Microsoft KIN ONE and TWO available starting May 6th

By on May 5, 2010 at 3:31 PM
General May 5, 2010

kin-one-kin-two

Life streamers should mark their calendars for May 6th as Microsoft’s socially-driven KIN ONE and KIN TWO handsets are slated to make their official debut on Verizon Wireless. With its 5MP camera and diminutive design, the clamshell KIN ONE will be available for a reasonable $49.99 after a $100 mail in rebate and 2-year contract. With is 8MP camera and HD capability, the KIN TWO is the premium of the pair and will sport a slightly higher $99.99 price tag after a $100 mail in rebate and a 2-year deal. The KIN ONE and the KIN TWO can be activated on a Nationwide Talk plan and due to the presumed copious data consumption of upload hungry tweens, both will require a minimum data plan of $29.99 per month. If you listen closely enough, you can hear the collective gasp of penny-pinching parents around the nation.

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26 Comments

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  • iName

    i’m sorry but you would be a complete fool to buy these phones.

    • user

      Those keypads look well-spaced and comfortable to me. Am I wrong?

  • EraserXIV

    data plan kills it. makes no sense to buy this when a smartphone costs the same.

    what they need are appropriately priced texting/data packages.

    • Homer

      With Verizon there is no such thing as “appropriately priced”

    • ucfgrad93

      Agreed. With the data plan priced so high, why not just get a smartphone?

    • EraserXIV

      a $30 unlimited texting/data package would make these fly off the shelf.

    • runjonrun

      Makes you appreciate the days of the old V-Cast package for $15 bucks a month that included unlimited data (for non-pda/smartphones which I would consider this to be a non-pda/smartphone). Its a neat device based on the social networking features, but it’ll be tough crowd (tweens/teens) to sell to.

  • Onceuponatime

    With all the smartphones available ( I.e, iPhone, android, blackberry, and webOs) one would be a fool to buy this phone when the others do just as much and more for the same pricing and plans.

  • jay

    I can’t believe some people want to purchase these two phones.

    There’s no way with the Blackberry Bold coming, Storm 2 being available, Incredible and Droid are already out and the Palm devices bleeding for customers to buy them, would anyone want to buy some POS Kin phone when better options are available.

  • grrr

    Requiring a data plan for a dumbphone is dumb.

  • alias

    Can anyone explain why these phones will have a $30 data package?!?!?

    • Homer

      Because all 3G capable phones on Verizon (which is all but like 2 EXTREMELY basic phones) you have to pay for a data package.

  • tjeter

    They reequire data plans becaause their entire existence is based on staying connected..

  • protegè

    Its the same thing Motorola did with motoblur. You are constantly connected to the internet.

  • tjeter

    I can’t spell either, so I wouldn’t even listen to me!

  • Mitch

    Did anyone catch the Engadget review of these phones? They absolutely TORE them apart.

    They are an absolute ripoff and pretty much do nothing well for a high price. Seriously, why would you buy the KIN2 instead of the Pre Plus which is a MILLION times better and $70 CHEAPER!!!?!?

    Think about it.

    This will fail, hard.

  • Scotty R

    I think Verizon will soon be pushing these as hard and cheap as the palm devices in no time.

    • Ben

      no one is going to buy these phones.

  • Bob

    This phone failed as soon as it required a smartphone data plan. as someone here said, Unlimited Text and Data for $30 would sell these things. Hell, even $15 Data would sell these things. But like others have said, why would I buy this when I can get a Palm Pre or Curve 2 or Droid Eris that all do more and cost less.

  • Butthead007

    I understand why they have the data plan–basically, everything is synced to the studio and that is a tremendous amount of data. However, I do not think the target demographic is going to want to pony up for the $30 a month. It’s a nice idea on paper, but I do not think it is going to fly.

  • Jim

    Yeah, slapping a smartphone data package to a dumbphone is just seriously wrong headed.

    I get that Verizon wants to make coin, but the people buying this will be kids’ PARENTS, not the kids themselves. Once they see the data plan pricing, they’re going to run away from these things.

    If I were a higher-up at Microsoft, I’d be on the phone, screaming into the ears of Verizon executives over this stupid pricing. It just killed their product dead.

  • mike

    its a spin off of dr.seuss’s thing 1 and thing 2

  • SOUTHERN MISS ELITE

    Contrary to the belief, these got GREAT endorsements in Wall Street Journal today. The reviewer basically loved the Kin One.

    …But to require a 30 dollar data plan???? Silly.

    Verizon dropped the ball on this.

  • Stephen Quirk

    Kin gives you a taste of what’s to come with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.

    Microsoft must be realizing that nothing it does is a success in mobile.

  • Droidz

    Windows smart/dumb phone…… does anyone really even care anymore?

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