 | |
 The Kin Two, shown open | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sharp |
| Compatible networks | CDMA |
| First released | April 12, 2010 |
| Availability by region | May–June 2010, "m" since December 2010 |
| Form factor | Slider/Texting phone |
| Dimensions | ONE: 3.25 in × 2.5 in × 0.75 in (8.3 cm × 6.4 cm × 1.9 cm), TWO: 4.25 in × 2.5 in × 0.75 in (10.8 cm × 6.4 cm × 1.9 cm) |
| Weight | ONE: 110 g (3.9 oz), TWO: 130 g (4.6 oz) |
| Operating system | KIN OS (based on Windows CE) |
| CPU | Freescale i. MX31L processor ARM Core nVidia Tegra APX 2600 |
| Memory | 256 MB DDR RAM |
| Storage | ONE: 4 GB, TWO: 8 GB, KIN Studio (unlimited) |
| Display | ONE: 2.6 in (6.6 cm), TWO: 3.4 in (8.6 cm) |
| Media | Zune |
| Rear camera | ONE: 5 MP, TWO: 8 MP |
| Connectivity | EV-DO Rev, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 |
| Data inputs | QWERTY keyboard, Capacitive multi-touch |
| Development status | Discontinued |
Kin was a short-lived mobile phone line from Microsoft designed for users of social networking.[1] The phones, aimed at people between ages 15 and 30,[2] were manufactured by Sharp Corporation[3] and sold through Verizon Wireless.[4]
Microsoft invested two years and about US$1 billion developing the Kin platform,[5][6] beginning with its acquisition of Danger Incorporated.[7] The Kin was based on Windows CE.[8]
The Kin ONE and TWO went on the market on May 14, 2010. Within two months, Verizon stopped selling the phones because of poor sales.[9] Microsoft scrapped its planned European release, stopped promoting the devices, ceased production, and reassigned the Kin development team to other projects.[10]
Microsoft updated its unsold Kin inventory with firmware that removed social and web-based features, and in December 2010 offered these re-purposed units through Verizon stores as limited feature phones, the Kin ONEm and the TWOm. In January 2011, Microsoft shut down the kin.com website, which controlled most of the earlier phones' features.
The Kin TWOm was discontinued in August 2011;[11] unsold inventory could still be found for sale on deals sites as late as June 2013.[12]
- ^ Ina Fried (23 September 2009). "Microsoft's 'Pink' emerges from Danger's shadow". CNET. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ Fried, Ina (2010-04-12). "Microsoft's Kin: What it is-and isn't". News.cnet.com. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
- ^ Priya Ganapati (2 April 2010). "Hands-On: Can Kin Phones Make Microsoft Cool Again?". wired.com. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MicrosoftInitialPressReleasewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Eric Zeman (8 July 2010). "Does It Matter How Many Kins Microsoft Sold?". InformationWeek. Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ "Microsoft Kills Kin". Gizmodo. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ^ "Notify The Next Of Kin". InformationWeek. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ Ina Fried (5 April 2010). "Microsoft's mystery event revealed". CNET. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ "Verizon returns unsold Kin phones, pulls online sales, July 18, 2010". Electronista.com. July 18, 2010. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ Ziegler, Chris (2010-06-30). "Microsoft Kin is dead". Engadget.com. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ^ Sydney Myers (2011-08-27). "Verizon discontinues KIN TWOm, making room for the KIN ONEm on our Top Messaging Phones list". PhoneDog. Retrieved 2013-09-03.
- ^ Ina Fried (June 12, 2013). "It's B-a-a-ck — Deals Site Offers the Microsoft Kin One for $25". All Things D. Archived from the original on 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-09-03.