In an attempt to target certain demographics within WP7, MSN has recently announced (marketplace link) a new application targeted towards men called Onit.

The application looks rather basic, and this assumption is confirmed by Alex Wilhelm over at TNWMicrosoft, who also praises the elegant Metro UI design of the application. Unlike Alex though, I think he overrates the seriousness of the application.

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

Much of the content MSN features is very mainstream, and follows a very generic pattern of what works with such an audience. Dramatic and revolutionary changes in content is not what their audience needs, or wants, and this application is simply meant to compliment that.

In short, it is a harmless application that should not be looked at too seriously. Aggregated content such as this isn’t meant for the “men” in tech, but “men” in general. I am not quite sure what else Alex was looking for in this application (more glamorous aggregated content?), but lets not read too much into this Microsoft backed application, shall we?

[Cross-posted at Winextra]