I’ve always been one who enjoyed reading in the tub, but as more of my reading time was spent on a tablet or eReader, this stopped being a very good idea. But the folks at Amazon are making it doable again with their new waterproof Oasis eReader. (just don’t read in the tub while it’s plugged into the charger.) They say this device can last up to an hour in three feet of water.
This is at the other end of the cost scale from Amazon’s basic $79.99 eReader or $50 Fire tablet. But it has a lot going for it. Especially, if you’re a person who prefers a dedicated eReader to keep you from getting distracted and find that looking at eInk display is much easier on your eyes.
Let’s take a look at what it offers. Amazon says the 7″ 330 pixels per inch screen actually fits in more words, so you’ll have to turn the page less frequently.
Turning pages is easy, though. This device features a physical page turn button or you can use the touchscreen. The Oasis is weighted so that it can rest comfortably in one hand, plus the page orientation adjusts to both right and left hands.
The Oasis weighs just under 7 ounces and is less than 1/3 of an inch thick. It’s available as WiFi only or with a combination of WiFi and Cellular.
Don’t worry about running out of power, this device can hold a charge for weeks.
One of the reasons that eReaders are easier on the eyes is that there’s no backlighting, but that also means no reading in the dark. This device features 12 LEDs that automatically sense when it gets dark and provide just the right amount of light for reading. These lights shine down on the page instead of backlighting it, just like you read a real book.
It will also let you listen to Amazon’s Audible audiobook service.
While it does offer some of the features you find in a Kindle app. like Amazon’s X-Ray to learn more about books, a dictionary to look up definitions and translate foreign words, and Wikipedia access to learn more about topics, you won’t be able to play games, check Facebook, or get into other activities that might distract from reading.
Text size is adjustable to eight different sizes. All of this doesn’t come cheap, this eReader starts at $249 for the 8GB model. You’ll pay $30 more for a 32GB model. And an additional $20 if you don’t want to see ads on your start-up screen. AT & T customers can get free cellular connectivity at no additional cost. It’s available for pre-order now.
Click here to check it out on Amazon.
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I have an ancient Kindle keyboard. I like the e-ink display. I’m sure the newer versions have a much better display, but I’m fine with mine. I actually like the e-reader better than books. One has space for many books on the device, and many others in the cloud. I like having a “real” library, but my home offers no convenient location for it, even for the number of actual volumes I have. I don’t read in the tub, but I like to read in bed. Having no pages to turn and not having to keep the book open are genuine pluses. Of course, it is black and white only, but most adult books don’t have many pictures. I use my tablet for publications that rely heavily on art or photos. Now if I just had time to read …. I have absolutely no idea what the best model is these days.