The Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset might be making all the noise at the moment but here is another headset that too holds a lot of appeal but mostly for book lovers. It is the Sol Reader that will let you get immersed in your favorite books while cutting out all the distractions. The company secured a $5 million funding round a year ago, led by Garry Tan from Initialized and Y Combinator. Presently, as TechCrunch reported, Sol is shipping an exclusive beta version of the glasses, referred to as the “advanced copy,” to a select group of early access testers.
The Sol Reader made its debut at CES earlier this year and stands out with its simplicity. Resembling a pair of glasses, it conveniently slips over your eyes, shielding you from interruptions while you indulge in reading. The device features side-lit e-ink displays, similar to what you have on the Kindle, or for that matter, most e-readers out there. Each display measures 1.3 inches and boasts a resolution of 256 × 256 per eye.
One of the standout features of the Sol Reader is its diopter adjustment, which caters to individuals who wear glasses or contacts, eliminating the need for additional vision correction. While the exact range of the adjustment remains undisclosed, it enhances the versatility and accessibility of the device. With 64 MB of storage, the Sol Reader can accommodate extensive reading material, making it perfect for immersive reading sessions. A fully charged battery provides approximately 25 hours of reading time at a go.
Priced at $350, the Sol Reader is currently available for pre-order and comes in a variety of colors. The device is accompanied by a user-friendly remote, allowing seamless page-turning capabilities. Designed for comfort and convenience, the Sol Reader is particularly ideal for reading while lying down, as the remote enables effortless navigation to the next page with a simple press of a button.
“I’m excited to see Apple’s demonstration of the future of general AR/VR for the masses. However, even if it’s eventually affordable and in a much smaller form factor, we’re still left with the haunting question: Do I really need more time with my smart devices,” said Ben Chelf, CEO at SolReader. “At Sol, we’re less concerned with spatial computing or augmented and virtual realities and more interested in how our personal devices can encourage us to spend our time wisely. We are building the Sol Reader specifically for a single important use case — reading. And while Big Tech surely will improve specs and reduce cost over time, we can now provide a time-well-spent option at 10% of the cost of Apple’s Vision.”
The company though remains tight-lipped about the official release date of the full production batches. Interested customers are encouraged to join the waiting list to secure their own pair of Sol Readers.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
