Google: Apple Is Making Our Job Easy

The Next Web

A few days ago, Google CEO Eric Schmidt did a rather candid interview that was covered on the Telegraph website in the UK. Somewhere along the way, the majority of the media seemed to have missed it, but there were some very key points about Google’s mindset on products, and mobile in particular.

Probably most notable of his quotes was the following:

“We don’t have a plan to beat Apple, that’s not how we operate.  We’re trying to do something different than Apple and the good news is that Apple is making that very easy.”

The statement, made in reference to the 2.2 version of Android being rolled out shortly after the launch of iPhone 4, opens quite a few doors about the inner workings of Google.  For one, as Schmidt is quick to point out, the business models are drastically different between the two companies.

“The Google model is completely open. You can basically take the software – it’s free – you can modify whatever you want, you can add any kind of app, you can build any kind of business model on top of it and you can add any kind of hardware. The Apple model is the inverse.”

Though Schmidt is also keen to point out that Google has been eyeing the mobile market for quite some time, and the market had only recently come to a point where it seemed logical for Google to strike.

And strike it has.  Google, it seems, is working its way toward a semantic experience not only for search but for its mobile market as well.  Schmidt points out that in the course of the next 5 years, the world will be consuming the majority of its content online.  That consumption, says Schmidt, will happen “on devices that are live not static. The characteristics of these devices are that they know who you are, they know where you are, they can play video and they carry memory.”

So then back to the subject of Apple making Google’s job easier.  The question, of course, is how this is fact.  The answer is deceptively simple, and one that we’ve talked about before:  Google is catering to a market that wants a more open platform.

The argument could be made, indeed, that Android is only open to an extent; that the approval process and release cycle puts it simply on par with iOS and not in a different class.  But the other end of that story is what you can do with Android once it’s in your own hands.  As Schmidt points out, you can modify it in any way that you want and that, it seems, is important enough to keep Android running strong.

What’s more?  In a statement that is sure to strike to the heart of Apple, Schmidt makes a quip about the development process for Android, and for Google products in general:

“All of our testing indicates that the vast majority of people are perfectly happy with our policy. And this message is the message that nobody wants to hear so let me say it again: the reality is we make decisions based on what the average user tells us and we do check. And the reason that you should trust us is that if we were to violate that trust people would move immediately to someone else.”

While this speaks volumes about how Google does business in general, it also shows a more human side of the giant.  Google seems to be acutely aware of the fact that the goal of keeping customers lies in keeping their trust.

Original title and link for this post: Google: Apple Is Making Our Job Easy

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Major Newspaper Chain Goes Open Source

ReadWriteWeb

JRC logo.jpgThe argument over the utility of open source has one more voter in the yes camp. This time, it's the Journal Register Company, a U.S. newspaper chain with 170 publications.

Calling it the Ben Franklin Project, the company tried open source for a month. Things went so well it decided to make it permanent and company-wide for its 18 daily newspapers and their websites.

Sponsor

In a somewhat cutesy press release, the company declares its "independence from proprietary publishing systems."

ben franklin.jpgNewspapers have seen a sustained drop in readership, and therefore in revenues, over the last half-decade. The ability to cut cost on something as elemental as production, by dropping expensive proprietary software, is exciting. But so is watching a company in an allegedly change-resistant sector see the light bulb go off over its head.

"The Ben Franklin Project not only proves that websites and newspapers can be freed from the restraints of legacy, proprietary publishing systems, but also heralds the potential of an open and transparent news-gathering process. The Project allowed audience members to help shape editorial story budgets through crowd sourcing."

Ben photo by Mark Skrobola

Discuss

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Twitter's Newest Revenue Plan: Daily Deals

Silicon Alley Insider

twitter

Twitter's next revenue plan appears to be tweeting out daily deals through a new account called "Early Bird," or @earlybird in Twitter parlance.

Marshall Kirkpatrick at ReadWriteWeb, first discovered the account. Twitter PR told Marshall,  "There are interesting things in store for @earlybird. Keep waking up early and you might be the first to find out what they are."

