Tablet PC: On June 18, Microsoft Plans Major Announcement !!
Microsoft announced a major “Media Event” for June 18th at 3:30 p.m. in Los Angeles. There is no specific details on what will be announced on that day, and no other leaks on it have emerged either.
Mashable, on a recent post, notes that all that the invitation says is that there will be a major Microsoft announcement, and that the invitation is not transferable: “This is a non-transferrable invitation, however, if you would like to send your local colleague in your place, please submit that name and it will be reviewed.
If you would like to bring a photographer please register that person as your additional guest. Please note – still photography and video will be limited.” It is suggested, according to news site, that the event could be entertainment related, since it will take place in Los Angeles, and that new hardware could be involved.
It is said, that the event to be consumer-oriented, which means that it could bring to the spotlight either a Microsoft TV, an Xbox 360 update, or a new Kinect sensors.
As stated by other rumors, Microsoft would be en-route to pronounce the existence of a new tablet PC running under Windows, one that would sport the company’s own brand. Microsoft, by the release of such a device will be in direct race with Apple, Amazon and even Google, which is rumored to arrange the release of a Google Android tablet before the end of this month.
Microsoft choosed to launch the tablet PC this month, then there is a great opportunity that it won’t be running under the Windows 8 platform (or Windows RT, for that matter), which becomes commercially on hand only in fall. Nokia Windows Phone tablet PC brought to the stage, most probably aimed at the lower end of the market, especially since Google’s said Nexus tablet is expected to debut at Google I/O, as stated by some rumors.
ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, on the other side, proposes that the happening could have something to do with Microsoft’s lately declared participation with Barnes & Noble, which would involve the launch of a “Microsoft reader,” most probably aimed at competing with Amazon’s Kindle Fire.