Remember when we actually held books to read??
That’s what we’ll say if the Sol Reader ($350) succeeds. It’s a head-mounted display that promises to revolutionize the way we read books. Imagine having a Kindle strapped to your face, but without the awkwardness of explaining why you have a Kindle strapped to your face.
If I’ve learned anything from Shark Tank, it’s what pain point are you solving. My guess is wanting to read in in bed without the hassle of holding a book or an e-reader. For real though, I’m intrigued.
Priced at $350, the Sol Reader is not exactly a steal. But hey, can you really put a price on looking like a cyborg from a low-budget sci-fi movie? Plus, it promises a battery life of 30 hours on a single charge, making it a reliable companion for avid readers, travelers or people too lazy to walk to the outlet. Pre-orders are live now.
YouTuber SadleyItsBradley tested one 6 months ago. Some cons are light leakage and discomfort while wearing the device. No one said being an early adopter was easy. Or comfortable. Also, this was six months ago, so let’s assume Sol worked through these issues.
Another question is how do you highlight and type notes in the Sol Reader, export notes or annotate the text? I feel like such a nerd typing that last sentence.
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Do people really want computers or devices as wearable glasses? Well, if we look at the track record, it’s a mixed bag. Remember Google Glass? Yeah, neither do most people. I remember seeing a guy with these on. People were intrigued. It was a product ahead of its time, but it also made you look like you were auditioning for a Star Trek reboot. But with the Sol Reader, this is not a device you walk around all day wearing.
Then there’s the Apple Vision Pro, a $3,499 headset that’s being touted as a “spatial computer.” It’s like Apple said, “What’s more expensive than our phones and laptops? Oh, I know, a headset!” But jokes aside, Apple is known for creating markets where none existed, and they’re betting big on this one. They’re even roping in developers to create apps for this device. It’s like they’re building a spaceship and asking others to come up with the destinations.
Meanwhile, Snap Spectacles. They were supposed to be the next big thing, but they ended up being the next big thing… in the discount bin.
Yet all these were supposed to be or are wearable glasses for different use cases, different situations.
So, where does that leave the Sol Reader? To me, it’s back to I want to lie in bed and read without holding my phone. A niche market. For now. What if they have some sort of proprietary technology that lets you beam ads off to the side. They could sell ad space in the reader. That would be awesome. It’d be like reading at the beach while people constantly throw pamphlets at your face.