Latest news with #PocketTag
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
Sony Reon Pocket Pro: 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. 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.
Stuff.tv
20-05-2025
- Stuff.tv
Wearing Sony's latest wacky wearable sent a chill down my spine (for all the right reasons)
There's a fine line between today's wearable tech and cyberpunk sci-fi; Sony's new Reon Pocket Pro personal temperature regulator sits right on the crossroads. The sixth iteration of the neckband cooler isn't ready to repurpose your lost fluids like a Dune Stillsuit, but has seen some significant changes to better help stop you getting hot under the collar. Unless that's what you're wanting, of course. As with last year's Reon Pocket 5, it's a hands-free alternative to a portable electric fan (or, perish the thought, a paper one you wave yourself) or hand warmer. Aimed at commuters, office workers and travellers, it sits out of sight under your shirt, where a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) plate makes contact with your skin; it cools down or heats up based on built-in humidity and temperature sensors. This new version doesn't get any hotter or colder than before (Sony reckons pushing too far in either direction would be uncomfortable) but the TEC plate surface area has more than doubled. The cooling effect is twice that of the old model, with two separate peltier elements that take turns to chill you. Swapping between plates every ten or so seconds stops your brain from getting used to the sensation. It helps that the unit has a more pronounced curve, to more naturally follow the contours of your neck and spine. The neck band is way more adjustable this time around, too; the flexible arms and rubber end tips make it easier to find a comfortable fit while still giving the exhaust fin enough room to vent hot air up past your collar. The whole thing has grown to accommodate the extra cooling hardware, so Sony has taken the opportunity to add a bigger battery. The Reon Pocket Pro should now last up to 15 hours in the Smart cooling mode at an ambient 30 degrees celsius, or double what the previous-gen model could manage. The more powerful internal fan is also 50% quieter than the old version, and the cooling algorithms have been tweaked so it's twice as fast to react to changing external temperatures. It's still finished in light grey – because, let's be honest, no-one's office shirts are truly white after a few wash cycles – and includes vents for t-shirts and long-collared shirts in the box. The whole thing is splash and sweat resistant, including a covered USB-C charging port and sealed control buttons. That's right, buttons. While you can still pair the Reon Pocket Pro to a smartphone to adjust its temperature remotely, there are now dedicated buttons on the device to change cooling mode, and increase or decrease temperature. It still turns on and off automatically as you pull it on or remove it from your neck, to save battery. The companion app and Pocket Tag sensor haven't changed between generations. The former still shows you the ambient temperature and humidity, the current cooling mode, and the multiple levels of cooling or heating if using the manual mode. You can pick a specific crossover at which you'll be cooled or heated (say, 18 degrees celsius). The latter still clips onto a short pocket and monitors the temperature outside of your shirt, for better reaction to changing temperatures – like going from an air conditioned office to a stuffy train carriage. It still takes just a couple of seconds to get properly chilly or toasty warm, with the effect lingering for however long you wear the Reon for. The fan really is whisper quiet now, and while the larger size does mean it bulges a little more prominently out from underneath a t-shirt, it's still fairly subtle. The feeling of coolness in one spot doesn't override how warm you might be feeling elsewhere, but it genuinely did help me feel less flustered in my AC-less home office. The Reon Pocket Pro is launching in seven EU countries – an expanded reach from the Reon Pocket 5 – as well as Hong Kong and Sony's native Japan. It's set to cost £199 in the UK, which is a considerable hike from the Pocket 5's £139 starting point. Sony is opening up pre-orders today through its online store; customers hoping to save themselves from sweaty commutes should get their units in the coming weeks.
