When Microsoft announced the Kin One and Kin Two in the Spring of this year, I had my doubts about its ability to succeed as a Windows Phone device for the younger crowd. It didn’t have a dedicated app store, there were no pre-loaded games and the cost of owning one included the same data package that you’d get on more capable devices on Verizon’s network. Its only saving grace was the Kin Studio, a cloud service that allowed users to immediately store photos, videos, contacts and other information on Microsoft’s servers. Best of all, it was free and unlimited.
However, just like the Kin One and Two whose lives were short-lived, the Kin Studio services is also closing down. On January 31, the Kin Studio will be no more, so if you have photos and other info stored there, you may want to back those up elsewhere. Perhaps services like Evernote or Dropbox may be a good start, or maybe even getting onto your computer’s hard drive or an external one. You’ll have a month to save everything!
As a consolation prize, Verizon is offering any new 3G smartphone for free to those affected. It’s the least the carrier could do for taking the last breath of life away from the Kin phones. So if you managed to pick up a Kin while it was available during its initial launch or its brief comeback – whether you regret the decision or not – you’ll have from January 31 to March 31 to pick up a 3G phone of your choice from Verizon without having to renegotiate a new contract.
In the end, it’s a win-win, right? And all you had to do is deal with having a pseudo-smartphone for a few months while watching your counterparts enjoy their pretty Android handsets.
[Via: WP Central]