After much speculation, Microsoft has finally launched their highly anticipated 'Pink Phones' on Monday, April 12. Officially dubbed 'Kin phones', these new Microsoft creations have set a high precedent in mobile technology and design for Apple's new iPhone 4 due to be released later this year.
Not quite smartphones yet better than feature phones, Kin One and Kin Two are a new type of hybrid device that Microsoft calls a 'social phone’. The innovative interface integrates and connects users to their favourite social networking sites such as MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and Window's Live for an endless flow of updates, tweets and information.
'We observed how you communicate in real life. Then we designed KIN to communicate as naturally as you do, so that KIN is everything you love, everyone you want, all together in one place,' says Microsoft on the new Kin website.
The Kin interface is Microsoft's answer to a social networker's dream! Kin customers can reach their email, texts, web browser and favourite multimedia functions via the first of three Kin home screens.
Customers can then swipe to the Loop screen to view all their news feeds and updates on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Windows Live. The Loop is a bustling hub of pictures, information, videos and updates. It is user-friendly and possibly one of the phones' best features.
There is a customised third home screen that gathers preferred contact information from all social networking sites so you can remain updated and in touch with your favourite people.
The Kin Spot will be a hit with Facebook junkies, allowing them to share all their thoughts, news and photos with their social networking contacts. The 'sharing’ button must be pressed for a few seconds; selected info must be dragged to the circle at the bottom of the screen which must then be tapped to publish everything.
Microsoft Kin phones give direct access to a music service called ‘Zune’, which is designed for customers to download or stream their favourite hits. This service is set to rival Apple's celebrated iTunes application.
"We are the first Windows Phone to ship with Zune," said Product manager Derek Snyder on Monday's launch.
Another unique Microsoft feature is the Kin Studio, which is connected to the cloud service. The Kin Studio stores all your mobile phone information including text, pictures, call log and much more. Everything in the cloud is protected by a password; it offers unlimited storage and a complete month-by-month mobile phone history.
The Kin web browsing capability remains to be seen and there are significant differences between the two Kin models. The Kin One “Turtle” phone is a small, black, circular device compared to the wider, rectangular Kin Two “pure” phone. Both devices slide open to reveal a QWERTY keypad whilst other specifications will depend on a customer's preference.
Below is a spec comparison between Kin One and Kin Two from http://www.kin.com/:
Microsoft Kin One (Turtle) specs
* Form Factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY size: 57cc
* Display: 2.6" TFT, QVGA (320 x 240), capacitive touchscreen
* Camera: 5.0MP CMOS anti-shake, autofocus, dual LED flash
* Speakers: Mono
* Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 4GB storage
* Battery: 1240 mAh
* Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed USB, 802.11b/g
* Other: Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer
Microsoft Kin Two (Pure) specs:
* Form Factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY size: 65cc
* Display: 3.4" TFT, QVGA (480 x 320), capacitive touchscreen
* Camera: 8.0MP HDR CMOS from Omnivision with anti-shake, autofocus, Lumi LED flash
* Speakers: Mono
* Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 8GB storage
* Battery: 1390 mAh
* Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed USB, 802.11b/g
* Other: Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer
Microsoft collaborated with Sharp, Verizon and Vodafone to create the Kin phone. The price and web browsing capabilities are yet to be discovered so Microsoft will have to hang tight. Verizon are set to release the Microsoft Kin phones in the US around May, and Vodafone is expected to launch the Kin phone in Europe and possibly Australia later this year.
Stay tuned to Compare Mobile Plans for Australian release dates and more Microsoft news updates.