I ended up getting an Oasis (2) after all, it arrived tonight. The extra capacity was really the deciding factor for me but it’s so nice to have page turn buttons again, and it just definitely seems like an overall nicer, more technically capable device than my Paperwhite. Though my initial reaction to the lopsided battery thing was that it was stupid, as I use it I think it’s going to be an easy enough adjustment. I was also deeply confused by the default button arrangement being top to go forward and bottom to go back, when you want to do the former much more often (in my experience, anyway) and the bottom button is closer when holding the device. Thankfully you can change this. It does make more sense if you’re reading in landscape mode…but I don’t think I will be for the most part, after having tried it that way. Still probably not going to get a cover, but we’ll see.
I like it. It shifts the weight to one side so it’s more natural to hold it in one hand by holding it by the heavier side. It’s very comfortable for me. I don’t mind the forward page turn button being the top button either. It’s my favorite e-reader I’ve owned.
I have been making a dedicated effort to read more and my Paperwhite makes me really miss buttons. I hit back far too often without realizing I hit back, and then take several seconds trying to get back on the right page. That sounds silly, but I somehow manage to get completely out of whack with the page I should be on. I just can’t rationalize the price of the Oasis for the amount I read though. I really want one though. How low do they drop on sales?
Beats me. I was going to wait for a sale, and then…didn’t. I did grab a refurb, though, which shaved off, like…40 bucks? I guess that’s something. I suspect it’s probably not something they discount much or frequently, though. The baseline Kindle or Paperwhite are the things they lure you in with. By the time you’re looking at an Oasis you’re either a hardcore Kindle fan like me or you just have enough money you don’t care, would be my guess.
Reading all this makes it very appealing (especially those buttons!), but I have a question:
I read mostly when lying down in bed, resting on my side, and holding my kindle with a single hand (the left one, as I rest on my right side) and letting its border rest on the bed. I am a bit concerned by the shifted battery: if it was on the side opposite to the buttons, the battery would rest on the bed, but I understand it is located on the side I would be holding the kindle from.
Anyway, I am wondering if this may prove a bit stressful for the wrist?
Here is a sexy diagram of my naughty reading sessions.
Best diagram ever! :D
laughs
A question no one has been able to answer for me yet is whether the new Kindles (mine is like a first-gen Paperwhite) have the same software as the Kindle app on my phone. On my phone, I can tap in t he middle of the page and everything sort of shrinks so I can rapidly scan through pages, then tap again and it’s full-size. My Kindle won’t do that, and I really really like it. Will the newer Kindles do that?
The Oasis supports Page Flip mode, but you access it slightly differently - you bring up the menu by tapping at the top, then there’s a control to activate it at the bottom of the screen.
cool, thanks
In general its software seems much closer to the app than the previous Kindles I have used.
I read the same way, and that drawing could be me, but add some ‘ZZZZZZZ’ coming out of the head area…
I use the magnetic cover (I think it was like $60-$70), and sort of tent the thing, resting on the bed, the kindle flipped so that the buttons are on the top (left side of Kindle) and pretty easily reachable with my left hand…Works pretty well for me.
You can hold it either way. Just turn it upside down to move the buttons to the other side and the Oasis re-orients. I read on my side a lot too, either side, and I just turn it upside down when I shift from left to right.
I find the battery weight on the side instead of being evenly distributed to be a plus. Makes it easier to hold in one hand. It really is the most comfortable e-reader I’ve used.
I also use black background and white text because it’s not as bright at night in bed. The GF likes the room dark as possible so it helps.
Thank you very much for the answers.
I have so many things to ask Santa this year!
I should add that the more I use mine the more I love it. Even switched the buttons back to the default because it turns out that makes more sense if you’re solidly gripping it from one side. If I have any complaint, really, it’s only that the Goodreads integration (which I didn’t use and maybe didn’t even have on my Paperwhite, not sure) doesn’t seem to work with sideloaded books, which is a substantial part of what I use. I kind of have to assume it was deliberately set up that way because I don’t see how else you could fail a basic title search. Oh well. I just pop into the Goodreads view proper and search myself. Mildly less convenient but still more convenient than doing it on the computer or phone like I have been.
New Kindle Paperwhite. Higher-res. Waterproof. More storage. Limited offer of 6 months of Kindle Unlimited included.
But heaven forbid they put physical page turn buttons on it.
Also, yay, more stuff on my Kindle home screen that’s not the books I am there to read. Hopefully you will be able to turn that shit off like the current crop of extraneous nonsense.
I would totally dig one of those to read and chill in the tub. But my Kindle DX still holds up strong! Maybe it will die in a pair of years more…
Back when I used a kindle, I really didn’t mind the lack of physical pageturn buttons. Tapping the screen to turn the page worked fine.
It’s kind of crazy that it took so long for a cheapish waterproof kindle. You always read stories about people putting them in ziplock bags and such.
Anyway, I’ve been reading on my phone for a good 5 years now and I see no reason to go back to carrying around multiple devices.
Hey, they’re selling a 32GB model in the US now! Finally my dream of loading a kindle up with Manga will be viable! And it’s a very small price increase, too.
I find it hilarious they are still trying to sell these things as Audible devices. They provide basically no advantage over just using your phone other than not needing your phone. But who isn’t going to have their phone with them?
I was wondering who would ever need 32GB of storage, given that books are like 6MB at most. I guess manga makes sense, black and white comics.