Microsoft springs hologram surprise, but long way to reality

By Bill Rigby SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp surprised the tech world on Wednesday with a prototype hologram visor that can bring the Minecraft video game, Skype calls and even the landscape of Mars to three-dimensional life. The ageing tech pioneer, which long ago lost the mantle of the world's most inventive company, is making a bold play to regain that title in the face of stiff competition from Google Inc and Apple Inc. Virtual or enhanced reality is the next frontier in computing i