When I first heard Amazon made a waterproof Kindle, I scoffed at them. Then I found myself commuting on public transportation every day. After 15 years of driving, I suddenly don’t have to keep my eyes on the road for 2 hours a day, so I’ve got time to read.
I initially used the Kindle app on my phone for about a month. Although I was consuming content, it just felt off. The text and screen were small and after a while I’d always felt like I was straining, forcing myself to read.
I figured there had to be a better way, so I traded in my dusty PaperWhite, cashed in some gift cards, and splurged for a Kindle Oasis. I had to see if getting a top of the line e-reader really makes as big of a difference as the ads and reviews claimed.
It does!
I am no speed reader by any means, but there is something about the ease and quickness of pulling out this Kindle and jumping right back into a book. It’s designed with a bump on one side, which feels right. The weight is centered such that holding it with one hand isn’t a strain at all. The buttons are superb for someone who is traveling with gloved hands in cold weather and doesn’t want to fuss with a touchscreen. I love the grip in my hands and the clicking of the buttons.
Unlike the Paperwhite that I eventually stopped using, there are no shadow spots from the back light. The Oasis has an adaptive front light that I have yet to adjust, as it does it for me. In addition, the Oasis has a larger screen than the PaperWhite (7- vs. 6-inches), yet it weighs less (6.8 vs. 7.2 oz).
More importantly, the text is incredibly clear, easy on the eyes. I was able to adjust the text size and boldness to what felt perfect. Now the text it is simply a pleasure to read.
9 books in 7 weeks
The real measurement is how much am I actually reading? A ton!
I typically travel 5 days a week, using a combination of bus and subway. The length of time varies, but it can be between 40-60 minutes a day combined with transfers. In the past 7 weeks of commuting, I have managed to read 9 books of various lengths. I’m not exaggerating—this includes
- The first 4 Harry Potter books
- Who Censored Roger Rabbit?
- Norse Mythology (my review)
- The Hellbound Heart
- Who Goes there?
- Medievalism: A Manifesto
And that doesn’t include the books I’ve become bored with and abandoned.
Minor gripes
There are of course some downsides. I haven’t found a case that I love. I have a Moko with a flip cover that is certainly protective enough and classy as hell, but I just want something that covers the back. The aluminum back feels a little slick in my bare hands. I don’t need to encase the whole device; I just want something to give me some grip and protect against mini bumps in my bag. The less weight the better. For some reason, no one makes these for the Oasis.
The battery life is not the best and I typically need to charge it a few times a week. The other day, I noticed it was down to 11% on the train (the horror!). This is not nearly as good as other Kindles, which could last for seemingly weeks.
Finally, it doesn’t fit in your back pocket, which was something I enjoyed about the PaperWhite initially. Then again, the PaperWhite spent years on my shelf and not in my hand, so who cares?
Anyway, if you read a lot, then I recommend the Oasis. It’s worth it.
P.S. I still haven’t found a use for the waterproof feature, but I don’t mind.