Italics on Kindle app for Android

[rainyofthedark]

Hi,

My ebook was formatted with css/html, and converted with Calibre. The italics show up in the Kindle app for PC, as well as Kindle Fire and legacy Kindle devices. They do not show up in the Kindle app for Android. The app is up to date.

I've tried html italics tag, em, and css id but all with the same results. I specified the font as Times New Roman. Same issue.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

R

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by rainyofthedark

I've tried html italics tag, em, and css id but all with the same results. I specified the font as Times New Roman. Same issue.

Did you convert your file to a .MOBI file or an .AZW3 file in Calibre?
If you selected MOBI as the target try AZW3; if you selected AZW3, try compiling your book with Kindle Previewer.

[rainyofthedark]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure azw3 is going to be the solution, though. I should have mentioned that this ebook is being tested before uploading to Amazon. It is my understanding that Amazon will not accept an azw3 file. Also, as far as I'm aware, the older e-ink Kindles can't read it. So that might solve one problem, but it'll create two more. :/

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by rainyofthedark

It is my understanding that Amazon will not accept an azw3 file.

That's correct, but if the azw3 file displays correctly, you can forget about the issue, since the current Kindle for Android apps can display azw3 files.

Since KDP is known to turn down books generated by Calibre, I'd recommend generating the book with Kindle Previewer/KindleGen anyway. (KindleGen generates a hybrid mobi file with files for current and older Kindles.)

It also couldn't hurt to post a code excerpt that shows the problematic paragraph and all styles applied to it, including any <div>s that the paragraphs are wrapped in.

[RMOP]

Originally Posted by rainyofthedark

I'm not sure azw3 is going to be the solution, though./

No. I don't think so. The problem seems to be that the Android Kindle reader doesn't properly display the italics, no matter how properly you prepare the file. The problem is with the reader. Until they fix it, it's no good, best as I can tell. I just spent several hours on a similar issue only to find that the same file looks fine on an actual Kindle and on the PC Kindle reader. Just not on my Android Kindle reader, which is the latest version, BTW. I don't know if this got broken somewhere along the way of never worked properly. But it's a real nuisance.

[Dngrsone]

There is a complaint on Amazon.com here. Anyone else having problems with this should chime in; maybe we can get Amazon to actually move on this with enough discussion there.

[Dngrsone]

Thank you, Amazon! Update to v 4.4.0.48 allows us to change our font.

Font Georgia is allowing me to see the italics on my Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 now and reading it so much more pleasant.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by RMOP

No. I don't think so. The problem seems to be that the Android Kindle reader doesn't properly display the italics, no matter how properly you prepare the file. The problem is with the reader. Until they fix it, it's no good, best as I can tell. I just spent several hours on a similar issue only to find that the same file looks fine on an actual Kindle and on the PC Kindle reader. Just not on my Android Kindle reader, which is the latest version, BTW. I don't know if this got broken somewhere along the way of never worked properly. But it's a real nuisance.

I'm reading a book right now on my Droid HTC One K4Droid reader, and it's displaying italics just fine. I am not seeing the problem, nor have I seen it in the past on other droids/tablets. I suspect--having not seen any coding from you--that possibly it's unique to you and/or others who've coded their books the same way. Not a condemnation, just...weird that I haven't seen it. We do this professionally and check dozens of books a week.

Hitch

[Hitch]

Rainyofthedark:

Update:

By any chance, are there spans around your italicizing tags, as well as the plain <i></i>? Enclosing the word and the italics tags, so wrapped around them?

Hitch

[dgatwood]

Originally Posted by RMOP

No. I don't think so. The problem seems to be that the Android Kindle reader doesn't properly display the italics, no matter how properly you prepare the file. The problem is with the reader. Until they fix it, it's no good, best as I can tell. I just spent several hours on a similar issue only to find that the same file looks fine on an actual Kindle and on the PC Kindle reader. Just not on my Android Kindle reader, which is the latest version, BTW. I don't know if this got broken somewhere along the way of never worked properly. But it's a real nuisance.

If you open the MOBI file in Kindle Previewer in one of the Kindle Fire modes, do you see the same problem? If so, please post a short snippet of your markup and a copy of any CSS that applies to it.

Edit: Never mind. I just saw that it works on the Fire. That's really odd. I would have thought that the Fire, being Android under the hood, would use the same app. Are you sure the problem isn't specific to your particular device model? This sounds like it might be a missing font....