The search for a cell phone starts with one big question. Should you get a smart phone that lets you customize your device with all kinds of applications, or should you save money and get a not-so-smart phone that has fewer functions?
Microsoft Corp. thinks it has two new phones that could bridge the gap. Its Kins, which cost $50 or $100 through Verizon Wireless, are geared toward social networking-obsessed teens and twenty-somethings who want an affordable way to keep in touch on the go without diving into additional apps like Apple Inc.’s iPhone offers.
It’s a potentially shrewd move because the world’s largest software maker has been losing ground in the mobile market to newer players such as Apple and Google Inc., which makes the Android operating software.
The Kins’ simple software, moderately good looks and low upfront cost could turn hip young heads. Unfortunately, the phones have aggravating shortcomings. They’re saddled with a sluggish processor, lack instant messaging and mapping applications and require a full-price data plan ($30 per month).
The first thing you’ll notice about the Kins is their shape. Kin One ($50 with a rebate and two-year Verizon Wireless contract) is short and squat with a keyboard that slides out from its bottom, while Kin Two ($100 with a rebate and two-year contract) is longer, with a keyboard that slides out from its side.
Kin One has a touch screen that measures 2.6 inches diagonally, a 5-megapixel camera and 4 gigabytes of built-in memory; Kin Two includes a touch screen that measures 3.4 inches diagonally, an 8-megapixel camera and 8 gigabytes of memory.
The Kin’s software, which Microsoft developed just for these phones, is a mixed bag. It’s well designed and extremely simple, but it’s too limiting.
It starts in a promising way, with a home screen populated by a rotating list of…