X

Kin One (photos)

Verizon is prepping to release the Microsoft Kin One and Two. CNET got an early hands-on look. Check out the Kin One photo gallery here.

Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha was a former chief correspondent for CNET Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
Bonnie Cha
1 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft Kin One (Verizon Wireless)

The Kin One offers younger users a unique and fun social networking experience on a phone. It will be available in Verizon stores starting May 13 for $49.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate, but be aware you will also be required to sign up for a $29.99 per month unlimited data plan.
34057898-2-440-PALM.jpg
2 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Unique design

Of the Kin devices, the Kin One definitely has the more interesting design with its squarish shape.
34057898-2-440-KEYS.jpg
3 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Keyboard

The phone's smaller size makes the keyboard a bit cramped, so users with larger thumbs might have some problem. Overall, however, we thought it was quite usable. The buttons are a good size and there's decent spacing between each one.
34057898-2-440-TP.jpg
4 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Top view

The top of the device holds a 3.5mm headphone jack, a camera activation/capture button, and a volume rocker. The camera key and volume buttons are in an awkward position, however, so they're hard to use.
34057898-2-440-SD.jpg
5 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Left side

The left side has a single Micro-USB port.
34057898-2-440-BK.jpg
6 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Back view

On back, you'll find the Kin One's 5-megapixel camera and flash.
34057898-2-440-SS1.jpg
7 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Picture quality

The photo quality of the Kin One's camera wasn't very impressive. The awkward placement of the camera button made it hard to hold the phone steady and get a steady shot. Also, colors were washed out.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos