Microsoft HoloLens retro review: What made it great, and what a new HoloLens needs to succeed

Unearthing Microsoft's HoloLens feels a little like walking the decks of the Titanic. Three years ago, Microsoft's augmented-reality headset ignited the imaginations of consumers and developers alike with its promise of lifelike animated sprites that could perch on real-world objects. It's almost criminal that Microsoft's original HoloLens demos never saw the light of day. Bending down to peer "inside" a coffee table into the Minecraft underworld was an utterly transformative experience. But at least Microsoft's vision of using the HoloLens as a business tool apparently is alive and well. Because Microsoft never sold its device to consumers, PCWorld never formally reviewed it.