Features & News
Microsoft in ‘Major’ Monday Media Event Shocker!
June 16, 2012, Author: Ray Willmott, 7 Comments
In an unprecedented move, Microsoft are assembling an exclusive ‘Media Event’ to announce something ‘major’.
On Monday June 18th, Microsoft will be holding a Media Event in Los Angeles to announce something ‘major’. What’s more, only a handful of media outlets have received invites, including world-renowned technology site, Mashable.
What are Microsoft going to announce? Your guess is as good as ours.
Here’s the official blurb…
This will be a major Microsoft announcement — you will not want to miss it.
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.
Could Microsoft be about to lift the lid on the next entrant in the Xbox brand? Perhaps they’re going to announce a new Windows Phone, or tell us a bit more about the Smart Glass project? Maybe it’s something else entirely.
It’s peculiar that Microsoft are summoning a big event so soon after E3, and shortly after they’ve confirmed they will be a no-show at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show this year. Earlier this year, Microsoft also made the Consumer Electronics Show in January their last, deciding instead to focus on smaller, more localized press experiences. That doesn’t mean a third Xbox console or Xbox handheld announcement is impossible, however. Many people felt that Microsoft’s Press Conference at E3 felt like a bit of an anti-climax, with some saying they felt the world leader was ‘holding back’ on something. With a strong emphasis on sport and applications, the games side of things seemed quite understated, but now that Nintendo and Sony have dealt their hands, Microsoft may be ready to tell the world what they really wanted to say at E3.
Making up for an underwhelming show?
Then again, it’s entirely possible this ‘major’ announcement won’t be gaming related at all. Many are speculating that Microsoft could be about to lock horns with Apple and bring out their own HDTV. That wouldn’t be unexpected either, as Microsoft announced Xbox Music, a competitor to iTunes, at E3. On launch, the massive new music service is set to bring over 30 million songs to our television sets through the console.
Some also believe that Microsoft will announce whether they’ve bought out Nokia or Research in Motion. Just imagine a collaboration between Microsoft and Blackberry. That would, undeniably, be an enormous boost for the fledging brand. At this point though, would that really be befitting of the term ‘major’ announcement?
Hell, for all we know, they’re going to tell us something new about Windows 8.
Regardless, there’s something about the cloak and dagger nature of this event that’s got team TIMJ more than a little bit excited. The subtle invitations, requests for limited photography, the emphasis on the word ‘major’. Could we be just hours away from the unveiling of ‘Durango’, a code-name that sounds more like Kangaroo diarrhea than a next-gen console?
Either way, it’s time to buckle up. Shit just got interesting.
(Source: Mashable)
Feature Type: News | Tagged Apple, Blackberry, Durango, e3, Gamescom, Kinect, Mashable, Media Event, Microsoft, Nokia, Tokyo Game Show, xbox, Xbox Live
Ray said:
Some additional info come to light on this. It seems Microsoft will be announcing a tablet this Monday if an inside source is to be believed.
Read more on it here - http://www.thewrap.com/media/article/microsoft-go-after-apple-new-tablet-says-insider-44271
Posted on: June 17 2:47 PM || Report || Reply
Phil said:
No big surprise if that's what it turns out to be. Windows 8 has been earmarked for late this year/ early next fir a while and it has been widely reported that a big part of windows 8 will be the interaction between phone, pc & tablet devices so a MS tablet is natural progression
Posted on: June 17 8:23 PM || Report || Reply
Trent said:
You know what I'd like them to announce? Xbox LIVE Essentials. Basically it'd be a simplified LIVE service that bypasses all the fucking annoying music, video and tv nonsense that the current dashboard repeatedly throws at us and allow you to pick and choose which services you want to see. The Xbox 360 is a GAMES CONSOLE and I'm sick and tired of Microsoft pushing it's multimedia hub side like that's what it's made for, while allowing Xbox LIVE to go down the pan. I don't want to watch the latest Rizzle Kicks video, or listen to a Maverick Sabre exclusive track, or pay up the arse to rent some shit film I care nothing about. And I especially don't want to have to wait ages for all that shit to load on my dashboard every time I boot up.
Posted on: June 18 12:37 AM || Report || Reply
Neil said:
Totally agree with Trent on this one, its kind of strange to see a games console become something completely different and think they are dangerously close to alienating gamers which force them elsewhere.
Posted on: June 18 1:12 AM || Report || Reply
Phil said:
Come on guys. MS always said the vision fir this generation was that the 360 would become the entertainment station of every home and be at the centre of every families living room. That means more than games.
Admittedly I accept that it would be nice to be able to customise your tiles a bit but I think that will come with windows 8
Posted on: June 18 8:58 AM || Report || Reply
Trent said:
Yeh but that wasn't my point. My point is that sure my Xbox 360 can become the media hub of the universe, but not at the expense of the game content. I'm finding that the Arcade and Indie sections are now reduced to tiny tiles hidden in the Games tab. There is so much more music, video and app content on there than gaming content these days. Microsoft can take the time to secure 4 fucking video apps that do essentially the same thing (let you watch shite music videos) but they can't fix party connection issues, problems with certain services going down and random disconnects from Xbox LIVE. They've shifted their focus from maintaining a top-of-the-range games console to cramming it with as much other crap as they can. I'm betting half the people who buy 360s these days don't buy it to play games on; they buy it as a media hub.
Posted on: June 18 11:36 PM || Report || Reply
Paddy said:
Which to be fair (although I too admit that their shift in focus sucks), is totally a business decision. The 360 is currently languishing in its twilight hours, and as such, they need to bleed it dry however they can to keep those all important share holders happy. It bites, but there it is.
I totally agree however that the way the gaming sections are buried away in the ass-end of the console isn't particularly inviting any more. But I think it was inevitable at this stage - sad as that may be.
Posted on: June 19 12:04 AM || Report || Reply