New Kindle Oasis on the horizon?

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I like buttons myself. But really, are buttons and a metal chassis worth $110? Especially when there will likely be a newer Oasis released soon?

I have an Oasis 2 and an Oasis 3 and I consider the the metal case a negative because much of the year it is uncomfortable to hold because it either feels too cool or too warm. But for me, page turn buttons are a necessity and sometimes I just want a 7" screen.

I won't be getting an Oasis 4 because of the horrid UI.

[tomsem]

I have zero interest in an updated Oasis.

I got a 'renewed' one a few months ago, and I just cannot find a comfortable way to hold it securely, while keeping my thumb in position to operate the buttons. It seems designed for smaller hands.

It's a beautiful looking device, and certainly seems like it should be easy to hold, but it doesn't work for me.

My Paperwhite allows me to hold it in a variety of ways that feel secure, and I don't need to flip it over to hold it with my other hand. It just ain't natural to have to do that.

The Voyage was better, it wasn't mandatory to use the buttons (I did like using them sometimes), and the symmetrical button layout was more flexible.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I got a 'renewed' one a few months ago, and I just cannot find a comfortable way to hold it securely, while keeping my thumb in position to operate the buttons. It seems designed for smaller hands.

I find it works better with a case. Without a case the metal is too slippery and the device is just too thin to hold comfortably.

Originally Posted by tomsem

The Voyage was better, it wasn't mandatory to use the buttons (I did like using them sometimes), and the symmetrical button layout was more flexible.

My biggest gripe about the Voyage is that the button’s behavior cannot be remapped (as is the case on the Oasis). When I hold the Voyage, my thumb naturally falls on the “previous page” button, and I have to move it down to an uncomfortable position to reach the “next page” button. This is one of the main reasons I mostly use the Oasis for daily reading.

[haertig]

Amazon should make a page turning feature that can be accomplished over bluetooth. Then other vendors could design different kinds of "buttons" that work with the eReader. I can imagine some kind of ring you wear on the tip of your finger. Maybe a soft rubber type of thing. When you squash that up against something, the page turns. You wouldn't have to worry about reaching a button built into your eReader at some awkward location, because the "button" would be attached to your finger. Wherever your finger happens to lie, just press lightly to turn the page. You could even press your finger and your thumb together to turn the page, if you were holding the eReader in the other hand. Or buy two rings. Don't make customers find a button with their finger, put the button ON their finger! Where the finger goes, so goes the button.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

My biggest gripe about the Voyage is that the button’s behavior cannot be remapped (as is the case on the Oasis). When I hold the Voyage, my thumb naturally falls on the “previous page” button, and I have to move it down to an uncomfortable position to reach the “next page” button. This is one of the main reasons I mostly use the Oasis for daily reading.

I was quite impressed that not only does the Kobo Libra allow you to swap the page turn buttons, but that when you turn the reader upside down, the button functionality also inverts. The page turn buttons would be quite useless without the ability to make the top button advance to the next page, as that's where my thumb naturally sits when holding it. I'm surprised Amazon hasn't released an update to fix such an oversight on the Voyage.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I have an Oasis 2 and an Oasis 3 and I consider the the metal case a negative because much of the year it is uncomfortable to hold because it either feels too cool or too warm. But for me, page turn buttons are a necessity and sometimes I just want a 7" screen.

I won't be getting an Oasis 4 because of the horrid UI.

Yes, the gen 9 Oasis I have (32g + 3G/4G, depending on country) is only used for testing. I don't like the metal casing, the bump (be fine if all that thickness), inability to set collections via Calibre (Collections don't work well without Sync and I can't delete the ones on my Amazon account) and series data is rubbish sometimes set by Amzon/Publisher; you can't edit series info.

So it would be nice if I added something to make the back level, stuck on something over the back and ran Kobo firmware. Though it was a S/H bargain, not blacklisted and like new with a decent LiPoly cell life I think a waste of money.

