A couple questions about Paperwhite and Oasis

[texasnightowl]

Thanks everyone for the additional comments on Libra vs. Oasis today. The Libra is still on my watch list, but I did watch some reviews and comparisons on YT and I did think that the Oasis in general seemed to have the better lighting.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What I find interesting is that the Kindle Oasis is still more expensive then the Kobo Libra H2O even when the Oasis is 20% off.

What I am hoping...and it seems like this has worked for people in the past...is that the Oasis will hit last year's price of $175 on Prime Day plus I'll be able to use the 20% discount I got for trading in one of my K3 devices. If that happens, then the Oasis will be come in cheaper than the Libra.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by azayn

Well the Libra lacks some of the premium touches that the Oasis has: plastic vs metal body, indented screen, inferior frontlight. Maybe it would be more appropriate to compare the Oasis to the Forma as it's their top of the line unit. The Libra seems to straddle an odd place somewhere between the Paperwhite and the Oasis.

Are you comparing the Libra without the light issue to an Oasis 3? The Oasis costs more then 20% more then the Libra. The software on the libra is better and the integration with Calibre is excellent. The eBook management of the Libra is very good and the Oasis eBook management is meh. Kobo supports most of their older Readers. For example the PW1 and PW2 are not supported with new firmware. Kobo devices made around the same times are still supported with new firmware.

Overall (IMHO) the Libra has more going for it then the Oasis.

[azayn]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Are you comparing the Libra without the light issue to an Oasis 3? The Oasis costs more then 20% more then the Libra. The software on the libra is better and the integration with Calibre is excellent. The eBook management of the Libra is very good and the Oasis eBook management is meh. Kobo supports most of their older Readers. For example the PW1 and PW2 are not supported with new firmware. Kobo devices made around the same times are still supported with new firmware.

Overall (IMHO) the Libra has more going for it then the Oasis.

I'm comparing them purely from a hardware standpoint. I use Calibre too and agree that Kobo's software is better overall. My point was Libra to Oasis isn't an apples to apples comparison given that the Libra lacks some of the Oasis's premium finishes.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

Thanks everyone for the additional comments on Libra vs. Oasis today. The Libra is still on my watch list, but I did watch some reviews and comparisons on YT and I did think that the Oasis in general seemed to have the better lighting.

The thing is, you cannot use those YT videos to compare the lighting. The Libra did have a problem that has been fixed and you don't know if those Libras in the YT videos are with the problem or not.

The only way to know for sure is to compare a current Libra to a current Oasis.

What I am hoping...and it seems like this has worked for people in the past...is that the Oasis will hit last year's price of $175 on Prime Day plus I'll be able to use the 20% discount I got for trading in one of my K3 devices. If that happens, then the Oasis will be come in cheaper than the Libra.

And at $175, the Oasis is still more expensive then the Libra.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by azayn

I'm comparing them purely from a hardware standpoint. I use Calibre too and agree that Kobo's software is better overall. My point was Libra to Oasis isn't an apples to apples comparison given that the Libra lacks some of the Oasis's premium finishes.

Most people (IMHO) are not going to care about the aluminum vs plastic when the user experience is better with the Libra. If you want to compare, Sony made some of the best Reader frames. The 650 was very nice. But, would I want to go use one just because of the frame? No.

[texasnightowl]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And at $175, the Oasis is still more expensive then the Libra.

$5 hardly counts. And is Kobo going to give me a 20% discount for my old device?

I watched multiple reviews...since neither device is easily accessible locally...and the Oasis definitely has the more premium look to it...in my opinion.

Is the Kobo software better...apparently yes. Is library integration better on Kobo...apparently yes. But supposedly I can use Libby with my local library and read library books on the Oasis too.

I'll only know on Prime Day for sure, but if the Oasis comes in at $175 AND I get 20% off, then for $140 I'll take the Oasis.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

But supposedly I can use Libby with my local library and read library books on the Oasis too.

Libby does not work with the Oasis. But you can get eBooks for a Kindle form your local library's Overdrive But, if you have other library services such as FReading, you cannot ready any eBook from there as they are ePub only.

[texasnightowl]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Libby does not work with the Oasis. But you can get eBooks for a Kindle form your local library's Overdrive But, if you have other library services such as FReading, you cannot ready any eBook from there as they are ePub only.

Yeah, my library is definitely using library2go/overdrive. Since I haven't been using it so far I don't know how their epub vs kindle selection works...guess I will find out!

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Libby does not work with the Oasis. But you can get eBooks for a Kindle form your local library's Overdrive

It's not a complete divide between Libby and Kindle devices. There is an option to send a checked-out book from the Libby app on your mobile device to your Kindle device (if it's available in Kindle format), which then opens up Amazon in the web browser to facilitate delivery, just like it does if you do it from the Overdrive site. It's still Overdrive, no matter how much they make it cute on the front end, so it has the same functionality.

