Sony Releases Personal Air Con That Fits Inside Shirt Collars

Sony has released a personal air con unit that can be stored inside a person's shirt collar.

The Reon Pocket is a wallet-sized device that creates a cool envelope around your torso, even when the wearer is outside.

It weighs just three ounces and has an app that can be downloaded to a smartphone, from which you can control the temperature.

The tech giant has also started to sell customer t-shirts that have small pockets sewn into the collar, which the device can be slipped into.

Sony

Sony says that the new technology can help lower the body surface temperature of the person wearing it by up to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (13°C) - it must be at maximum power and left to run for five minutes to achieve this.

And it's not just useful for the summer, it can also help keep the wearer warm in the winter, since it can increase body temperature by 14 degrees Fahrenheit (8°C).

The battery that powers the Reon Pocket device is rechargeable - Sony says it can run non-stop for about an hour and a half, but it takes two hours to fully recharge.

At the moment, it's available in Japan through online retailers and Sony hasn't announced that it plans to release it for sale in any other countries so far.

It retails at a suggested price of about $130 (£103).

Sony

Sony first announced the Reon Pocket in 2019, with plans for it to be released this year to coincide with the Olympic Games. The Olympics were set to take place in Tokyo, where the weather is famously hot and humid during the summer months.

And although the Tokyo Olympics are now postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Sony is still planning on going ahead with the Reon Pocket's planned release.

It's already been reviewed by some early buyers, and it's fair to say, it's a bit of a mixed bag.

Some customers seemed enthusiastic while others have said they are disappointed with the product.

According to a report from Input, some said that the noise it produces is much too loud, with one reviewer comparing it to having a fan constantly running behind your head.

Other people said that the air conditioning unit isn't as effective at drying them off than they had hoped, with one saying that it doesn't help if you have already started to sweat.

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. She spent a few years working on festivals and events before joining LADbible. In her spare time, Amelia likes music and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

@ameliasward