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Life and death of Microsoft Kin: the inside story
Since our piece on Wednesday, we've had more trusted sources step forward to fill in some blanks and clarify the story behind the amazingly swift fall from grace that Microsoft's Kin phones have experienced since their launch just a few weeks ago. It's a fascinating tale, and we wanted to share everything we've learned.
What killed the Kin?
While the news today that Microsoft has killed its troubled Kin line didn't come as the craziest of surprises, it's definitely left a lot of lingering questions about just what happened. Now we may have a little insight into what went wrong -- and what might be in store down the road -- thanks to a reliable source of ours who's shared some news on Redmond's inner turmoil. Apparently, the troubles started long before the swirling Pink phone rumors (and way before the name Kin was ringing in our ears). According to our source, the birth of these devices began with a decision at Microsoft to create a platform agnostic, cloud-centric featurephone. A featurephone that could be had at a relatively low cost, and sold to a burgeoning market of teens and young adults who had little need for a BlackBerry-level device (or pricing). The first step in the project was acquiring Danger to leverage the work it had done with the Sidekick platform, and aligning with Verizon as a launch partner who could offer attractive pricing plans for the devices to a big pool... and here's where the trouble begins.
Microsoft Kin is dead
We're learning this afternoon that Microsoft's Kin line, for all practical purposes, is riding off into the sunset just a few short weeks after its release. Sources close to Microsoft tell us that Andy Lees has rolled Kin into the Windows Phone 7 team and has canceled the existing product's launch later this year in Europe on news that sales weren't as strong as expected. Speaking of sales, Verizon's already-launched Kin One and Kin Two are soldiering on for the time being, but for how long is anyone's guess. Here's Microsoft's official statement: "We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned. Additionally, we are integrating our KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating valuable ideas and technologies from KIN into future Windows Phone releases. We will continue to work with Verizon in the U.S. to sell current KIN phones." Interestingly, CNET is reporting that Roz Ho -- the exec who masterminded Kin under the codename "Pink" following Microsoft's acquisition of Danger -- will "oversee" her team's move over to Windows Phone 7 before taking a to-be-determined role elsewhere in the company. For what it's worth, we didn't think much of the Kin when we reviewed it -- to be fair, we're not the product's target demographic, but it certainly seems as though the phones got no love from the tweens, teens, and twentysomethings it sought to win over, either. It's hard to say how the Kin's untimely (or is it timely?) death ties into Robbie Bach and J Allard's departure, but since Lees has his hands more closely wrapped around this project than he had in the past, it stands to reason that there's a link there. After all, just how bad do sales have to be to kill a project mere weeks into its retail launch? And for NVIDIA, what does it mean that they've yet to release even a single blockbuster, wildly successful Tegra device? Update: What killed the Kin?
Screen Grabs: Pretty Little Liars is TV's newest home to egregious product placement (video)
Scene: Impossibly mature high school "girls" mingling in front of a locker. Action! Bitter Barbie: "What are you doing? Is that a new phone?" Bland Barbie: "Yeah, I'm checking my Kin. I'll just write on Hannah's wall from here." End scene. Yes, ABC's new Pretty Little Liars show is the future of American television, where entertainment morphs into infotainment and bakes the minds of an entire generation into a lovely pie of corporate servitude. We blame TiVo. Oh, and just because Palm quit making creepy commercials doesn't mean that they've given up on promoting its Pre to women. Looks like Roger McNamee was right about that backside mirror's appeal. See what we mean in the PLL episode 3 embeds posted after the break. [Thanks, Dave]
Kin One drops to $29, Two drops to $49, data plans remain silly expensive
Best Buy's already taken to offering Microsoft's Kin One for free and the Two for $49 on sale, but it looks like Verizon's officially lowering the price tag on its socialphones: the Kin One will henceforth be $29 while the Two drops to $49 for good. The ever-reliable Ina Fried at CNET says the move is a direct response to lagging sales; workers at one Verizon store told her that Kin devices are being outsold by the Palm Pre. (Ouch -- for both the Kin and the Pre.) Unfortunately, both devices will still require a $29/month or higher data plan, making their total cost of ownership about the same as Verizon's other, far more capable smartphones in the Droid line. Until Verizon wises up and drops the Kin's data pricing to "insanely cheap" we can't see sales ever taking off, especially since Windows Phone 7 is destined to utterly overshadow the Kin when it launches later this year. We'll see -- maybe that summer software update will blow our inner tweens away.
Microsoft says Kin software update is scheduled for mid-summer
We'd already heard some talk that Microsoft's Kin One and Kin Two phones might be in store for an update, and it looks like the phones will indeed be getting one sooner rather than later. While it remains to be seen if it will include those rumored IM improvements, a Kin support moderator has confirmed on the Microsoft Answers forum that an update is scheduled for "mid-summer," and that it will address "many" of the concerns laid out in the post that prompted the response. That included complaints about battery issues, a suggestion for improvements to the Twitter client (including replies and re-tweets), and a plea for YouTube support. The seemingly in-the-know Conflipper also backs up the inclusion of those Twitter updates, and says the Facebook app will also be updated to let folks view more than three pictures.
