Microsoft Pink targeting teens and twenty-somethings, devices launching in Spring?
By Thomas Ricker 
posted January 25th 2010 7:50AM
posted January 25th 2010 7:50AM
Few reporting on Microsoft are as plugged in to the day-to-day happenings in Redmond as Mary Jo Foley. So much so that she's apt to write an entire column (or two) about internal Microsoft reorganizations -- moves that can be telling from a company attempting to seamlessly integrate its Zune, Xbox, Media Center, and Windows Mobile products, services, and experiences. While you might find it interesting that Enrique Rodriguez has left the company in the latest shakeup to hit MS' Entertainment and Devices unit, the following sentence presented as fact is what caught our attention: Of course, what she's referring to is the infamous Project Pink, the mystery whatsit said to be emanating from the Microsoft Premium Mobile eXperiences (PMX) group built around the people and technologies nabbed after the Danger acquisition. We're also intrigued by the discussion of Pink in a separate breath from the consumer build of Windows Mobile 7. This makes us wonder if Microsoft is working on a three-pronged strategy that will result in targeted Windows Mobile 7 business and consumer devices as well as Pink phones specifically aimed at teens and twenty-somethings. Mary Jo Foley speculates that the Pink devices might be the first to run Microsoft's new premium Pink services but still be WinMo 6.x based -- if true then we could see a launch this quarter, no need to wait for Windows Mobile 7 which isn't expected until the end of the year. How many days until Mobile World Congress again?"Pink is the codename for both the set of premium mobile services and one or more Windows Mobile phones aimed at the teen/twenty-something market."
[Thanks, Pratik]
@Leicaman
This really bothers you? You're really reaching. There has to be something better you can do with your time than complain about a codename being used 15 years ago.
@Leicaman
I agree.
Also...
Chicago
= System font for original Mac (1984).
= Codename for Windows 95.
Harmony
= Mac OS 7.6 (1997).
= Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.
Rosetta
= Handwriting recognition for Newton PDA.
= SQL Server Reporting Services (2004)
Quartz
= Graphics layer for Mac OS X.
= Expression Web (2006).
Darwin
= Macintosh Quadra 900 (1991).
= Windows Installer (v1 in Office 2000).
Tsunami
= Power Macintosh 9500 (1995).
= Microsoft CRM.
Aurora
= Macintosh IIcx (1989)
= Windows Media Player for Vista.
Doesn't bother me.
It just shows another aspect of Microsoft's lack of imagination and 'culture of copying'.
Am waiting for the Microsoft codename of 'Snow Leopard'.
@Sparky
++
As old Ben Franklin warned, don't confuse motion with action. What has all this reog and "optimization" accomplished in the mobile space? Now just get it over with and fire Robbie Bach's sorry, incompetent ass. Then the Microsoft board needs to take a look at another serial loser, a guy named Ballmer.
looks like a plam pre.
@afischer15
The Pre is much more beautiful.
The purpose of PINK is to do what any consumer sucking in is supposed to do - and from MS, its to get you early. SO:
The sidekick will be phased out, and those with them will be able to upgrade to the PINK for cheapo, PLUS sync for free their info over to the new device. Once the tweens and 20-somethings use that for a few years, they will want a pro PRO phone - aah! Windows MO7! With simplicity, PINK users will just stick in their SIM card, type in their windows LIVE account and everything will be sync'eded over'er.
Simple. Yet, so confusing.
Yet again more MS Mobile rumors that points to some simple facts: Confusing, bloated, late to market and definitely a non competitor. People step back for a moment and look and listen...have you heard a lot of clamoring about hardware manufacturers lining up for MS Mobile vs. say....Android?
Most major phone manufacturers are committed to a minimum of 2 models of Android alone for the next 12 months....this tell you something...MS ain't gonna be challenging anyone anytime soon.
el fail
i think i am glad that my demographic isn't targeted, phew.
In a perfect world, Microsoft would be able to merge Windows, Windows Mobile, Xbox, Zune, Media Center, Games for Windows, and the Sidekick into one unified system. You'd have one account that would traverse between all your devices and would allow you to transfer all your data, info, and contacts between them where applicable. On top of that, all these devices and services would have similar looks and ascetics that would make the switch between them easier, though they would still retain their identity and usability based on what they need to do.
However, this is a very, very difficult process. The only four companies that could pull something like this off in any substantial way are Microsoft, Sony, Google, and Apple. All four have a very, very long way to go. The day one of them is able to give me the products I want, and then integrate them seamlessly is the day I switch everything in my house over to one of those four brands, though I don't think that's going to happen for quite some time unfortunately.
The MS catch up policy on google/apple and other devides and tools is as cumbersome as SONY's never-ending will to use their own file formats
That looks like the Palm Pre and LG Lotus had a deformed offspring.
i know someone deep thats working on this phone, it has the zune software and its more like the cliq just a little thiner and a screen a bit bigger but i still rather have the cliq, and there making 2 phones one for for girls the one on the top pick but a different color, and one like the cliq for boy or men
and its not windows seven at all
so wait, are they selling hardware or OS?
Break out the popcorn this should be fun to watch M$ try and pull this off.....
Shame for the stockholders though, as they burn money trying to keep up with Google and Apple
Well I'm guessing the Pink is the next generation of the Sidekick.