This is a brilliant, if simple, way for Twitter to generate revenue. As Marshall points out, Dell says it generated $6.5 million in sales on Twitter over 2 years. Twitter can inflate that number by appealing to a greater number of people, with a greater number of products.

Further, this keeps Twitter's current users engaged, while giving more people a reason to join Twitter.

See Also: Twitter's Secret Ad Revenue Plan Revealed: Copy Google

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Foursquare Surpasses One Million Check-ins In A Single Day

The Next Web

Foursquare is enjoying huge growth and getting a lot of good press as of late.

Just days after securing $20 million series B round of capital, the location service has announced another big milestone – 1 million check-ins in one day.

As Foursquare continues to close deals with massive brands such as Starbucks, Domino’s, Pepsi and even Jimmy Choo, the service is beginning to see adoption from less tech-savvy users, who are enjoying playing the “location game” and benefitting from discounts in the process.

The tweet posted just a few hours ago:

Many said location services would never catch on, today’s announcement conclusively reinforces they are here to stay.

Original title and link for this post: Foursquare Surpasses One Million Check-ins In A Single Day

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The Shocking Media Habits Of 8-18 Year Olds

The Shocking Media Habits Of 8-18 Year Olds

Teen Smoking

Kids are leading the world's transition to digital media.

This is in part because kids aren't afraid of technology, and in part because kids haven't spent years getting use to anything else.

So if you want to get a sense of where the world's media habits are headed, it makes sense to watch what kids are doing.

The Kaiser Family Foundation did just that in a comprehensive survey released early this year.  Kaiser surveyed more than 2,000 families, and turned up all sorts of interesting information about the media habits of 8-18 year olds.

(Just go to the presentation >)

Some key points:

  • Kids consume a heck of a lot of media--and more all the time.  Basically, if kids are awake, they're consuming media.  And, increasingly, they're consuming multiple forms of media at the same time.
  • Kids' print media consumption is tiny and falling.
  • Kids' digital media consumption is going through the roof.

No big surprise there.  What is a surprise is how little parents seem to care about this.  (Or, alternatively, how much parents encourage this media consumption by consuming a huge amount of media themselves.)

  • In 2/3 of households, TVs are on during meals
  • In 75% of households, TVs are on when no one is watching them.
  • More than 70% of kids have TVs in their bedrooms
  • Only 1/3 of households have media-consumption rules

No surprise, more media is consumed in households in which TVs are always on, where there are no media consumption rules, and where kids have TVs in their bedrooms.

And, no surprise, kids who consume the most media get the worst grades (but is this cause or effect?)

It's a long presentation, but it's awesome.

Flip through the presentation here >

Note: We first published this presentation this spring.

TV still rules...

TV still rules...

Kids' Media Use By Platform

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

More media all the time -- now 10.5 hours a day

More media all the time -- now 10.5 hours a day

Kids' Media Exposure Per Day

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

With 3 hours of media multi-tasking

With 3 hours of media multi-tasking

Kids' Media Exposure Per Day

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

What kids do when they're media multitasking

What kids do when they're media multitasking

Kids Media Multitasking

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Mobile: Who owns what

Mobile: Who owns what

Kids Mobile Media Use

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Still 33 minutes a day gabbing on the cell phone

Still 33 minutes a day gabbing on the cell phone

Kids Mobile Media Activity

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Again, TV still rules

Again, TV still rules

Kids Media Use By Platform

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

But LIVE TV consumption is dropping (less couch-potato-ism!)

But LIVE TV consumption is dropping (less couch-potato-ism!)

Kids TV Content Consumption

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

DVD consumption hanging steady (for now)

DVD consumption hanging steady (for now)

Kids TV Content Platform Breakdown

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

DVR consumption still rising (though surprisingly small)

DVR consumption still rising (though surprisingly small)

Kids TV Content Platform Breakdown

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Online TV consumption growing (will soon replace DVR and DVD?)

Online TV consumption growing (will soon replace DVR and DVD?)

