It’s been ten years since Amazon Kindle was first launched. However, the e-reader lacked this one feature users demanded the most. Amazon had been missing out on waterproofing the device until now. The new Kindle Oasis has been introduced and it is finally waterproof with an IPX8 waterproof rating.
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Additional upgrades
Apart from this new feature, the screen size has also increased from 6-inch to 7-inch. In addition, the soft plastic touch of the body has also been replaced by an aluminum one. Moreover, the new Kindle Oasis houses a better battery than the one before it. Furthermore, you don’t need to attach a magnetic case to it in order to increase the battery life. The design of the new e-reader is almost the same as its predecessor. However, one small change is the presence of a thick side that helps you grab the device with one hand only. With this side being only 3.4 millimeters thick, Amazon has still managed to insert a bigger battery in that space.
Additionally, advancements in the display have also been noticed as the device now has extra LEDs to make the display brighter. With ambient light sensors within the display, the e-reader automatically adjusts the brightness when you switch from indoors to outdoors or vice versa. Apart from touch-screen page navigation, Amazon has also added physical buttons to turn the page. The idea is to make it even easier for users to navigate between pages.
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However, one feature that stands out from all the rest is waterproofing. Kindle users have been demanding it and Amazon has finally delivered. The new version of the Kindle Oasis has been tested in two meters of water up to 60 minutes. The feature has also been put to test under different environments such as hot tubs, pools, etc. One thing that Amazon warned the users about is the presence of an open USB port. Amazon has requested its users to stand the Kindle upright once it’s been submerged in water in order to avoid any water getting inside the charging port.
Another upgrade to the software is the built-in audible app which will enable the users to stream audio books to a Bluetooth device such as headphones or speakers.
The Oasis will have 8GB of storage which is actually double to that of the previous ones. This extended storage will account for the storage of audio books, says Amazon. Just like the previous ones, Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity will also be enable in the new kindle.
Pricing and availability
The previous version of the Kindle Oasis will be replaced by the newer version as Amazon will offer a number of four different Kindles in its shop. Following are the four Kindles that will be available at the Amazon at the end of October:
- The original Kindle worth $80
- Kindle Paper white at a price of $120
- The Kindle Voyage for $200
- Kindle Oasis, which starts at $250
Amazon has been quite secretive about the number of Kindle units it has sold up till now. However, Amazon’s general manager of devices Kevin Keith said that the sales are quite good with “tens of millions” sold. He also told that the Kindle is being used all over the world and is present in more countries than any other Amazon product.
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Will sales keep up?
Kindle has become the most used e-reader in the past decade. However, the success of the device in the coming decade is not guaranteed. According to a Pew research report on American device ownership in 2015, it showed that e-reader ownership declined from the previous year. In 2016, sales of physical books increased while data showed a decrease in e-book sales.
On the other hand, spokesperson for Amazon stated the fact that Kindle sales have been increasing every year. He also said that the device is still “relevant as ever”.
One thing for sure is that now you can now use the new Kindle wherever you like; without worrying about it getting wet. Whether it is the bath tub or the swimming pool, you can read your books anywhere.
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