Microsoft Gets Social with New KIN Phones
While its awesome Courier tablet concept got canceled recently, Microsoft is getting back into the hardware business (thanks to partnership with Sharp) with two new social networking-centric mobile phones. The uniquely square KIN ONE (seen at right, you can see why it was codenamed Turtle) is joined by the more traditional candybar-style KIN TWO, and both feature capacitive touchscreen displays and slide-out QWERTY keyboards.
Running on the Verizon Wireless 3G network, they're powered by the new Windows Phone OS for KIN, which creates a flowing magazine-like interface called the Loop that pulls together all of your social networking outlets--including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. It also provides an innovative way of sharing content by dragging posts, web pages, locations found via Bing (remember, this is a Microsoft product), and more to a colored spot at the bottom center of the phone. Once content is dragged, you can then choose how to send it (email or text message) and its recipients.
TheStreetTV YouTube channel has a pretty good overview of what this new interface is like:
Both the KIN ONE and KIN TWO are available for ordering over at AmazonWireless.
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
Force Factor on May 16, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Who is excited for the release of the Microsoft KIN?
It is coming out in a few weeks and looks like a revolutionary phone yet I hardly see any hype about it. Why is that?
flat to rent manchester on May 16, 2010 at 11:13 PM
This is the coolest phone I have ever seen I would be getting this one as soon as it is out and hope it will be in the market soon. I currently have a iphone 3GS and it is the best phone.
Cho Yung Tea on May 17, 2010 at 03:49 AM
Acer Aspire One running Microsoft Office and Vista?
i want to get the Model: AOA150-1706 ($296.84) i want to know how much it will cost to upgrade to Windows Vista and to Microsoft Office cost?and how well it will run Microsoft Office becuase i primarily want it for Microsoft Office and some social networking sites
Force Factor Supplements on May 19, 2010 at 01:52 AM
Does Microsoft Phone same as with Kin One and Kin Two?
air jordan 1 on May 27, 2010 at 07:41 PM
Although the Jiangxi Province in the continuing heavy rain floods against a lot of work, but there are some deficiencies and problems. Coupled with insufficient financial resources, Jiangxi Fangzong hope to get the support of State Flood Control Headquarters.
air jordan 1 on May 27, 2010 at 08:03 PM
Although the Jiangxi Province in the continuing heavy rain floods against a lot of work, but there are some deficiencies and problems. Coupled with insufficient financial resources, Jiangxi Fangzong hope to get the support of State Flood Control Headquarters.
nintendo ds on June 06, 2010 at 09:17 PM
I have used mobiles of Nokia and currently I have iPhone 3Gs of Apple. I am thinking that iPhone 3Gs is the coolest and the best phone in all mobile but after viewing this phone I am gonna love it and eagerly waiting for its release.
johna clayton on August 08, 2010 at 11:00 PM
The kin has been discontinued, so you could probably find a cheap one online somewhere, but as the answer below me said, there were less than 2,000 sold so it could also be really expensive. The phone would cost $30 a month for data then the rest of the charges for your plan. Thanks
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barcode scanner on August 09, 2010 at 12:14 AM
Cool, but I think the phone does look a little bit weird.
Cho Yung Slimming Tea on August 10, 2010 at 10:56 PM
The Windows KIN One mobile phone sports a fold-out QWERTY keyboard that is also compact – so it’s perfect for one-handed texters. The KIN One mobile phone includes a solid 5.0 megapixel camera and is backed with 4GB of internal memory.
keropz smith on August 13, 2010 at 10:49 PM
The unique hardware design was developed in partnership with Sharp to create a new kind of social phone. There are two models called KIN ONE and KIN TWO. Both phones feature a touch screen and slide-out keyboard. ONE is small and compact, making it a perfect fit for a pocket and to operate with one hand. TWO has a larger screen and keyboard, in addition to more memory, a higher resolution camera, and the ability to record high-definition video. The 5 and 8 megapixel camera wow good phone
Acai Advanced on August 16, 2010 at 10:16 PM
The KIN Two is the bigger, badder brother of the range. It features a bigger keyboard which slides out horizontally, the camera weighs in at a beefy 8.0 megapixels and the memory amounts to 8GB. Now that’s more like it! The 8 megapixel camera comes as standard and it is designed for use in low light with image stabilization and a bright LumiLED flash. With KIN Two, social networking is built into the fabric of the cell phone.
Tiffany jewelry on August 20, 2010 at 02:29 AM
Many people from different countries are longing for them. They are the symbol of nobleness and fashion.
Natura Colon Cleanse on August 22, 2010 at 09:54 PM
When Microsoft announced the Kin phones a couple months ago, there is some buzz generated in the Internet, and people are excited about these touch screen social networking phones.
Provita Energy on August 26, 2010 at 11:37 PM
Microsoft said the phones will be available on Vodafone in Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The Kin phones automatically combine feeds from social-networking services such as Facebook and MySpace, and feature software that compresses the time required to post comments and share photos.
computer tips on August 28, 2010 at 11:53 PM
Great device
Thanks
acai energy on September 01, 2010 at 09:56 PM
The mobile phone market is undergoing exciting changes of epic proportions. Phones are shifting dramatically towards more empowered and more capable devices.
Nitric Oxide on September 06, 2010 at 11:48 PM
The Mini Kin is a mobile, hybrid, universal power unit that stores up wind energy and traditional power from a laptop computer to it’s built in rechargeable lithium polymer battery.
Leanspa on September 08, 2010 at 10:52 PM
There is a winner-takes-all obsession in the tech industry. You illustrate that well with your points, as most of them have no relationship to the Kin product they announced today
Leanspa on September 17, 2010 at 02:53 AM
The phones have been manufactured by Sharp and will be available on Verizon’s Wireless network in May and on Vodafone in Europe later this year. Kin One is a petite, rounded device with a 2.1-inch screen. Kin Two is a larger, palm-sized device with a 3.5-inch display so nice kin phones
Nox Edge on September 22, 2010 at 03:33 AM
Microsoft said its new touch-screen phones -- a short, square-shaped handset called Kin 1 and a longer, more rectangular one called Kin 2 -- will be sold exclusively in the U.S. by Verizon Wireless. They are being made by Sharp Corp., which has produced Sidekick cell phones.
ronicolains smith on September 28, 2010 at 10:02 PM
Both cameras have the same user interface, which is unintuitive, not to mention slow. For example, it’s almost impossible to capture shots in low light without first enabling “night” mode.
NO3 Max Pump on October 06, 2010 at 02:45 AM
Microsoft really do frustrate me, the kin made it through development to becomming an actual product when everyone could see it’s nothing special (just another smart-dumphone), where as a genuinely good innovation like the Microsoft courier gets killed at the concept stage! Very stupid decisions being made at the top level of Microsoft (and don’t get me started on apple
Online Education on October 06, 2010 at 04:19 AM
Looking nice phone introduce by the Microsoft.
Burn Xtreme on October 13, 2010 at 02:35 AM
Like I said before, if MS can market these phone pretty well while leaving as less of Microsoft branding out of the ads and device, then they should have a huge hit on their hands. I see a lot of teenagers and parents buying these up.