14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft officially unveiled the availability and pricing of its KIN One and KIN Two handsets on Verizon Wireless' network. Both devices are set to become available for pre-order on May 6, while expected to hit the shelves on May 13. The price tags they will sport are of $49.99 and $99.99, respectively, upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement with Verizon and after a $100 mail-in rebate.
As for the monthly plans the new phones are made available with, here's what the wireless carrier states: “[to] get the most from KIN, Verizon Wireless customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access. Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.”
The two KIN devices come to the market with enhanced social networking capabilities, as they were designed to put together the phone, online services and the PC, Microsoft states. Both handsets sport touchscreen displays and slide-out QWERTY keyboards, while boasting a great deal of features. The KIN phones come with a Zune experience, including music, video, FM radio and podcast playback, with Microsoft's Bing search engine, support for email services, and with a rich PC-like browsing experience.
Other features of the new handsets include KIN Loop, designed to bring favorite people and things (updates from social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter) to the homescreen, all in real time; KIN Spot, which enables phone users to easily share content with friends and family by means of text, e-mail, or social network updates; or KIN Studio, which backs up almost all files on the device, including messages, contacts, photos and videos.
The KIN devices also offer users the possibility to capture and share their memories, Microsoft notes: “[the] KIN Camera captures all the moments that matter most, and makes it easy to share them. The KIN ONE has a 5 MP lens while the KIN TWO has an 8 MP lens and shoots video in HD. With anti-shake, autofocus and an LED flash, KIN lets you take amazing pictures, even in low light, and post or share them with just one touch. And all your memories are backed up with tons of storage in the KIN Studio.”