Sony’s portable air conditioner is finally available to buy

First revealed last summer with a release slated to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Sony wearable personal air conditioner finally available for sale to help you combat the summer heat when you occasionally go out to face the rage of the sun and the ongoing pandemic.

Working alongside a special shirt that suspends the device in the middle of the back, just below the neck, the Sony Reon Pocket, which doesn’t look like the Apple Magic Mouse, uses the Peltier effect to serve as a heat pump that promises to help cool the user’s body temperature down to 23 degrees Fahrenheit on hot days.

The side of the Reon pocket resting against the user’s back is promised to stay cool to the touch while removing heat through a small fan that blows hot air away from the body. By using a companion mobile app for iOS and Android devices, the Reon Pocket can be manually adjusted as needed, or even configured in an automatic mode that uses temperature and motion sensors to detect what the user is doing, how they feel, and then Properly adjust the cooling mode to ensure the desired comfort level is maintained.

The device can even be used in the cold winter months, running in reverse to help raise the user’s body temperature up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, but no matter what the weather, the Reon Pocket is not an all-day solution. Given its compact size, its internal battery is only good for about two to four hours of comfort, depending on how difficult it needs to work, and you’ll have to wait about two hours for it to recharge before you can use it again.

Last summer Sony promised two versions of the Reon Pocket when it was finally available; a Lite version that was strictly controlled manually and a Standard version that featured all the additional automatic bells and whistles via the accompanying mobile app. A year later, it seems that only the most elaborate version reaches the market, available through Sony’s own online store for around $ 120, or Amazon Japan where it’s currently closer to $ 160, while t-shirt holders will cost you around $ 20 each.