Microsoft is now taking pre-orders for its HoloLens augmented reality headset in the UK and a few other countries outside the US.

You can order the headset through the Microsoft Store website in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK. It costs £2,719 for the Development Edition HoloLens ($3,000 in the US) and will ship from November.

The AR device has been available to American and Canadian customers since March this year and plenty of developers and software engineers have created tools and utilities for it already.

Unlike a virtual reality headset, such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or PlayStation VR, the Microsoft HoloLens has a clear visor that allows computer graphics to be overlaid onto real world objects.

It is pricey but self-contained, in that it doesn't need to be connected to a separate computer. All the processing, storage and other PC tech is in the headset itself.

Pocket-lint has tested prototype models in the past, with practical and gaming applications. But it's only with a wider rollout that more of its potential might be realised.

"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," said Alex Kipman, technical fellow for Microsoft's Windows and devices division.

"It has been quite inspiring to see what our partners have built and what individual developers have created. Together, we have only scratched the surface for what mixed reality can do. I can’t wait to see what happens next as we welcome these new countries to our holographic landscape."