(Mirror Daily, United States) – Microsoft has been feeding us one surprise after another, starting from the brand new approach to web interactions to the potential life-sized Cortana hologram.
But one product that managed to cause quite the stir for a while now is the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality headset. Even if this is the first time the device makes a real appearance in the wild, the fuss goes back several months, with enthusiasts and developers alike wishing to experience a hands-on immersive preview.
And their wish can finally come true with the good news that has hit the media today. According to the tech company, the HoloLens can be previewed in Microsoft’s New York City store.
There’s also some bad news, as the previews are appointment-only, and regular consumers are not really welcomed. Well, since it doesn’t sound like Microsoft to push people away just because they aren’t expert developers, the appointments might actually have more to do with keeping an orderly system in place.
Instead of letting any Joe walk in off the street, the studio located in the company’s flagship retail store at the Fifth Avenue in NY will be open only for software developers who find their names on the long waiting list.
Microsoft’s Development Edition welcomes HoloLens projects from any interested developers, but you have to pay $3,000 first. If you’re not sure you want to make such a premium investment, Microsoft wants to convince you by giving you a chance to test drive the HoloLens a bit.
Not all who express an interest will automatically make it on the waitlist; hundreds of devs have already made their appointment, and that, according to a Microsoft spokesperson, is in the New York area alone.
Alex Kipman, a technical fellow with the Microsoft Operating System Group, explained the company is eager to “open the first ongoing HoloLens experience showcase” especially because of this “overwhelming reception.”
The lucky developers chosen to try HoloLens will be the first to experience the “world’s first fully untethered holographic computer;” the headset is powered by Windows 10.
If you want to make an appointment, head over to the HoloLens Events Website, but don’t get your hopes up. As Kipman warned, there seems to be a very, very long waiting list, one that’s expected to grow longer before the 2016 previews.
Microsoft has chosen its New York City flagship store to be the one offering the previews, a building located in the luxurious part of town, on Fifth Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets.
Image Source: Microsoft