Apparently, the rumors were true. The Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two—a pair of phones that was released earlier this year, then pulled from the shelves because of poor sales—have been released again on Verizon. So what’s new this time around? For starters, they’ve been renamed as the Kin ONEm and the Kin TWOm, and… well, that’s about it as far as changes go. They’re essentially the same un-smart, messenger-type phones geared towards the younger crowd.
You do remember Microsoft’s Kin phones, right? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. If you don’t, the Kin was a series of phones that MS launched earlier this year, but was cancelled after spending just 6 weeks on store shelves because of poor sales. A leaked Verizon roadmap could be a sign that they’re going to resurrect the Kin One and Kin Two on Verizon as the ONEm and TWOm.
Microsoft’s new patent application shows something that looks complicated along with a complicated name (it’s called an ‘adaptive input device’), but in a nutshell, here’s what it is: It’s a keyboard with touch-sensitive keys that can be dynamically configured to perform different functions. Those keys also feature backlit LCDs on them, so they can display different symbols, functions or icons so you know how they’re set up.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 demo page has been up for some time now, but in case you weren’t in the mood to be walked through the new mobile OS by the people who made it, here’s a very nice comparison (via PocketNow)between a not-yet-finalized LG phone running a non-final version of WP7 and the iPhone 4.Initial reaction? Compared next to Apple’s best-seller, WP7 looks very good. Video after the break.
Well, just look at it. It certainly doesn’t look like your average, bargain-bin webcam, does it? (Our first webcam is shaped like a strawberry. But that’s neither here nor there.) Microsoft’s new LifeCam Studio offers a high-end feature set to go with the looks too, making it worth checking out if you’re into clear video call cams for just under $100.
