Kindle Oasis 3 or Kobo Libra H2O at the same price

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Almamida

A simple call to Amazon can clarify the situation, They're used to that.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon will not unblacklist a blacklisted Kindle. So calling Amazon will do nothing useful.

Almamida clearly meant that a call to amazon can clarify whether or not the kindle is blacklisted.

Your deliberate misunderstanding of posts does nothing useful.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Would you mind taking the photo again with a better camera? The image is not all that clear and too small.

It’s not too small; it’s a thumbnail. Click on it.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by issybird

It’s not too small; it’s a thumbnail. Click on it.

It is an external image, the full size version is here - not sure of the size limits, sorry.

[Almamida]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon will not unblacklist a blacklisted Kindle. So calling Amazon will do nothing useful.

I bought my Oasis on eBay. One phone call to Amazon and they assured me the Kindle was good to go, no blacklist.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have no idea why your Libra freezes. But if it was a major issue, it would have been reported a lot more here. As for the firmware, even with no patches, it's still better then that of the Kindle.

I’m used to it. It’s just the Libra is way more sluggish, like e-readers used to be for years.
You keep repeating the Kobo firmware is superior, but you never explain how...

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, I have held an Oasis 3. I didn't find it all that special.

Well, next time, turn it on and use it. You might be surprised.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sorry, but I'll have to disagree with that. Highlighting was improved in one of the 4.2x firmware versions and footnotes do work well.

Well, I have a Libra and I have an Oasis 3. Last firmware for both. And the Oasis is a lot faster than the Libra to highlight and more precise. It’s not something to agree or disagree, it’s factual.
Footnotes render best on the Oasis too.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Pjama

I also have both the Libra and the Oasis 3...

I love my Libra, it feels a lot nicer to hold...

I've never held a Libra or an Oasis. Just by looking at the images, the Oasis seems like it would be more ergonomic. The wedge with the buttons on the front of the Libra/Forma seems weird. But you aren't the first person to say the Libra is more comfortable to hold.

I guess instincts aren't always correct.

[Erwitt]

Thanks for all your comments!

Finally I have ordered both of them, because I found that I can return the items for free within 15 days (they were in the same store).

So I will be able to test both devices and decide for myself which one suites me best. I think this is the best solution, because I really was having a hard time to decide.

Before having test them, this is how I see the things:

In favor of Kobo Libra

• Library support.
• Better battery.
• More flexibility to adjust text = more pleasant reading.
• More confortable to hold? (I have read mixed opinions).

In favor of Kindle Oasis

• Better screen and frontlight.
• Faster.
• Better buttons.
• I'm already in Amazon ecosystem.
  

Originally Posted by Pjama

Just rereading your post, I noticed that they are both used? I wouldn’t buy a used Libra for Euro 150, isn’t that the price of a new one?

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A new Libra in Europe is 179,99€. So it's up to the OP if he wants to spend the extra 30€ or buy the used one.

That is. I know it's not a great deal, but considering that mi first intention was to buy a Paperwhite at most, even 30 € is a decent saving for me.

Also, the Libra condition is supposed to be "Excellent" and they provide years of warranty. The Kindle is rated just as "Used".

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that the Oasis is used, you could end up with a blacklisted device. That means you cannot register it at Amazon and you cannot use it with eBooks from Amazon with DRM.

I was not aware of the possibility of being blacklisted. Why does this happen? Because the repeated changes of ownership?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Almamida

Have you really had an Oasis in your hands?
The built of the Oasis is close to what Apple could deliver. The screen quality is really good, front-light way ahead of the Libra, the contract is better, the device is so much faster and responsive than the Libra. Not to mention the difference of buttons quality.

Would holding a Kobo Forma and an Oasis 3 at the same time qualify? The front light on the Oasis is more even than the Forma but then I got one of the Formas that has a very hard to notice light issue on the button side. As for responsiveness? I didn't find that much difference in how fast the page flipped when I hit a button. OTOH, when I looked at the displayed page, the font size, line spacing and margin controls on the Forma are far superior to Amazon's pathetic excuse for controls. As for comparing the build quality of either to Apple's build quality? In wild dreams maybe.

Originally Posted by Almamida

And the Kindle devices handle highlighting and footnotes in a better way.

Hmmm.... with the latest Kobo firmware, highlighting and footnotes are not an issue for me.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Almamida

Well, I have a Libra and I have an Oasis 3. Last firmware for both. And the Oasis is a lot faster than the Libra to highlight and more precise. It’s not something to agree or disagree, it’s factual.
Footnotes render best on the Oasis too.

Popup footnotes? I have few issues with those on a Forma as long as the ebook is properly formatted. I was amused on one occasion when the Oasis popped up an entire chapter (blame it on the person who did some rather interesting things with ebook structure).

