The Reon Pocket Pro Plus, Sony's latest wearable cooling device, is now available in the UK and Europe through Sony's own store and select online retailers including Amazon. The device builds on nearly a decade of development, with the original project starting back in 2017 and a crowdfunding launch following in 2019.
The Reon does not work like a simple fan clipped to a collar. According to Engadget, it uses the Peltier effect, with an electrically cooled metal plate sitting at the base of the neck. The placement targets a key point in the circulatory system, functioning like what the outlet described as "a tiny ice pack with a USB-C port."
The Pro Plus version improves on its predecessor in several ways. The most significant change is a two-degree Celsius, or 3.6-degree Fahrenheit, increase in cooling capacity, which Sony says represents a 20 percent improvement. The device also includes an updated cooling algorithm that more accurately tracks temperature changes both on the device itself and in the surrounding environment. Despite the added power, it still runs for up to 10 hours on its second-highest cooling setting.
Stability has also been improved. New fins that hold the device against the neck and shoulders make it 40 percent more stable than the previous model, according to Sony. The fins are also more adaptable to different neck shapes. The overall hardware design remains largely the same as the Reon Pocket Pro, and the device is still worn beneath a shirt or other top, with a quiet internal fan helping circulate air across the cooled area. An automatic shutdown mechanism is in place to prevent overheating.
The Pro Plus comes with a second-generation Pocket Tag accessory that is smaller than the previous version and monitors ambient temperature and humidity. Sony says this data will help the device fine-tune its cooling. A companion smartphone app provides manual controls and customization options, though the Reon can still be used without a phone.
In the UK, the device is priced at £199. In the rest of Europe it costs €220. Sony has not yet announced whether or when the Pro Plus will be available in the United States.
