Talk to any parent, and you’ll sooner or later hear a story that goes like this: Someone bought their child an amazing gift, and then the kid spent the rest of the day playing with the box it came in.

I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, ...

One of the paradoxes of our high-tech world is the humble cardboard box. Most end their life being dutifully placed in the recycling bin. But savvy mass-market brands (Apple, Target, Beats headphones) ...