Amazon Oasis

The Amazon Oasis is one of the newest readers on the market. It promises a revolutionary design optimized for reading, as well as much-extended battery life. Does the e-reader live up to the hype? Is it as good as Amazon wants us to believe it is? After all, there are plenty of other eReaders on the market–the Nook and the Kobo, for instance. . Amazon itself even offers several other eReader models: the Paperwhite, the Voyage. So, is the Oasis really worth it? Should you purchase one–and, if so, why? What are the advantages of the Oasis when compared to the other eReaders?

To answer that question, we need to get a bit more nuanced. But first, we will start with the specs of the Oasis. Unlike the other Kindles—and, in fact, the other e-readers on the market—the Oasis is smaller and thinner. The Oasis is positioned at the top of the Kindle line, above the Voyage and the standard Kindle. In other words, it’s a high-end, “premium” device that’s not necessarily intended for casual readers. Amazon would like for the Oasis to be considered as the first “likeable” e-reader. It’s meant to be much more user-friendly than its counterparts, both those by Amazon and by other companies. It is meant to appeal to the modern consumer, taking into account their interest in high-powered, user-friendly devices, their love of reading, and their desire to engage with the newest technologies on the market.

It is also asymmetrical: it features a bump that allows you to hold it more easily. Because of this new style idea, the Oasis is easier to hold, especially if you’re holding it in one hand. The device also offers an accelerometer option so that left-handed people can use it with ease. Moreover, you can easily slip it from one hand to the other as you’re reading one-handed. The bump—which is located on the bottom of the device— is made of bezel, and is meant to replicate the feel of a book’s spine beneath your fingers. Although the bump is quite convenient, it takes a bit of getting used to at first. Around the bump, the frame of the Oasis has a metal-plated slate, which is 3.4 millimeters thick. As such, it is the thinnest Amazon e-Reader on the market. It’s so light that, when you first begin to use one of your own, you might be worried about dropping it and shattering it.

It is also very light, so you won’t start to feel pain in your hands or wrist if you’re using it for a while. This is a definite plus; other e-readers tend to be a bit on the heavy side, which means they’re not exactly idea. (And they weigh more if you’re taking them on vacation, which–for many users–is one of the few times they might actually need to use an e-Reader.) Making the Oasis so light and sturdy was not an easy process. To do this, Amazon needed to electroplate a plastic chassis with a special metal Alloy. This is expensive, which may account for the steep price of the device.

The Oasis has the same 6-inch 300 PPI screen as the Kindle Voyage (which was released in 2014). However, it pumps up its screen capabilities by adding 60% more LEDs. As a result, you can vary the range of brightness with more precision, so that you can read in different environments. You can also choose to read in brighter light than you can with other e-readers. As such, this means you can bring the Oasis virtually anywhere–even on camping trips, where you’re in a dark tent during the night.

On its own, the Oasis has a much shorter battery life than other e-readers. Case in point: its battery lasts 2 weeks, while the battery of the Kindle Voyage last 6. However, this device is sold with an attachment that actually gives this model the best battery life on the e-reader market. The attachment in question is its battery cover. This is made of leather, and it comes in three colours: walnut, merlot and black. Importantly, it serves as an addition to the charger. Basically, it’s an external battery. You lock it into the Oasis with magnets, and then you can extend the two-week battery life to last months. The battery cover, when paired with the device, make the entire thing look like a cute little leather-bound notebook. Unfortunately, the eaxternal battery is meant to be used only with the Oasis itself. You can’t buy an oasis and then swap the cover onto another eReader.

When the Oasis is not plugged in, then the cover will use up all of its battery life. At this point, the device will switch to using the internal battery. When the two are both plugged in and charging, then they will turn to the same time. The device also features a hibernation mode, which has not been seen before. This hibernation mode is activated when the cover is attached. During this mode, the device uses a little energy as possible to keep itself on. Hibernation mode is activated automatically when the device has not been used in an hour.

With its sleek surface and reading grip, the design is clearly meant to appeal to the more Tech-addicted side of our natures. Because it is so user-friendly and comfortable, the Oasis may convert long time paper readers into EBook readers. If they haven’t enjoyed eReader designs in the past, maybe they will now. In that sense, you can even compare it to an iPad or an iPhone. Some people might not pick up a Windows device, or an Android device—but they’ll be all over their new Apple devices. It’s interesting to Note that Amazon does not actually profit from the sales of its e-readers. In fact, it intends for the device to only be used as a tool to increase its marketing and improve sales. This explains why the Oasis is so user-friendly, and why it is meant to appeal (at least in terms of design) to the average reader, even if they don’t often read eBooks.

One significant drawback of the Oasis is its price. It tallies in at $290 per device. If you to buy the version that doesn’t have ads, then this is 380$. Although the battery life is now longer, thanks to the cover, and it’s more comfortable to hold the Oasis than another e-reader, many users will be dissatisfied with the price that you pay. After all, the fact that the hardware has not changed substantially— and adding on to the fact that the Oasis is not waterproof—it does not seem worth it too for many people to pay that much for this device. The price of the ad-free Oasis is even more ridiculous; it shouldn’t cost that much to be free of annoying advertisements.

Another significant drawback is that it’s not waterproof. This is irksome; many other e-readers are waterproof, and you would think that Amazon—which is only the World’s online retail giant—would be able to develop a way to make the Oasis waterproof.

All in all, the Oasis is an ideal device to read books on, if you don’t mind paying a bit more. However, since e-readers are largely stable—it’s not uncommon for users to use the same one for 5 or 6 years—it might not necessarily be worth it for you to purchase an Amazon Oasis. Ultimately, it all depends on your taste and your needs. If you know you’ll be reading for a long time—and, therefore, that improved battery life will be a huge Plus for you—then it’s worth it. This is certainly the case for many people who read all the time.

If, however, you get on by with your current e-reader just fine—and you’re not fond of paying too high of a price for something that might not be worth it—then maybe the Oasis isn’t your best option. Of course, you can keep the Oasis for several years, which is why it might be a good deal for you, even if you don’t use it very often. But if that’s the case, you can just get an eReader that offers the same features for a cheaper price. Amazon even offers this themselves: the Voyage is an excellent option. Sure, you can buy an Oasis regardless. But—since the Oasis has no major system hardware or software updates—the lifespan is probably quite similar for other eReaders.

Regardless of what you decide, please keep in mind to do all your research before purchasing any Electronic devices. You need to weigh the costs and benefits, the price, and the Usage you’ll get out of the device before you buy one. If you decided to purchase a new e-reader, make sure you buy one from a legitimate seller, and verify that no parts are missing once you’ve removed it from the box. And remember: at the end of the day, you’ll be using this device for the next year, two years, 3 years, even 5 years. So Make a choice that you know will be compatible with yourself—and with your future self.