How would you change Microsoft's Kin One and Two?
Hey! Microsoft debuted two new phones earlier this year! Remember that? Okay, so there's a fair chance that Microsoft actually moved fewer Kin One / Two handsets than Fusion Garage did JooJoo tablets, but we're pretty confident that a few of you fell for the whole "my life is so social, so I'm buying in" thing. We're still personally trying to figure out why the full Windows Phone 7 wasn't used here instead of an OS that'll likely be forgotten by the time you finish reading this, but enough of our rambling -- this space is all about you. Did you pick up one of the Kin brothers? How's the experience? Are you still kosher with paying the same data plan price as future Droid X users? Have you gained more friends than you know what to do with? Starred in your own commercial? Tell us below, tweeps.
Kin skin for Windows Mobile 6.5 leads to more questions than answers
How would we like to replace the UI on our Windows Mobile 6.5 phone with the Kin UI? Well, we never really thought about it, we suppose... and frankly, we're not sure why anyone else did, either. Alas, KinLauncher is here, delivering a pretty authentic Kin-esque home screen but not much else -- as soon as you touch anything, you'll be dumped back into the cold comfort of WinMo (or Sense, as the case may be). It's available for download, if you're really into that sort of thing -- but if you'd rather enjoy the carnage from a safe distance, there's a video after the break.
Microsoft prepping Yahoo, AIM, and Windows Live Messenger support for Kin?
The list of conspicuously missing features on Microsoft's Kin devices is a lengthy one, but considering the target demographic, there's at least one particularly egregious omission: instant messaging. Well-established ROM spelunker Conflipper is now reporting that Microsoft intends to add IM support in the future, though -- a belief he's presumably gleaned from looking through the latest firmware. Specifically, he mentions support for Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and AIM, a three-pack that would come close to covering the main services most of the Kin-owning world cares about; Google Talk would be nice, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if Microsoft went without -- especially considering that they're starting from zilch.
Best Buy now offering Kin One free, Kin Two for $50 on contract
For all its faults, the prime reason we panned Microsoft's Kin was price. Why buy a Kin when you could get a more capable iPhone, Palm Pre or Android device for the same price? This week, it seems someone at Best Buy HQ has seen the light. As of today, the brick-and-mortar electronics superstore has knocked $50 off the price of both handsets, making the Kin One free and the Kin Two cost only $50 on a two-year contract, with no mail-in rebates or other nonsense required. Now, if only Verizon would do something about that $30 monthly data plan, your teen might finally have a vaguely compelling reason to pick one up. [Thanks, Sean T.]
Microsoft considers a Zune Pass price drop
Zune Pass already felt like a pretty sweet deal for music buffs -- $15 per month for unlimited streaming and 10 DRM-free MP3s -- and now Microsoft might be lowering the subscription price even further. Or so says Senior Product Manager Terry Farrell, who added, "it's a very definitely a challenging business." No indication what that new price might be, but just this past April, RealNetwork dropped Rhapsody's monthly fee from $15 to $10. If it does come to fruition, the new price would surely be a welcome boon to an already-promising Windows Phone 7 launch -- and maybe even Kin. Maybe.
Microsoft Kin Two gets torn apart, reveals Sony image sensor
Sure, we already know most of the Kin Two's main specs, but there's nothing like a proper teardown to find out exactly what makes something tick, and the folks from Chipworks have now kindly ripped one apart so you don't have to. Among the highlights are the expected NVIDIA Tegra APX2600 processor, a slew of chips and memory from the likes of Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Hynix, and Samsung and, perhaps most notably, an image sensor from none other than Sony. That sensor, the IMX046, is one of the smallest in its class with a pixel size of just 1.4 microns and, according to Chipworks, something of a surprise -- they were expecting a sensor from OmniVision. Hit up the links below for the Chipworks' complete blow-by-blow account, as well as some further analysis from the folks at iFixit -- and, no, there isn't a teardown of the Kin One just yet.
Screen Grabs: Gossip Girl's Nate Archibald drops a blast from Kin Two
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Given Microsoft's Generation Upload marketing and Verizon's exclusive Gossip Girl placement deal, it's not surprising a Kin phone made an appearance on the show's season finale, but we're having a hard time believing that even Nate Archibald is chump enough to trade in his heat-seeking Droid for a Kin Two. Not that we'd know, since we don't watch the show. At all. Ever. Video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] %Gallery-93186%
Kin starts getting all social on Best Buy locations
In the event that you've got a Best Buy a click closer to you than a Verizon store -- and you just happen to have a hankering to check out Microsoft's Kin devices -- well, you're in luck, because the phones are showing up. Of course, offering a device like this that requires a $30 data plan under the roof of a building alleging to be a "Best Buy" seems a tad disingenuous, but who are we to judge? [Thanks, Geoff]
Kin Media Sync for Mac syncs Kin media with Mac
Sync music, sync photos, sync too much money into a mediocre phone. Now that we've gotten the amateur comedy hour out of the way, it's time to bring you the news that Kins and Macs will henceforth play very nicely together thanks to the just released Media Sync software from Mark/Space. Chosen by Microsoft as the exclusive provider of Mac syncing capabilities for Kin, the company is offering iTunes and iPhoto integration, whereby you'll able to transfer playlists and image albums both to and from your Kin device, as well as a neat transcoding feature to make videos playable on it. The software's free and can be found at the source link below, while the press announcement awaits after the break.
