I've had Amazon Kindles for years and years. I still have my old Kindle Touch 3G. In fact, I actually bought the last generation Oasis just about a year and half ago, and it was a fine fine product. It was a pleasure to hold and small enough to bring everywhere. Initially I wasn't going to move to the Oasis 2017 / 2nd Gen but just couldn't resist the bigger screen and waterproofing, plus I could trade-in my old Oasis for some discount off as well. I've no regrets upgrading from the 6 inch to the 7 inch Oasis.
Performance: Fantastic, it is clearly faster than my previous gen Oasis. EVERYTHING runs quicker: the Kindle store, opening books, turning pages, highlighting pages, etc. It even flips pages quicker too. It certainly feels like an upgrade performance-wise. I absolutely love the automatic backlight adjustment which dynamically changes brightness depending on my environment.
Size: The extra screen size made a big difference to my reading. I read more on a page and therefore turn less pages. It makes reading even more pleasurable than the already amazing Oasis Gen 1. There is a caveat though: The larger size meant I can't easily put it in my larger pockets, so I have to carry it, plus it definitely feels a little heavier with the cover.
Cases / Covers: It's a pity Amazon made a mistake with their original cover design for this. That said, that left the door open for excellent 3rd party covers like the Fintie Origami Case for Kindle Oasis (9th Gen, 2017 Release ONLY) - Slim Fit Stand Cover Support [Hands Free] Reading with Auto Wake / Sleep for Amazon All-New 7" Kindle Oasis, Denim Charcoal and the MoKo Case for All-New Kindle Oasis (9th Generation, 2017 Release) - Premium Ultra Lightweight Shell Cover with Auto Wake / Sleep for Amazon Kindle Oasis E-reader Case, Vintage Style, both of which I bought. It's important to note that the Fintie makes the Oasis quite a bit heavier as the case is weightier, however, I bought this so that I can free-stand my Oasis when required. The Moko feels a lot lighter but it's not origami, so I bought it more for "on the go / in-my-hand" reading, and frankly it's the best looking design cover for an e-book I've seen.
Battery Life: Ok, I admit I was terribly worried about the battery life seeing many reviewers complaining about the battery life. In reality, I don't exactly read 8 hours a day, so for what I read (usually up to an hour a day), the battery lasts fine by me even if it only lasted a week or two. The good thing is it doesn't take that long to fully charge the Oasis and it can be charged on any standard micro USB cable / charger so it's not a major concern. Because you no longer require the cover for the "other" battery like the previous Oasis, you can walk around with just the bare-naked kindle and it feels really good (see next section).
Look and Feel: It actually feels best in the hand without any covers because it's light and big enough to hold in 1 hand. Because of the larger size, it feels a little more like you're holding a book, and it feels good in my hands. I'm a big fan of the very original Oasis "one-sided bump" design as it feels so natural in the hands. And I simply swap hands if I'm tired and the screen automatically flips over for non-interrupted reading.
Waterproofing: I haven't tried dunking it in water yet, but to be honest, I've no reason to do so... yet!
Yes, granted, the price of the Oasis is high - but then again, isn't the iPhone X priced highly (overpriced, I might add)? The Oasis was made to be a premium product and indeed, it is a premium product. If you read lots and buy lots of books from Amazon, then this is a no-brainer of a purchase. The waterproofing simply means that you now can REALLY bring your Kindle everywhere and the Oasis finally means something. Highly recommended.
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Customer Review: Sharp edges show a rushed design process.
jfoster
The Best Kindle Yet!
I am in love with this Kindle! I am an avid reader that does most of my reading on my Kindle. I have been using different Kindle devices since 2010 or so. I have a Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Basic, Paperwhite, Voyage, and a Fire that I use at different times. Each device has features that I like and over the years, I have had several things that I knew I would like to see in a device. The first Oasis didn't have any real appeal for me but the moment I saw the specs for this version, I knew that I would have to add it to my collection.There are two features on this Oasis that came straight from my personal wish list. The first is the larger screen size. I have probably told my husband at least once per week that I would like a bigger Kindle. Every single new release has had the same 6" screen with the expection of the DX which has not been made for some time and the Fires which I do like to use for reading. The 7" screen is wonderful. It is bigger without being cumbersome to handle. The actual device is not much larger than my Voyage or Paperwhite. It is a bit wider but the height is fairly equal. The difference is that there is less of a frame around the screen.I was also very pleased to find page turn buttons on this device. My Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Basic had this feature but the more recent trend has been a touchscreen such as with the Paperwhite. I thought that I would like the page press on the Voyage but I found that it was the same as a physical button. I have already read a novel on my new Oasis and loved being able to press a button to turn the page. You can still turn pages with the touchscreen if you prefer but I am happy to have the buttons. You do have to use the touchscreen for other commands and to access the menu features.I like that this Kindle has an aluminum back. I think it feels like a much more solid e-reader and it feels nice in my hands. I have not purchased a case for this device yet and have held it in one hand while reading. It has felt very comfortable and natural. I am also intrigued by the ability to invert the black and white on the device so the the print is white on a black background. I did try this feature out just a bit and am not sure how much I will end up using it. I am still happy to know that it is an option.I have not used the Audible feature on the device. I do wish that the device had a headphone jack since I have a pair corded headphones that I love. I am not going to purchase bluetooth headphones just to listen to my audiobooks on this device. I listen to a lot of Audible audiobooks and have no issue doing so with my cell phone. I think that the size of this device would make it somewhat awkward to carry around in order to listen to my books. I will be sticking to my cell phone for audiobooks for right now. If I change my mind, it is nice to know that the device has the capabilities.I can easily say that the Oasis is my favorite Kindle that I have owned. I like just about everything about it. The clear and crisp screen is a very nice size, the page turn buttons are perfectly positioned, and the aluminum backing looks and feels nice. I bought the 32 GB device with cell connectivity and am looking forward to spending many quality reading hours with my new Oasis.
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Oasis finally lives up to it's name by learning how to swim - THE best e-reader in the world to date
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2018
