Microsoft Kin TWOm The Complete Guide to Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Introduction to Microsoft Kin TWOm

Microsoft Kin TWOm is a feature phone that marked its entry into the mobile market in November 2010. It was designed with the youth demographic in mind, focusing on seamless social networking and communication. Despite being discontinued, it had a unique place in Microsoft's mobile device lineup during its time.

Design and Build

The Kin TWOm boasts a compact build with dimensions of 111.3 x 59.9 x 16.3 mm and a weight of 133 g, making it a portable and easily handheld device. It features a physical QWERTY keyboard, which was popular among users who preferred tactile feedback when typing. The device is equipped with a Mini-SIM slot and comes in a sleek Black color.

Display

Equipped with a 3.4-inch TFT display, the Kin TWOm offers a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, providing a decent visual experience considering its release period. The display occupies approximately 51.6% of the phone's body, making it suitable for basic multimedia and web browsing activities.

Camera Capabilities

The Kin TWOm is fitted with a single rear camera of 8 MP with autofocus, coupled with an LED flash, which allows users to capture good quality images. The camera also supports video recording at 720p resolution, which was a standard for devices during its time.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the Kin TWOm is powered by a Nvidia Tegra chipset, featuring a 600MHz ARM 11 CPU. This configuration was aimed at delivering efficient performance for everyday tasks, such as messaging, social networking, and basic multimedia playback. However, the device does not support expandable storage, with 8GB internal storage and 256MB RAM catering to the user's needs for app storage and multitasking.

Network and Connectivity

The device operates on CDMA/EVDO technology with support for CDMA 800/1900 2G bands and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 3G bands. Internet browsing is supported at speeds up to EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps. Wireless connectivity is ensured through Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP. However, positioning services are not available on this device.

Battery Life

The Kin TWOm houses a removable Li-Ion 1240mAh battery, providing a standby time of up to 232 hours and a talk time of up to 6 hours. Despite its modest capacity, the battery management was adequate for the device's intended use of messaging and social media navigation.

Software Features

Operating as a feature phone, the Kin TWOm comes with a range of software capabilities, including SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, and Push Email services to enhance user communication. Web browsing is facilitated through WAP 2.0/xHTML and HTML support. The device includes Java support via MIDP 2.0, although no pre-installed games were available.

Audio and Multimedia

For audio output, the Kin TWOm features stereo speakers and includes a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones. It also supports Stereo FM radio with RDS functionality, allowing users to enjoy music and radio streaming. The multimedia capabilities are largely aligned with the expectations from a feature phone of its era.

Conclusion and Market Position

Despite its short-lived presence in the market, the Microsoft Kin TWOm represented an intriguing attempt by Microsoft to capture the youth demographic through its focus on social media and messaging. Its design, camera ability, and basic multimedia functionalities were suitably tailored for its targeted user base. The appeal of a physical QWERTY keyboard and compact form factor offered a distinctive alternative during a time predominated by touchscreen devices.