Kids TV Content Platform Breakdown

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

iPod TV consumption also growing (another threat to DVR and DVD)

iPod TV consumption also growing (another threat to DVR and DVD)

Kids TV Content Platform Breakdown

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

And, lastly, TV consumption on a cell phone (we're betting that's iPhone-based playback, not MobiTV)

And, lastly, TV consumption on a cell phone (we're betting that's iPhone-based playback, not MobiTV)

Kids TV Content Platform Breakdown

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

So, total TV-content consumption is growing, but via different media

So, total TV-content consumption is growing, but via different media

Kids TV Total Time

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Here's how kids are consuming TV shows

Here's how kids are consuming TV shows

Kids TV Time By Platform

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Moving on to music--it's growing, too

Moving on to music--it's growing, too

Kids Listening To Music

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

But as with TV, music is being consumed via different media. So long, CDs...

But as with TV, music is being consumed via different media. So long, CDs...

Kids Listening To Music By Platform

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Next, computers: They're taking over

Next, computers: They're taking over

Kids Computer Time

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

In part because almost all households now have Internet access

In part because almost all households now have Internet access

Kids Home Internet Access

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

More than half now have HIGH-SPEED Internet access

More than half now have HIGH-SPEED Internet access

Kids High Speed Internet Access

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

A third of kids now have Internet access in their bedrooms

A third of kids now have Internet access in their bedrooms

Kids Internet Access In Bedroom

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

And here's what kids do on their computers (mostly social networking, games, and videos)

And here's what kids do on their computers (mostly social networking, games, and videos)

Kids Computer Use By Activity

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Kids now blow more than an hour a day on video games

Kids now blow more than an hour a day on video games

Kids Video Game Use

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Video games are a boy thing

Video games are a boy thing

Kids Video Game Use By Gender

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Video games are shifting to handhelds (sorry, Sony)

Video games are shifting to handhelds (sorry, Sony)

Kids Video Game Use By Platform

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

And now for READING...

And now for READING...

Kids Reading Time

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Books actually hanging in there (thanks to school?). Newspapers, not so much.

Books actually hanging in there (thanks to school?). Newspapers, not so much.

Kids Reading Type

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Only a quarter of kids glance at a newspaper every day (Sorry, Mr. Sulzberger)

Only a quarter of kids glance at a newspaper every day (Sorry, Mr. Sulzberger)

Kids Reading Type Day

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Digital media is where it's at

Digital media is where it's at

Kids Media Time By Platform By Age

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Basically, if kids are awake, they're consuming media

Basically, if kids are awake, they're consuming media

Kids Media Time By Age

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

And this is interesting: Check out media consumption by race

And this is interesting: Check out media consumption by race

Kids Media Time By Race

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

The race disparity has widened in recent years

The race disparity has widened in recent years

Kids Media By Race Per Day

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

And now for the side effects of all that media consumption...

And now for the side effects of all that media consumption...

Kids Media Use And Grades

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

"Light" media consumers get good grades. So do "moderate" media consumers

"Light" media consumers get good grades. So do "moderate" media consumers

Kids Media Use And Grades Moderate

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

But not "heavy" media consumers. (Is that cause or effect?)

But not "heavy" media consumers. (Is that cause or effect?)

Kids Media Use And Grades Heavy

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

No surprise: Kids consume media while doing homework

No surprise: Kids consume media while doing homework

Kids Media Multitasking

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

SHOCKING: In two-thirds of households, the TV is on during meals

SHOCKING: In two-thirds of households, the TV is on during meals

TV on During Meals

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

In 75% of households, the TV is often just ON, even when no one's watching it

In 75% of households, the TV is often just ON, even when no one's watching it

TV On When No One Watching

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

EVEN MORE SHOCKING: 70% of kids have a TV in their bedroom (Are we parents brain dead?)

EVEN MORE SHOCKING: 70% of kids have a TV in their bedroom (Are we parents brain dead?)

