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Microsoft Debuts 'Kin' Social Networking Phones on Verizon

by Terrence O'Brien on April 12, 2010 at 02:24 PM

Microsoft Demos Kin Social Phones for Verizon
While we're impatiently awaiting the arrival of true Windows Phone 7 devices, Microsoft has launched a pair of holdover handsets. The Kin One and Kin Two were officially unveiled today and look to offer a similar experience to Windows Phone 7, but stripped down and with a heavy focus on social networking.

The Software

The new Kin devices are based on the same OS core as Windows Phone 7, but present a distinctly different experience. The software's core experience seem to be social networking and sharing to such an extreme there is a complete lack of support for third-party apps.

Microsoft Kin



Windows Phone 7 and Kin obviously share some interface DNA though. The Kin series uses a similar grid of images and plain text for interacting with the OS. It also integrates photos and status updates from the Web into the phone experience. Microsoft used the tech and team it acquired when buying Danger (makers of the Sidekick) to design two features unique to the Kin devices. First is Spot -- literally a spot at the bottom of the screen that users can drag content for sharing. It operates simply: first, drag a photo or link you want to share, then drag contacts you want to send the content to. In addition to e-mail, text, and MMS, Spot can be used to update social networks.

The other major social feature is known as Loop. Loop acts as the Kin's home screen, pulling in updates and content from Twitter, Facebook and other social services. Kin is smart enough to give priority to contacts you follow closest and mark as favorites, and keeps updates from your "friends" (like that guy you haven't spoken to since high-school who is addicted to FarmVille) from clogging your home screen.

Kin also has a dedicated Web app for managing your phone called Kin Studio. From the site you can view any videos or photos taken with your Kin, read your past text messages and automatically back up your contacts and other content over the air. Studio appears to be the Kin's most impressive feature, and one that is unmatched by any of its competitors.

Like its close cousin, Windows Phone 7, Kin packs in Zune music and video capabilities. An,d in an attempt to reach across the aisle, will include a Mac-compatible tool for syncing iTunes to the Kin.

The Hardware

The Kin One, which has been called "Turtle" in leaked documents, is a slightly squarish slider with a full QWERTY keyboard, a five-megapixel camera with a flash for stills and video, and 4GB of storage. The Kin Two, formally known as "Pure," is a more traditional rectangular design that includes a slide out QWERTY keyboard. The Kin Two doubles the internal storage to 8GB and bumps the camera up to a respectable eight-megapixels and is capable of shooting HD video.

Otherwise, both phones run on Verizon's EVDO Rev-A network, have Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth on board and have capacitive multi-touch screens for navigation.

Both devices will be available in May, though price and specific launch date have not been announced.

Tags: breakingnews, kin, microsoft, pink, Project Pink, ProjectPink, top, verizon, windows, Windows Phone, WindowsPhone

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