Sol Reader has enjoyed much media coverage from all major tech blogs. It was announced in early 2023 and is a VR headset designed to go beyond an e-reader, and users can read books in a virtual space. It looks like the product will finally hit the market sometime in 2024. The company has just begun taking pre-orders for $350 , and it comes in many colours: black, silver, rose gold and dark blue.
The Sol Reader is the world’s first wearable e-reader, a product that’s proud to say it can only do one single thing: read ebooks. It provides a distraction-free experience. “a low-tech device in a high-tech world” is the official description because “fewer distractions means more focus.” And reading should be focused, regardless of where you might be at the time.
The VR headset does not look as big and bulky as the Oculus Rift or the upcoming Apple Vision Pro, but instead looks like a pair of sunglasses with a couple of side-lit, E INK pancake lenses. You can think of it as an e-reader for your eyes. Escape into your favourite book, or sit down in bed and read.
The Sol Reader will not read books from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Kobo. Instead, the company has developed a mobile app for iOS and Android, which allows you to manage your Sol Reader seamlessly. You can sideload your DRM-Free ebooks in EPUB format and send articles and newsletters to your Reader. Users can access settings, accounts, and tech support all in one place.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.