Amazon has officially announced their latest generation – 8th generation to be exact – Kindle called the Kindle Oasis. Amazon says that this is their thinnest and lightest Kindle to date at just 3.4mm thick at it’s thinnest point and just 4.6 oz as its weight. The company claims this is 30% thinner on average and over 20% lighter than any other Kindle before. This is also the first e-reader from the online market place to feature an ergonomic grip to make one-handed use feel as comfortable as possible while also mimic the feel of the spine of a physical book.
To achieve its form factor, Amazon had to use a featherweight polymer frame that’s plated with metal by structural electroplating, making the Oasis very light while also remaining tough enough to take anywhere. But don’t think this Kindle is waterproof due to this alongside the “Oasis” branding, because it’s not (unfortunately).
A nifty feature built inside the Kindle Oasis is the accelerometer. This means that whether you’re holding this device in your left or right hand, the screen will automatically position itself properly while the page turn buttons change direction accordingly. This will prove to be very helpful for many people, especially since no other Kindle has had a sensor like this before.
Display wise, the Kindle Oasis uses a 200 micron display backplane to deliver a 6-inch high-res 300 ppi Paperwhite screen which Amazon claims can push “crisp, laser-quality text”. There’s also a new, redesigned backlight that features 60% more LEDs, making this the brightest Kindle display ever. And in case you’re wondering, Amazon is using custom, chemically-reinforced glass panels to protect the display which are robust enough to protect your Kindle from bumps and scratches.
Something interesting Amazon did with this new Kindle is the battery and power management. If you order a Kindle Oasis, you’ll receive the e-reader alongside a leather case for it right in the box. This cover comes loaded with a rechargeable battery which is used in what the company’s calling the “dual-battery system”:
Kindle Oasis introduces a new dual-battery system—as soon as you connect the cover to Kindle Oasis, the battery in the cover begins recharging Kindle Oasis automatically. The battery in the cover uses a custom cell architecture that optimizes power and energy while keeping an incredibly small and light form factor and delivering months of battery life. You can charge the device and cover simultaneously while both are snapped together and plugged in. Plus, a new hibernation mode minimizes power consumption when your Kindle is inactive.
In addition, with the charging case connected, the Kindle Oasis will use the cover’s juice before it uses its own for longer use while also featuring 20 months of standby time, which is quite lengthy. The charging case also awaken the Kindle when its opened and put the device to sleep when its closed by using magnets.
“To lean back and read for hours, you need a sanctuary from distraction,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com 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.”
This is really an interesting Kindle. First of all, the design is quite funky with its extra wide bezel on the right side of the device, making the screen look positioned incorrectly. Second, never has there been battery management like the method used in this device. And third, it’s a bit unclear whether this is a predecessor to, say, the Kindle Voyage or Paperwhite. According to Amazon, this is simply their highest-end e-reader.
Kindle Oasis is the newest addition to the Kindle family. By design, Kindle e-readers are purpose-built for reading so you can lose yourself in a book. Unlike tablets and phones, dedicated e-readers don’t distract you with social media, emails, and text messages. They don’t beep at you or tire your eyes when you read for hours at a time. You can now choose from four different Kindle e-readers to find the one that is best for you:
- Kindle, our most affordable reader, with a touchscreen display and all the latest features customers love about Kindle, including Whispersync, Smart Lookup, and Goodreads integration, just $79.99.
- Kindle Paperwhite, the most popular and best-selling Kindle, features a high-resolution display and an adjustable front light, just $119.99.
- Kindle Voyage, with a high resolution, high contrast display, an adaptive front light and page turns with PagePress buttons, just $199.99.
- Kindle Oasis, the thinnest and lightest Kindle, with an all-new ergonomic design, page turn buttons, and an included leather charging cover which, when added, provides months of battery life through a unique dual-battery charging system, just $289.99.
All of their previous Kindles remain the same prices they’ve always been. Now, the only difference is there’s something better than the Voyage. I’m not saying this doesn’t make sense – because it absolutely does – its just a bit blurry at this time just how to look at this new device and where it stands.
The Kindle Oasis will be available for $289.99 from Amazon and is available for preorder now. The device will start shipping on April 27th and will come in a few variants, with one being with or without special offers and another being with or without free 3G connectivity.
What do you think of the latest Kindle from Amazon? Is a hit or miss? Let us know your opinion in the comment section!
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