Content

1. TECH SPECS
2. Equipment
3. First impressions. Design
4. РџРѕР »РµРІС‹ Рµ РёСЃРїС ‹С‚Р ° РЅРёСЏ
5. As a conclusion

Smartphones and tablets, watches and headphones, players and vacuum cleaners, bicycles and cars. All these and a bunch of other smart toys flicker before the eyes of any ordinary consumer every day. The average sophisticated housewife like me has to face a choice every single day. Consider yourself lucky if you have an unlimited budget or you were able to achieve Zen by optimizing your wishes to the limit.

And then one day you meet him – a new, unusual, not like everyone else’s gadget that you want to have here and now. And it doesn’t matter at all whether you need it vitally or just for show. This is exactly what I met today – the REON Pocket mobile air conditioner from Sony.

Initially, the project was exhibited at Sony First Flight’s proprietary crowdfunding platform, where, along with the air conditioner, such gadgets as the FES Watch e-Ink watch, the NYSNO-100 Bluetooth headset and an interactive desktop projector were presented. The idea caught the fans of the brand so much that they literally flooded the manufacturer with money. Agree, there are several reasons right off the bat to have such a very unusual device, whose purpose is clear and logical even for a child.

The sole purpose of REON Pocket is to cool or warm a part of the human body within a radius of 15-20 centimeters. Yes, the device works not only for cooling, but also for heating, so I would say that the definition of “climate control” is more applicable to it than “air conditioning”.

TECH SPECS

The principle of operation of REON Pocket is based on the effect of temperature change in two different tightly contacting conductors. Under the influence of an electric current, one of them cools, while the other, on the contrary, heats up. If the polarity is reversed, cooling and heating are also reversed, and their intensity directly depends on the current strength. French physicist Jean Charles Peltier discovered this phenomenon back in 1834, but only in the middle of the last century, after the widespread use of semiconductors, they found practical application. It is noteworthy that the dimensions of the thermoelement can be of any size, which made it possible for Sony to present such a compact device.

An elegant white plastic box (no other options available) with dimensions 116x54x20 mm and weighing 89 grams is attached on the back, in the upper part of the shirt, in a special pocket located at the base of the neck. Air currents are dispersed through perforated baffles, creating a comfortable area around them. White and coffee jerseys sold separately. Available sizes – S, M, L.

REON Pocket can be used in ambient temperatures between 5 ° C and 40 ° C. The difference in body temperature before and after cooling can be about 13 degrees, in heating mode – 8,3 degrees. You can control the gadget both with a smartphone using a special application (iOS, Android), and in manual mode. In the case of the phone, the control is carried out via Bluetooth. For the operation of the air conditioner in stand-alone mode, a special Quick launch button is provided on the device body.

The full charging time of the battery is 2,5 hours. The battery life depends directly on the selected power mode. So, according to the manufacturer, the estimated time in cooling mode is:

• Level 1: about 4 hours
• Level 2: about 3 hours
• Level 3: about 2,5 hours

In heating mode:

• Level 1: about 3 hours
• Level 2: about 2,5 hours
• Level 3: about 2 hours

The case is not protected against water or dust, therefore it is not recommended to use it in rainy weather. This is one of the main drawbacks of REON Pocket.

Equipment

In the box, in addition to the main unit, the manufacturer put a USB-C charging cable and a couple of instructions in Japanese. English and even more so Russian translation is not provided, tk. REON Pocket can only be officially purchased in Japan. What exactly forced Sony to release such an unusual gadget on the territory of a single country is still not clear to me.

By the way, the Made In Japan inscription proudly flaunts both on the box and on the air conditioner itself, which, quite possibly, for someone will become an additional incentive for future purchases.

First impressions. Design

An incomprehensible white glossy box with the Sony logo could have become anything, but it turned out to be quite workable and, most importantly, a practical solution for every day. I cannot compare my first impressions of REON Pocket with those that I usually experience from new models of Japanese phones that regularly come to me for tests. If modern smartphones are mostly similar to each other and differ only in details, then in the case of the hero of today’s review, you understand that no one has ever used such a device before you. An unusual feeling.

The first thing that catches your eye when looking at REON Pocket is its compact size. The gadget is incredibly light (89 g) and completely buried in the palm of your hand. It can easily fit in a jacket or shirt pocket, not to mention a bottomless handbag. It doesn’t cost anything to break it when it’s in the back pocket of your trousers, even though it’s very compact. To be honest, I got the impression that there is nothing here that could save him even from falling from a height of less than a meter. So, I would recommend the future owner to buy a couple of pieces of “neatness” and “straight arms” along with the air conditioner.

