Amazon has made its premium Kindle Oasis e-reader an inch larger and given the device an IPX8 waterproof rating (in this case, immersion in up to 2 meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes):
Amazon has been selling Kindles for 10 years now, but "waterproof" hasn't appear on its list of incremental technological advancements until now. The company just announced a new version of its popular e-reader that builds on last year's Kindle design and now has an IPX8 waterproof rating.
The new Kindle Oasis — the same name as last year's premium Kindle — has jumped up in size, moving from a 6-inch screen to a 7-inch screen. It has an aluminum back, which gives it a more premium look and feel than the Kindles with soft-touch plastic.
It supports AZW, TXT, PDF, MOBI, and PRC, but lacks EPUB support. Storage starts at 8 GB ($249) but there is a 32 GB option. Amazon has brought back physical buttons for page turning as an alternative to the touchscreen, and comes with an accelerometer to automatically change page orientation.
Still no color e-ink.
What's that book to the right of The Hobbit? Does it support that book?
Also at CNET and TechCrunch.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by richtopia on Thursday October 12 2017, @07:32PM (1 child)
I had the Nook Glow, which I liked but found the battery life poor in suspend mode (battery was always dead when I would get on an airplane). I've since moved to a Kobo when the Nook finally died, and I do prefer it. Kobo runs Linux and does not drain batteries when off, unlike the Nook. Also, if you are looking for a waterproof version they have had one for years already.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @05:16AM
I've had a Nook Simple Touch for four years now which goes with me almost everywhere, rooted, the battery life on average is three weeks with daily use for several hours, that, coupled with the micro SD slot and the fact that the thing is apparently near indestructible (it's survived many a fall and at least two soakings, reckon it's travelled about 12,000 miles ) makes me dread the day it gives up the ghost.
I looked at the Glow but the things that put me off it were; no sd card slot and reports of screen problems, The Kobo range I might revisit, though I'm looking at one of the Onyx books as a primary future replacement for the Nook.
Kindles? no bloody way...