• Engadget, Friday, November 12, 2010 2:46 PM

Here's something to scratch your head over this weekend. Microsoft is bringing back its hugely unsuccessful Kin "social phone." That's according to Engadget, which describers the move as "against all odds and better judgment." Critically, the new phones won't be "smart" (not that they ever were).

In other words, as Engadget writes: "We're hearing that the revised phones will be totally, completely debundled from data services." Originally, the Kin was criticized for its pricing model, which was clearly out of reach for most of the tweens, teens, and twentysomethings that is was meant for. Of note, new Kin owners -- if there are any -- will still be get what Engadget calls the phone's most redeeming feature: Zune Pass. Still, that isn't likely to revive much interest in the phones, and, as Engadget suggests: "This might just be a way to clear huge backlogs of hardware inventory before pulling the plug on the program ...Seriously, who wants a Kin without the unlimited photo uploads?"

Read the whole story at Engadget »