Microsoft's KIN: A Eulogy
by Brian Klug on July 13, 2010 3:42 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Microsoft
- KIN
- Mobile
When Verizon first sent me the ONE and TWO for review, I setup both KIN on the same Live account. Much like Android’s dependency on you having a Google account for backing up a list of installed applications, Microsoft used its Live service with the KIN for total device backups and creating a complete user profile. I figured it’d just work fine to have both devices on one account.
It didn't. That was very, very bad.
I don’t think anyone at Microsoft ever expected anyone to have two of those phones at the same time. After last week’s announcement, it looks like Microsoft had even lower expectations for KIN acceptance.
While the premature death of the platform isn’t really a shock (the phones had glaring issues and ran an OS that clearly had no roadmap in a Windows Phone 7 dominated future), there were some key features Microsoft and its Danger team did better than anyone else in the smartphone market today.
Even when Palm’s future looked bleak, there were and still are elements of WebOS that we hope will someday appear in Android or iOS. The same can be said about what Microsoft did with KIN. It’s true that as a device defying categorization as either a smartphone or featurephone, KIN wasn’t around long enough to be remembered, but as a platform there are things KIN gave us that we shouldn’t forget.
What follows is an exploration of just that.
We hope that this will serve as a list of the things Microsoft did right with KIN, so that we might see these features in future smartphone platforms - including Microsoft's Windows Phone 7. We realize that although it's still selling, KIN is unquestionably dead. With any luck, Microsoft and Verizon will roll out one promised software update, and then let the short lived platform ride off into oblivion. Though this is a platform you'll likely never encounter in the real world (I know I've yet to), there's quite a bit that could still be salvaged, including one truly revolutionary feature unrivaled by any competitor today.
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mcnabney - Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - link
Important tools buried within menus.Dependence on a specific computer to sync.
Too damn many things to do just to make a call.
Navigation required a stylus due to tiny menus and icons.
Too many lockups, reboots, battery yanks, and software incompatibilities.
Most devices were EXTREMEMLY unreliable.
Non-existent followed by limited push email support.
I could go on and on....
aebiv - Thursday, July 15, 2010 - link
So make a shortcut where you want it.I haven't synced to a computer in years.
I push one button and dial a number to make a call, or I tell it to make a call.
I'd rather be able to use a stylus, than have a capacitive screen that won't allow for precise input.
I can give you lists of people who have very few lockups, and I've seen quite a few Android and Apple phones lockup as well.
My original Motorola Q is still running strong, so are many others.
Activesync/Exchange support has always been best on the windows mobile devices, the VZ Droid STILL can't get push mail fixed. You have to buy a third party app called Touchdown to get it to work semi decently.
Please, do go on.
kmmatney - Friday, July 16, 2010 - link
If the average person plays with a windows mobile phone and an iPhone at the AT&T store, then they will buy the iPhone - it's that simple.aebiv - Saturday, July 17, 2010 - link
Exactly. The average person bought the Motorola RAZR too.This current trend for marketing a "smartphone" for the masses is leading to a loss of features and flexibility for those of us who truly want a "Pocket PC."
nangryo - Sunday, July 18, 2010 - link
That makes you above average person and under average person I believe.I think you just thin that you are the first right?
What a sad fellow
aebiv - Sunday, July 18, 2010 - link
You don't even make sense here.nangryo - Sunday, July 18, 2010 - link
Living on your dream world eh? Where you assume that everyone is just like youGo then, use your beloved stylus. just don't use it for.... anything else
lol
aebiv - Sunday, July 18, 2010 - link
No, I never said everyone was like me.Do you see me ripping on the iPhone for being a horrible design because it doesn't do what I want? No, I don't. All I am doing is pointing out that there are some of us, who don't want to have a locked down, limited, glorified feature phone that has 3 big buttons on the screen because it is supposed to be "thumb friendly."
You ever try to use RDP on a 3" screen? It is hard enough on a 4.3" screen without a stylus.
mrdeez - Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - link
Its because the Android OS doesn't have any way of completely closing apps once their open. Get Advanced Task Killer and use it every time you sleep your phone. I have seen my battery life go from 4-5 hours to 7-8.aebiv - Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - link
No, even using that in keeping the tasks closed. If you disable sense on the WinMo and go with SPB or use Titanium the battery life difference is even more drastic.