Oasis Ergonomics Discussion

emellaich · 05-04-2016, 08:37 PM

Well, I've had my Oasis for a couple of hours and I like it enough to keep it ... but the ergonomics were not quite what I've been expecting. I'm writing this for those of you who have commented about aging joints/grips. I wonder if any of you other Oasis owners have had similar reactions.

The issue is that the grip is not quite as good as I expected. The bulge isn't big enough to hold and the angled bevel where the cover connects is smooth and slippery enough that I can't grasp the bulge. As a result I am still left 'pinching' the edge to get a firm grip. The wider edge does help, but it doesn't make it effortless.

I find that in order to make sure it doesn't slip out of my hand I need to get some part of my hand underneath the bottom of the device. Interestingly, all of the pictures on the Amazon page show a bottom grip. I suspect you would need to reverse the page buttons for this kind of grip (see pics from amazon.com oasis page below).

Speaking of page buttons, they are excellent and are a much more consistent method of page turning than the voyage buttons or using a touch screen.

disconnected · 05-05-2016, 02:26 AM

My hands, like the rest of me, are getting old (or have already arrived at old) and are a bit on the weak and shaky side.

I can't really hold onto the bare Oasis very well with just one hand; even if I partly support it with my fingers under the bottom of it after a while my hand starts to shake or cramp.

Nevertheless it's just so attractive that I've been reading with it bare anyway. I just use my other hand or a pillow or armrest to add support. I use my other hand to turn the page anyway, via the touchscreen. The page turn button would really need to be right in the middle between the top and bottom button for me to easily use it.

I've always left the covers on my ereaders and held them mostly in my left hand (although I'm right-handed) with additional support and page-turning added from my other hand. I've noticed that if I do read on the Oasis with the cover on I automatically open it like a normal book, fold back the cover, and hold it in my left hand with the wide bezel sitting off uselessly to the right. So I'm obviously holding it wrong.

I think the Oasis is partly a package of odd solutions looking for problems but I do like it very much anyway.

odamizu · 05-05-2016, 02:53 AM

I find the Oasis very comfortable to hold, no gripping or pinching required. It just sort of rests in my hand, which is what I was hoping for, as I have a lot of pain in my hands.

However, one thing I wonder about is the little metal dots on the back (are these battery connections? magnets?) These often end up right underneath my fingertips, and I wonder if oil from my fingers might interfere with the battery connection. If so, might it be necessary to clean these dots regularly, and if so how?

NullNix · 05-05-2016, 05:30 AM

Yeah, I've found that reading it with your hand all the way up the bulge is quite a strain. The right way to read it one-handed is surely the same way you'd read a book one-handed: held near the bottom, with perhaps one finger running along the bottom to provide additional support. Why the top button is considered the default-forward button is beyond me: I flipped it at once.

cats2books · 05-05-2016, 06:40 AM

I have problems with my wrists, so I find that I need to use two hands to be most comfortable. The Oasis is more comfortable than the Voyage was to hold for long periods. The lighter weight and ergonomics are better for me.

I also switched the turn buttons to the bottom being page forward. I grip it in one hand near the turn button and use the palm of the other hand as a rest to help distribute the weight and keep it steady. I think that the one handed hold probably works fine for those who don't have issues with their joints or muscles.

tovare · 05-05-2016, 06:43 AM

I hold it farther up than on the photos, with my thumb on the top half of the top button ... 3 fingers beyond the bugle.

But so far I´ve mostly used like I used my Paperwhite, with the cover on letting it rest on my legs, no hands at all. My habits might change in a few days or weeks :-)

Shinytop · 05-05-2016, 11:06 AM

I am right handed but use the Oasis mostly in my left hand as I use my cell phones. That way I have my dominant hand to do the fine movements for settings, fonts, brightness, etc.

badgoodDeb · 05-05-2016, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NullNix

Why the top button is considered the default-forward button is beyond me: I flipped it at once.

Actually, that surprised me, when I saw it in reviews (I don't have an Oasis yet). All the kindles with buttons have had FORWARD as the bottom button, except for the very first Kindle. The BACKWARD button got smaller as the kindle versions progressed (much like the single-dot on the Voyage, vs longer field for forward).

So yeah -- I will immediately make the lower button be FORWARD. I'm surprised they default it the other way.

Strether · 05-05-2016, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Actually, that surprised me, when I saw it in reviews (I don't have an Oasis yet). All the kindles with buttons have had FORWARD as the bottom button, except for the very first Kindle. The BACKWARD button got smaller as the kindle versions progressed (much like the single-dot on the Voyage, vs longer field for forward).

So yeah -- I will immediately make the lower button be FORWARD. I'm surprised they default it the other way.

My thinking was just like yours until I held it. I'm sure that it depends on the size of your hand, but until you've held it you can't appreciate how small it is. And the forward button on top becomes the location of choice, for me at least.

