Kin None/TwoM firmware issues: Verizon/Microsoft update wishlist

[fisharefriends]

dstor, i don't know if you knew this, but that actually is already there. When i first got the phone, i was kind of baffled that it didn't even have a recent calls log (like it was all mashed into messaging), but a few days later i found it. Scroll right in the phone 'app', and there is the log. Like other menus in the Kin, it will remain the 'default' so long as that is the page you left the phone screen from. Sometimes, there are good, hidden surprises

[dstor]

No Way! Wow...I am a doofus. It was there the whole time.Thanks. That is awesome...You could have told me there was an update from Microsoft last nght and I would have believed you.

I am going to start scrolling every which way on every screen to make sure I am not missing something!

[fisharefriends]

Tell me about it. When i found that out, i did the same. Along with double-tapping on everything, holding down the cursor/buttons to see what they did, etc. Thats how i found out when in a text/any text box, if you hold your finger down on the text, it pops out a blow-up and you can move your finger to 'scroll' around in the text.  Its things like this, that every user wishes were in the manual, the little details that are device-specific, not functions like how to make a phone call. I tried to address as many of these that i knew in my FAQ/review post/thread (I believe i mentioned the call log, but i may have missed it), give it a read through when you get the time, and feel free to add anything i did not mention/make corrections to anything not accurate.

http://community.vzw.com/t5/KIN/Kin-TwoM-Review-FAQ-Q-amp-A-troubleshooting-etc/td-p/347662

[customeyes]

More features to add to wish list:

1. Memo/Notepad. There are other places to put text (messages, draft emails) but they don't appear to be searchable.

2. Document viewer for email attachments. A Microsoft operating system can't view Microsoft documents? A standalone document viewer would be a bonus.

[fisharefriends]

• lack of EMS (enhanced messaging system). feature phones that are much older than the Kin phones have EMS, which is responsible for why the Kins can't play animated messages, etc etc. It is true the Kin was much delayed even for its initial release (i read up to 3 years)..but functions that are missing like this really make the phone feel outdated in some aspects. They're not new features, they're not 'smartphone' features, they're not features that would be hard to incorporate, but for some reason when the kins were refurbished to the m models, things like this weren't addressed. After all, isn't this a messaging phone to begin with?
• Bluetooth: cannot connect to other phones. This phone will not discover other phone devices, and other phones can discover the kin, but you do not know the 4-digit passkey to connect to it. The phone's bluetooth, to my knowledge, can only connect to devices like headsets, and that like. No transferring of contact cards, or even of a 'mass storage' effect.

For real, microsoft and verizon, did you really have to inhibit the phone's bluetooth to this very basic full-capacity bluetooth feature? Every feature phone has this ability to connect to other phones, why did you leave this out on the Kin phones? I thought it was a few years back that you finally stopped this ridiculous locking of your phones. Except this isn't a Verizon lock, this is a simple Microsoft firmware 'did not include' the feature.

[gkamieneski]

Is FTP on this list yet?

[melzywi]

I wish there was a way to add games like on the Zune music player.  That would be nice if you could add applications to the phone through Zune Market Place.  I mean the Zune player was created to compete with Apples iPod.  And The Kin was designed to compete with Apples iPhone. Like iPod and iPhone are the same except you can't make calls on the iPod. Why can't they make the Kin the same as the Zune except for it can make calls.  They could make the marketplace only available through WIFI or connected to your computer.  It would still not be a smart phone.  Because you can't access any of Verizon's games and applications they need to make those available another way. Even their non smartphones have access to Verizon's games and apps.

Mel

[uberpatsfan]

Thanks, fish for this very comprehensive list.  Here are a few more from my perspective:

  - I second the request for a soft "back" button. 

  - I also have to complain about the volume buttons.  I continue to miss calls because the volume turns down in my pocket or when I handle the phone!

  - The Recent button is worthless for me, too, and gets in the way.

  - I'm falling in like with the Zune player.  But, it cannot take DRM protected audiobooks (even though real zune players say they can).  This is a crucial feature for me. Please make the Kin show as an MTP device on my computer like most other MP3 players and I can work around it (I've poked at the registry settings with no luck).

   - I can't say this enough: CONTACTS, CONTACTS, CONTACTS.  I need to sync my contacts to the phone and back them up when I add more.

    -Really?  A Microsoft product with calendar and contacts that can't sync to Outlook calendar or contacts or any calendar for that matter? Really?

Two wishes:  1) Microsoft or VZW please acknowledge these posts whether you intend to do anything or not.  2) Microsoft, write a little computer program that allows me to sync contacts, mail, with my computer (something to replace Kin studio).

[dmellor]

The calendar has two big problems that need to be fixed.

First, you can't create a repeat event with an end date.  Anything repeated is repeated into eternity.  At the other end of the process, you can't delete repeated events, "from now on."  The create and delete options are "just this one," or "all occurrences."

Second, there are no categories options.  Come on!  This can't be more elementary.  Both the contacts list and the calendar HAVE to allow for sub-categories.

[Edited to comply with Terms of Service] I'm just interested in working on this important tool which I use many times each day for both personal and professional communications.

Thanks for your great forum.

[minmaster]

yahoo email cannot be sent from within the email app

it'd be nice to get an Instant Messaging app, similar in the way how the email app is.