Microsoft and Verizon say Kin's monthly pricing isn't crazy, when you think about it
Whatever you think about the Kin devices themselves, the one thing most folks can agree on is that their monthly pricing is more than a little out of step with their target audience -- except for Microsoft and Verizon, that is. Speaking to Computerworld, Microsoft senior product manager Greg Sullivan and Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney both raised the issue of the Kin's ability to backup to the cloud when defending the high monthly price ($30 for data on top of a standard phone plan), with Sullivan saying that once customers "realize the value of this, they'll realize it's a great deal." On another note, Sullivan also used some interesting language when discussing the possibility of app downloads for the Kin, saying that "over the longer term" Microsoft will be "merging" the Kin and Windows Phone 7 platforms and adding downloadable apps. Now, that's not a radical departure from what we've heard from Microsoft before, but "merge" is a curious choice of words, isn't it?
Engadget Podcast 195 - 05.07.2010
You'd think that Michael Gartenberg would bring a tone of civility to the Engadget Podcast, but his practical approach to tech thought simply causes rage in the hyper-inflated egos of Josh and Nilay, who both live in a world where teenagers simply do not exist. Don't miss it.NOTE: We had a few recording issues, please bear with us. They won't kill you. But if they do, don't say we didn't warn you.Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay PatelSpecial guest: Michael GartenbergProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Rock And Roll All NightHear the podcast00:01:30 - Microsoft Kin One and Two review00:05:00 - Kin available online starting tomorrow, in Verizon stores on May 1300:30:00 - Survey says: most teens don't have a data plan, almost all send texts00:40:00 - Confirmed: BlackBerry two-way sync for Gmail is now live00:48:05 - Intel's Atom Z6xx series isn't targeting Windows Phone 7, but 'full Windows experience' still an Atom priority00:53:00 - Intel reaches for the 'smartphone zone' with Moorestown-based Atom Z6, comes up shorthanded00:58:25 - Apple under preliminary antitrust investigation over iPhone, triggered by complaint from Adobe01:15:40 - Engadget wins the People's Voice Webby in Consumer Electronics, and you can win a Droid Incredible! Subscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Kin available online starting tomorrow, in Verizon stores on May 13
Dearest members of the Upload Generation: the wait to buy the Kin of your dreams is a short one -- provided Mommy and Daddy are willing to pony up the $30 a month in data charges, of course. Verizon will be selling both the Kin One and Kin Two online starting tomorrow, May 6, for $49.99 and $99.99 respectively, after you agree to a two-year contract and come to terms with the fact that you'll be paying $100 more upfront while you wait for your rebate to be mailed to you on a debit card (par for the course these days). If you'd rather play with the devices first, your wait isn't much longer -- you'll be able to score both of them in Verizon retail locations starting a week later on the 13th.
Microsoft Kin One and Two review
Make no mistake: the Kin One and Two are coming into the world as the black sheep of the phone industry, and Microsoft would have it no other way. Straddling the fence somewhere between a dedicated smartphone and high-spec featurephone, they've been tricky to understand since the day they were first leaked (even Microsoft seemed unsure of what the devices meant until very recently). Billed as a Gen-Y (the "upload generation") social networking tool -- and sold in advertisements as the gateway to the time of your young, freewheeling life -- the Kin phones have admittedly been something of head-scratcher to those of us in the gadget world. Built atop a core similar (but not identical) to the Windows Phone 7 devices coming later this year, manufactured by Sharp, and tied into partnerships with Verizon and Vodafone, the phones dangerously preempt Microsoft's reemergence into the smartphone market. Hell, they're even called Windows Phones. But the One and Two aren't like any Windows Phones you've ever seen. With stripped-down interfaces, deep social networking integration, and a focus on very particular type of user, Microsoft is aiming for something altogether different with Kin. So do these devices deliver on that unique, social experience that Redmond has been selling, or does this experiment fall flat? We've taken both handsets for a spin, and we've got all the answers in our full review... so read on to find out! %Gallery-92309%
Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two to go up for pre-order on May 6th, shipping on May 13th?
Microsoft's always said its Kin phones would come to Verizon in May and Vodafone in the fall, and now it looks like an internal Verizon email has spilled the details for us: Kin One and Kin Two will go up for pre-order on May 6th, and they'll "launch to all channels on May 13th," according to these screenshots. We can't confirm it yet, but we'd imagine tween hearts are a-flutter all over the country. Just remember: Kin's not for sexting, now.