TV in Bedroom

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Only one-third of households have rules about media consumption

Only one-third of households have rules about media consumption

Kids Media Consumption Rules

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

No sh*t, Sherlock: Kids watch more TV in households in which a TV is just on all the time

No sh*t, Sherlock: Kids watch more TV in households in which a TV is just on all the time

Kids TV On In Home

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

No sh*t, Sherlock 2: Kids who have a TV in their bedroom watch a lot more TV

No sh*t, Sherlock 2: Kids who have a TV in their bedroom watch a lot more TV

Kids TV Consumption If TV In Bedroom

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

No sh*t, Sherlock 3: Kids who have no media consumption rules consume more media

No sh*t, Sherlock 3: Kids who have no media consumption rules consume more media

Kids Media Consumption By Media Rules

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

No sh*t, Sherlock 4!

No sh*t, Sherlock 4!

Parents Matter

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

You can download the whole presentation here >

You can download the whole presentation here >

Kaiser Presentation

Image: Kaiser Foundation

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation

Join the conversation about this story »

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How the Web Is Affecting Social Relations [STUDY]

How the Web Is Affecting Social Relations [STUDY]


Most experts agree: The Internet improves social relations and will continue to do so over the next decade. And you thought the machines were going to rise up and murder us all.

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center just released their fourth “Future of the Internet” survey, the topic of which was “The Future of Social Relations.” The opt-in study, which tapped 895 tech stakeholders and critics, essentially presented respondents with two differing world views:

“In 2020, when I look at the big picture and consider my personal friendships, marriage and other relationships, I see that the internet has mostly been a positive force on my social world. And this will only grow more true in the future. ”

and…

“In 2020, when I look at the big picture and consider my personal friendships, marriage and other relationships, I see that the internet has mostly been a negative force on my social world. And this will only grow more true in the future. ”

They then chose one viewpoint, elaborated as to why they chose that stance, as well as pontificated on the subject more generally. The results are pretty interesting.

As you can see from the above graphic, 85% think that their lives have been improved by the web, and that this theme will continue over the course of the next decade. The graphic shows two different groups: 371 long-time experts who regularly participate in the surveys, and the entire survey group, which includes other experts.

In looking at these results it’s important to take them with a grain of salt, as they come from people who are mostly web enthusiasts. According to Pew, “50% have been using the Internet since 1992 or earlier, with 11% actively involved online since 1982 or earlier. When asked for their primary area of Internet interest, 15% of the survey participants identified themselves as research scientists; 14% as business leaders or entrepreneurs; 12% as consultants or futurists, 12% as authors, editors or journalists; 9% as technology developers or administrators; 7% as advocates or activist users; 3% as pioneers or originators; 2% as legislators, politicians or lawyers; and 25% specified their primary area of interest as ‘other.’”

Respondents include everyone from Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, to folks from top universities and government agencies, as well as companies like Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Yahoo, Intel, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Ericsson Research, Nokia and The New York Times.

Still, Pew provided a myriad of more descriptive responses from those surveyed that cast an interesting light on the findings. While many cited positive experiences with the web — such as meeting spouses, fostering relationships with distant relatives and cutting the costs of communication — many also questioned the effects of the web on society. Think loss of privacy, deep relationships and burgeoning intolerance (not to mention the rise of Justin Bieber — my own contribution). Here’s a selection of quotes from survey respondents that we found most interesting. Take a moment and let us know in the comments: How do you think the web is affecting our social relations?

“The net is about people connecting online, for commerce, politics, and personally, and we already see that enhances real-life relationships. Location-based social networking, in particular, will be a big part of our lives.” —Craig Newmark, founder and customer- service representative, Craigslist, former software engineer and programmer at companies such as JustInTime Solutions, Bank of America and IBM

“If – and I believe this will happen eventually – the tendency to make remarks and adopt positions you would never consider in person can be overcome, online society stands a very real chance of taking interpersonal relationships to a level never before possible. Balancing out the anonymity and lack of physical contact is the ability to mask a plethora of medical and psychological conditions that until now have proven serious handicaps to social interaction. No one stutters or stammers on Twitter.” —Robert G. Ferrell, information systems security professional, US government, former systems security specialist, National Business Center, US Department of the Interior

