GADGET
GIZMO REVIEW Amazon Kindle Oasis
The Kindle has been the
favorite ebook reader for millions of users around the world. While you can get
the entry-level Kindle for as low as `5,999, Amazon also has the midrange
Paperwhite and the premium Kindle Voyage for those who don't mind spending
extra for features.Now, Amazon has an even more premium Kindle -the Oasis -it's
the most expensive Kindle to date.
Kindle Oasis is the
company's slimmest and lightest Kindle with an all-new square design instead of
the usual rectangle. The new design is one of the reasons why the Oasis is so
slim -all the internal components are placed on the side of the device instead
of under the display. The tapered side gives you the feeling of holding the
spine of a book -this is something we liked a lot compared to previous
generations. The feature we loved most was the two hardware buttons for page
turns. Having buttons to turn pages is a lot better than swiping the screen
since your hand does not end up blocking your view.A built-in accelerometer
automatically recognizes which hand you are holding the device in and adjusts
the screen orientation and button function accordingly. You can customise the
function of buttons in the settings too. That being said, if you're too used to
using the touchscreen to swipe pages over, you can continue to do so. Oasis
comes with a dual battery system -the bundled leather cover has an additional
battery inside. The cover has magnets to attach firmly to the device and it effectively
doubles the battery life. When you attach the case and plug in to charge, both
batteries receive a charge. The Oasis's built in battery can easily last a
month with daily use. With a daily run of about two hours, it dropped from 100
to 65% in about 10 days. With the battery cover, Oasis should get you about two
months of use if you're a light reader. If you plan on giving reading a break,
you can switch to hibernation mode: it minimises power consumption when you are
not using the device.For best results, we recommend switching off 3G
connectivity when not in use. We noticed that the battery drains significantly
faster with 3G on -even if you're not actively downloading data over 3G.
The display is the most
significant aspect when it comes to eBook readers. It may look like the Kindle
Oasis h a s t h e s a m e d i s p l ay a s t h e Paperwhite and Voyage (6-inch
e-ink display with built-in light and a 300ppi resolution) but the contrast and
brightness levels tell a completely different story. According to Amazon, the
Oasis has 60% more LEDs compared to the Paperwhite and Voyage. Obviously , this
makes it a lot brighter but also gives it a wider range of brightness. What we
miss is the adaptive light sensor that Amazon introduced on the Voyage.Quite like
mobile phone displays, the Voyage has ambient light sensors that help it to
automatically adjusts brightness. And like phones, this feature can be switched
off too.
The Oasis has an entirely
new home screen and a new exclusive font called Ember that helps it stand out
from previous generations. The user interface scans and learns your preferred
reading genres and accordingly suggests titles that will interest you.
Obviously, this develops over some time but it's a nifty feature to have.
The biggest issue we have
with the Oasis is the steep price. When it comes down to brass tacks, it really
does not offer too much more than the Paperwhite. We think that most will not
see sense in getting the Oasis, considering that Paperwhite is half the price.
If you do decide to go with the Oasis, you're paying a premium for the ultra
lightweight design, extra battery life, bundled case and the exclusivity . The
Kindle Paperwhite and a nice auto wake sleep case is still a more logical buy .
Karan.Bajaj@timesgroup.com
ET11MAY16
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