 specifically), or is it the full version of WM7? I couldn’t imagne how bad a version of WM7 with even fewer features could be…
I am in the age range targeted here and i would be all over it if i had not experienced the freedom that Smartphones allow. i really can see this phone being very popular. this could be somewhat like the verizon iphone. i would consider this if i didnt enjoy wm smartphones so much.
what amazes me when i read these comment is you people are so fast to attack MS for what they are doing to move forward with the times.
I have always been a wm fan till this day. These devices are extremely smart and MS hit it on the head again like they did with wm when it was first launched and the sidekick when that was first launched.
It seems many that criticize MS so harshly just don’t get it. The social networks are dictating what we do with technology now. If you don’t like it, too bad, get over it and move on.
@alphaxi3 not trying to start an argument but I don’t believe sauman was knocking microsoft just because he likes smartphones. he was knocking microsoft because he likes smartphones and has always been a fan of windows mobile and professional looking and professional grade devices and software but Microsoft isn’t being versatile at all as you claim. Microsoft is pretty much dumping the older style professional Windows Mobile that most geekers have come to know and love(pros and cons) and going with a completely different direction of devices aimed at a way younger and icon loving generation. Why can’t they have separate classifications like they were supposed to. They should have made a Windows Phone Pro for professional users that still pretty much had the wm6.5 style of interface or a mixture to where there were separate layers where the zune style ran on top of the wm6.5 style or something but didn’t use memory or processor while in background like when you switch to 6.5 it saves state of zune style interface and closes and fades to 6.5 and loads the saved state of 6.5. I’m going to stop because i can go all day on what they should have done besides flip flopping focusing on one market instead of many different markets to market to all types of users. the end. did i piss anyone off today? i hope so