The Kin may be dead and buried, but you can bet that the legacy of Microsoft's biggest failure in the phone market will live long in the minds of technophiles. What you probably wouldn't bet, however, is how it'll also live long in the mind of famed Roots drummer Questlove. You heard right -- the same beat maker that was caught FaceTiming with our own Josh Topolsky during a recent sit-down on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has a special place in his heart for the fallen phone series, and he's taken the time to pen a memoir detailing the reasons why. Undoubtedly an avid visitor of the (temporarily down) Kin R.I.P. web memorial, Questlove was recently held up behind a team of brats at the airport. As the story goes, even arriving 75 minutes early to his flight wasn't enough to clear through on a flight to Canada, leaving him in quite the pickle. If he didn't hop on this bird, his band mates would be struggling to please fans sans a drummer. As is so often the case these days, Quest ran into a particularly perturbed airline agent who wasn't about to bend in order to get him onboard; rather than name-dropping himself, he simply agreed to have his photo taken with a smattering of fans who just happened to waltz by during his pleading.
Suddenly, the light popped on in the mind of the agent: "OMG! You are the guy in the Kin commercial... I see that commercial all the time!" Needless to say, Quest's ego took a serious hit, but he did manage to catch his flight and make the show in the Great White North. He told his manager that it was the "Kin commercial he almost passed on" that got him to the show, and closed with a simple remark: "R.I.P. Kin." Hit those source links for the full skinny -- it's a compelling read, we assure you. Oh, and that aforesaid ad is embedded just past the break.
@TechAficionado Now this is beyond annoying, I think Big E is mad at kin or something, hey Big E stop talking about the kin! It's been dead for a week! Stop poking at it
@JonnyB it deserves a memory! something to learn from. others can learn from late kin. they can learn what NOT to do. kin is the best example of a mistake.
@TechAficionado If you're going by that logic, Gungans would be universally renowned for generating facepalms, but either way they are still foolish and annoying and deserve no praise
@TechAficionado. The Kins are pretty good phones. Reviews for them have been top notch. Even Engadget gave it a glowing review before they back-stabbed and joined the failed bandwagon.
However, why do they keep saying R.I.P. it's all dandy to try and read between the lines but MS said that they were not exporting the product out, in no place or context have they or verizon stated that the phone is discontinued.
@SolidSnake But its justified. Kin hardly sold 10000 units b4 it was discontinued! It was a disappointment. Engadget aint hating on it, it just saying the truth. I wanted it to be good but it sucked. camera and all was good, UI and Design, it was a plain disappointment. And thats why my hopes are high for WP7.
So does this mean the Kin's sole purpose for existing was to save a famous person from suffering the same faith as us mere mortals at the airport. I suppose that means it's in heaven now.
Questlove always has the latest phone, regarfless of network. Sheesh. (although, having a Kin isn't much to brag about, if he had one to begin with....)
The thing about QuestLove is, he'll play with anyone that asks. His work outside The Roots spans more musical genres than most musicians. I'm sure he would have posed with those fans anyway, even if it made him miss the plane. The true shallow person in the story is the ticketing agent, who only gave good service when he/she "realized" who he is.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted July 6th 2010 2:31PM
At least it's good at something
@TechAficionado
Now this is beyond annoying, I think Big E is mad at kin or something, hey Big E stop talking about the kin! It's been dead for a week! Stop poking at it
@JonnyB it deserves a memory! something to learn from. others can learn from late kin. they can learn what NOT to do. kin is the best example of a mistake.
@TechAficionado If you're going by that logic, Gungans would be universally renowned for generating facepalms, but either way they are still foolish and annoying and deserve no praise
@statickeith
More like experiment not mistake.
Loopt and Studio were very good
@Lord Vader
I have always wanted to ask you Lord Vader, what do you think of Droid marriage? Give your opinion good Lord, I hope im not downranked -__+
http://media.photobucket.com/image/gay%20droid%20marriage/brianbogdan/root/march/Gay-Droid.jpg
@OjSimpson. Dear Maul! Ackbar for President?
@statickeith Not much to learn if most were already calling DOA long before release.
@TechAficionado. The Kins are pretty good phones. Reviews for them have been top notch. Even Engadget gave it a glowing review before they back-stabbed and joined the failed bandwagon.
However, why do they keep saying R.I.P. it's all dandy to try and read between the lines but MS said that they were not exporting the product out, in no place or context have they or verizon stated that the phone is discontinued.
Wow. You guys are hardcore Kin Haters.
You should make t-shirts.
@SolidSnake Successful Kin haters! But it wasn't exactly hard when it was targeted at 15 year olds but using a 25 year olds pricing structure.
@d0mth0ma5
I'm 25 and I can't afford one...
@SolidSnake But its justified. Kin hardly sold 10000 units b4 it was discontinued! It was a disappointment. Engadget aint hating on it, it just saying the truth. I wanted it to be good but it sucked. camera and all was good, UI and Design, it was a plain disappointment. And thats why my hopes are high for WP7.
Check this out. I dunno if its true or a rumor.
http://www.redmondpie.com/htc-gold-windows-phone-7-uk-release-date-november/
@SolidSnake Pretty sure the kin hates on itself.
@Joe Cool
I'm twenty and have a job. And I pay for my plan which is a family plan. $140+ a month.
Look for better work
@statickeith
The Kin Studio has to be the betting ever on a phone
@DefPoet You made your point below, don't jump on the higher post because you think it'll get pushed down to Page 2.
That is sad. I would hate to be known as "that one guy from that commercial I see all the time!"
@APV At least it wasn't an ad for adult diapers.
@grub
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I actually laughed.
@APV
What does that say about the Jimmy Fallon show if he is only remembered from some kin commercial? Sorry Jimmy....
So does this mean the Kin's sole purpose for existing was to save a famous person from suffering the same faith as us mere mortals at the airport. I suppose that means it's in heaven now.
that hurt my head to read.
Questlove always has the latest phone, regarfless of network. Sheesh. (although, having a Kin isn't much to brag about, if he had one to begin with....)
Say what you want about kin engadget but kin studio is by far the most revolutionary thing on a phone ever.
There were actual Kin commercials?
@To Hell How do you think they spent $250million on advertising otherwise, snazzy website?
So anyone actually buy one?
Any good?
@prowlmedia In Europe, so couldn't if I wanted to, which I didn't.
The Cloud killed the Kin.
@bluboi917 The iPhone killed the KIN..FACT
the Kin was stillborn.
This KIN article was the icing on the cake Engadget!!! I will now and forever use the url: www.engadget.com/exclude/kin
@Landon Donovan
I am sure thats just what they were hoping to avoid.
@Landon Donovan Somehow I don't think you'll require that very often in the future.
The thing about QuestLove is, he'll play with anyone that asks. His work outside The Roots spans more musical genres than most musicians. I'm sure he would have posed with those fans anyway, even if it made him miss the plane. The true shallow person in the story is the ticketing agent, who only gave good service when he/she "realized" who he is.
"...you can bet that the legacy of Microsoft's biggest failure in the phone market will live long in the minds of technophiles."
Thanks to you, Engadget.
Kin FTW!
Anyone from the Engadget editors side would be kind enough to comment on this obsession about the death of this device ?
@MiniG Other than the the two previous articles by Zigler and Topalsky which were good; the rest are probably due to a slow news week.
Can't they stick a different OS on the Kin and rename it?
@numbnuts And call it the "Next of Kin", or perhaps "Kin Folk"? The Kin has no kin, it was abandoned at Verizons door step, let it die
This is old
lol, the kin one is ugly