Living in London, riding the Central Line during peak commuting hours in summertime can be a suffocating experience. You’ll find yourself wishing for a better way to deal with the heat. The Sony Reon Pocket 5 is a wearable thermo device that can cool or warm your body, depending on your environment.
The Reon Pocket 5 uses a plate-like “thermos module” and five sensors to determine your optimal body temperature and make you more comfortable. It offers five levels of cooling and four levels of warmth, so it can be used in a wide range of settings. The device works automatically when paired with the included wearable Reon Pocket Tag, which senses outside conditions and feeds information back to the neck device. You can also control the Reon Pocket 5 manually using Sony’s new Reon Pocket App.
The Reon Pocket 5 is available to pre-order now for £139 from Sony’s website and is set to begin shipping on May 15. The Reon 5T package includes the device itself, a Reon Pocket Tag, and a white neckband. Sony is also offering a beige-colored neckband for £25.
I recently had the chance to go hands-on with the Reon Pocket 5 at a Sony demo event and was pleasantly surprised by how effective the device was at reducing my body’s temperature at the touch of a button. The thermos module is basically a hot plate for your neck, and despite its small size, the increased sensitivity to temperature in that area of the body means that heating it up or cooling it down makes your entire body feel more comfortable.
Weighing just 116g, the device itself isn’t a nuisance to wear. I forgot it was strapped to my neck during an hour-long sit-down meal with the Sony team. However, it’s not invisible, so you may get some curious looks while wearing it in public places.
The question of when and where this product should be worn is a valid one. I’m not sure that seeking the perfect body temperature all the time is a good thing. But as a means of simply making travel more comfortable, the Sony Reon Pocket 5 delivers on its promise.
