New Ebook Reader Offers Identical Functionality at Only 280% Price Markup
Are you the kind of person who feels like you need a really fancy ebook reader but are frustrated at your limited options? Well, you’re in luck! Today, Amazon announced a new Kindle device that offers nearly identical functionality as its affordable option but at a 280% price increase.
The new Amazon Oasis offers an unprecedented ebook reading experience at a price starting at just $280 – that’s merely $180 more than the Kindle Paperwhite (when you grab it on sale – otherwise it’s $120).
Note this includes the exact same screen as the existing Kindle Paperwhite and Voyage ereaders. Ars Technica sums up the problem with the Oasis nicely: “We had trouble justifying the Voyage’s $200 price tag for a simple, single-use device like an e-reader, and for all of its interesting additions, the Oasis makes that problem worse. We’ll have a full review of the device in the coming weeks.”
It’s also missing some existing features, too, as Pocket Lint points out:
Another thing to note regarding displays is all three Kindles have touchscreens as well as built-in front illumination, with the Voyage also offering an adaptive front light. This adaptive front light will dim and brighten depending on where you are, which should make going inside or outside effortless as the Kindle adapts brightness to make reading as easy as possible. The new Kindle Oasis doesn’t offer this feature.
Battery life is measured in months, rather than weeks as per the existing Kindle options. So if you’re the kind of person who finds charging your reader every 3-5 weeks simply too cumbersome, you can now focus on an extended battery instead.
Overall, this is an excellent addition to Amazon’s “release two baffling, overpriced devices for every awesome device” strategy. See Amazon Fire Phone and Amazon Tap for other examples.
If you’re interested to see if a sub-incremental improvement is worth paying almost three times as much, consider renting an apartment in San Francisco, then visit the Oasis sales page.
