【Double Cross (1996)】

Microsoft can't wait for mid-May.

The Double Cross (1996)Windows creator and Surface propagator is just weeks away from its three-day developer's conference in Seattle, but that's not stopping it from hosting a consumer product event in New York City on May 2.

Microsoft quietly sent out invites on Wednesday.

It starts at 9:30 AM ET and will use the hashtag #MicrosoftEDU.

Sources tell Mashablethat while this will be consumer-focused and should feature hardware, it's unlikely that the long-awaited Surface Pro 5 convertible will make an appearance. The long-whispered Surface Phone is equally unlikely to appear.

What we do expect is more products that continue the story Microsoft began with Windows Creator Update, which officially started shipping on Tuesday. There's a heavy focus on, well, creativity and 3D. And the mixed reality technology that runs HoloLens is inside the latest version of Windows, but with no hardware to support it... yet.

Could we finally see a consumer version of HoloLens from Microsoft? If it's intended to work with a Windows PC, that means it will be tethered and a lot cheaper than the $3,000 HoloLens. Think the Acer Mixed Reality Headsets that are expected to hit the market any day now. In fact, it's a fair bet that this event will probably feature that Acer headset.

Based on the hashtag, though, there will obviously be a heavy education bent to this event. Microsoft has spent the last few months trying to respond to the education market tsunami that is Chromebooks and Google Docs. The former now accounts for 51% of the U.S. education systems market. That's hurting Apple and Microsoft.

In January, Microsoft unveiled sub-$300 PCs (with OEM partners) and a software administration system called InTune for schools and districts. This event may represent the other pencil dropping in Microsoft's education market plans. Plus, a HoloLens consumer update or mixed reality headset could fit into the education scenario.

Mashablehas an invited and we'll report live from the ground on May 2.