Four reasons why the Kindle Oasis is the worst

If you haven’t heard, Amazon announced a new Kindle this week for release on April 27. Adding a new model that’s more expensive than the already pricey Kindle Voyage, the Kindle Oasis is Amazon’s new top-tier model in the Kindle lineup. However, we don’t like it. Here are a few reasons why the Kindle Oasis is the worst:

1. The Price Point is Freaking Insane

Amazon wants $290 for a Oasis and that’s the version with special offers! You have to pay an additional $20 to get the model without special offers, which pushes the price point over $300. $300 for a e-reader is absolutely insane. You can purchase two Kindle Paperwhites for less than it would cost to buy a single Kindle Oasis.

And that’s just the price in America. Canadians get the privilege of spending $400 for an Oasis and Australians get to pay $449! Of course, those are just the models with Wi-Fi. If you want 3G service added into the mix for complete mobility, add another $100 onto the price.

2. Upgrades are Minimal

If you look at the chart of differences on Amazon’s site, the differences between the Paperwhite and Oasis aren’t that far off. It gets even worse when comparing the Voyage and Oasis. For example, both the Oasis and Paperwhite are 300ppi, utilize a 1440 x 1080 screen resolution, offer a 6-inch screen size and include a touchscreen. Battery life isn’t even that better, only increasing from six weeks to eight weeks when upgrading to the Oasis.

The core differences are a lighter weight, brighter screen and the buttons for changing pages. The charging cover is also an addition, but you can pick up a case for a Paperwhite for less than $10. Sure, it’s not a “charging case”. But the battery already lasts for weeks, so who really cares about a fancy case?

3. Why isn’t it Waterproof?

Waterproof devices aren’t exactly a new innovation anymore. There are tons of Android mobile devices that are waterproof, so why can’t Amazon make any of the Kindle devices waterproof? There are even services, like WaterFi, that will sell you a Kindle that have been waterproofed, at a premium price of course.

The Kindle is a device that Amazon wants you to take on vacation. They want you to take it to the beach or the pool, so it would make perfect sense for Amazon to waterproof their devices. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case with a Oasis. You get to pay nearly $300 for a device that will stop working after you accidentally get it wet.

4. Where’s the Color?

Color e-ink is very real, but Amazon seems to be ignoring it. Color would open up the Kindle to new markets like comic books, graphic novels and children’s books. It’s likely that magazines an cookbooks would also see a jump in sales if color e-ink was an option. Instead, tablets will retain those customers since a tablet can offer a full-color experience while a Kindle cannot.

Amazon had an opportunity to provide a color option with the release of the Oasis, but decided to keep the upgrades to a minimum instead. But hey, you get to choose the color of the mandatory cover that you have to purchase with it. So I guess that’s something….

So Should I Buy It?

OF COURSE NOT. It’s a terrible deal. Get a Paperwhite instead.

We aren’t the only ones that are disappointed in the Oasis. Just take a look at the Amazon Questions and Answers on the Kindle Oasis page:

(click to enlarge)

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