Along with the air conditioning, I ordered several T-shirts in different colors and sizes. Considering that the classic Japanese is always smaller than the average Russian, I was afraid that the largest size would not be enough for me. However, given my physique and height (181 cm), the Elka sat perfectly. The lightweight and smooth fabric fits the body comfortably without creating any discomfort.

At the first glance at REON Pocket, an ignorant person sees in front of him an unknown medical device or something similar. This is how practically everyone to whom I demonstrated it for the first time reasoned.

Externally, REON Pocket is full of simplicity and minimalism. Only the perforated lower part of the front side of the case catches the eye. This mesh is designed to ventilate the interior of the air conditioner during operation.

There is a USB-C connector on the right side. The air conditioner cannot perform its basic functions while recharging. Nearby is the only hardware button. When you turn it on for the first time, you need it to establish a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone or to turn on the device in manual mode when a smartphone is not required. However, when using REON Pocket alone, its functionality will be severely curtailed. The button will only allow you to turn on and off the cooling or heating mode preselected on the smartphone. The required intensity is also set in advance. All other settings are made directly from the device. Switching cold to warm or vice versa without the participation of the phone will also not work. It makes sense to use the device without a smartphone only if you regularly use only one specific mode.

In Bluetooth mode, the indicator light is blue, when charging is connected, it is red. You can charge REON Pocket either from a computer or an external battery, or from a power adapter.

There is another deflector at the rear end. In cooling mode, a built-in fan blows cold air out of it. If the air conditioner is in the pocket of your branded shirt, the air will blow right around your neck. Conveniently, you can use REON Pocket as a propeller. It is enough to direct it to the desired part of the body, and a portion of cold air is already blowing in the right direction. It is noteworthy that in heating mode the fan does not work, so it will not work to warm up the tongue frozen to the freezer or hands numb in the frost with a stream of warm air.

The main effect of REON Pocket’s work is transferred to a special silicone plate located at the bottom of the case. When the device is in the collar pocket of the shirt, it is this part of it that comes into contact with the human skin, transferring most of the cold or heat. Over time, the surface can become covered with dust, sweat and dirt. It is recommended to use alcohol wipes for cleaning.

The surface can be easily scratched with keys or other objects. This will not affect the performance of the device in any way, but the aesthetics will be disturbed.

РџРѕР »РµРІС‹ Рµ РёСЃРїС ‹С‚Р ° РЅРёСЏ

Long before receiving the long-awaited box from Japan on REON Pocket, I had certain plans. First of all, I was faced with the task of testing the air conditioner in the conditions of many hours of cycling. For this, I had at my disposal all the most ideal field conditions: double suspension, a 70-kilometer dirt track, wind and optimal autumn 17 degrees. It was important to understand how the device works in conditions of relative cold, when the body is not yet warmed up and when sweat is already running down the back.

By the way, as it turned out, the air conditioner put in a T-shirt did not really stand out so much from under the clothes. An additional T-shirt, shirt or jacket, not to mention a jacket or coat, elegantly disguises the presence of a foreign body underneath. And an ordinary passer-by will never guess at all that a person with such an upgrade has something hidden under the collar.

Pairing REON Pocket with a smartphone for the first time is no different from connecting with any Bluetooth device. It was more difficult to install a proprietary application on the phone. My Google Play simply did not see the software hosted on Japanese servers. I had to download and install it using workarounds.

During the pairing process, the program may detect a firmware update for the device. From the very beginning of sales, only two upgrades were presented, which brought minor improvements to some operating modes. The update process takes no more than 2 minutes.

The REON Pocket interface is quite simple and logical, even considering the complete absence of the Russian language. The central part of the screen is occupied by a five-level circular intensity control, where OFF is off, and BOOST is the maximum. In the BOOST position, the device works for 2 minutes and then automatically switches to the previous level, so as not to freeze or fry the owner. At the bottom is a four-level fan power slider. When switched on for the first time, the unit is always in COOL mode. You can switch to WARM by selecting the appropriate tab at the top of the screen.

The manufacturer recommends increasing the temperature gradually, starting from the very first levels of intensity and power and adjusting them as needed, based on your own feelings. On the day of the first tests of REON Pocket, the sun was shining, but at the same time there was a tangible wind. This is the most dangerous period for the body, when it costs nothing to get sick. Knowing the insidiousness of the weather, I prudently put on thermal underwear under the summer cycling uniform. However, the body still felt the coming of autumn. I immediately switched the air conditioner to heating. The choice of the mode occurs with a delay of 3-4 seconds. Let me remind you that the fan is not available in the “Heating” mode.

I left the house and immediately jumped on the bike, completely ignoring the warm-up. I wanted to see how quickly the overseas miracle Yudo could warm me with its artificial heat. Turning the intensity to “one”, in just a few seconds I felt a surge of warmth in the lower part of my neck. The temperature was stable in the comfortable zone, without causing any unpleasant sensations at all. After a couple of kilometers, I felt how the heat from the device began to spread to the sides, capturing new areas around me.

