Through an exclusive invite to a Microsoft “Media Event,” Mashable is reporting that the tech company is planning to make some waves next week with a “major Microsoft announcement” in Los Angeles.
According to the invite, virtually no clue is given as to what this could mean and Microsoft is being uncharacteristically cagey with the details. In fact, the company included some cryptic instructions with the invitation. Here’s the full invite, per Forbes:
You are invited to an exclusive Microsoft media event in Los Angeles, California on Monday, June 18th. Doors open at 3:30 PM.
This is an invitation only event and you are allowed to register up to one additional guest from your publication. All guests must be registered by replying below.
Additional information regarding the specific venue, address and parking information will be sent via e-mail to registered attendees on Monday morning, June 18th, no later than 10:00 AM.
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.
All attendees must be registered with exact names and done so in advance, no later than Sunday, June 17th at 10:00 AM, Pacific. You will be responsible for securing your travel and lodging.
Registration will be first come, first served.
To confirm your registration and to register a guest, please respond to the below e-mail address with name, phone number, e-mail address and outlet affiliation.
This will be a major Microsoft announcement – you will not want to miss it.
With that level of exclusivity and secrecy, you’d think Microsoft was planning to debut a new sentient operating system that runs on the smiling entrails of the Marquis de Sade.
The fact that it’s in Los Angeles, a city so rich with cultural icons that some of them double as sandbags when the tides get too high, may suggest that this is going to be some big celebrity-rich bacchanal. However, recalling the last time that Microsoft tried to get cozy with Hollywood’s movers and shakers, that didn’t work out so well (or, at least in a way that the company didn’t approve of).
Dismissing some underwhelming celebrity endorsements of the brand, would could Microsoft have coming down the pipes? It’s likely not anything Xbox-related since E3 just happened, and it’s probably not Windows 8-related because the company’s been pretty liberal about sharing the details of its updated OS (unless my Marquis de Sade speculation is jaw-droppingly true – in which case, good luck topping that next year at WWDC, Tim Cook). Some people around the web expect this will have something to do with entertainment given the venue while others are betting it will have something to do with Microsoft’s mobile efforts.
There’s been some speculation that Microsoft is interested in purchasing Yammer, but would the acquisition of a private social network for businesses necessitate a big, fancy “media event”? Mingfei Yan, a product manager for Microsoft, responded to some speculation on Twitter about the possibility of the event being related to a Yammer acquisition, but it’s hard to tell if she’s being intentionally obtuse (meaning it probably does) or simply prolonging the mystery.
Noooo…“@TechCrunch: Is This Mysterious Microsoft Press Conference About The Yammer Acquisition? http://t.co/ZpnQMD8o by @alexia”
That’s a joke right? Microsoft Is Buying Yammer, According To People At Yammer http://t.co/gJexHN88
Care to throw in your speculation? Let’s hear it.
One last note: so, Microsoft? Uh, I suppose WPN’s invitation got lost in the mail….?
