Since Amazon is back-ordered I got one from Bestbuy.. Here is what I found..
We know all the features and all of those are definite PROS.. I love them all..
Form factor/ Sleek Design/Text Invert/Bigger Screen/Audible..But what I did not found in some pre-release reviews are the CONS. Here are those. All my comparisons are against the mighty Kindle Paperwhite latest model.
1.
Contrast: When you are in day light or brightly illuminated place its not that evident. But as soon as you step in a dark room you start seeing the difference. Contrast in Paperwhite is far better than in the Oasis 2. See attached picture. I know kindle is not for viewing images but that impacts reading as well. What I feel is the light on Paperwhite is more from the front than Oasis. Thus the content to some extent if getting washed out by the light making it lighter. Somehow the light in paperwhite is more contained on the screen that coming out. Seems like there is a layer of white on the images in OASIS 2. This would have been a deal breaker for me but only because of some of the awesome new features I am still considering it.
TOP OASIS BOTTOM PW:
2.
Light distribution Due to the thin body below the screen Amazon had no other option other than having the lights vertically rather than at the bottom like in Paperwhite/Voyage.. This has a problem. Again only in dark.. However accurate the lighting is, in lower intensities it tends to illuminate the furthest part of the screen a tad bit lesser than the area closest to the light source, since lights are not present on both ends. So there is a ever so little gradient from white to yellow (from to away) from the light. Now this happens on paperwhite too but since the light is from bottom, when you are reading a line, on that line the
relative illumination is same as the entire line is equally away from the light. But in Oasis the beginning of the line is closest/furthest from the lights and the end of the line closest/furthest (based on the way you hold), and this happens on every line again and again. So mentally you perceive or notice the lighting difference more on OASIS than in Kindle Paperwhite. Again this happens in dark condition not in bright areas.
3. For those who use Iphone with the sexy metal aluminium sleek body might know how slippery it can be at times. That was the first thing came to my mind when I heard that the new oasis will be full Aluminum body. However I noticed something re-assuring, in the initial pictures and videos I saw there is a strip of rubberized area on the chassis over the battery bump where you hold. I felt that would help. But somehow in the retail package the Oasis does not have it. See the below images I am referring to, few have it and the last one does not. Its not only pictures, I have seen real unboxing video having the grip. Amazon site has it both ways, the Oasis listing does not show the grip but if you go to the Official Case listing you will find in two of the pictures of the kindle they used, its there, may be some last moment decision change or cost cutting.
The grip:
Cover images from Amazon deleted.
Hope these observations would be helpful for you to take decisions.. For the #1 point I really expected a better screen in dark as well for the price..I will think many times before letting my paperwhite go..but seems like that will happen as of now as the PROS outweigh above CONS.
*All images are properties of the respective owners. Only the first image is taken by me remaining are used for reference purposes only.