Curiously the only way to force a Cellular connection is to turn off the local WiFi or never add the password. It's possible sometimes to have a better 3G speed than cabled Internet speed, though fortunately my Internet is very stable. It is though only 6 Mbps to 8 Mbps and typically 7.6 Mbps downlink and mostly 0.9 Mbps uplink (A 8 Mbps/1Mbps package).

[HLS]

Originally Posted by issybird

Wasn’t the first gen Oasis the 6” one with a battery in the cover? It never made sense that they kept that name for the totally revamped Oasis 2.

Yes you are right. I wish I never sold mine. I liked the battery cover.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

Just spotted this thread on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/kindle/comm..._kindle_oasis/

Not quite sure this is legit, there’s not much info and the specs seem a bit weird. Thoughts?

That is the current oasis. I see nothing on that link to suggest a new one is coming out. We are due for one tho. i would hope an 8" color model or note taking ability's. I just purchased a Kobo sage and I love doodling on it

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by HLS

That is the current oasis. I see nothing on that link to suggest a new one is coming out. We are due for one tho. i would hope an 8" color model or note taking ability's. I just purchased a Kobo sage and I love doodling on it

The current Oasis does not have USB-C.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

The current Oasis does not have USB-C.

Agreed. I double checked on that on Amazon as my Oasis is probably the previous version (gen 9).

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

I find it works better with a case. Without a case the metal is too slippery and the device is just too thin to hold comfortably.

I don't like cases and the associated bulk. They're not designed to make holding the device more comfortable, but primarily to protect and personalize the device.

I put a 5" strip of duct tape on the back; it seems to help with the slipperiness, even though it is smooth. Maybe a similarly sized piece of thin rubber or a cloth tape will work better and look a little better.

[Badcatalex]

The only bad thing is that Amazon's case quality won't improve.

The fabric water safe case for my Oasis is really really bad, and it sometimes struggles to hold my Oasis in if I accidentally drop it.

[han_32]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I like buttons myself. But really, are buttons and a metal chassis worth $110? Especially when there will likely be a newer Oasis released soon?

Nevermind the metal chassis, the buttons on itself would be worth it to me. It is very confortable for my hands, and the autorotate, I can be reading it just holding it on my left hand, change hands at will, it is very restful. The size is also perfect for my hands (though I got small hands). I got an 8 inch kobo and the buttons are kind of either too high or too low for my hands and are not as comfortable. And the buttons on the kobo are worse, less smooth, harder.

I hope they do not mess the oasis too much, I just want better battery life.

[Pjama]

I've had my Oasis for three years now, and finally I have it so that is comfortable to hold. I got a transparent soft shell case that just covers the back and has bumpers on the corners. This has changed it from an alternately hot and cold slippery piece of metal to a grippable, pick-upable reader, that I am actually using all the time now, instead of avoiding. It also adds a little bit of extra thickness which makes it nicer for me to grip.

The screen is second to none (for me), and that is what I try to focus on, rather than the (IMO) awkwardly lumpy bumpy body.

I’m sure Amazon are going to release either a new Oasis or replacement very soon, and this is why they have been tinkering backstage with the listings for the current one (and messing them up in the process ).

I’m happy with this one now, except for the battery life, of course.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I've had my Oasis for three years now, and finally I have it so that is comfortable to hold. I got a transparent soft shell case that just covers the back and has bumpers on the corners. This has changed it from an alternately hot and cold slippery piece of metal to a grippable, pick-upable reader, that I am actually using all the time now, instead of avoiding. It also adds a little bit of extra thickness which makes it nicer for me to grip.

The screen is second to none (for me), and that is what I try to focus on, rather than the (IMO) awkwardly lumpy bumpy body.

I’m sure Amazon are going to release either a new Oasis or replacement very soon, and this is why they have been tinkering backstage with the listings for the current one (and messing them up in the process ).

I’m happy with this one now, except for the battery life, of course.

Thanks. I was looking something like this, but wasn't using right search terms. I see there are also some with solid color.

Still, it adds a couple of ounces, almost a third of Oasis' weight.

I've replaced the duct tape with a patch of thin, closed-cell neoprene foam. It's still a little more slippery than I'd like, but a clear improvement over bare metal.