Microsoft announced today the availability of their new social networking phones, the KIN ONE and the KIN TWO. The KIN is a new type of smartphone that has a strong focus on social media and networking. The KIN runs a proprietary Microsoft operating system that is neither Windows Mobile 6.5 nor Windows Phone 7. Rather, the KIN’s user interface resembles the Zune, Microsoft’s line of portable media players. How does this new operating system fit in alongside all the Androids, iPhones, BlackBerrys and Palms out there?

Image courtesy of Microsoft

Because the KIN runs a new proprietary operating system, that means that it doesn’t support the thousands of apps and third party software available for other phones running Microsoft operating systems. Unfortunately, that also means that the KIN is unable to synchronize data from the PC with CompanionLink.

CompanionLink is currently evaluating how to sync with the KIN platform. In the meantime, you can use CompanionLink to sync your PC with a wide variety of phones, including the iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Palm webOS, and Windows Mobile devices. More information, along with a 14-day free trial, is available at www.companionlink.com