Bringing highlights and notes into calibre is simply easier on a Kobo though the Annotations plugin does it's best to work with a Kindle's myclippings.txt file. I also like being able to bring in reading percentage, finished, reading position, last read date, etc. into calibre.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

It’s not too small; it’s a thumbnail. Click on it.

I did click on it. It's still too small and not clear enough.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

It is an external image, the full size version is here - not sure of the size limits, sorry.

Now that I can see it clearly, it looks like the screen you sometimes get when you wake the Kobo. You need to refresh the screen or move on to the next screen.

[JSWolf]

A lot of the things that people on the forum want to do with a Kindle need to have the Kindle jailbroken. Kobo doesn't need to be jailbroken to customize or install other software such as NickelMenu, KOReader, and/or Plato.

Plus, Kobo can do things in Calibre that Kindles only dream of such as collections and series. @DNSB gave a lot of good advantages of Kobo's firmware.

And now to get the new eBook cover as the sleep screen feature to work, you have to spend the $20 (in the US) to get your firmware advert free. Amazon also does something else really annoying. They don't always activate new features. So you have to keep WiFi on to get the new features activated and there's no telling how long it will take.

With Kobo, any new features you get are there right away. No waiting for them.No need to turn on WiFi to get them. Amazon is playing games where Kobo is not.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Erwitt

Thanks for all your comments!

Finally I have ordered both of them, because I found that I can return the items for free within 15 days (they were in the same store).

So I will be able to test both devices and decide for myself which one suites me best. I think this is the best solution, because I really was having a hard time to decide.

Before having test them, this is how I see the things:

In favor of Kobo Libra

• Library support.
• Better battery.
• More flexibility to adjust text = more pleasant reading.
• More confortable to hold? (I have read mixed opinions).

In favor of Kindle Oasis

• Better screen and frontlight.
• Faster.
• Better buttons.
• I'm already in Amazon ecosystem.
  

The highlighting and footnote access on the Oasis are far superior too (I own and use both devices). Enjoy the testing on both!

[Uncle Robin]

One other option to consider is to install KOReader on the Libra. As far as I know this is not possible on recent/current Kindles, but KOReader is VERY simple to install on the Libra and adds HUGELY to the options available, likely addressing the issues some have mentioned as being minus marks for the Libra.

[binaryhermit]

For me I'd go Oasis because I'm thoroughly embedded in the Amazon ecosystem through a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Though I have an Oasis 2 and my preference probably would be 10th gen basic plus the cost difference > PW4 plus the cost difference > Oasis 3

[Michal Jancik]

Hi.

My eperience with KOBO LIbra vs Kindle Oasis :

[Books]
- Kobo, unlike the Kindle, can view book information without having to be online (connected to Wi-Fi)..
- Kobo supports the ePUB format.
- Kobo works perfectly with Koreader.
- I live in the EU, so no Audiobooks are available to me on my Kindle.

[Settings]
- The menus on KINDLE are not as easily processed as on Kobo. It is not complicated, but to set up the page I have to go through several menus.
- Kobo may be more optimized in this regard. (but it's about everyone's preferences)
- What bothered me about OASIS was that it was not possible to ban screen autorotation. I often read in climbing, and oasis kept turning my screen, which was very uncomfortable for me.

[Screen]
- Kindle Oasis has significantly better contrast and backlight than Kobo Libra.
- Overall, I find the Kindle Oasis more durable, both with a screen and a metal body.
- The Kobo Libra screen reflects less direct light than the Oasis.

With KOBO, I can better spread the text across the entire screen.
On the "Kindle Oasis", the text has very large edges from the end of the display, so the whole place of the screen is not used, which is a shame.
*But who only uses KINDLE, probably does not even notice it, which means that there is no problem.

[Construction]
- Kobo is just a piece of crackling plastic. The quality of the KOBO construction has deteriorated a lot against the "AURA" range.
- Oasis has a better screen and body. In my case, however, OASIS is not very comfortable, it does not hold up well. (especially when I'm lying in bed and I have an oasis over my head)

*I remember all Kobo Aura H2O 2editions. Rubberized body, perfect contrast and color of the backlight (orange). Screws were used to construct the body. Now KOBO is only 100% of a piece of plastic attached to each other with four plastic clips.

[Battery]
- The battery on the Oasis even without Wifi and the like was quickly discharged. I will last a few weeks with Kobo Libra. With Kobo Libra, I recharge the reader after only 4 weeks. With Oasis at least 1x to 2x per week

PS : It also seems to me that KOBO is updating its software more + some adjustments and news.

Of course, if you buy books on Amazon, it's not worth buying KOBO or vice versa.

I would recommend you to try both devices and then choose your favorite.
Amazon allows return within 3 weeks (or so)