“After being labeled as one of Microsoft’s greatest failures having been pulled from sale after only six weeks during its original run, the Kin One and Kin Two are back on sale with Verizon,” Electronista reports. “With the re-release has come a slight name change to the Kin ONEm and Kin TWOm. Microsoft only sold 8,810 units during the initial product run, but hopes to turn the disastrous sales numbers around with more attractive pricing plans.”
Electronista reports, “This time, Verizon is selling the Kin ONEm for $20 on a two-year plan, while the Kin TWOm is being sold for $50 in a buy-one-get-one-free deal; the second phone included for the price is the LG Ally. There is also a $35 activation price. Still included is the Zune Pass option, but downloads are restricted to Wi-Fi and side-loading only. Monthly costs start at $40 for voice and an additional $10 for data.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Masochistsoft.
I don’t see what all of the complaining was about or why they pulled this to begin with. About 9,000 units moved in six weeks is exceptional, a HUGE hit! If compared to the HP Slate 500 that is,
Their just trying to ‘off’ their inventory stock pile…
Now I know that man is insane.
The addition of M to the names is a master stroke!
It completely makes those previous names marketable again and creates a whole new identity in the marketplace while building on the tidal wave of joy the original names evoked!
Oh man…I’d really like to be a fly on the wall in the meeting where this decision was made
Program Manager: Steve, we’re thinking of going with M-Phone so people think it’s a different phone.
Steve: No freaking way (throws chair), We spent 10 million on building the Kin name out there and we have all these posters we never used. Here’s our strategy…We call it the Kin One M! and just use a paper sticker on the poster! and the other one we can call the Kin Three M!
Program Manager: Won’t that kind of upset 3M?
Steve: Oh…yeah damn it (throws chair)..ok…keep it at 2M…
3M couldn’t build a decent phone anyway…that reminds me!
(presses button on intercom)…hey Marie can you get 3M on the phone? I need some more reel to reel tape for my home recorder.
Program Manager: OK..are we done here? Can I implement the strategy?
Steve: Not yet…wait until we are done with the third re-org this month. Then the timing will be perfect! We want to get people excited to get a 3M from Santa!
Program Manager: Uh..Steve..we just talked about that.
Steve: Oh shit…(throws chair) oh yeah..ok..whatever..hey is it time for lunch?
Kid ’em One, Kid ’em Too
Microsoft could have produced millions of Kin phones in anticipation of a smash hit. But it didn’t come and it got stuck in apathy and miserable sale. Microsoft was caught holding a huge inventory of Kin phones. So this comeback is a disguise for a fire sale in order to clear up inventories.
A third model will be coming out called the Ect to take advatage of the recent sales of the new game controller.
What does this say about their faith in Windows Phone 7? Ballmer for life!
@ Bunches of Munches
I was going to say that this news was the dumbest thing I’ve read today. Then I read your post!
Oh, and from now on, I’d like to be known as ChrissyONEm.
LAYm
Someone should tell Ballmer a strategy isn’t just throwing crap onto the wall every other month to see if it sticks.
Just clearing the stock…
It’s like McDonald’s McRib – they re-release them every so often hoping to get rid of some more of that back-inventory.
Both very ickky.
The new pricing is what they should have had the first time around. They’ll be able to unload their inventory, but it’s too late to have a success.
Clearly they dumped their inventory on Verizon, and Verizon is going to try to blow it out with the Holiday shopping orgy.
Good luck with that plan…
He is a genius…Get free press, lets see.
NEW Zune butt plug, music while you sodomize.
Windows ME Afterbirth, you hated then …just wait
MS iBill, what you pay for exchange clients.
I also love their new Windows Mobile 7 commercials,
How do they make texting and voice faster so you can get back to
WHAT? Just saying, he is a genius.
Would you buy a car from the man pictured above?
OK, OK, a bit more realistic.
Would you buy a Kin ONEm from the guy above in an AT&T store?
…
Thought so.
MacDailyNews Take: Masochistsoft.
It should be “Sadistsoft” as they’re purposefuly inflicting that torture to users.
I’m Steve Ballmer and Kin ONEm and Kin TWOm is my idea.
Ahhhhh… NOW we know why Ballmer sold his stock!
Anyone ever notice just how lame the product demos for Microsoft are? This only further helps me assume that they have very little confidence in the performance of their products. Just give it a rest M$
Many companies have shown that product failures can be turned into wildly successful ventures by renaming them something confusing to pronounce.
It is to business what the Wookie Defense is to law.
At seeing the name, the consumer is confused, unsure if it is a typo and, if not, why that vowel or consonant was randomly placed in the name. The consumer is then confused as to whether this is exactly the same turd that they did not want to purchase before, or some deluxe turd that has more buttons and features. Finally, the consumer is left to think that since no company is stupid enough to simply remarket a piece of crap under essentially the same name but with a random vowel or consonant appended to it, that this must be an improved version. But it appears to be exactly that same turd with essentially the same name but with a random vowel or consonant appended to it It makes no sense. QED, the Wookie Defense.
mmmmmmmmmmm, cuz you kin never underestimate the value of a name change (and the buy ONEm get TWOm offer)
Relaunching a failure will only make two failures in a row. How dumb can Microsoft be?