Say hello to Onit: a WP7 app for men, by Microsoft

Fresh in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace is an app called ‘Onit,’ which is branded under the MSN tag. The application is an aggregator for content aimed at what ‘men’ like.

In other words, the application pulls in media and other bits of fluff from the internet that are supposed to appeal to the testosterone-fueled demographic of WP7 users. The app has a great number of sections that I found to be quite appealing in theory, being a member of their target market, including ‘Eat and Drink,’ and ‘Cars,’ though I must admit that the category labeled  ‘Beautiful Women’ did grab my eyes off the bat.

We have included screen shots at the bottom of the post.

Yes, the app is more or less PG, but it is also quite a bore. Then again, when was the last time that anything from the world of MSN made you sit up straight and pay attention? At least Onit is free. I can’t imagine anyone paying for it.

The app does use, and use well, the unique UI design of Windows Phone 7, imploring you to swipe left and right while moving forward and back inside of the application. But the Metro UI cannot save the app from itself; it lacks any sort of usefulness. If I want to look at cars or women, not to be an ass, but come on, there are better places to do so, and I’m not even being crass. This sort of mindless aggregation by something as vague as gender is not only presumptuous, but tired, and played out.

This is not even Microsoft’s first real shot at aggregation. As the SeattlePi reports:

Microsoft’s MSN has been working with content partners to launch aggregation sites for specific audiences. They launched Glo in April 2010 for women, Wonderwall Latino in October for Spanish-speaking celebrity gossipers, and Fitbie in December for fitness junkies.

In terms of applications from the Microsoft empire for their new phone line, we expect more.