Verizon: KIN Studio is closing January 31 and Free phones for Affected users

The title says it all, but let us get into some details about the closing of Microsoft KIN Studio, which was the backbone in the cloud for the device.

Evidently, come January 31st, people with KINs will lose the ability to do everything over-the-air, except use your Zune Pass over WiFi and email. Check it:

• Feed Reader will stop working
• Search Near me will stop working
• Posting Photos to social sites will no longer be possible
• Most pictures currently on Kin will only appear at thumbnail resolution
• Posting to Social Networks will no longer work.
• No comments from the loop
• Social network contacts will disappear.
• Loop will stop to work
• Kin Spot will only send to emails.
• Social networks only accessed from web browser.

So outside of making phone calls and playing music, the KIN is really, truly dead. Why even bother after that last, half attempt at a re-launch? We have no idea either. But Verizon is trying to make things right by letting users know now to back up their data now and going one step further, allowing them to pick a 3G phone of their choice for FREE. Offer is valid only through March 31st. Attached are some images from the pamphlet that Verizon is sending out to KIN customers.