Now's your chance to demo the HTC Vive at select retail stores - CNET

You can stop bothering your tech friends to hook you up with a demo of their HTC Vive: the virtual reality system is now available to check out in person at over 100 retail locations throughout the country.

Starting now, you can demo the headset and two wireless controllers at select Microsoft, GameStop, and Micro Center stores throughout North America. A representative will be at each store to guide the public through first-time experiences, but there's no word yet on which games will be available to play. Either way, keep your phone ready to record reactions because they're usually pretty funny.

$799 (£549, AU $1022) for the HTC Vive might seem like a lot of money to drop on gaming hardware, especially if you're not a hardcore gamer...but just wait until you try it out. I'm a notorious game-hater myself (only because I suck at them), but even I tued into a believer after playing games like Tilt Brush and The Lab.

On a related note, HTC is now selling the Vive online at www.vive.com and will ship inteationally within two to three days of the purchase.