The Kindle Oasis marks the online retailer’s eighth generation of e-reader products. The newest member of the family is designed for extended reading sessions, emphasising continued comfort and ease of use.
The design of the Oasis mimics that of a real book. The new ergonomic grip rests in the palm like a book’s spine, balancing the device’s weight for “effortless” reading. The Oasis does away with the weight and thickness of a book though, weighting just 4.6 ounces and measuring 3.4 mm at its thinnest point. It is an average of 30 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than any previous Kindle product.
The Amazon Kindle Oasis
Amazon
Amazon has developed an upgraded high-resolution 6-inch Paperwhite display with 60 percent more LEDs for brighter reading. The light is distributed more evenly across the screen for a consistent reading view without the light and dark patches of other backlight systems.
“To lean back and read for hours, you need a sanctuary from distraction,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “We want Kindle to disappear, and Kindle Oasis is the next big step in that mission. It’s the most advanced Kindle we’ve ever built—thin and ultra-lightweight, it gets out of the way so you can lose yourself in the author’s world.”
The Amazon Kindle Oasis
Amazon
According to Amazon, the Kindle Oasis can last for “months” on a single charge. An additional battery in the Kindle’s new leather cover charges the device continually and a hibernation mode lowers power usage when the device isn’t active.
The cover is available in black, merlot or walnut leather and is opened like a book. It connects to the e-reader with twelve magnets and can wake the Kindle when opened and put it to sleep when closed. It will be bundled with the device.
The Kindle Oasis includes all the features of its predecessors, ranging from suggested reads, support for typeset customisation and integrated dictionary facilities to functions to help parents teach a child to read. Millions of books, newspapers and magazines can be bought from the Kindle Store. Over a million are available for $2.99 or less.
The Amazon Kindle Oasis
Amazon
The Kindle Oasis’ new design and features come at a price though. Amazon is asking for a steep $289.99 for its latest-generation e-reader, opening worldwide pre-orders today for delivery in the coming weeks.
Amazon’s lower-cost Kindles will remain available including the $79.99 base model, $119.99 Paperwhite and $199.99 Voyage. Whether customers will be willing to pay the premium for the extended battery life and improved ergonomics of the Oasis remains to be seen. Amazon is clear this is a high-end product for the regular reader, a range-topping device that is unlikely to be for everyone.
