Paperwhite news?

[kyôdai]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Physical page turn buttons is what sets the Oasis (any old Voyage) apart. I do not like to smudge up my screen or accidentally turn pages. I suspect I am not alone in this department. If they have physical turn buttons with this new device (on both sides like on a Voyage) then it is compelling for me as I suspect it would not be as wide as my Oasis and more pocket friendly.

Like I said, I am confident there will be another premium reader above the Paperwhite in the $200+ region. Probably with a bigger screen (7,8" or more), now that the Paperwhite has inherited the 7"ish size display.

It might have page-turn buttons, but again, I doubt that it will be part of the Oasis series, since that concept has kind of lost its purpose for the most part.

I guess, we will have to wait and see.

[koboy]

it's probably the same screen as the PW4 only slightly bigger plus the warmlight. i haven't seen any info on the hardware specs.

best wishes koboy

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

Like I said, I am confident there will be another premium reader above the Paperwhite in the $200+ region. Probably with a bigger screen (7,8" or more), now that the Paperwhite has inherited the 7"ish size display.

It might have page-turn buttons, but again, I doubt that it will be part of the Oasis series, since that concept has kind of lost its purpose for the most part.

I guess, we will have to wait and see.

I have low confidence that is in the offing. But at this point, we can both feel comfortable with our confidence levels, as there is no evidence either way.

It is striking to me that they have eliminated all of the model-specific configuration options: no Special Offers, no storage options, no wireless options, no color options (the Kids Edition bundles one of 3 covers, but the Paperwhite itself has no options).

This tells me that the lineup going forward is going to follow this ‘fewer SKUs’ trend. I could be wrong: color options may show up later in the product cycle (maybe next year), but Special Offers would seem gone for good, as with cellular option.

[mewmartigan]

I am going with the new Paperwhite as I don't mind not having the Oasis physical buttons.

I sure do miss the Voyage's "pagepress" though. A Voyage with some updated internals, usb-c and a 6.8" screen would be my dream.

[Almamida]

It would be amazing if at least the signature edition had a glass screen.

[John F]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I have low confidence that is in the offing. But at this point, we can both feel comfortable with our confidence levels, as there is no evidence either way.

It is striking to me that they have eliminated all of the model-specific configuration options: no Special Offers, no storage options, no wireless options, no color options (the Kids Edition bundles one of 3 covers, but the Paperwhite itself has no options).

This tells me that the lineup going forward is going to follow this ‘fewer SKUs’ trend. I could be wrong: color options may show up later in the product cycle (maybe next year), but Special Offers would seem gone for good, as with cellular option.

Before this urban myth keeps spreading...

As Issybird pointed out in the other thread, the PW5 has ad supported and no-ads. The PW5 Signature Edition comes with no ads. I assume the PW5 Kids has no ads.

Edit: This is for the U.S.A, from what I see on the website.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by John F

Before this urban myth keeps spreading...

As Issybird pointed out in the other thread, the PW5 has ad supported and no-ads. The PW5 Signature Edition comes with no ads. I assume the PW5 Kids has no ads.

Edit: This is for the U.S.A, from what I see on the website.

Yes, I didn’t look for the SO page. In the past, there was one page for both.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

Physical page turn buttons is what sets the Oasis (any old Voyage) apart. I do not like to smudge up my screen or accidentally turn pages. I suspect I am not alone in this department. If they have physical turn buttons with this new device (on both sides like on a Voyage) then it is compelling for me as I suspect it would not be as wide as my Oasis and more pocket friendly.

I'm with you! Buttons are critical!

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

I think the Oasis days are numbered though.

There are not many arguments left for it, now that the PW5 got almost all of its features. And Amazon had abandoned the Oasis concept a long time ago anyway.

I think they made this step to free up room for a bigger device (7,8" or more) in the $200+ segment. The Oasis will probably stay around until then.

Why do you think they abandoned the Oasis concept? They updated it last, Paperwhite before it, Oasis before that. They have never, that I can recall, updated both in the same year. Sales for e-readers are down in general, so perhaps the Oasis is not selling as well now, I'm not sure, but I for one hope it stays around. I know many are fans of the device - it's not for everyone, but I don't see the Paperwhite replacing the Oasis for many, updated or not.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Why do you think they abandoned the Oasis concept? They updated it last, Paperwhite before it, Oasis before that. They have never, that I can recall, updated both in the same year. Sales for e-readers are down in general, so perhaps the Oasis is not selling as well now, I'm not sure, but I for one hope it stays around. I know many are fans of the device - it's not for everyone, but I don't see the Paperwhite replacing the Oasis for many, updated or not.

