Microsoft joins the smartphone fray, a dating site for STD sufferers and the NFL's schedule release - waiting for that

Thứ Năm, 15 tháng 4, 2010

Who isn’t announcing a release of a new smartphone these days? Count Microsoft in, as the makers of the world’s worst computer operating system introduced its new smartphone, the Kin to target what it terms a plugged-in "social generation." The phone was introduced Monday, with Microsoft promoting its ability to easily download photos from the phone to a home screen that's constantly updated with feeds from services like Facebook and Twitter. The Kin will have a heavy focus on social networking sites, makes it ideal for those who can’t go more than 10 minutes without updating their Facebook status. "Self-expression is super important to them," said Robert Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division. "What they are, what they're doing, they want to share the journey every day. It's like constantly publishing a magazine about their life." The Kin name, in Microsoft’s mind anyhow, befits a phone "that knits together a tight community of kindred spirits whose lives are shared and who broadcast all the time." The initial King offering will feature two phones, unimaginatively named the Kin One and Kin Two, available next month in Verizon stores. Verizon will be the U.S. provider for the phone, while Vodafone will be the provider internationally. Omitted from Monday’s announcement were prices for the phones and the plans to go with them, but that didn’t stop Microsoft from having a big rollout event in Redmond, Washington, on Monday afternoon. Those who attended got a look at the square-ish Kin One and the rectangular-shaped Kin Two, stocked with additional features, like more memory, a high-resolution camera and the ability to shoot high-definition video. 

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