Jim

howyoudoin · 05-05-2016, 02:23 PM

It makes sense that Amazon defaulted the top button as page forward, because they intended the entire wedge to be lodged in the palm, which was the entire point of having the wedge. In that intended position the thumb rests on the top button.

HarryT · 05-05-2016, 03:12 PM

Nice that you have the option to swap them around, though. I think this is the first Kindle to give the user that choice.

Atunah · 05-05-2016, 03:18 PM

As someone that has wrists and joint issues and cramps a bit with the Voyage, the Oasis is a big improvement on that front for me. There is still room for even more improvement I think. Overall though its pretty good.

I think I'd like it there were some shallow "dents" in the part where it goes to the thinner, for fingertips to grab. Or some nubs. Maybe a kind of rubber type feeling material in that rim. I don't know, its pretty good.

I too thought it was weird about the forward button being the top. But then I held it. My thumb kind of falls right in between, with a bit more on the top. So I can easily use forward and back with just a press on a different part of the digit.

I can also hold it using the bottom as forward when I then rest the Oasis on my little finger that comes in from behind. For that holding pattern, i have to reverse the buttons as my thumb is not long enough to comfortably reach the top button. But I read mostly with it in my palm with fingers on the back. 2 of my fingers reach to the edge part where the magnets are, the other 2 are too short. My hands are small size. I get small sized gloves for example for cleaning. Although I wouldn't call them tiny.

I just read 2 books in the last 2 days, on my 3rd since I had it and have no real pain in my wrists. Just pinch here and there, which is a huge improvement. I use to have to constantly shake out my hands.

Its actually quite nice in the cover too. Put it in to top it off for a while. But i prefer it outside the cover to take advantage of the shape.

I think this is really a case of personal usage. I can see how that shape might not work for some. Since we are all so different with different sized hands and length of fingers. And different levels of issues, if any.

badgoodDeb · 05-05-2016, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

It makes sense that Amazon defaulted the top button as page forward, because they intended the entire wedge to be lodged in the palm, which was the entire point of having the wedge. In that intended position the thumb rests on the top button.

Your thumb may; I don't think mine will! I haven't held one yet, but there's only 2.75" from the bottom corner to my thumb, in the slightly curved hand position where the wedge rests in my palm.

But yes, I'm very glad the buttons are adjustable!

NullNix · 05-05-2016, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strether

My thinking was just like yours until I held it. I'm sure that it depends on the size of your hand, but until you've held it you can't appreciate how small it is. And the forward button on top becomes the location of choice, for me at least.

Yeah, I just figured out the other right way to hold it, so it rests on the thumb side of your index finger and the pads of your third, fourth and fifth fingers. Like that, in my hand at least, it tilts so that my thumb contacts the upper page-turn button, my wrist is neither tilted nor bent and the weight goes straight into the palm of my hand. It's sufficiently stress-free in that position that it almost feels like I'm not holding anything at all.

Magic (well, good design).

disconnected · 05-05-2016, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NullNix

Yeah, I just figured out the other right way to hold it, so it rests on the thumb side of your index finger and the pads of your third, fourth and fifth fingers. Like that, in my hand at least, it tilts so that my thumb contacts the upper page-turn button, my wrist is neither tilted nor bent and the weight goes straight into the palm of my hand. It's sufficiently stress-free in that position that it almost feels like I'm not holding anything at all.

Magic (well, good design).

What? My hand must not be constructed like yours. I can't even imagine that configuration, never mind get my hand into it.

05-04-2016, 08:37 PM	#1
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	Oasis Ergonomics Discussion Well, I've had my Oasis for a couple of hours and I like it enough to keep it ... but the ergonomics were not quite what I've been expecting. I'm writing this for those of you who have commented about aging joints/grips. I wonder if any of you other Oasis owners have had similar reactions. The issue is that the grip is not quite as good as I expected. The bulge isn't big enough to hold and the angled bevel where the cover connects is smooth and slippery enough that I can't grasp the bulge. As a result I am still left 'pinching' the edge to get a firm grip. The wider edge does help, but it doesn't make it effortless. I find that in order to make sure it doesn't slip out of my hand I need to get some part of my hand underneath the bottom of the device. Interestingly, all of the pictures on the Amazon page show a bottom grip. I suspect you would need to reverse the page buttons for this kind of grip (see pics from amazon.com oasis page below). Speaking of page buttons, they are excellent and are a much more consistent method of page turning than the voyage buttons or using a touch screen. Attached Thumbnails Attached Images

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05-05-2016, 02:26 AM	#2
disconnected Fanatic Posts: 527 Karma: 4504715 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: US Device: Kobo Forma, Libra, H2O2e2, Clara, Auras, Kindles, Nooks, Sony, iPAQ	My hands, like the rest of me, are getting old (or have already arrived at old) and are a bit on the weak and shaky side. I can't really hold onto the bare Oasis very well with just one hand; even if I partly support it with my fingers under the bottom of it after a while my hand starts to shake or cramp. Nevertheless it's just so attractive that I've been reading with it bare anyway. I just use my other hand or a pillow or armrest to add support. I use my other hand to turn the page anyway, via the touchscreen. The page turn button would really need to be right in the middle between the top and bottom button for me to easily use it. I've always left the covers on my ereaders and held them mostly in my left hand (although I'm right-handed) with additional support and page-turning added from my other hand. I've noticed that if I do read on the Oasis with the cover on I automatically open it like a normal book, fold back the cover, and hold it in my left hand with the wide bezel sitting off uselessly to the right. So I'm obviously holding it wrong. I think the Oasis is partly a package of odd solutions looking for problems but I do like it very much anyway.

