Video: Hands-On With the Kin One and Kin Two

Microsoft’s two newest phones, the Kin One and Kin Two, take aim at the same demographic as the company’s earlier Sidekick phones: Text-happy tweens.

The phones have a promising new interface that puts social media updates front and center, with tweets, Facebook updates and other tiny news blurbs stacked up in an attractive column on the phones’ home screen. And the smaller Kin One is super cute.

But do the phones measure up? They’re not exactly smartphones, and with poor web browsing and e-mail capabilities — not to mention no app store — they don’t deliver everything you might expect.

Check out the video below, in which I go over the high and low points of these phones, which are available now from Verizon.

Highlights from our recent review:

Kin One

WIRED Super pocket-friendly size and weight (4.1 ounces). Cute as a button. Surprisingly usable keyboard. Built-in FM tuner. Extremely responsive touchscreen.

TIRED Screen too small for much reading or web browsing. Autofocus problems, especially on closeups. Video recording is only standard definition. Doesn’t integrate with Google contacts or calendar. Limited Twitter capabilities.

$50 (after $100 mail-in rebate, with 2-year contract)

Kin Two

WIRED Free and automatic browser-based phone backup. Easy sharing of photos, videos and web pages.

TIRED Lack of apps and games. No easy way to access maps. El cheap-o design. No calendar or alarm. No onscreen keyboard.

$100 (after $100 mail-in rebate, with 2-year contract)

Want more of the lowdown? Read our review of Microsoft’s Kin One and Kin Two.

Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/kOPeochNdIM/