Hi Shawn,

We're handling the environments for labs a bit differently this year so that attendees do NOT need to download a VM or worry about installing special software to run it. Instead, all of our lab environments will be hosted through the web and attendees will be able to connect to them through a web browser (Google Chrome is recommended). 

Lab pass holders for Empower will receive a know before you go email that includes a link to test their laptop and make sure it meets the requirements; here's the salient information from that email:

You will need to bring your own laptop. Laptops will not be provided at the conference. Before you travel, test your laptop and ensure the network requirements, browser compatibility, screen resolution and domain requirements are met. The lab interface works best on screens 13.5 inches or larger. Please remember to bring a charging cable for your laptop. You may also bring an external mouse. You'll receive instructions for how to access your labs when you get to the conference.