kin

I'm sure there are few people left in the world who have not, at one time or another, sent a picture of their most favorable body parts to someone they loved. Or at least coveted. Or at least knew. I am, therefore, moved to photograph the frothing in my brain caused by the controversy surrounding a video for Microsoft's new Kin phones aimed at young social-networking hipsters.

The film appears at Kin.com, a Microsoft promotional site that tells you the Kin is "impulsive" and that "the more you share, the more you get." … Read more

With music, there's no bright line between art and commerce. Ever since the dawn of mass media, when big-band radio shows were commercially sponsored, musicians have explicitly endorsed products or allowed their songs to be used in advertisements.

At the same time, there's a notion among some musicians and fans that rock 'n' roll is sacred, and that artists who sell their music to commercial sponsors are less talented or less deserving of fame and fortune. This notion ebbs and flows as the music industry changes and has been particularly strong in certain subcultures--particularly the original punks and … Read more

It's been a busy week, thanks to Apple and Microsoft. First, we raced down to Cupertino, Calif., to watch Apple CEO Steve Jobs preview iPhone OS 4, and then we zipped back up to San Francisco to catch Microsoft as it took the wraps off Project Pink and unveiled the Kin One and Kin Two. Of course, after all that, we had more questions than answers, so we try to tackle some of those issues in this week's episode of Dialed In. Plus, we take a look at the latest rumors and reviews and give Kent a warm … Read more

One of the central features of Microsoft's just-announced Kin phone is the "Loop" feature, which shows recent updates from a variety of social networks.

However, not only doesn't the Loop get automatically updated with new posts, but it refreshes itself only every 15 minutes. Those who want updates more frequently have to either open the Kin's built-in feed reader application or lock and unlock the phone. (The Kin automatically fetches new updates when it is unlocked.)

Microsoft characterized the setting as a battery-saving move for the phone, which is aimed at the 15- to 30-year-old &… Read more

Everybody dance now! Or, you know, do any other type of workout that appeals to you, though dancing definitely wouldn't be a stretch with Sony's latest W-Series Walkman. This week, Jasmine and Donald discuss the usefulness of this sweat-resistant MP3-player-cum-headphones as well as the expeditious availability of the new 64GB Zune. Also, join us for a brief rant about the first two phones set to run the Zune music player software.

Subscribe in iTunes audio |  Subscribe in iTunes video | Subscribe in RSS audio |  Subscribe in RSS video… Read more

Microsoft's introduction of the Kin One and Kin Two on Monday answered a lot of questions about the company's long-running, secretive "Pink" effort. But the unusual devices also left a lot of folks scratching their heads.

Well, CNET is here to try to clear some things up. We'll try to answer as many questions about the device as possible. And, if we missed one, just let us know and we'll do our best to track down an answer.

Also, be sure to check out Bonnie Cha's initial hands-on look at the Kin.

Who … Read more

It was clear from the start of Monday's press conference that Microsoft is after a certain user group with its new Kin phones. The event was held in a nightclub; the introductory video featured young hipsters waxing about the joys of Facebook; and the food spread featured hamburger sliders and French fries served in paper cones. And once we learned about the new handsets, the Kin One and the Kin Two, I began to feel rather out of place.

Whether you call them "lifecasters," the "upload generation," or people who just can't shut up, … Read more

On Monday, Microsoft finally took the wraps off of Project Pink and revealed two new phones targeted toward the younger generation of social butterflies.

The Kin One and the Kin Two will be available from Verizon Wireless starting next month, and, as CNET Reporter Ina Fried states, the phones are for men and women anywhere between the ages of 15 and 30 who want to broadcast their every thought, sight, and sound and want to know what their friends are up to as well. As a result, a lot of the phones' functions are built around the social-networking experience.

We got some hands-on time with both the Kin One and the Kin Two, and we're still trying to pinpoint our exact feelings on it. Overall, we think the premise is good but there are also some head-scratching omissions and the pricing of the devices and services plans will be key. We'll have to wait a bit longer to hear those details, but in the meantime, here are some of our initial thoughts on the hardware and the user interface.… Read more

This morning, I got a close look at Kin, the forthcoming phone from Microsoft and Sharp that's focused on social networking and multimedia playback. (CNET's Ina Fried has more details on what Kin is and is not.)

The Kin is the outgrowth of the much-discussed "Project Pink," which was first rumored to be a "Zune phone" back in 2007. There's some truth to that: the music interface is a lot like the Zune HD, organized around horizontal and vertical menus, and the phones will be able to stream music over the air to … Read more