While working for Microsoft's remote design incubation team I helped design motion UX for "secret projects". One public-facing " shipped" device was called the "KIN" - A socially driven touch screen device with magazine-type" content first" rich design language, which was initially developed for a youthful tech-savvy demographic. The highly animated ambitious user experience came with a browser-based companion app called the " connector". This multimedia, the content-rich online app was automated by user-generated content it pulled from the user's device from a free private account. The first version app was incredibly ahead of its time, using advanced cloud based tech to allow for seamless SMS messaging, familiar to the device which felt very native. The Connector also featured a really cool timeline that was very responsive, even after it had pulled videos, texts, photos, and calendar events from users' devices, for an unmatched online companion. Critics certainly had their way with the " failed" product considered " DOA" as a result of the poorly negotiated Verizon exclusive $100 a month data-heavy contract required at purchase ( a very steep price for a smartphone designed for teenagers. Regardless of the lack of foresight, the overall UX was unlike anything at the time. The companion browser-based "Connector" I believe is still unmatched to this day. In any case, it was nothing short of a blessing to be part of such efforts.
