A new product from Microsoft specifically focused on the social media enabled youth. With an intensively graphic UI, aggregating numerous social media channels, the Kin is a sharp contrast in both design and function to Apple's iPhone. A MySpace-esk website serves as the desktop version of the UI.
Pros
- Intriguing and unusual shape (the smaller dubbed "turtle"), counter to popular minimalist design
- Secondary/supplementary "dashboard" function via home computing allows for greater control and customization of Kin UI and content
- Ergonomically crafted for rapid "thumb" navigation and input
- Enabled sharing on multiple channels through a single interface (single app instead of many)
- Encouraging and empowering community building
- Limited market and focus; not applicable to professional/business marketplace
- Potentially founded on past social media trends; category which has not yet been defined and constantly evolving
- Also considered a "fad" product, developed specifically to accomodate the latest tech trend. Little to no future-planning.
- Secondary, physical keyboard still required for text entry (unlike other popular devices with virtual keyboards)
