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Most media outlets that have written stories pegged to Microsoft's plans for a secretive, 3:30 p.m., invitation-only presser in Los Angeles agree that the subject will be a new tablet computer. But the real story is in the details.
On Thursday of last week, All Things Digital and The Wrap said the news would be a tablet, made by Microsoft and running on Windows RT/Windows 8 table, to compete with Apple's iPad and integrated line of prodcts. The New York Times followed by saying "Microsoft is expected to introduce a tablet computer of its own design that runs a new version of its Windows operating system... It is the first time in the company’s 37-year history that it will offer a computer of its own creation."
But on Sunday, Peter Ha of Tech Crunch went with a story that contradicts the other guys. He says it's about Barnes & Noble.
According to folks with knowledge of the situation, they’re somewhat right but mostly wrong. We’re being told that a tablet/e-reader built in conjunction with Barnes & Noble is on tap and that it will be entertainment driven.
Before we get to that, let’s go over the brief chain of events starting with timing and location. Invites for the event went out on Thursday with zero flair and zero info causing some ire amongst the press. (At least Apple has the courtesy to give us a weeks notice.) And they expect us to show up in LA four days later? I don’t think so....f it were a Windows 8/RT tablet announcement, it wouldn’t be made in LA and it wouldn’t be made this early.
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Sources tell me that a new tablet will be announced on Monday with Barnes and Noble...The event would be the first public showing of what the two have been working on and may answer the question of why the invite was so bare – because they haven’t announced anything yet and the joint operation has yet to be named. Another source says the tablet may be the first non-Xbox device to gain Xbox Live streaming capabilities, which might explain the location of the event.
The media invitees have yet to be told where in LA the presser will be held.
Photo of Xbox dashboard: Tech Crunch
