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Kindle Oasis vs Kobo Forma
Last updated: July 12, 2023
Kindle Oasis and Kobo Forma are both high-end e-reader devices that offer unique features and reading experiences. Here are the key differences between the two:
1. Design and Display: One major difference lies in the design and display of Kindle Oasis and Kobo Forma. The Kindle Oasis features a sleek and ergonomic design, with a slim profile and dedicated page-turn buttons. It offers a 7-inch E Ink display with a high pixel density, providing sharp text and crisp images. The Kobo Forma, on the other hand, features an asymmetrical design with physical page buttons on one side and a larger 8-inch E Ink display. The Forma's display offers a larger reading area and is designed to provide a more immersive reading experience with its edge-to-edge display.
2. Ecosystem and Content: Another significant difference is the ecosystem and content availability. The Kindle Oasis is part of the Amazon Kindle ecosystem, which provides access to a vast library of e-books, audiobooks, and magazines through the Amazon Kindle Store. Kindle users have the advantage of a wide selection of popular titles, as well as exclusive features like Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime Reading. The Kobo Forma is part of the Kobo ecosystem, which offers its own extensive collection of e-books and audiobooks. Kobo users have access to the Kobo Store, which includes books from major publishers and independent authors. The content availability and pricing may vary between the two ecosystems, so users may want to consider their preferred reading materials and purchasing options.
3. Additional Features: Kindle Oasis and Kobo Forma offer different additional features that enhance the reading experience. The Kindle Oasis is known for its adjustable warm light feature, allowing users to customize the color temperature for comfortable reading in different lighting conditions. It also offers integration with Amazon's Audible service, enabling users to listen to audiobooks directly on the device. The Kobo Forma provides features like physical page-turn buttons for easy navigation, and it is also known for its waterproof design, allowing users to read in more environments, including near water. Additionally, the Kobo Forma supports a wider range of e-book file formats, providing more versatility in terms of compatible content.
1. Design and Display: One major difference lies in the design and display of Kindle Oasis and Kobo Forma. The Kindle Oasis features a sleek and ergonomic design, with a slim profile and dedicated page-turn buttons. It offers a 7-inch E Ink display with a high pixel density, providing sharp text and crisp images. The Kobo Forma, on the other hand, features an asymmetrical design with physical page buttons on one side and a larger 8-inch E Ink display. The Forma's display offers a larger reading area and is designed to provide a more immersive reading experience with its edge-to-edge display.
2. Ecosystem and Content: Another significant difference is the ecosystem and content availability. The Kindle Oasis is part of the Amazon Kindle ecosystem, which provides access to a vast library of e-books, audiobooks, and magazines through the Amazon Kindle Store. Kindle users have the advantage of a wide selection of popular titles, as well as exclusive features like Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime Reading. The Kobo Forma is part of the Kobo ecosystem, which offers its own extensive collection of e-books and audiobooks. Kobo users have access to the Kobo Store, which includes books from major publishers and independent authors. The content availability and pricing may vary between the two ecosystems, so users may want to consider their preferred reading materials and purchasing options.
3. Additional Features: Kindle Oasis and Kobo Forma offer different additional features that enhance the reading experience. The Kindle Oasis is known for its adjustable warm light feature, allowing users to customize the color temperature for comfortable reading in different lighting conditions. It also offers integration with Amazon's Audible service, enabling users to listen to audiobooks directly on the device. The Kobo Forma provides features like physical page-turn buttons for easy navigation, and it is also known for its waterproof design, allowing users to read in more environments, including near water. Additionally, the Kobo Forma supports a wider range of e-book file formats, providing more versatility in terms of compatible content.
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The thinnest and lightest Kindle ever. All-new ergonomic design with dedicated buttons to effortlessly turn the page. Longest Kindle battery life. Choose from a black, merlot, or walnut removable cover. High-resolution 300 ppi display with crisp, laser quality text. Reads like real paper without glare, even in direct sunlight. Enhanced built-in adjustable light evenly illuminates the screen for perfect reading anywhere, anytime
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To make the reading experience better for ravenous booklovers who read for hours on end, and want a lightweight, portable alternative to heavy print books, we’ve delivered our most comfortable eReader yet with waterproof reliability, the choice of landscape or portrait mode, and the expanded access of book borrowing.
Kindle Oasis vs Kobo Forma in our news:
2023. Pocket updates support for Kobo e-readers
News and article reading service Pocket has announced that Kobo e-readers will no longer be supported. The reason is that in order to improve security all Pocket accounts are migrated to Firefox accounts. This news caused great indignation among Kobo users and the developers of Pocket decided to solve the problem anyway. Sarah Vasquez, the Senior Manager, Communication at Mozilla, told Good e-Reader in an exclusive statement, “Kobo is aiming to update the Pocket login on their e-readers to support Firefox accounts. The exact timing is to be determined. However, Pocket’s existing Kobo users will not be affected nor lose access to their accounts.
2022. New Kobo software update added a pinch-zooming gesture
Kobo has released a software update for their entire range of Kobo e-readers, including models dating back to the original Kobo Touch (excluding the Kobo Mini). The update introduces a pinch-zooming gesture to adjust font size and now includes a new gesture that allows users to quickly access the last three books they read by swiping down from the top of the screen. Additionally, two new font options specifically designed for digital reading, Rakuten Sans and Rakuten Serif, have been added. The interface now supports three additional languages: Czech, Polish, and Romanian. A new feature called "Recently Viewed" has also been introduced, which displays recently viewed ebooks in the Kobo store, although users have the option to disable this feature in the settings.
