The rumor mill favors some big news regarding Microsoft's Windows 8 tablets, but the Los Angeles location would seem to indicate that Microsoft may have an entertainment angle in play, as well, perhaps a content store that will challenge Apple's iTunes, Google's Play, and Amazon's services on its Kindle Fire Android tablet.

Several analysts theorized that, as an entertainment capital, L.A. could offer the backdrop for media content on any new tablet, including games, movies, or more.

Rob Enderle, an analyst at Enderle Group told our sister publication Computerworld that Monday's announcement could be an Xbox-like tablet subsidized with games that users would buy. "Xbox does do announcements in L.A., and they did just announce Xbox SmartGlass at the E3," Enderle said.

Or, he added, the news could be merely a speculative product "designed to get the industry excited" with a focus on the tablet as a content-consumption device. "Content is where I think Microsoft is focused."

Another possibility: That Microsoft may be getting into the hardware business itself, manufacturing its own tablet.