Amazon on Wednesday, April 13, launched its newest e-reader called the Kindle Oasis. The new e-reader from Amazon sports a surprisingly different design compared to the previously released devices of the same kind from the company.

Amazon claims that the new Kindle Oasis is 30 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter, on average, that any other previously released Kindle. Amazon founder and chief executive officer Jeff Bezos said that the new Kindle Oasis will start shipping on April 27 for those who purchased it via pre-order.

Like Us on Facebook

While the Kindle Oasis offers a refresh to the already ageing design of the original Kindle, some tech analysts have criticized the e-readers quite hefty price tag of $290 compared to the $80 price of an entry level Kindle. In comparison, the most popular model of the series is the Kindle Paperwhite only costs $120.

The Kindle Oasis does have some interesting features. First is the device's weight, which is only about 4.6 ounces. This makes the Oasis lighter compared to the Paperwhite, which weighs 7.2 ounce. Additionally, the thinnest part of the Oasis is only 3.4mm thick. The Kindle Oasis has a 6-inch screen and 330 pixel per inch density like the Kindle Voyage which was released in 2014.

The Oasis also sports a very ergonomic grip, which Amazon claims will shift the center of gravity to the user's palm. Turning pages can be done through the touch display or by pressing physical buttons on the device. The small form factor of the Oasis also makes it easier for users to read and turn pages with one hand.

The design of the new Kindle Oasis supports both southpaws and righties. When a user switches hand or flip the Oasis, the screen rotates. Despite its light weight, the Oasis is strongly built and sturdy. Its frame is made of polymer, coated with rigid internal metal.

TagsAmazon, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Kindle Oasis, Amazon Kindle Oasis, Amazon Oasis