Amazon has introduced the new Kindle Oasis. Amazon introduces the first waterproof Kindle. Amazon introduces the first waterproof Kindle. Amazon has introduced the new Kindle Oasis. And while it's still an expensive proposition, it also boasts some improvements over its predecessor. The biggest of which is its ability to survive getting wet. Read More library on Amazon e-book The market will buy the Kindle Oasis But you can come get a dry Oasis Read More Unlike its plastic ancestor, the new Kindle Oasis is made of metal, packed with batteries, can read books aloud and survive drowning.
If you're looking for a new Kindle, here are 9 things to know about the new Kindle Oasis:
The new Kindle Oasis has a water resistance rating of Ingress Protection 8 (IPX8), which means it can withstand depths of finished 1 meter for longer than 30 minutes. While that probably means you can't go diving with it, taking the Oasis to the beach or sailing in deck pants may be on the cards.
The new Kindle Oasis includes Audible audiobook integration, provided the user pays for a subscription. On the downside, using Audible requires Bluetooth headphones or speakers. If you're in the market for either, we've covered the best Bluetooth headphones The 7 Best Bluetooth Headphones You Can Buy The 7 Best Bluetooth Headphones You Can Buy Finding the right pair of Bluetooth headphones isn't easy, so we compiled a list of the best Bluetooth headphones money can buy. Read More and Best Bluetooth Speakers Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 to $300 Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 to $300 You can't beat the convenience of being wire-free. Great audio quality may always need wired speakers, but for music on your phone, Bluetooth speakers are a must-have accessory these days. Read More
Unlike previous Kindle models, Oasis's new screen stretches 7 inches diagonally, making it the largest 300 ppi display ever installed on an Amazon e-reader. While it doesn't capture a standard A9 page size, it should have enough pixel density to accurately render larger books on a small screen.
Overall, if you've been waiting for Amazon to launch a bigger screen, the new Kindle Oasis is your best bet.
The 2016 Oasis sounds similar in dimensions to its new successor. The original Oasis weighed in at 4.6 ounces with a thickness of 3.4mm at its thinnest point. On paper, it sounded like the smallest and lightest Kindle (next to the DX) ever made. Actually, it had two dimensions and weights:with its cover and without it. The battery cover put the Oasis at 240 grams, the heaviest Kindle ever made.
The new Kindle Oasis chassis is forged from aluminum. While that typically means a slimmer, more robust device, it also comes with a tradeoff. First, aluminum devices don't work well when dropped. The stiffness and softness of aluminum make it more likely to warp and bend under pressure. Plastic, on the other hand, handles impacts much better. For the accident prone, the 2017 Oasis may be a less than optimal purchase decision. But it's not like the 2016 model is that great.
Unlike all previous Kindle editions, the new Oasis comes with 8GB of storage by default. With very small price increases, the variants reach up to 32 GB of storage. However, you can typically fit thousands of e-books on a small amount of storage. There seems to be little incentive to upgrade to a larger storage module, unless Amazon allows users to upload their own music and podcasts to the Oasis.
Unfortunately, there has been no word on user-added content.
Like all kindles, the oasis. still it lacks support for reading the EPUB format, the world's most popular non-proprietary e-book format. It is very different from PDF books. Here's how it differs:
For EPUB fans, MakeUseOf has covered several ways to manage your Kindle library using Caliber How to Manage Your Amazon Kindle eBook Collection with Caliber How to Manage Your Amazon Kindle eBook Collection with Caliber The biggest problem with a e-reader like the Amazon Kindle is that it requires unreasonable effort to move books between different devices. Before Kindle, I fell in love with Calibre. A bit on the heavy... Read More Tips include how to convert an EPUB into a format Kindle can read, and more.
The new Oasis includes a new accessibility option for those with a learning disability:the OpenDyslexic font. Users can activate the font, making it available in all texts.
Here's a video from TED Talks on YouTube that explains how the OpenDyslexic font helps make reading easier:
Unlike its predecessor, the new Kindle Oasis can automatically adjust its front light to suit ambient lighting conditions. However, the light color is not amber. It's still the same teal backlight seen on most Kindles. If you suffer from sensitivity to blue or white light (how to filter blue lights What is a blue light filter and which app works best? What is a blue light filter and which app works best? Your phone screen will Keeps you awake. Don' These apps will help you get a good night's sleep. Read More), you may need to look at Kobo's line of eReaders for relief.
The Kindle comes in five variations. The new top-of-the-line Oasis comes with Audible installed, 32GB of storage, and Wi-Fi and mobile Internet connectivity (mobile service purchased separately). It's available to order only until October 31.
Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display (300 ppi), Water Resistant, Built-in Audible, 32GB, Wi-Fi + Free Cellular Connectivity Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display 7" (300 ppi), waterproof, built-in audible, 32GB, Wi-Fi + free cellular connectivity Buy Now On Amazon $349.99
However, pre-orders appear to be substantially discounted. The starting sticker price at launch of the high-end Oasis is $490. But its price on the pre-order page is $350.
Going down a step drops the Oasis price by $50, but it loses its cellular capabilities on the move. However, the other components and features remain the same as the higher level Oasis.
Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display (300 ppi), Waterproof, Built-in Audible, 32 GB, Wi-Fi Kindle Oasis reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display (300 ppi) , Waterproof, Built-in Audible, 32 GB, Wi-Fi Buy Now On Amazon $299.99
The third version of the Kindle Oasis drops another $20, but includes advertising. For example, here's what the advertising looked like in the original Oasis:
Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" High-Res Display (300 ppi), Water Resistant, Built-in Audible, 32 GB, Wi-Fi - with special offers Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" High-Res Display 7" (300 ppi), waterproof, built-in audible, 32 GB, Wi-Fi - with special offers Buy Now On Amazon $279.99
The fourth version of Oasis reduces the storage from 32 GB to 8 GB. The compensation is advertising. You lose the open advertising but only drop $10 from the third version.
Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display (300 ppi), Water Resistant, Built-in Audible, 8 GB, Wi-Fi Kindle Oasis reader - Graphite, 7" Hi-Res Display (300 ppi) , Waterproof, Built-in Audible, 8 GB, Wi-Fi Buy Now On Amazon $269.99
The fifth and cheapest Oasis model comes with 8GB of storage and advertising.
Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" High-Res Display (300 ppi), Waterproof, Built-in Audible, 8 GB, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers Kindle Oasis E-reader - Graphite, 7" High-Res Display (300 ppi), waterproof, built-in audible, 8 GB, Wi-Fi - Includes special offers Buy Now On Amazon $249.99
We won't know until the new Kindle Oasis launches on October 31. However, my gut tells me to look at the numbers. If a second-generation Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon Warehouse sells for a quarter of the price of a new Oasis, the Oasis must provide a reading experience that is four times better. And that just isn't possible.
What do you think of the new Kindle Oasis? Can it be worth the price Amazon charges? Already own an Amazon Kindle? If so, are you tempted to upgrade to the new Kindle Oasis? Please let us know in the comments below!
