Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019)

Book at bedtime

Classic Ebook reader’s latest chapter

Ebook readers have paper-like black-andwhite screens rather than the glowing colour panel of a tablet, and can’t run apps or games. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cheaper, and the Kindle Oasis is especially not cheap.

As we found when we tested its last incarnation, though (see Issue 515, page 20), it justifies its price with a classy waterproof chassis, a sharp display, and the option of turning pages by pressing a button rather than swiping the screen. This small update adds the ability to adjust the colour of lighting to make it warmer in the evening, cutting out blue light. Research shows too much blue light

SPECIFICATIONS

7in E Ink touchscreen • 8GB memory • 802.11n Wi-fi (4G optional) • Reads AZW, AZW3, MOBI, PRC, PDF formats • 159x141x8.4mm (HXWXD) • 188g • Oneyear warranty www.snipca.com/32585 near bedtime can throw off your circadian rhythm, disrupting your sleep. The new light looks even, and can be controlled manually or automatically according to the time of day.

Like other Kindle readers, the Oasis supports Audible audiobooks but doesn’t include a speaker or audio jack, so you’ll need a set of Bluetooth headphones. Audiobooks take up hundreds of times more file space and will quickly fill the Oasis’s 8GB of storage, so consider the 32GB version, at £30 extra. The third option, at £320, adds 4G reception, so you can connect to the internet and download new books almost anywhere. Amazon pays for your connection indefinitely, so no mobile data contract is required, but it’s only worth it if you often have trouble finding a Wi-fi hotspot while away from home.

VERDICT You don’t have to spend this much – the basic Kindle is decent at £70 – but the Oasis is undeniably superior ★★★★ ★

ALTERNATIVE Kobo Forma £240 Rakuten’s premium ebook reader has blue-light reduction and a bigger screen, but no audio