Rare is a modern professional who can fully disconnect from the office during time off, so a small but growing number of workers are instead petitioning the boss to combine work and vacation, time away from the office that includes a few days working from an exotic location.

Workers often pay for lodging and travel, but may take conference calls or write project updates from a resort or rental home, spending off-hours sightseeing or being with family, without having the time counted against their vacation days. Americans are pretty lousy at taking vacations, so workcations may just formalize what most workers already do, check in on the job while away.

In an attempt to lure guests, particularly younger travelers and women, hotels are increasingly striking deals with elite fitness companies to operate on-sight studios. The hotels hope to capitalize on the buzz around the fast growing brands, attract their loyal followings and appeal to travelers who want to work out on the road.

Avid video gamers proved at the recent E3 conference in Los Angeles that they will stand in line for hours to try virtual reality. Whether they will be willing to pay for it is another matter. Successfully launching a new technology takes both interest and a willingness by early adopters to buy in at a premium.

Much more is highlighted in A Look Ahead.