Updated Personal Air Conditioner With More Advanced Features
Sony’s latest version of personal temperature control has just gone on sale. Like the earlier Reon Pocket 5, the Reon Pocket Pro is a wearable thermal device to cool or warm your body where it touches it. Here’s what’s changed, and what hasn’t, in the Pocket Pro.
As before, it’s a hands-free device that sits on the back of your neck and is held in place with a neckband that rests on your shoulders. A cooling plate rests on the back of your neck and a vent releases air at the top. Inside, a fan gently whirs. There are two vent sizes included: a smaller one that can sit under a T-shirt and a longer one so you wear a collared shirt but the warm air is still able to escape.
What’s new in the Pocket Pro is that it’s noticeably bigger than the previous model, to allow for a cooling plate around twice the size of the Pocket 5 and longer-lasting battery inside.
Additionally, the fan is much quieter than it was previously, and in a moderately noisy environment is hard to hear at all.
The new, larger battery can last up to 15 hours in cooling mode, Sony says, which is twice the previous amount, Sony claims. Recharging around two hours.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro in place
Sony
Another update is the inclusion of physical control buttons — for the Reon Pocket 5 controls lay in the Sony smartphone app. Now, you can adjust the temperature by pressing a button, defined enough to be found if you’re pressing through a shirt, though it may need a little more dexterity in winter if you’re using it to warm you up and you’re wearing a jacket. More granular control will still need the app.
Smart mode can switch between warm and cool modes automatically, as before, and you can customize the temperature at which the device crosses from one mode to the other.
The Pocket Tag is a sensor which can monitor ambient temperature more accurately. It’s included in the box and has a key ring so you can put it on your rucksack if you prefer.
The price is £199 in the U.K. which is $270, though it’s not yet available in the U.S.
The Reon Pocket Pro is a hands-free alternative to a fan and offers significant upgrades compared both to a fan and the last Sony device.