After teasing its release last week and discounting the rest of its lineup, Amazon has today announced its newest Kindle: the Oasis. The online giant has dubbed this release its “thinnest and lightest” e-reader ever. After initially debuting the first Kindle eight years ago, Amazon’s latest is focused on more than just a thin physical design, also packing a special dual-battery charging system.
Although prices start at $79.99 for its brethren, you’ll be paying much more if you’re interested in picking up the Oasis…
Amazon is attempting to reimagine a very popular product in its line of Kindle e-readers. Call it Apple syndrome as Amazon is going the route of slimmer and lighter with a significant price increase. At $290, the Oasis is likely a tough sell for most casual readers when they are able to grab the entry-level for much less. This is similar to the reaction that we are seeing from our readers with Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
That said, Amazon has always done an excellent job of seperating its e-readers from the rest of the tablet market. Its design is simple to use and the built-in battery has exceptional returns. Oasis is the latest release that focuses on a lighter and more book-like experience. But at what cost?
From a feature standpoint, the Oasis is very similar in features to the entry-level model that costs over $200 less. Amazon hopes to appeal to the masses with its attractive physical design. It does so with a unique layout that shifts the weight towards the user’s palm for an experience that is more inline with a traditional hardbound book.
Coming in at 3.4mm thick and less than five ounces, this is easily the lightest e-reader in the Kindle lineup. For comparison, Oasis is less than half as thick of the iPhone 6s at its smallest point. The tapered design proves that Kindle is little more than the screen and power supply.
Amazon has taken an interesting approach to battery life with its dual-cell system. There is a smaller battery built-in to the device that provides up to two weeks of usage based on 30 minutes per day. An included leather case has a second supply that adds “months” of reading. The leather case is available in black, merlot or walnut.
Nearly every other piece of Oasis is identical to the $199 Voyage. The six-inch e-ink display runs edge-to-edge across the device. It has the familiar Paperwhite 300 ppi screen and Kindle’s latest February software update.
Amazon is set to release the Kindle Oasis on April 27th with a $289.99 list price. It is currently available for pre-order today. Interestingly, Amazon is also offering it in a five-payment installment plan at $58/month as well.
Introducing Kindle Oasis—Our Thinnest and Lightest Kindle Ever Eight years ago, Amazon introduced Kindle, making it possible for the first time to think of any book and start reading it in seconds. Since then, Amazon has introduced new Kindle e-readers that are smaller, lighter, and faster—all on a mission to make the device disappear so you can lose yourself in an author’s story. Today, Amazon took another step toward this mission: introducing Kindle Oasis—the eighth generation of Kindle—crafted from the ground up for readers, with an all-new, incredibly thin and light design, plus an included charging cover that delivers months of battery life. Kindle Oasis is available for pre-order today for $289.99 and will start shipping in the coming weeks. Meet Kindle Oasis at www.amazon.com/kindleoasis. “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.” Kindle Oasis All-New Design—The Thinnest and Lightest Kindle Ever The new Kindle Oasis is unlike any Kindle you’ve ever held. With an incredibly thin display and an ergonomic grip, Kindle Oasis weighs just 4.6 ounces and is just 3.4 mm at its thinnest point—30% thinner on average and over 20% lighter than any other Kindle. To achieve this, Kindle Oasis has a featherweight polymer frame that is plated with metal by structural electroplating—this makes the device incredibly light while ensuring it has the strength and rigidity of metal so it is resilient enough to take anywhere you want to read. Designed for Comfortable and Extended Reading Kindle Oasis is designed for extended reading sessions—with an entirely reimagined shape, Kindle Oasis shifts the center of gravity to your palm, to rest in your hand like the spine of a book so that the device feels balanced for one-handed reading. Effortlessly turn the page with either the touch display or physical buttons. Oasis is comfortable to read on with either hand—a built-in accelerometer detects whether you are reading with your left or right hand, and automatically rotates the page and page turn buttons to match. Dual-Battery Design Delivers Months of Battery Life—Our Longest Ever 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. The included charging cover is made of high-quality leather and is available in black, merlot, or walnut. The cover opens like a book and fits closely around the bezel, waking Kindle Oasis when opened and putting it to sleep when closed. Twelve magnets form a secure and solid attachment between the device and cover, while ensuring it is easy to detach when you choose to read without the cover. Next Generation Paperwhite Display Kindle Oasis features the latest generation high-resolution 300 ppi Paperwhite display for crisp, laser-quality text. A redesigned built-in front light features 60% more LEDs for our brightest Kindle display ever and leverages new cylindrical diffractive patterns to increase the consistency and range of screen brightness for improved reading in all types of lighting. The new Paperwhite display on Oasis is the first Kindle display designed using a ground-breaking 200 micron display backplane that is as thin as a single sheet of aluminum foil, but is robust enough for you to throw in your bag and take with you on-the-go, combined with a custom cover glass engineered from chemically-reinforced glass. The Kindle Family: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage, and Kindle Oasis 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: All the Features Readers Love about Kindle The new Kindle Oasis includes all of the features that have made the Kindle family the most popular e-readers in the world for eight years running: World’s Best eBook Store Kindle e-readers come with instant access to the Kindle Store, which includes: The new Kindle Oasis is $289.99. It is available for pre-order around the world and will start shipping in the coming weeks. Order now at www.amazon.com/kindleoasis.
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3 times the price of the Paperwhite? Has Bezos lost his mind?
This would be a great deal and a revolutionary product. If it was 1999.