I’ve never wanted an Oasis myself, but there are people that really like or require physical page turn buttons. Of course the larger screen, auto brightness, adjustable light warmth are other appealing features. The Paperwhite is just fine for me.

But I have all of those other features on iPad mini, which I read on as much as on my Kindle. With it, I can also use Immersion Reading, view color illustrations, graphic novels, use external keyboard for notes and page turning etc., use Speak Screen for TTS-like functionality, and even use voice control to read hands free. None of these things are available on an Oasis (Voice View isn’t a good TTS experience).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by tomsem

But I have all of those other features on iPad mini, which I read on as much as on my Kindle. With it, I can also use Immersion Reading, view color illustrations, graphic novels, use external keyboard for notes and page turning etc., use Speak Screen for TTS-like functionality, and even use voice control to read hands free. None of these things are available on an Oasis (Voice View isn’t a good TTS experience).

Too heavy for me. No eink. And no page turn buttons. And no, I don't want to read with an external keyboard attached (might as well read on my laptop in that case, or on my Surface Pro - neither of which I use for book reading), or use voice control to turn pages. I don't need immersion reading or TTS. Nor do I read graphic novels.

In short, the Oasis suits me well, but I wouldn't have any use for iPad Mini. YMMV, as always.

Not that iPad Mini isn't a nice little device. A couple of years ago I even considered getting it. But I couldn't for the life of me think of anything I'd want to use it for. Too small for movies, and I wouldn't want to read a text-based novel on it. I guess it's perfect for comics, mangas and such, but I don't read those.

[kyôdai]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Why do you think they abandoned the Oasis concept?

I have explained this in another post.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by kyôdai

I have explained this in another post.

I'm not sure from your previous post why it would be discontinued. As for the lightweight issue, it's extremely lightweight to me, my paperwhite feels heavier but I use a case with the paperweight. The concept with the buttons, despite not having a removable battery, is comfortable. Their original design purpose with the first release of the Oasis may have changed, but they continued to tweak the device into different versions with the same shape so it held up for enough to keep making and selling them, at least until this point.

[tomsem]

My guess is that Amazon maintains and updates a design for a new Oasis (as improved or cheaper components become available) and is ready to put it into production should they judge there are people ready to buy it, with a feature set that would get people to upgrade.

I doubt they are producing any of the current Oasis model. It would just be too expensive to keep an assembly line up and running. They’ll have a few months of inventory at current sales rates, that will last longer now that there is a new Kindle to sell.

So they’ll see how this Kindle sells and crunch the numbers. I would not expect to see anything until next year.

[kyôdai]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I'm not sure from your previous post why it would be discontinued. As for the lightweight issue, it's extremely lightweight to me, my paperwhite feels heavier but I use a case with the paperweight. The concept with the buttons, despite not having a removable battery, is comfortable.

Again, I feel like I have made my point clear.

The purpose of the Oasis design was (according to Amazon) a "lightweight and ergonomic" reader. They achieved this by making the cover (and originally the battery) detachable, so you had something to grip on one side and to shed some weight while reading.

The original Oasis weighed only 131g (without cover), a whooping 74g less then the Paperwhite at the time and 50g less then the Voyage or other 6" readers.

What is left of this?

The ergonomics are debatable, since there is no detachable cover anymore... (And there are also quite a few people, who don't like the shape of the current Oasis.)

I am not saying the current Oasis is heavy, but again, it is not particulary "lightweight" either. It weighs 188g, almost the same as the Libra H2O (192g) and only 9g less then the Forma (197g), despite the Forma having a much bigger 8" display.

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Their original design purpose with the first release of the Oasis may have changed, but they continued to tweak the device into different versions with the same shape so it held up for enough to keep making and selling them, at least until this point.

I kind of disagree with that as well.

Amazon has not touched the Oasis design in 4 years.
When they released the almost identical Oasis 3 in 2019, they did not even bother to correct their massive design flaw with the weak magnets, which might have made the Oasis concept more viable again.

I am sure, there will be some sort of successor (probably with a bigger screen), but it won't be another Oasis.