Apple has been attracting more attention than usual since it unveiled its Vision Pro. Vision Pro is Apple’s mixed reality headset that was introduced to the world at its Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC) 2023. The event took place on June 5 and was opened by their CEO, Tim Cook. Since then, the device has taken the internet by storm, be it for its whopping price of $3500 (around Rs. 2.8 lakhs) or for its amalgamation of the physical world with the digital world while staying in touch with reality.
While the device is multi-faceted and presents the world with greater possibilities with what technology can achieve, there are still contentions that may not arise with a conscious mind but might bug you while going about any mundane day. The Vision Pro can be termed a breakthrough, but there are other advancements as well when it comes to wearable tech. Another headset is making the rounds: the Sol Reader. It was able to raise $5 million with a promise to not do a lot of things. It is trying to achieve a focus on a particular thing—focus your attention on one book.
The CEO of Sol, Ben Chelf, said, “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?” He further added that they are not interested in spatial computing, virtual reality, or augmented reality, but they want to focus on how to utilise the personal devices in a way that would encourage the users to spend their time wisely. Chelf has asserted that they are building the Sol Reader for one specific activity, and that is reading. Reportedly, Chelf also noted that with time, other wearable devices may see a reduction in their cost. Sol Reader is here to present a time-well-spent option at just 10% of the cost of Apple Vision Pro.
The CEO of Sol explained how the idea of putting a book on his face with a timer is attractive. He expanded on his emotions that he felt during the pandemic, where he kept on checking his phone every 10 seconds to see what Trump had done or where the scenario was concerning COVID-19. He asserted that his mental health was not doing too well at the time. So, the innovation that Sol is trying to bring out is simple. The device slips over the eyes and blocks the person from any kind of distraction.
The device is currently available for pre-order and comes in a variety of colours. The price is set at $350, and it consists of a pair of side-lit, e-ink displays. It is similar to the Kindle; however, it comes with a remote and a charger. A fully charged battery gets the user through 25 hours of reading. What’s more, the device comes with a diopter adjustment, which implies that glasses or contact wearers can use the device without wearing any additional vision correction. Further, the screens are 1.3-inch e-ink displays with a 256×256 resolution per eye. The glasses’ 64MB of storage should be enough to accommodate books for even the longest getaways from reality.
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At a time when Vision Pro is the word on everyone’s lips, such a reader does strike the cord of interest. Apple’s Vision Pro is a spatial computer that allows the interaction of digital content with the physical world while allowing users to stay connected with others, and it stands to provide an infinite canvas for the apps while allowing a three-dimensional user interface controlled by the user’s hands, eyes, and voice. Sol Reader, on the other hand, is an escape from such a mixed reality into a specific venture that is visioned to let the users be away from any distraction and emphasise just one activity, and that is reading.
