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No next of Kin. Microsoft rolls Kin team into Windows Phone 7

About two months ago Microsoft and Verizon launched Kin. A month ago Microsoft defended the pricing of Kin which, while quite affordable at $100 or less, required a monthly fee equal to high end smart phones despite being more equal to Sidekicks. At the same time they announced that the Kin will eventually be merged with Windows Phone 7. At that time it was pretty obvious that the Kin will not have a long or bright future. A few days ago, they dropped the handset pricing to $29 and $49 and not only was the writing on the wall, it was carved. With laser. In big bold letters.

Today came the news via Engadget that there is to be no more Kin.

Microsoft has decided to roll the team behind Kin into Windows Phone 7. I said about a month ago, 

"The obvious question is then, why release the KIN in the first place if you're only going to merge it with your main platform? There's no time frame set by Microsoft so "over the longer term" could be next year, could be two years from now, could be never. What is the compelling reason for anyone to choose the KIN over other phones?"

Seems that many people shared my thought. The Kin was a distraction to Windows Phone 7. There really was never any strong reason for Kin to exist. If Microsoft is betting their mobile strategy on Windows 7, that's what they should be focusing on, not push an oddball product with no future of its own. 

We hardly knew you Kin, but nobody will miss you.

[Update] Engadget has the exclusive on why Kin was scrapped.

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Filed under  //  kin   microsoft   windows phone 7   wp7  
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Posted 1 month ago by Aulia Masna 

Windows Phone 7, new age of advertisement

Windows phone 7 which will be launched by Microsoft mentioned will be a qualified engine advertising publishers. This was stated by Kostas Mallios, General Manager of Strategy and Business Development of Microsoft in his presentation at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France.

Windows Phone 7 who was said to be launched next October will carry the push notification system that allows advertisers to deliver ads directly to the home screen phone. In other words, the owners of your Windows Phone 7 will accept such ads when receiving an SMS or email push.

There are two main methods that enable advertisers to send ads to the home screen devices Windows Phone 7.

First is the Tiles. Home screen on your Windows Phone 7 is composed of such small square icon called Tiles. Since Tiles is not the icon, then any tiles can be filled with applications such as games, application specific product or brand names and any applications that users want. Not just advertising a product, through the application makers Tiles can also display a notification when the latest application update available.

In addition, the second method is Toast. Using Toast the advertisers may display pop-up ads on the home screen. Unlike the first method, the ads are displayed while the application brand or product is not installed on the Tiles. As long as users install applications on the device brand or product they are, even when the application is not running, the advertisers still be able to send ads to mobile phones.

Windows Phone 7 offer an easy way for advertisers to reach their target market. To find out more detail about the ads system in Windows Phone 7, This is good news for advertisers but bad news for user..I think... :) but you can see the video below:

[via wmpoweruser]

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Filed under  //  Apps   Microsoft   Mobile   Windows Phone 7  
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Posted 1 month ago by Oki Rosgani 

KIN to be merged with Windows Phone 7. Eventually


Microsoft announced the KIN pair of phones a short while ago to excitement of the mobile industry. It seemed like it's a good product aimed at youngsters who would connect via social network services. While KIN doesn't support downloadable apps and games, it does offer cloud backup, similar to the canceled Sidekick phones by Danger, which itself was bought by Microsoft not too long ago. The KIN phones cost either $50 or $100 after rebates. 

Then came the first red flag. Microsoft is teaming up with Verizon to deliver the KIN. Sure, Verizon has arguably the best mobile coverage in the United States but they also come with caveats. In the past they've blocked bluetooth data so subscribers are forced to buy data plans to perform backups or data transfers between devices.

The second red flag is the monthly fee which stands at $70 with a two year contract, similar to what they and other operators charge for full fledged smartphone. It sounds like Microsoft and Verizon copied the playbook from printer companies; Charge a small fee for the device, hit them through the roof with ongoing costs. 

Their argument is that these phones are heavy on data usage because cloud backup of photos, videos and other data will eat a good chunk of bandwidth, which is no different from what a full smartphone does.

The third red flag is a doozy. In defending the pricing, Microsoft announced that the KIN platform will eventually be merged with Windows Phone 7. 

Microsoft's Greg Sullivan said, "Over the longer term, we'll be merging [Kin and Windows Phone 7] platforms and having downloadable apps."

The obvious question is then, why release the KIN in the first place if you're only going to merge it with your main platform? There's no time frame set by Microsoft so "over the longer term" could be next year, could be two years from now, could be never. What is the compelling reason for anyone to choose the KIN over other phones?