“Fifty years ago emigrants left their family and friends behind. Now people who move from one country to another simply enlarge their social networks, building truly global communities.” —Hal Varian, chief economist of Google and on the faculty at the University of California-Berkeley

“The Internet helps me maintain contact with a greater number of people. But it also makes it easier for me to retreat within a form-fitted political, religious, or social landscape. It’s when we find ways to work with people with whom we disagree that society progresses. The internet makes it easier for me to avoid disagreement and compromise and encourages me to become more strident and polarized in my views. That’s a problem.” —Tim Marema, vice president of the Center for Rural Strategies

“The technology is simply as good or bad as human nature. One has only to look at the hype around #iranelection to see the capacity for giddy optimism to be supplanted by calculated abuse of power. The Internet can be a positive force for creating reinforcing social connections, and a negative for abuse of civil liberties and increasing polarization of opinion.” —Perry Hewitt, director of digital communications and communications services at Harvard University

image courtesy of iStockphoto, shapecharge

More About: social media, stats, web-2.0

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HP Confirms webOS Tablets Are in the Works

HP Confirms webOS Tablets Are in the Works


HP has closed on its $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm, and with it, confirmed that it plans to develop tablet computers and netbooks based on the webOS operating system. HP also plans to continue to develop smartphones using Palm’s technology.

In a statement, the company says, “Palm will be responsible for webOS software development and webOS based hardware products, from a robust smartphone roadmap to future slate PCs and netbooks.”

Tablets and netbooks were one of the big reasons we assumed HP bought Palm, so today’s news doesn’t come as a surprise. With everyone from Apple to Dell getting into the game –- and the market expected to shift significantly over the next few years towards these types of devices –- HP had little choice but to make a bold move.

What will be interesting to watch, however, is what devices –- if any –- the company builds for other platforms. HP recently nixed plans to launch a Windows 7-based Slate, a device teased by Steve Ballmer himself back at CES. With HP competitor Dell betting big on Android for both tablets and smartphones, HP’s strategy appears to be a lot more like that of Apple, controlling both the hardware and the operating system. Now that the Palm deal is closed, we’ll wait and see what types of devices come out of the company.


Reviews: Android

More About: HP, netbooks, palm, tablets

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MeeGo Could, Quite Possibly, Make Nokia Sexy Again [Screenshots and Video]

MeeGo Could, Quite Possibly, Make Nokia Sexy Again [Screenshots and Video]

It’s not often you see something released by Nokia that makes you take a second look, but after looking at the latest MeeGo screenshots, I have to say I’m impressed.

Posting on its official blog, the MeeGo team announced the start of the MeeGo Handset user experience project. This was the official release of a concept announced back in March, where the team released the MeeGo core OS source code to developers to build towards the MeeGo 1.0 release.

MeeGo is an open source, Linux project which brings together the Moblin project, headed up by Intel, and Maemo, by Nokia, into a single open source activity, creating solutions for smartphones, netbooks and other mobile devices.

Nokia will be looking to release MeeGo on its N Series handsets and judging by the looks of some of the screenshots posted on the MeeGo website, Nokia might be on to a winner. Diehard Nokia fans won’t find a single reference or style from Symbian, MeeGo looks fresh, more innovative and modern, if not a cross between Android and Windows Phone 7.

Enough of the talk, take a look at the screenshots:

Recombu also managed to snag a video showing the operating system in action:

What do you think? Could Nokia be on to a winner?

Original title and link for this post: MeeGo Could, Quite Possibly, Make Nokia Sexy Again [Screenshots and Video]

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Google gets into the travel business; acquires ITA.

Google gets into the travel business; acquires ITA.

It’s interesting, as we’ve talked about Google getting into the travel business before, but today it’s official.  Google has signed an agreement to acquire ITA Software for $700 million, according to the Google Blog.

While Bing runs up its market share with travel search features, Google has surely noticed.  ITA is a Boston-based company that specializes in organizing airline data.  According to the blog:

While online flight search is rapidly evolving, we think there is room for more competition and greater innovation. Google has already come up with new ways to organize hard-to-find information like images, newspaper archives, scholarly papers, books and geographic data. Once we’ve completed our acquisition of ITA, we’ll work on creating new flight search tools that will make it easier for you to search for flights, compare flight options and prices and get you quickly to a site where you can buy your ticket.

