Review: Amazon Kindle Oasis

Tthe market for e-readers is still going strong despite all those tablets out there. Sometimes simpler is better, and that's what Amazon is pegging with its latest e-reader, the Kindle Oasis.

Let's start with its build. Most e-readers are in tablet form, meaning they have the same thickness throughout. The Kindle Oasis' body has a ridge at the back that covers about one-third of it, which will allow for easier handling; you clump four fingers on the ridge while your thumb is free to do important actions up front. It also doesn't matter if you're left- or right-handed; the device will go into the right orientation when you switch hands.
And speaking of your thumb, it practically does it all. With simple taps to specified regions on the screen, you can perform certain actions: When reading, tapping the upper area will show the toolbar, a small tap on your thumb's side will go to the previous page while the rest beside that will advance a page. You can also use the two customisable buttons up front to scroll through pages.

Important: You need to register your device to gain access to some critical features, including parental controls, Bluetooth and the household and family library.

As far as Bluetooth is concerned, you can only listen to audio books on the Kindle Oasis with a wireless headset as there's no provision for an audio jack. Further with ports, only a micro-USB is present here; a bit funny that Amazon didn't go with the now-becoming-standard USB-C, which other e-readers have adopted too.
And in a departure from our usual battery life gigs, this is long-lasting personified: Amazon says that the Kindle Oasis will last up to six weeks. Yes, six weeks, but there's a big 'however': To actually get to that (long) point, you'll need to limit your use to half-an-hour a day, plus turn off stuff like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and put the brightness setting to, at best, half. You can do the math.

The reason for this long-lasting experience is the fact that the device uses e-ink, which saps up practically nothing from the battery. Added bonus: You can see e-ink-enabled wallpapers even if the device is switched off.
Reading is an easy task to do on the Kindle Oasis, thanks to customisable settings such as font and spacing. However, flipping through pages and typing when needed is a bit iffy - hey, this isn't an iPad after all; it's a device that puts reading pleasure above anything else. I found out, though, that the keyboard does respond fairly well; I'm a fast typer, so I watched the characters I typed appear on-screen slowly but surely. Scrolling, whether on the home screen, on the Amazon Store, can test your patience to a certain extent.
Of course, the Amazon Store is in here - and with it, its vast collection, within a tap's reach. If you want the ultimate experience, sign up for Kindle Unlimited - for a monthly fee of $9.99 (about Dh37).
AND SO.
I'm not much of a reader, much less an e-reader, but the Amazon Kindle Oasis is a good example of taking a break from fast-paced tech. It does, though, face stiff competition from more colourful e-readers and tablets - plus the price is a bit steep. But overall, I found it relaxing and enjoyable - not to mention a good source of knowledge.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com

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