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We're all gearing up for virtual reality. The HTC Vive, the Oculus Rift and the PlayStation VR have been wowing us for most of 2016.

Microsoft is already looking at the next step with the HoloLens. Rather than bate you into an entirely virtual space like VR, the HoloLens is aiming for mixed reality, merging those virtual worlds with the real world.

And as of today, the HoloLens will be available for preorder in Australia, Ireland, France, Germany, New Zealand and the UK.

Pump the breaks though -- while it means you're a little closer to trying out Microsoft's mixed-reality device, the latest preorders are for the Microsoft HoloLens Development Edition ($3,000, £2,719 or AU$4,369) and Microsoft HoloLens Commercial Suite ($5,000, £4,529 or AU$7,269), which are essentially the developer-only versions of the tech.

"When we set out to pioneer the mixed-reality category, we knew that many of the best innovations would be discovered when others got their hands on the technology," the company said in a statement. Mixed reality and VR lives or dies by the available software, so these developer editions of the HoloLens could pave the way for what you'll be able to do with the headset in the future.

Microsoft has previously been bullish about third-party support for VR and mixed reality. Windows Holographic, the special version of the OS that powers the HoloLens, was opened to other companies to produce mixed- and virtual-reality content.

Update, November 2: Added UK prices.