Kindle Oasis (2019, 10th Gen) (S&D)

Updated: I purchased my Oasis in May 2020 for about $350. I loaded it with everything -- 32GB of memory, LTE, ad-free (outrageous to have to pay EXTRA for no ads!). This was to be the device I'd keep for years as I was using it to replace a much-loved Voyage that no longer had sufficient memory to store my books and Audible files. Sadly, it appears it was money down the drain. I had the same issues that others reported regarding battery life, so I tried to keep airplane mode on as much as possible and kept Bluetooth off unless I needed it. I never got the weeks of battery life advertised but I assumed it was a trade-off for the other features such as more LEDs, warm light, etc. About 14 months after I'd purchased it, I noticed that the battery would no longer charge fully. It would go to 94%, but no more. I also noticed that the battery would discharge more quickly than it previously had. I tried updating, restarting, and even resetting the device, but the battery still would not fully charge. I finally decided to contact support as I was having to recharge the battery daily. After working through the other options I'd already tried, he recommended resetting, which I begrudgingly did. Even after charging it for hours on airplane mode, the battery would not fully charge, I've kept it on the charger, but it is still staying at 94% like it did previously. As my Oasis is out of warranty, I'm stuck with a device that no longer works as it should. Amazon offered to give me a discount to "upgrade" the device, but I already have the newest Oasis available. It appears that a new Oasis model will not come out this year, but after my experience with this model I'm not sure I'd buy another Oasis unless the reviews are spectacular and the battery issues reported with this one are resolved. Bottom line, if you have money to burn and can afford to replace the Oasis frequently, this is a great device for the short time it lasts. Even if you buy a two-year warranty, Amazon only replaces your device with a refurbished one, and after reading about the experiences of other reviewers about how those do not work well, it does not seem to be a good option. For now, I'll try to deal with the frequent recharging, but I know that will get old quickly. I likely will need to downgrade to the new Paperwhite if that gets good reviews (I will miss the page turn buttons though!). To have a premium device have such a lousy battery is a crime. I spend hundreds of dollars on Kindle books every year as I read a lot, but need an e-reader that lasts many, many years like Amazon used to make. The cost of these newer e-readers is far too high to have to replace them yearly due to battery problems. Buyer beware on this model of Oasis. Original Review: I've had many varieties of the Kindle, from the original Keyboard to Paperwhites to Voyage to Oasis 9th and now an Oasis 10th gen. Of all of them, my favorite is still the Voyage. I still like the form factor and wish that Amazon would make it again with a much larger memory, but they seem determined to push the overpriced Oasis instead. I do have to admit that the Oasis 2019 (10th gen) is the best Oasis so far. I tried an Oasis 9th generation a year or so ago and hated it -- plus LTE never worked and the screen was no better than my Voyage. It was not a worthy replacement for my Voyage at all and at a huge cost to boot, so I returned it. This Oasis I'm keeping however. I'd still be using my Voyage for everyday use but I need more storage than I had on that (4GB). My cookbooks take up a lot of space and I could never fit those plus my other books on the Voyage. I know I can store things in the cloud but we live in a rural area and do not have broadband with unlimited data, so Wifi is not always an option. I prefer to have books I use or plan to read on my Kindle as a result. Though the Oasis is bigger, my older eyes appreciate the extra screen real estate. Page turn buttons are a must as I'm an avid reader and they help for longer sessions. I also like the ability to switch from cool to warm backlight, which also gives the Oasis more value. You do pay a bunch for the features (too much as I stated earlier), but I want the extra storage space and the ability to have LTE or 3G if I need it. We do get an LTE connection on this new Oasis, something that never happened on the prior Oasis. Only one bar out here in the sticks, but download speeds are decent. If you are like me and have a Voyage but want more space and features, give the Oasis 2019 a try if you have the extra cash. I do wish that Amazon would re-release the Voyage with more space for a mid-priced Kindle version though, as even with "special offers" it is a lot of money to pay for a reader. I still intend to keep my Voyage for use on trips as I can always use my phone to play my audible books when traveling. I personally don't really need a waterproof one, but it seems others like that feature. Finally, let me add to the gripes about having to pay extra to avoid "special" features. I already paid a LOT for the Oasis and having to shell out additional money to avoid ads for a product I bought is too much. As it is even with their ads turned off every update seems to make it harder to avoid home screen junk. I want to see my library please, not ads for books I'm not interested in. If I want to see what is available, I'll go online to shop.