Got my new Oasis today, first impressions

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Thanks. I vaguely remember that Kobos with the hack got almost edge-to-edge and no stock Kindle is anywhere near that.

For anyone interested, here is a screen capture for the 7" Kindle Oasis, Caecilia Condensed, font size 4, smallest margin.

Almost edge-to-edge? Nope. My H2O can get fully edge-to-edge (In English, zero margin).

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Almost edge-to-edge? Nope. My H2O can get fully edge-to-edge (In English, zero margin).

So, if "fully edge-to-edge" is not in English, which language is it in?

[barryem]

After I experimented with reading on my phone I decided that the narrow text was actually an advantage. I read faster on my phone than on my Kindle. So I began using the widest margin and that really makes reading easier and smoother and more graceful for me.

It's not faster in the speed reading way where I give up comprehension to hurry through the text. I comprehend it as well as ever. Maybe even better since I don't seem to forget quite as much.

I haven't done anything to measure this but I have a feeling I'm reading about 25% faster this way. If anything that's conservative.

Barry

[jmmcg9]

After using my new KOA2 for about 5 days, I am still loving it. I don’t if I am lucky or simply not sensitive, but my screen looks great. The only issue I experienced is that the cover doesn’t seem as secure as it was on the original Oasis. I have knocked it off a couple of times by accident
Cheers, Joe

[rem736]

i received mine today, a week earlier than the original estimate. software was updated and i've been able to pair a bluetooth headset.

but how do i get it to read to me?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rem736

i received mine today, a week earlier than the original estimate. software was updated and i've been able to pair a bluetooth headset.

but how do i get it to read to me?

I must admit I haven't looked, but does the user manual not explain "VoiceView"?

[vrf]

Originally Posted by rem736

but how do i get it to read to me?

I hope you're not looking for the old text-to-speech feature from the older Kindles... The Oasis only offers Audible books, so you'll have to buy the audio version in addition to the ebook.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by vrf

I hope you're not looking for the old text-to-speech feature from the older Kindles... The Oasis only offers Audible books, so you'll have to buy the audio version in addition to the ebook.

That's not true. It also has VoiceView, which will read a book to you.

[rem736]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I must admit I haven't looked, but does the user manual not explain "VoiceView"?

i got voiceview to work but it's not ideal. though i like that it was able to read to me with this mode on, i don't like that every tap on the screen is announced and that i have to double tap on the functions to get things working where a single tap would do for the non-voiceview mode.

i believe that voiceview was created with the intention of aiding the handicapped. in this sense, it's like using a workaround to make it read to you.

i just thought that there is an official text to voice feature instead of using a work around.

[vrf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's not true. It also has VoiceView, which will read a book to you.

I don't have the new Oasis yet, but I was under the impression that VoiceView on the Kindle devices was limited to navigation, but that the Kindle app on Android/iOS/PC/etc was able to do the screen reading of a book. Have you tested VoiceView on your new Oasis and confirmed that it can read a book?

[vrf]

Originally Posted by rem736

i got voiceview to work but it's not ideal. though i like that it was able to read to me with this mode on, i don't like that every tap on the screen is announced and that i have to double tap on the functions to get things working where a single tap would do for the non-voiceview mode.

i believe that voiceview was created with the intention of aiding the handicapped. in this sense, it's like using a workaround to make it read to you.

i just thought that there is an official text to voice feature instead of using a work around.

ahhh... OK, got it. I'll reserve my comments on the limitations of the Oasis until I actually have mine...

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by jmmcg9

After using my new KOA2 for about 5 days, I am still loving it. I don’t if I am lucky or simply not sensitive, but my screen looks great. The only issue I experienced is that the cover doesn’t seem as secure as it was on the original Oasis. I have knocked it off a couple of times by accident
Cheers, Joe

I also am in the "loving it" camp. I thought my Voyage would be the last reader I'd ever want. But 1 day of reading on the Oasis and the Voyage screen now seems too small and too heavy.

I haven't noticed any blotchiness or unevenness in my screen.

Someone here or in another thread mentioned their button needing two presses sometimes to turn the page. I have noticed that, but no more often than a touch sometimes doesn't turn the page.

However, I did have the buttons stop working yesterday. I had looked up a British slang word and got one of those "variant of x" kind of definitions. So I went into the dictionary to find out the definition of the "x" word. When I closed the dictionary, the buttons stopped working. I could still turn the pages with screen touches/swipes. I *might* have been able to use the buttons to go up and down in the Home screen (List view) navigation, but I can't remember for sure.

I had to restart the Oasis before I got the buttons back for turning pages in the book.

I did not try to re-create this result by opening the dictionary again. I wanted to read more than I wanted to troubleshoot. So YMMV.

[rashkae]

The Good:
7" screen, is, I think the perfect size for an ereader. (I've used 6", 6.8", 7" and 7.8"... I think the 7.8 is just a tad too big, though perfect for people who like to read in larger font.)

Kindle build quality and software quality. Loaded up my library with no problems.

Unknown: battery life. Amazon claims to achieve the same battery life as the venerable PW3. We'll see.

The Bad:

I'm not at all a fan of the ergonomics. Holding the device by the side edge only leaves my wrist bent more than I'm used too. I would have preferred the holding edge to be a little larger and at the bottom. I miss the days when readers had large bottom area that was very comfortable to hold in either hand and did not require wrist bending. Even with the wide side to hold the device, thanks to the flush screen, I still frequently accidentally brush the display screen with my thumb and turn page. Flush screen looks great, but it's good example of form over function. I might try getting used too reading in landscape, but even getting past the 'alienes,' the lines would be *way* wider than efficient reading length.

The Contrast actually looks a little worse than the PW3. I was expecting the reverse from the glass front, based on reviews of the Voyage. Sadly, this is not the case. But it's by no means bad.

[gteague]

Originally Posted by rashkae

[del]

I'm not at all a fan of the ergonomics. Holding the device by the side edge only leaves my wrist bent more than I'm used too. I would have preferred the holding edge to be a little larger and at the bottom. I miss the days when readers had large bottom area that was very comfortable to hold in either hand and did not require wrist bending. Even with the wide side to hold the device, thanks to the flush screen, I still frequently accidentally brush the display screen with my thumb and turn page. Flush screen looks great, but it's good example of form over function. I might try getting used too reading in landscape, but even getting past the 'alienes,' the lines would be *way* wider than efficient reading length.

[del]

you could always put it into landscape mode and then you'd have the bulge and buttons at the bottom.

i too find the ergonomics of the oasis horrible. i can't imagine they had a single user test it before they released it, or if they did, they ignored them. amazon is legend for this cf 'fire phone'.

/guy

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rem736

i just thought that there is an official text to voice feature instead of using a work around.

No, there isn't. There's Audible, and VoiceView. That's it.