The sensations were unusual. In contrast to natural warming by pedaling, artificial warming only affected the upper back and lower neck. All my thoughts, of course, were concentrated on this particular part of the body. It is logical that it would be simply impossible to get warm completely from a device of this size with such a range. As usual, blood came to the rescue, which, with every movement of my legs, began to disperse the heat through my body faster and faster.

Usually, under such conditions, 10-13 kilometers are enough for me to warm up, which I drive at a moderate pace, without sudden accelerations and unnecessary strain. The route that I rode that day assumed the presence of a relatively steep asphalt road 15 km after the start. It usually takes me 2 minutes on average to overcome it. For my body, this slide is considered the starting point for a tough lift-off along the trail with noticeable differences in height, high cadence and maximum concentration. In addition, I know firsthand that my Specialized Camber, being in the toughest conditions every day, is capable of working out every ruble invested in it at any time.

Climbing the hill, the body began to actively give off heat. Without having time to form, sweat was immediately absorbed into the thermal underwear and balaclava. It was necessary to slow down and drink some water. In the open space, the wind increased noticeably and began to whip over the sweaty parts of the body. However, I noticed that the back and neck, which in this situation were usually exposed to the wind the most, were in the comfort zone this time. Not dramatically, but perceptibly noticeable. The heating intensity remained at the same “unit”. During the first 15 kilometers I even somehow forgot about the yoke around my neck. For a couple of subsequent calm kilometers, I turned it off altogether to allow the body to cool as much as possible. It is logical that sudden temperature changes for a body steamed in my case can adversely affect my health later. It’s time to experience the quality of elegant Japanese refrigeration. I turned on the intensity and the fan in position 1, and the base of the neck began to feel a slight coolness. Note that, as in the case of heating, the reaction of the thermoelement manifests itself immediately. There is no need to wait for something there to heat up or cool down. All these processes take place instantly.

Realizing that the first level is not enough for me, I ventured to go to the second. All the same gentle coolness without a sharp cold snap or frostbite. I just felt a slight chill begin to spread more actively under the shirt, and my neck received additional airflow. The presence of the balaclava softened the effect even more, and the blowing from the REON Pocket upper deflector was practically not felt. I could only feel how slowly the skin cools down and the remains of sweat evaporate.

Having cooled down “manually”, I decided to try the automatic mode. According to the instructions, “Automatic” provides for the optimal temperature setting for the current state of the body and the air around. The sensors built into the case independently determine the temperature of the corresponding part of the body, as well as the temperature of the air nearby, and automatically activate the required cooling intensity and fan power. By the same principle, “Automatic” works in heating mode.

In my case, I myself had already cooled my back and neck in manual mode enough, so that, switching to automatic, the system decided that at the moment the first general level would be optimal for me.

For the rest of the time, I continued to ride using the automatic cooling mode. In my scenario, the battery lasted about two and a half hours. It is likely that after several discharge / charge cycles, the autonomy will slightly increase, albeit slightly, but, as it turned out in practice, the actual operating time of the device almost coincides with the declared one.

Also in the menu there is a MY MODE (“My mode”) mode, where you can independently set the schedule for automatic switching on and off the corresponding mode of the device, the intensity and power of the fan. For myself, I have not found a use for it. Still, I want to independently control the operation of such a stove.

In the “Settings” menu, you can find out the current version of the firmware of the air conditioner and the application, untie the existing one and bind the new device, go to the page with the electronic version of the instruction in English, and also select the default MY MODE (“My mode”) and the mode that will be activated from the button on the REON Pocket body.

As a conclusion

Yes, I anticipate your question as to how dangerous such a device can be to the body. Let it be light, but, nevertheless, constant exposure to cold or heat on the spine, especially in the collar zone. I will only say for myself, REON Pocket is the first device in the last 15 years, before starting to use which I nevertheless decided to read the instructions. It is important to understand the level of your own responsibility before using such a device. It is easy to understand that in the heat it is categorically not recommended to turn on the cooling to the maximum, otherwise the most unpredictable clinical consequences will await you. Sony engineers have come up with REON Pocket for those who are on friendly terms with their heads and love their own bodies. Personally, I did not notice any pain in myself after using the conditioner. Perhaps the body of another person will react to it in a completely different way. This is quite acceptable, because all people are different and perceive this or that information in different ways, which is quite normal.

In any case, I decided that such a toy has every right to take root in my collection of useful gadgets for every day, because it has clearly proven its effectiveness and practicality in real field conditions. Would you find an application for such a device in your life?

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