Own a piece of tech history: Microsoft Kin One for just $25 (US Only, Verizon)

If you’re on Verizon or just want an interesting Microsoft off-shoot of their Windows Phone series, then the Kin One (a partnership with Sharp) may be for you. Plus you can have it for the low-low price of $25 (free shipping).

The Kin One, was a device released in April 2010 and can be considered part of the Microsoft-in-transition-what-the-hell-are-we-doing phase of the company. Seriously, Windows Phone 7 was just announced and prepping for release that fall when the Kin One (and Two) came along and confused everyone. What does it run? How is it related to Windows Phone? And most importantly, Why?

Fun fact: the Kin One and Two grew out of the secretive 'Project Pink' at Microsoft...

The Kin One and Two eventually flopped badly on Verizon and rumors have it that Big Red didn’t forgive the quickly cancelled fiasco with Microsoft. It’s often cited as one of the reasons why Windows Phone took time to creep onto the carrier and let’s face it, it wasn’t until the Lumia 822/HTC 8X/Samsung Odyssey and the recent Lumia 928 did Verizon take Windows Phone seriously.

What is interesting about the One (and Two) is you see a lot of precursors to the Windows Phone design, aesthetics, focus on social and perhaps a peek into Microsoft’s future. The Kin Studio was in many ways ahead of its time and while the device was a bomb, it has interesting aspects to it. Speaking of Kin Studio, it was killed off, meaning this phone and some of its cloud-based services have been knee-capped just a tad.

Specifications

• CDMA 800/1900
• 600MHz ARM 11 Nvidia Tegra processor
• 2.6-Inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Internal 4 GB storage, 256MB RAM
• 5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash
• Built-in Zune player
• Geo-tagging, face and smile detection
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
• Up to 200 hours of standby time
• 82.6 x 63.5 x 19.1 mm (3.25 x 2.5 x 0.75 in)
• 110.6 (3.88 oz)

So what do you get for your $25? A 2010 era feature phone that focuses heavily on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace (LOL), web and music services. Plus you get a mini-chicklet keyboard.

And yes, we bought one to throw into our pile of reference devices, thank you.

Anyway, pick it up on Daily Steels (link below). Read our three-part review here: one, two and three.

Source: Daily Steals; Thanks, Owen S., for the tip!