Amazon announces Kindle Oasis

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Nate thinks the screen has a plastic substrate.
Check the comments.

http://the-digital-reader.com/2016/0...will-cost-290/

If it really has a plastic substrate it may be worth the money to enough people to justify it's existence.

That would certainly go a long way toward changing my mind, if true.

Points to consider:

First Kindle sold at $399. Until the 4 hour price war, when B&N moved the walled gardens to near-cost pricing, ereaders sold at solid markups in the 40% range, typical of their limited market size (you really need to be a heavy reader to justify prices north of $200.)

I got in with the K2US at about $300, if I remember correctly, so I'm not scared of the price per se (though I am in a different financial situation than I was then. But I'm just not going to pay much (if anything) for an eink device that utilizes a breakable substrate. So I hope Nate's right in that regard.

Now, Oasis: I love the ergo design. It is a fitting evolution of the rocketbook and PB360, both of which I have and love. Ergonomics are important and I'm pleased to see its return to the reader design criteria.

Agreed. The physical design of the device appeals to me--a lot.

agree that calling it a charger cover implies that it will recharge the reader even if the cover isn't being charged. With that proviso, the pricing isn't obscene:$200 for a light ergonomic reader, possibly with non-glass substrate and $90 for an oem leather cover ($50-70) + a battery cherger ($20-30) is about right.)

Yeah, I don't think the price itself is a deal-breaker for me at this point. If the plastic substrate can be confirmed, I'd be very tempted. It'd have to be dirt cheap, though, for me to even consider buying an eink device with a breakable substrate.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I don't understand their 'strategy' of having three ereaders with pretty much identically specced 300 dpi frontlit screens - and all 6".

I agree with this. Two I could get, one bare bones and one luxe, but three to me seems to push people toward the lowest end, because it starts to get absurd and people will look more closely at value for their dollar (or euro, or pound...). I definitely think it undermines the Voyage market.

I am also interested to see what Kobo come out with...

I could get interested in a new Kobo myself. Words I never thought I'd type, but with the demise of Sony I seem to have gone Kobo. What I'd like best is a mini-size with better contrast, although I doubt Kobo will go in that direction.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Jason90

From the oasis page "Kindle Oasis combines our strongest cover glass and a featherweight frame infused with metal using structural electroplating"

So still glass and the reduced weight is soley the result of them stripping out the battery.
.

It mentions cover glass, I see no mention of the screen substrate. Being that there is no mention I'd have to guess glass since if it was using plasic like the mobius screens you'd think they'd market that.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Shane R

[Image violates Posting Guidelines for size - MODERATOR]

I'd missed that it had landscape situated reading.

Now it's symmetrical

[johnnyb]

If the Amazon system and software were perfect in every way (and offered considerably more options, customization and, very important, more open services), I would consider a device at that price...
But to pay 290 to have my brought books being treated as second rate books in comparison to Amazon-bought books is just ridiculous. I hope this really flops, this is worse than Apple...

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by Drew0020

I have no issue with the pricing, but wow that design is a step backward. I know people have been clamoring for physical buttons. I dont want any front facing physical buttons on my e-reader, but that's my opinion.

For me this is a huge step backwards for the Kindle line. No processor speed increase, no elimination of the screen refresh, and no screen size or resolution increase. And with the cover it weighs 2.1 ounces more than the Voyage.

That is not what I was hoping for with the top of the line Kindle. And to think I was so excited last week to retire my Voyage. It stays another year.

The design is not a step backwards.

I know balance and ergonomics are concepts that require more understanding of mathematics and special relations than some people can master, but they are an advanced concept and an intentional planned asymmetric design that serves a function for some people is no throwback.

Even if this isn't something I need now, it might be when I am seventy. or if I tear ligaments or tendons in my left arm more severely than I have already.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

I could get interested in a new Kobo myself. Words I never thought I'd type, but with the demise of Sony I seem to have gone Kobo.

Wouldn't mind seeing a simlar Kobo device, myself. I primarily buy epubs from Kobo right now, so if there WAS a new epub-equivalent device with a similar ergo setup to the Oasis with page buttons (and a non-breakable substrate), I'd probably go that way. Much easier than retooling back to Kindlebooks. But when it comes to epubs, the truth of the matter is: I'm having a hard time seeing me using anything but Mantano to read them with anyway.

[Dee Q]

I'll tell you what, I love this Kindle Oasis. Looks and works awesome to me!

[Jason90]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I don't understand their 'strategy' of having three ereaders with pretty much identically specced 300 dpi frontlit screens - and all 6". If this Oasis thingy had been just one inch bigger, I would have bought it without a second thought.

I am also interested to see what Kobo come out with...

As far as im aware kobo are the only ones who have done an up-to-date ereader bigger than 6",not counting those chinese android devices.

I think this is it from amazon for the next few years,they have made it clear they are sticking to their tried and true formula ,i'm not too heavily invested in amazons ecosystem so it's not too much of a bother for me to move to another ecosystem.

All the features i want amazon aren't giving me so it's time to move on...

Jeff got us all excited by his tweet for this rubbish,shame on him.

[Yolina]

I'd love to know how pre-orders are going The general impression I get from the thread is that even the (seemingly few) people who do like the Oasis are balking at the price.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Yolina

I'd love to know how pre-orders are going The general impression I get from the thread is that even the (seemingly few) people who do like the Oasis are balking at the price.

The thread running on the Kindle forum on Amazon UK is also not impressed.

[cvkemp]

With me having both a voyage and a PW2, and with the price of the new Kindle even with the case I just cannot see it. Also, I do not like the physical page turn buttons.

[just_jeepin]

Nice but too expensive. I would pay $179 for it tops! At $289 it should have also been waterproof!

My Paperwhite 2 works just fine.

[tlrowley]

Originally Posted by Yolina

I'd love to know how pre-orders are going The general impression I get from the thread is that even the (seemingly few) people who do like the Oasis are balking at the price.

I pre-ordered

I'm still using the 1st gen PW, and for the past few months I've been suffering from some yet-to-be-diagnosed inflammatory arthritis in my hands & wrists which make holding my PW just about unbearable. I've been wanting to upgrade, so for me it's all about the weight. The difference in price between a Voyage + case and the Oasis (with case) isn't very much.

That being said, I'm not surprised that few people are talking about upgrading from the 3rd gen PW or Voyage - those are both great readers and there's not a whole lot of "new" in the Oasis.

[Rbneader]

Wow. The ergonomics look great, it really seems designed for my use case for ereaders. It's a gorgeous and functional piece of tech. If this had an SD card slot I'd preorder one.

But it doesn't.

So, guess I'm looking at a Kobo for my next ereader. When does Kobo usually announce new tech? Mayish, right?