GoKawiilThis Fourth of July could be the hottest on record in certain parts of the US, CBS News reports, as a heat wave continues to impact half the country. Just in time for these potentially dangerous temperatures, Sony Electronics will start shipping its Reon Pocket Pro Plus in the US. Available in Japan since 2019, it's a wearable heating and cooling device that looks like a space travel accessory. I got a first look at this technology and have been testing it for the past few days. This is everything you’ll want to know about it, along with my thoughts.
The portable, 8.7-ounce Reon Pocket Pro Plus is designed to be worn around your neck and under clothing, making it more discreet than other wearable and handheld fans. Using a stainless steel plate that comes in contact with the skin, you can manually adjust the device's cooling or warming temperature range from 41 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the accompanying Android, iOS or WatchOS app or on the device itself.
You can switch between cooling, heating and smart modes. Anna Gragert/CNET
Smart sensors adjust temperature so you don't have to
There’s also the option to use smart mode, which you can select both in the app and on the Reon Pocket Pro Plus. In the app, you set the temperature range and, using multiple temperature and humidity sensors on the device and the included Reon Pocket environmental sensor that can be attached to a bag or belt loop, the Reon Pocket Pro Plus’s algorithm will automatically adjust the plate’s temperature to your preference.
While the Reon Pocket sensor tag is separate from the device, it measures the temperature and humidity of your surroundings and displays this information in the app. Because of that, you’ll want to ensure the sensor isn’t covered. It comes with a carabiner for this purpose, so it’s easy to attach to a purse or backpack.
The Reon Pocket sensor tag measures your environment's temperature and humidity. Anna Gragert/CNET
On the Reon Pocket Pro Plus unit, you can adjust settings without the app. There are start-stop, warm and cool mode, smart mode and plus and minus buttons, all with corresponding LED lights.
How the Reon Pocket Pro Plus works
The device’s plate uses a Peltier element, which a Reon representative described as a semiconductor module. When an electric current is applied, it can cool on one side and heat on the other. To maximize cooling performance on the plate's skin-contacting side, a high-volume fan, a vapor chamber and heat-dissipation fins are used to release the internal heat generated on the opposite side of the plate.
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