Sony’s portable air conditioner could become a sought-after gadget on construction jobsites

Updated Aug 11, 2019

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You probably know this already but it’s hot outside. Record-breaking hot, actually. This past June is now the hottest June on record. Beyond that, it was “the 414th consecutive month recording above-average global temperatures,” according to weather data reported on by CNN.

And few people know this harsh reality more than the folks working on construction sites. Yeah, the roofers and laborers are stuck directly in the sun’s glare, but the drywall and insulation guys aren’t exactly having a blast in this heat. Fortunately, technology might soon bring some relief.

Sony has launched a successful crowdfunding campaign for a gadget called the Reon Pocket, a device that, at about the size of a credit card and weighing only 3 ounces, the company says can cool the users’ body by 23 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a report from Gizmodo providing details from Sony’s Kickstarter-like website First Flight.

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The Reon Pocket is slipped into an undershirt with a special pocket on back at the base of the neck. The device uses thermoelectric cooling to cool you down, but it can also be used on cold days to warm you up.

The Reon Pocket boasts 24 hours of battery life and can be controlled from your iOS or Android device and will run about $175 if the Japanese pricing in the crowdfunding campaign is carried over to the actual launch of the product next year. A cheaper version that did not feature smartphone connectivity and was priced at about $117 was available as part of the campaign as well.