05-05-2016, 02:53 AM	#3
odamizu just an egg Posts: 1,827 Karma: 7943430 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kindle, iOS	I find the Oasis very comfortable to hold, no gripping or pinching required. It just sort of rests in my hand, which is what I was hoping for, as I have a lot of pain in my hands. However, one thing I wonder about is the little metal dots on the back (are these battery connections? magnets?) These often end up right underneath my fingertips, and I wonder if oil from my fingers might interfere with the battery connection. If so, might it be necessary to clean these dots regularly, and if so how?

05-05-2016, 05:30 AM	#4
NullNix Guru Posts: 929 Karma: 15576314 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle Oasis 1	Yeah, I've found that reading it with your hand all the way up the bulge is quite a strain. The right way to read it one-handed is surely the same way you'd read a book one-handed: held near the bottom, with perhaps one finger running along the bottom to provide additional support. Why the top button is considered the default-forward button is beyond me: I flipped it at once.

05-05-2016, 06:40 AM	#5
cats2books Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 140 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: New York, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPhone 11, iPad Pro 12.9 and 9.7	I have problems with my wrists, so I find that I need to use two hands to be most comfortable. The Oasis is more comfortable than the Voyage was to hold for long periods. The lighter weight and ergonomics are better for me. I also switched the turn buttons to the bottom being page forward. I grip it in one hand near the turn button and use the palm of the other hand as a rest to help distribute the weight and keep it steady. I think that the one handed hold probably works fine for those who don't have issues with their joints or muscles.

05-05-2016, 06:43 AM	#6
tovare Addict Posts: 221 Karma: 1133312 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oslo/Norway Device: PRS-600, Kindle kb Wifi, new Kindle NT, PW2, Kindle Oasis	I hold it farther up than on the photos, with my thumb on the top half of the top button ... 3 fingers beyond the bugle. But so far I´ve mostly used like I used my Paperwhite, with the cover on letting it rest on my legs, no hands at all. My habits might change in a few days or weeks :-)

05-05-2016, 11:06 AM	#7
Shinytop Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 59012 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Pensacola Device: Kindle Oasis	I am right handed but use the Oasis mostly in my left hand as I use my cell phones. That way I have my dominant hand to do the fine movements for settings, fonts, brightness, etc.

05-05-2016, 02:23 PM	#10
howyoudoin how YOU doin? Posts: 1,100 Karma: 7371047 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: India Device: Kindle Keyboard, iPad Pro 10.5”, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Libra 2	It makes sense that Amazon defaulted the top button as page forward, because they intended the entire wedge to be lodged in the palm, which was the entire point of having the wedge. In that intended position the thumb rests on the top button.

05-05-2016, 03:12 PM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Nice that you have the option to swap them around, though. I think this is the first Kindle to give the user that choice.

05-05-2016, 03:18 PM	#12
Atunah Wizard Posts: 1,817 Karma: 23400001 Join Date: May 2012 Location: USA Device: K1/K3/BasicK Voyage/Oasis1/Oasis3	As someone that has wrists and joint issues and cramps a bit with the Voyage, the Oasis is a big improvement on that front for me. There is still room for even more improvement I think. Overall though its pretty good. I think I'd like it there were some shallow "dents" in the part where it goes to the thinner, for fingertips to grab. Or some nubs. Maybe a kind of rubber type feeling material in that rim. I don't know, its pretty good. I too thought it was weird about the forward button being the top. But then I held it. My thumb kind of falls right in between, with a bit more on the top. So I can easily use forward and back with just a press on a different part of the digit. I can also hold it using the bottom as forward when I then rest the Oasis on my little finger that comes in from behind. For that holding pattern, i have to reverse the buttons as my thumb is not long enough to comfortably reach the top button. But I read mostly with it in my palm with fingers on the back. 2 of my fingers reach to the edge part where the magnets are, the other 2 are too short. My hands are small size. I get small sized gloves for example for cleaning. Although I wouldn't call them tiny. I just read 2 books in the last 2 days, on my 3rd since I had it and have no real pain in my wrists. Just pinch here and there, which is a huge improvement. I use to have to constantly shake out my hands. Its actually quite nice in the cover too. Put it in to top it off for a while. But i prefer it outside the cover to take advantage of the shape. I think this is really a case of personal usage. I can see how that shape might not work for some. Since we are all so different with different sized hands and length of fingers. And different levels of issues, if any.