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 The Kin Two, shown open | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sharp |
| First released | April 12, 2010 |
| Availability by region | May–June 2010, "m" since December 2010 |
| Compatible networks | CDMA |
| 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) |
| Rear camera | ONE: 5 MP, TWO: 8 MP |
| Display | ONE: 2.6 in (6.6 cm), TWO: 3.4 in (8.6 cm) |
| Media | Zune |
| Connectivity | EV-DO Rev, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 |
| Data inputs | QWERTY keyboard, Capacitive multi-touch |
| Development status | Discontinued |
Kin is a line of mobile phones that was briefly marketed by Microsoft in 2010. Aimed at people between ages 15 and 30,[1] they were designed for social networking.[2] Microsoft invested two years and about US$1 billion developing the Kin platform,[3][4] beginning with its acquisition of Danger Incorporated.[5] The Kin was based on Windows CE.[6] They were manufactured by Sharp Corporation[7] and sold through Verizon Wireless.[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. 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]
- ^ Fried, Ina (2010-04-12). "Microsoft's Kin: What it is-and isn't". News.cnet.com. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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). - ^ "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.