For those who might be wondering, Google will be honoring all previous agreements with ITA customers.  Google is simply, it seems, trying to broaden the choices for travelers.  As detailed in the press release for the acquisition, too few companies offer too few choices, and Google would like to change that.  Profitably, of course.

Original title and link for this post: Google gets into the travel business; acquires ITA.

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Microsofts Kin-telefoons nu al geflopt

Microsofts Kin-telefoons nu al geflopt

Microsofts Kin-telefoons voor jongeren zijn in de VS geflopt en komen niet meer naar Europa. Microsoft focust nu op Windows Phone 7.

Microsoft lijkt van plan te zijn alweer te stoppen met zijn jongerenmobieltjes met de naam Kin. Gizmodo heeft dat gehoord van bronnen binnen Microsoft. Dat is vroeg. De Kin-toestellen werden in april van dit jaar aangekondigd en nu al lijkt het einde in zicht. De Kin is een featurephone met één belangrijke functie: berichtjes sturen en ontvangen van vrienden.

Maarten Sonneveld van Microsoft Nederland laat weten dat het nog niet zo is dat per direct de stekker uit de Kin-toestellen gaat. Maar een Europese release komt er zeker niet. 'We hebben het besluit genomen om ons volledig te focussen op Windows Phone 7 en zullen zodoende Kin niet in Europa introduceren, zoals eerder was gepland. Daarnaast zullen we ons Kin-team integreren in het Windows Phone 7-team om waardevolle ideeën en technologieën met elkaar te verbinden voor toekomstige Windows Phone-releases. We blijven samenwerken met Verizon in de VS in de verkoop van de huidige Kin-telefoons.'

De Kin-telefoons verkochten in de eerste weken zeer slecht. Daar waren meerdere redenen voor. Allereerst liep Microsoft anderhalf jaar vertraging op in de ontwikkeling van de telefoons. Eerst was het de bedoeling voort te bouwen op het systeem van de Sidekick-mobieltjes. Microsoft had hiervoor de maker van de Sidekick overgenomen. Maar later werd toch besloten de Kins uit te rusten met een systeem gebaseerd op de Windows-code.

 

De achttien maanden vertraging schoot provider Verizon, die de toestellen exclusief heeft, in het verkeerde keelgat. Uit wraak schrapte Verizon de kortingen die het in eerste instantie wilde geven in combinatie met de Kins. Gevolg: de abonnementen bij de Kins zijn relatief duur. Ook zijn de toestellen zelf vrij prijzig, terwijl het geen echte smartphones zijn. 

De timing was ook niet ideaal. De release van de telefoons viel samen met een enorme stroom berichten over de komst van de iPhone 4, die vroegtijdig uitlekte. Op zich had het concept kunnen werken, gezien de plotse populariteit van de Blackberry onder randstedelijke jongeren. De Kins hadden ook qwerty-toetsenbordjes. Dat Blackberry nog eens een jongerenmerk zou worden, had ook niemand enkele jaren geleden gedacht.

De manier waarop Microsoft het aanpakte was gedoemd te mislukken. Zo was er een pinginterval van een kwartier, vrij lang in de huidige tijden van instant-communicatie. Volgens Microsoft was de lage refreshfrequentie nodig om accuduur te sparen en servers niet te zwaar te belasten. 

De diepere oorzaak voor het Kin-fiasco is volgens Engadget dat er intern allerlei strubbelingen zijn of waren binnen Microsoft. Het bedrijf miste daardoor een duidelijke koers op mobiel gebied. Windows Phone 7, dat deze herfst verschijnt, is een eerste stap in de goede richting. We zullen zien. Daarna wil het bedrijf volgens Engadget het mobiele deel nog meer onderbrengen binnen één-en-dezelfde Windows-productlijn, die kan starten rond de komst van Windows 8. Maar dan zijn we zeker twee jaar verder.

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