After leaks of Amazon’s next-gen Kindle e-reader spread across the Web yesterday, Amazon has finally unveiled its 8th generation Kindle. It turns out that the leaks were correct and Amazon’s latest e-reader is called Kindle Oasis.
A week ago, Amazon CEO Jess Bezos announced via a tweet that the 8th-generation ‘top of the line’ Kindle was almost ready. Today, Amazon officially announced Kindle Oasis, the slimmest device in the series. Kindle Oasis will be the most expensive device in the range with a price tag of $289.99. It will be available for pre-orders from today and shipping will start from 27th April.
As rumors and leaks previously suggested, Kindle Oasis features a cover with built-in battery. This new battery cover will provide ‘months’ of battery life according to Amazon. The battery cover will be offered in three different colors: black, merlot and walnut. Charging cover is included with Oasis.
Amazon says the new Kindle was designed to rest in a reader’s hand like the spine of a book, balanced for one-handed reading. It has dedicated buttons to turn the pages. Kindle Oasis weighs just 4.6 ounces or 131 grams, making it the lightest Kindle. Amazon has designed Oasis to feel ‘as light as paper.’ It’s over 20% lighter and 30% thinner on average than other Kindles. At its slimmest point, Oasis measures just 3.4 mm (0.13 inches).
“We want Kindle to disappear, and Kindle Oasis is the next big step in that mission,” said Jeff Bezos. “It’s the most advanced Kindle we’ve ever built—thin and ultra-lightweight, it gets out of the way so you can lose yourself in the author’s world.”
Kindle Oasis Technical Specifications at a Glance
| Display | 6″ Paperwhite display technology with E Ink Carta and built-in light, 300 ppi, optimized font technology, 16-level gray scale |
| Size | 5.6″ x 4.8″ x 0.13-0.33″ (143 mm x 122 mm x 3.4-8.5 mm) Cover: 5.7” x 4.9” x 0.07-0.18” (144 mm x 125 mm x 1.9-4.6 mm) |
| Weight | Wi-Fi: 4.6 oz (131 g); Wi-Fi + 3G: 4.7 oz (133 g); Cover: 3.8 oz (107 g) |
| Storage | 4 GB |
| Battery Life | A single charge with cover lasts up to eight weeks |
| Charge Time | Fully charges in less than 3 hours from a computer via USB cable |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication or Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) |
It will be interesting to see how readers welcome the new member of Kindle family and whether it is worth the $300 mark. Meanwhile, you can pre-order Kindle Oasis from Amazon right now. Shipping will start from 27th April.
What do you think about Amazon Kindle Oasis? Is the 8th-gen Kindle worth its $290 price tag? Will you be buying one? Share with us in comments.
Source/More Information: Amazon
