Virtual reality has been the hot new thing at Mobile World Congress 2016, a show that's full of hot new things. But it doesn't get much newer than this. Fresh off a plane from Taiwan we've got our first look at the consumer version of the HTC Vive, the immersive, whole-room virtual reality kit from HTC and Valve, powered by Steam VR.
Not a whole lot has changed from the Vive Pre, which we saw in early January at CES. (The consumer version drops the "Pre" name.) There's now a hole in the front of the top head strap, making it a little more comfortable. The focus knob now is ridged, making it easier to turn. The controllers have a little more grip to them, so you're less likely to drop them. (You'll still want to use the included wrist straps of course.)
The question now is whether you're going to drop $799 on the Vive — which truly is the most complete commercially available VR experience we've done — when preorders open on Feb. 29. (And whether you've got a computer at home that can power it.) Vive is still on schedule to ship in April.
