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Microsoft has entered the phone market! The new phones, Kin One and Kin Two will hit the US market in May through Verizon, and through carrier Vodafone Group PLC (which owns Verizon Wireless in partnership with Verizon Communications Inc.), in Germany, Italy, Spain and The United Kingdom later this fall. Microsoft did not mention a release date for Canada.
Microsoft unveiled two new Smartphones on Monday
At a press event in San Francisco on Monday, Microsoft’s Robbie Bach and Derek Snyder unveiled the Kin mobile phones. Based on the Windows 7 operating system, the new Smartphones will have extensive social networking built in and will also be able to access the Zune music service. There are some other cool features. Both Kins are black with screens that respond to multiple finger gestures, similar to the “multitouch” technology on the iPhone. The shorter Kin One has a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from the bottom, while the Kin Two has a full QWERTY keyboard that comes out from its side. Both include Wi-Fi access and cameras capable of taking higher-resolution photos than most handsets. The Kin One will include a 5-megapixel camera, while the Kin Two will have an 8-megapixel camera. The Kin Two will also be capable of shooting HD-quality video.
The Kin handsets will not be obviously branded as Microsoft products. They will sport a sizable “Kin” logo on the back and, in smaller type, an indication that they are Windows phones from Verizon and Sharp. Another thing to be wary of is that the Kin devices won’t allow you to download add-on software applications. You will be stuck with whatever Microsoft deems necessary.
Am I rushing out to buy one? Not likely. I am more interested in the Droid technology. But for teenagers and those totally addicted to social media networking, these Kin phones may be an affordable way to go. Of course Verizon’s subscriber service will be very costly since in addition to the unlimited talk and text access ($89.95 per month), you will need to subscribe to their $29.95 per month data subscription. This can run about $120 per month, so parents beware! Without the unlimited subscription service, most teens will “overshoot” their monthly plans, costing even more.