I prefer to do such things in Overdrive on my desktop browser, but if someone has Libby installed on one of their phones or tablets, it works just as well, and it's marginally better than navigating the Overdrive site on mobile Chrome. I have it installed on my Fire and there have been library holds that have come in after I'm already situated in bed so I've done it. It's also nice to have for the occasional epub-only library book.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by azayn

the Libra lacks some of the Oasis's premium finishes.

What are these premium finishes? I know the Oasis is metal, not plastic and that is often (inexplicably to me) considered automatically "premium", but that's one, and you mention "finishes' in the plural. Besides the (VERY) debatably 'premium' metal, what are the other "premium" finishes the Oasis has?

[azayn]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

What are these premium finishes? I know the Oasis is metal, not plastic and that is often (inexplicably to me) considered automatically "premium", but that's one, and you mention "finishes' in the plural. Besides the (VERY) debatably 'premium' metal, what are the other "premium" finishes the Oasis has?

I already listed a few but I'll mention them again. Flush glass is a premium feature which both Amazon and Kobo's top of the line readers have. Another is the front light. The Oasis frontlight is second to none while the Libra was plagued with uneven lighting on some units (supposedly it's been addressed, seems like Kobo has QA issues). The text clarity and contrast on the Oasis is simply better. The Libra screen has a weird blue/greenish hue to it and the warm temperature range is worse than the Kindle...its barely yellow on the warmest setting.

Like I said, from a hardware standpoint the Oasis wins but Kobo's software is better. Now if I could somehow frankenstein together an Oasis running Kobo software I'd have the perfect reader.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by azayn

I already listed a few but I'll mention them again. Flush glass is a premium feature which both Amazon and Kobo's top of the line readers have. Another is the front light. The Oasis frontlight is second to none while the Libra was plagued with uneven lighting on some units (supposedly it's been addressed, seems like Kobo has QA issues). The text clarity and contrast on the Oasis is simply better. The Libra screen has a weird blue/greenish hue to it and the warm temperature range is worse than the Kindle...its barely yellow on the warmest setting.

Like I said, from a hardware standpoint the Oasis wins but Kobo's software is better. Now if I could somehow frankenstein together an Oasis running Kobo software I'd have the perfect reader.

Thanks for your reply. As I've never seen an Oasis, I can't comment on the text clarity and contrast, but can say that unless I've developed colour blindness recently, there is no "blue/greenish hue" to my Libra, nor any issue with the frontlight. As for flush glass being a premium feature, that too is as subjective as the assertion that a metal finish is premium.

The temperature range IS disappointing though, a fact I only discovered thanks to your post. Since I never read in a dark room, without any additional lighting I don't make much use of the warm colors, and only maxed it out after reading your reply. It's definitely not as warm my previous Kobo, an H2O 2.

[grenacia]

I got a Kobo Aura One in 2017 and loved everything about it and the Kobo system except one thing - the usb port was tricky and had connection problems and eventually stopped working. When it completely stopped working, I contacted Kobo about it and it was out of warranty and all they could offer me was a very small discount on a new ereader, with no assurances they had improved the usb port. Meanwhile my Kindle Paperwhite from 2011 was still working fine, so I've been using that instead and plan to upgrade to a waterproof Kindle Paperwhite at some point. I don't think I'll buy a Kobo again even though I loved the device and interface, too expensive for something that's going to just fail like that. If you get a Kobo and have any usb problems deal with it ASAP while it is in warranty, even if it isn't very bad, and/or install a wireless charging device on it to avoid wear on the port.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by grenacia

I got a Kobo Aura One in 2017 and loved everything about it and the Kobo system except one thing - the usb port was tricky and had connection problems and eventually stopped working. When it completely stopped working, I contacted Kobo about it and it was out of warranty and all they could offer me was a very small discount on a new ereader, with no assurances they had improved the usb port. Meanwhile my Kindle Paperwhite from 2011 was still working fine, so I've been using that instead and plan to upgrade to a waterproof Kindle Paperwhite at some point. I don't think I'll buy a Kobo again even though I loved the device and interface, too expensive for something that's going to just fail like that. If you get a Kobo and have any usb problems deal with it ASAP while it is in warranty, even if it isn't very bad, and/or install a wireless charging device on it to avoid wear on the port.

You only have yourself to blame. When the USB port was acting up, you should have contacted Kobo then.

[HLS]

Well I like immersion reading with kindle where you can read along with audiobook but KOBO does have a battery life 10x better. I been threw a dozen kindles and I'm always charging the dang thing. I have a Kindle Oasis, Kindle paperwhite, kobo libra, Kobo H20 6.8", Kobo Clara.

As far as 6" screens go the Clara is better than the paperwhite. print looks crisper and the glowlight is fantastic on it.

7" ereaders I like my Oasis but I have the white libra and I still think print looks crisper and clearer on my Kobo Libra. If you can afford an oasis its a nice device to have. I have both the champagne and the metal color but in all honesty the Libra is much cheaper and even tho its plastic the white color with the rose case looks really high end to me.