Microsoft is back in the running for most enticing mobile/social device—well at least for the younger generation Y audience. Earlier this week they announced the release of a pair of new social media phones, the Kin One and Kin Two, which will be available in addition to the new Windows 7 phone. The Kin phones are specially designed to integrate social networking with a flashy mobile device that appeals to “sociologists,” Microsoft’s term for younger mobile users that stay constantly connected to Facebook, Twitter and other major networking sites. Robbie Bach, who heads entertainment device development at Microsoft remarked that the Kin phones exemplify “couture software” and that they are “custom fit for young peoples’ lives.”

According to reports by VentureBeat, an online journal that follows trends in mobile and social media, Microsoft will release two versions of the phone, a smaller device with 4 gigabytes of disk space, and a larger one with 8 gigabytes. Both feature a touchscreen interface and a physical keyboard, as well as a camera that captures pictures and video that can be immediately posted to social network accounts. They are feature phones, however, not smartphones and they don’t run applications that can be purchased from an app store. Instead, the device will be paired with Microsoft’s online services called Kin Loop and Kin Studio, which will manage and synchronize various social media accounts with the phone. Verizon will be the provider for the new Kin phones, which are scheduled for release in May.