Notwithstanding the recent explosion of headlines, virtual-reality headsets have been on the scene for decades. While many have blamed their inherently claustrophobic and isolating nature for impeding mass-market success, new augmented- and mixed-reality headsets offer a game-changing level of usability by integrating virtual experiences into your everyday surroundings: Augmented reality projects virtual items and information onto a view of the real world, while mixed reality adds the ability to interact with aspects of both. The promise of these next-gen models is that they can provide a better way to visualize work and play in the digital age. But does that promise square with reality?