We already had our invitation to Microsoft's "major" announcement in Hollywood next Monday — an Apple-style event so hush-hush, there isn't even a location yet.
Now rumors are starting to coalesce around the thing being launched: a touchscreen tablet, manufactured by Microsoft itself, running on Windows RT (a version of Windows 8), intended to rival Apple's iPad.
Hollywood blog The Wrap cites "an individual with knowledge of the company", who claims the software giant would be "making a foray into a new hardware category that would put the company in direct competition with rival Apple" — tablets.
This would hardly be the first time Microsoft has tried its hand at a tablet device. Indeed, its first tablet preceded the iPad by the better part of a decade. But it was a bulky laptop hybrid that required a stylus, to which it wasn't very responsive.
Between 2008 and 2010, the company was said to be working on a dual-touchscreen folding tablet — kind of like a book — called "Courier." But Microsoft management killed that project — coincidentally, right around the time Steve Jobs launched the first iPad. (The Courier team went on to design the award-winning iPad notebook app, Paper.)
We've previously seen half-baked demonstrations of Windows tablets from CEO Steve Ballmer, and of course there are a variety of third-party tablets on the way for the Windows 8 interface that works on PC, phone and tablet.
But this forthcoming tablet, if the rumors are to be believed, will be made in-house — much like the most successful Microsoft product of the last decade, the Xbox.
What would a Microsoft tablet have to do to beat the iPad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
BONUS: Inside Microsoft Headquarters
This is the famous Microsoft Garage. It actually has two giant garage doors. It's also a place were Microsoft encourages free-form, grassroots invention.
Note Steve Ballmer's signature on the far left.
Microsoft runs some of the future tech demo video it created in a continuous loop on this wall.
Right after I took this picture, one Microsoft PR person worried that, perhaps, I was photographing secret stuff. Microsoft Research General Manager Kevin Schofield reminder her that it was unlikely they'd have it all there behind glass if that was the case.
My favorite sign from the trip.
Microsoft's Bellevue offices offers amazing views. This is from the cafe.
Everywhere you look on Microsoft's Redmond, WA, campus, there are bicycles and places to store them.
You see art all over the place on the Microsoft Campus
Microsoft is planning a big outdoor event for employees.
Want to get around the sprawling campus? Take one of these buses.
Never saw anyone playing on these, but elsewhere I did see a pool game in progress.
This woman sat right in front of the Microsoft Surface 2 device, but chose to use her laptop, instead. Perhaps she thought it was just a table.
I tried out another Microsoft Surface setup.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Waiting for a meeting Microsoft? You can kill some time with one of these Xbox 360 kiosks.
Look, it's a tiny, little Windows store, built to 1/18th scale
This piece of art was commissioned for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices building
Apparently, some enterprising Microsofties were taking this "wave" a little too literally.
These vines were growing right up a wall.
This is the famous Microsoft Garage. It actually has two giant garage doors. It's also a place were Microsoft encourages free-form, grassroots invention.
Note Steve Ballmer's signature on the far left.
Microsoft runs some of the future tech demo video it created in a continuous loop on this wall.
Right after I took this picture, one Microsoft PR person worried that, perhaps, I was photographing secret stuff. Microsoft Research General Manager Kevin Schofield reminder her that it was unlikely they'd have it all there behind glass if that was the case.
My favorite sign from the trip.
Microsoft's Bellevue offices offers amazing views. This is from the cafe.
Everywhere you look on Microsoft's Redmond, WA, campus, there are bicycles and places to store them.
You see art all over the place on the Microsoft Campus
Microsoft is planning a big outdoor event for employees.
Want to get around the sprawling campus? Take one of these buses.
Never saw anyone playing on these, but elsewhere I did see a pool game in progress.
This woman sat right in front of the Microsoft Surface 2 device, but chose to use her laptop, instead. Perhaps she thought it was just a table.
I tried out another Microsoft Surface setup.
Your guess is as good as mine.
Waiting for a meeting Microsoft? You can kill some time with one of these Xbox 360 kiosks.
Look, it's a tiny, little Windows store, built to 1/18th scale
This piece of art was commissioned for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices building
Apparently, some enterprising Microsofties were taking this "wave" a little too literally.
These vines were growing right up a wall.
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