In the same article, Brenda Raney from Verizon is quoted as saying that the phones are meant for those, "whose life is about networking." Does that seem clear to you?

It's difficult to see the logic in releasing this product after reading that statement from Sullivan. There's also no guarantee that the first generation of KIN phones will even be eligible for the eventual upgrade, highly unlikely it seems, given the specifications. 

If you're going to spend $70 a month, might as well go with a real smartphone.

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Filed under  //  kin   microsoft   verizon   wp7 windows phone 7  
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Posted 2 months ago by Aulia Masna 

Microsoft's KIN, will it resurrect Sidekick euphoria?

Once upon a time, in the United States, there was a popular gadget among youngsters, named Sidekick. Manufactured by Japan's Sharp for Danger Inc, this handset was hugely popular because of its QWERTY keyboard and texting-friendly it had. Sadly, when RIM's BlackBerry emerged to offer more complete solution on messaging and the acquisition of Danger by Microsoft, slowly but sure the Sidekick is drown to the deadpool.

It's 2010 now, the era when multimedia and apps begin to conquer, while messaging section still has its own loyal audiences. The King of messaging is still BlackBerry, now in its OS 5.0 and more beautiful figure. Becoming part of Microsoft development, they [was Danger] want to kick ass one more time. They know the market, they know what this market want. The result is the rebirth of unique QWERTY phone in KIN series, still manufactured by Sharp this time. 

KIN boasts social network into different level, ease users on sharing by drag-and-drop (KIN Spot) and picking which friends' updates they want to know more (KIN Loop). Mcrosoft team observes human behavior, especially teenagers, and here's the result. KIN has Windows Phone core, but it's not really a Windows Phone as it doesn't have Windows Phone's full functions. 

The initial launch of KIN reveals two models, KIN One and KIN Two. Kin One is smaller, chunkier, and perfect for early youngsters. KIN Two is bigger, bolder, and having better camera that can record HD video. Both have big space for music, 4GB and 8GB respectively, allowing them to store 1000 - 2000 songs. It's no doubt that 12-18 years old section will be the ultimate target. The question now, can they ousted BlackBerry from its throne?

While KIN has fancier interface and more hip design, BlackBerry still has better closed system to offer. It's up to USA's teenagers to decide their preferences and these battles may lead to new idea on how cashing money from younger generation that usually crazy for Disney musicals, Twilight series, and MTV reality shows. Oh wait, I think I have found the perfect ambassador to make KIN sales goes crazy. Just signs Justin Bieber as KIN's endorser.  

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Filed under  //  Danger   KIN   Microsoft   Sharp   Sidekick   USA   Windows Phone  
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Posted 3 months ago by Amir Karimuddin 

There will be no more 'Series', just Windows Phone 7

Finally! Well.. it's not that Windows Phone 7 Series is a bad name, it's just.. the name is too long, and the 'Series' part? it'll only raise a lot of questions like, the standard one - 'what's the series stands for?' or 'is there going to be a 'series' of Windows Phone 7..err..Series? (see how weird that is?)'. But that stops now, as today, @windowsphone has tweeted that Microsoft is dropping the 'Series' and keeping the 'Windows Phone 7'. 

It's still a long name, but at least its simpler and won't raise a questions if there will be a different series of Windows Phone 7

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Filed under  //  microsoft   Windows Phone   windows phone 7  
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Posted 4 months ago by Bayu Wicaksono 

Windows Phone 7 Series ported to HTC HD2

It's a pretty disappointing news when Microsoft has confirmed that the HTC HD2 would not receive an update to Windows Phone 7 Series, their reason? the HTC HD2's hardware specification doesn't comply with Microsoft's hardware standards for Windows Phone 7 Series. It's not technical stuffs like the processor clock or display size or even camera resolution, no, it's because the HTC HD2 doesn't have the dedicated hardware button for Bing and system-wide search.

But that's not going to stop a team of Russian tinkerers over at htcpedia, who have manage to port WP7S over to the HTC HD2. Aside from laggy stuffs here and there, which probably has something to do with the graphics driver, everything seems to be working just fine, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth all works! Tom Codon also has confirmed that, currently there are only two buttons that are working, the start button and back button, but they also working to map the search button to the home button.

You may going to loose the HTC Sense that the HTC HD2 originally came with, but who needs 'em if you can have the awesome UI of Windows Phone 7 Series (damn that's a long name!).