2021. Kobo released Sage and Libra 2 with Bluetooth and stylus support
Kobo has introduced two new e-readers, the Sage and Libra 2, which build upon the company's high-end offerings by incorporating Bluetooth audiobook and stylus support. These devices retain the recognizable asymmetrical design of their larger counterparts. Furthermore, the Sage and Libra 2 are equipped with a new charging cover, allowing users to recharge the device every few months instead of every few weeks. The Sage, an evolution of the Forma, boasts an impressive 8-inch, 300 PPI screen and a color-adjustable screen light, ensuring an exceptional reading experience. Similarly, the Libra 2 serves as the successor to the Libra H2O (sans the H2O branding, although it remains waterproof), featuring a 7-inch display with the same display and lighting characteristics. For those seeking a more compact option, the Clara model remains the ideal choice.
2019. Kindle update makes page turn speed faster
Amazon has released a firmware update (version 5.10.3) for several Kindle e-Ink e-readers, including the Oasis 2, Paperwhite 4, and Voyage. While the update's official description mentions improved performance without specific details, I have observed significant enhancements in page turn speed through swiping or tapping. This improvement will be particularly beneficial for avid ebook readers. Additionally, ebooks now open more quickly with this update. The firmware update is expected to be distributed via Wi-Fi over the next few days, reaching Kindle devices automatically.
2018. Kobo Forma e-Reader gets first major update
Kobo has recently released a significant update for their Kobo Forma e-reader, addressing various persistent issues such as improving WIFI stability and enhancing manga performance. With this update, readers now have the ability to navigate through pages by pressing dedicated page-turn buttons, enabling them to move forward or backward with ease. Furthermore, by pressing and holding these buttons, users can rapidly flip through multiple pages. Kobo has also ensured that their e-reader is suitable for both left-handed and right-handed individuals. By simply holding the Kobo Forma in either hand, the screen will automatically adjust. Additionally, readers can now enjoy the flexibility of reading in landscape or portrait mode. While reading, users can rotate their device to any orientation they prefer. To lock the screen into portrait or landscape mode, readers can tap the middle of the page to access the menu and then select the rotation icon located in the header (all while maintaining the option to hold the device in either hand).
2018. Kobo Forma - e-Ink reader with IPX8 case
Kobo has unveiled their latest ebook reader, the Kobo Forma, which surpasses the Kindle Oasis in several aspects, making it their most innovative e-reader to date. With a design reminiscent of the Kindle Oasis, featuring page buttons on one side of the screen and a tapered back (without the wedge), the Kobo Forma offers the flexibility to read in both portrait and landscape mode, complete with the option for automatic screen rotation. Boasting a spacious 8-inch screen and waterproof capabilities, this digital eBook reader delivers an immersive reading experience. Moreover, it allows direct borrowing of ebooks from Overdrive, resulting in long-term cost savings. The inclusion of comfortlight technology enables users to dim the bright white screen for comfortable nighttime reading. The adjustable front-light is gentle on the eyes and gradually reduces blue-light exposure, promoting better sleep quality. With an IPX8 rating, the Forma is waterproof for up to 60 minutes, and it even comes pre-installed with the popular library app OneDrive, simplifying the process of connecting your library account to the e-reader.
2018. Kobo's latest e-reader is called the Forma
Kobo has introduced the Forma, their latest addition to the lineup of e-ink e-readers, showcasing a range of enhancements. The Forma is equipped with an 8-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel (1080p) e-ink display, combining high resolution with an immersive reading experience. Its new ergonomic design stands out, featuring a handle on the side that not only provides a fresh aesthetic but also improves the device's grip. Along the right edge, convenient buttons simplify page-turning, offering a more tactile alternative to touchscreen interactions. Weighing just 197g, the Forma is approximately 15 percent lighter than the Kobo Aura One, without compromising durability. Kobo assures that the e-reader can withstand drops from two meters. Furthermore, with its IPX8 rating, the device is water-resistant and capable of enduring submersion in up to two meters of water for around 60 minutes. The Forma is available in an 8GB version starting at $299.99 CAD.
2017. Amazon's Kindle Oasis gets big and waterproof
Amazon is introducing a significant update to its flagship e-reader, Kindle Oasis, bringing about radical changes. This latest model boasts the largest screen size ever seen on a Kindle device, measuring 7 inches. Moreover, it marks Amazon's first foray into creating a waterproof e-reader. Remarkably, the device is incredibly thin on one side, measuring a mere 0.13 inches, while accommodating a thicker battery section on the other side, which measures approximately a third of an inch. To enhance the reading experience, Amazon has increased the number of LED lights positioned over the screen to 12, ensuring more uniform lighting compared to the previous 10 lights. Notably, the integration of the Audible Audio Book service is another major addition. Despite Amazon's ownership of Audible, this service was previously separate from the Kindle, but now users can conveniently browse and purchase Audible Books directly on the device. Furthermore, the Kindle Oasis now starts at a price of $249 for the 8 GB storage variant.
2016. Amazon unveils new Kindle Oasis
The latest addition to Amazon's Kindle lineup is the Kindle Oasis, offering an incredibly compact and lightweight design along with a unique handle for enhanced grip. With a thickness of only 3.4 mm at its thinnest point, the Kindle Oasis brings readers even closer to the tactile experience of holding a physical book. The one-sided handle grip is specifically crafted to simulate the sensation of holding a book's spine while indulging in your reading journey. Notably, this new Kindle model reintroduces physical buttons for page flipping, a departure from the touchscreens and keyboards of previous generations. Amazon has recognized the enduring appeal of buttons, and they have made a comeback based on user preferences. The Kindle Oasis is available in two versions: the WiFi model priced at $289 and the 3G model priced at $359.