Amazon is releasing a second generation Kindle Oasis at the end of the month. It has a large seven inch screen and can play audiobooks from Audible via Bluetooth. One of the most exciting features is that it is waterproof, but there are a number of lingering concerns on where you can use it and where you cannot.
The Kindle Oasis has a IPX8 rating which means it can stay completely submerged in two meters of freshwater for up to sixty minutes. This means that if you use your Kindle in the bathtub and use bath bombs or are reading it at the beach and it gets salt water on it, there are a few things you need to know.
If your Kindle is splashed with water, wipe it off with a soft cloth and keep on reading. If your Kindle is immersed in water, remove its cover, make sure no cables are plugged into the device, and do not attempt to charge your Kindle until it is completely dry. If your Kindle is immersed in salt water, chlorinated water, soapy water, or liquids other than fresh water, make sure you rinse that liquid out of the device with fresh water such as cold tap water. Then dry your Kindle.
To dry your Kindle, let the water drain out through the micro-USB port, gently tapping the side of the device as necessary. I also recommend you also let your Kindle dry fully in a well-ventilated location, with it standing upright so that any excess water can continue to drain from the micro-USB port. Do not attempt to dry your Kindle with an external heat source, such as a microwave oven or hair dryer. Do not insert a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or paper towel, into the micro-USB port to dry it.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