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Filed under  //  hack   HTC   HTC HD2   htcpedia   microsoft   video   Windows Phone   windows phone 7   wp7s  
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Posted 4 months ago by Bayu Wicaksono 

No copy/paste on Windows Phone 7

Engadget reported that Microsoft has decided to go iPhone OS 2.0 on everyone when it comes to Windows Phone 7. First of all, it will have apps that are available only on the Windows Phone Marketplace, similar to Apple’s App Store for iPhone OS. Secondly, copy/paste will not be a feature. They just won't have it.

Supporters had been trumpeting the announcement that Windows Phone 7 will be better than iPhone OS because it will support Flash, but suddenly the Redmond Giant announced that the new mobile OS won’t have copy/cut/paste function.

The iPhone was ridiculed for not having this apparently important function until Apple relented in 2009. Relented, finally figured out a decent way to implement it, or took a feature from a jailbreak add-on, you be the judge, but regardless, it was finally built in in iPhone OS 3.0, and there was much rejoicing.

So it comes as quite a surprise that at MIX10, Microsoft told everyone it’s not going to be in Windows Phone 7 even more so when in Windows Mobile it has always been available. According to Microsoft, even Office users will not be needing copy/paste.

CNET quoted Todd Brix, a Windows Phone executive saying, “We don’t enable copy & paste and we do that very intentionally.” He continues, "It's actually an intentional design decision," he said. "We try to anticipate what the user wants so copy and paste isn't necessary."

Given that Windows Phone will have an Office suite like other smartphones, it will be interesting how they get around the issue when it comes to dealing with tables, cells, and general actions in those apps. While a handheld device may not be an ideal or even practical way to work on documents, it’s handy to have that ability given that people are beginning to increase their time spent with such devices as opposed to the traditional portable computers.

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Filed under  //  flash   iPhone   Microsoft   mix10   mobile OS   OS   Windows Phone 7   WP7  
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Posted 4 months ago by Aulia Masna 

Microsoft Silverlight coming to Symbian platform

Today we just found the news that Microsoft Silverlight has now come for the Symbian platform, although still in Beta version at least this is a major breakthrough for the world of handheld devices today.

Silverlight is the Microsoft implementation of the application of cross-browser, Cross-platform .NET Framework to build a media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web on desktop computers'. But with this version, allows the application running on the Symbian environment.

Because this is still an early stage of the Silverlight Beta application for Symbian, so there are still some shortcomings and limitations when compared with the PC version of Silverlight. Deficiency is still present in the input method, media codecs and controls.

[via AllAboutSymbian]

   
Click here to download:
Microsoft_Silverlight_coming_t.zip (54 KB)

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Filed under  //  apps   browser   Microsoft   Symbian  
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Posted 4 months ago by Oki Rosgani 

Big name developer partners are set to boost Windows Phone Marketplace

               
Click here to download:
Big_name_developer_partners_ar.zip (352 KB)

Today at MIX10, Microsoft just announced a list of developer partners for Windows Phone 7 series. Among them are the big boys of mobile apps developer like, EA Mobile, Fandango, Foursquare, Larva Labs, Microsoft Games Studios, Seesmic and Shazam. Engadget got a couple of screenshots of the upcoming apps, and I've got to say, those apps looks really good!

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Filed under  //  Apps   Marketplace   microsoft   MIX10   Windows Phone   windows phone 7   windows phone apps   Windows Phone Marketplace  
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Posted 4 months ago by Bayu Wicaksono 

Microsoft enters Google's territory, goes to China with Motorola

First is Tag Reader, now Microsoft digs deeper into Google's nest by signing agreement with Motorola to bring Bing services -- including search and maps -- into Motorola's Android phones in China. Due to recent dispute between China and Google, Motorola thirsted for alternative and Microsoft answered. Similar move had been arranged with China's giant Baidu earlier this year.

The smartphone itself is scheduled to be presented for China market this Q1, allowing consumers to choose among several choices of search and maps providers. Until now, we haven't received any information regarding the phone to be unveiled first, but MOTOROI should be a good choice.

This is not the first time Motorola challenges Google, after their success collaboration on DROID. Previously, Motorola favors Yahoo! search for its Backflip. While Motorola ousted Google from its own game, we definitely look forward to hear answer from Mountain View.

[via Press Release]

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Filed under  //  Android   Bing   Bing maps   Bing search   China   Google   Microsoft   Motorola  
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Posted 4 months ago by Amir Karimuddin