how kobo-device friendly are overdrive books nowadays

[stumped]

when I first became an e-book reader,and when it was possible to borrow overdrive books only via a PC, the readability of many books was atrocious.

books had fonts, margin, line heights etc that could not be overridden with device controls and which looked awful on a 6 inch screen.

but recently, I was helping a relative get setup with a kobo and a library card,
I ended up looking at how several popular author's books were rendered, and to my suprise they actually looked pretty good on " publishers default" font on the Kobo ( libra1)

1. so much so that I began to wonder should I set her kobo up that way for her, rather than have it set to one of the named kobo fonts?
   
2. confusingly though. same books downloaded into ADE still look awful- and I suspect its because they use lots of pretty embedded fonts that ADE can't or wont accept?
   
3. is there a way to view a library loan, on a PC, and have it look like it would on kobo if borrowed directly to the kobo. i.e. a PC viewer that .. what do u call it... emulates a kobo set to publishers default.

[stumped]

ps - kobo-friendly is also being able to mess with a library book's on-screen layout using the kobo device controls

[meeera]

Originally Posted by stumped

but recently, I was helping a relative get setup with a kobo and a library card,
I ended up looking at how several popular author's books were rendered, and to my suprise they actually looked pretty good on " publishers default" font on the Kobo ( libra1)

[*]so much so that I began to wonder should I set her kobo up that way for her, rather than have it set to one of the named kobo fonts?

What does she prefer?

I just loaded one of my Overdrive books directly on the device. "Publisher Default" is readable, but too thin for my tastes. I was readily able to adjust font-face, font size, font weight, line spacing, and margins directly on the device. I couldn't say that all books are set up this way, but a random one was.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by meeera

What does she prefer?

I just loaded one of my Overdrive books directly on the device. "Publisher Default" is readable, but too thin for my tastes. I was readily able to adjust font-face, font size, font weight, line spacing, and margins directly on the device. I couldn't say that all books are set up this way, but a random one was.

Elly Griffiths and similar female-lead detective series

mainstream enough for publishers to provide a decently formatted out of the box e-book +kobo e reader experience

I realise that what i see on the kobo comes via the kobo store, what I see in ADE on PC comes only via overdrive - but that should not make a big difference ?

[DNSB]

Most of the library books I've borrowed have been readable on my Kobo without needing me to modify the file. It's very rare to find a newer ebook that blocks setting line spacing, margins, font though there are still some publishers who want to control those functions.

[stumped]

Thanks.

So do you recommend using the " publisher default " font preference on the kobo.

Some googling tells me that using that will let all any embedded fonts shine through

(Though many of them seem to be there just to make the frontis pages and copyright pages look extra pretty )

It helps that some books get republished as omnibus editions e.g. books 1 to 3 of a series get redone as "the early cases", with all the latest bells and whistles added.

I looked at a couple of those. They are also easier 5o find in libraries 5hqn the original early volumes.

I stress tested a couple of omnibus editions, trying 5o get kobo navigation aids to offer up a wrong chapter, but they seemed reslient

[Aleron Ives]

It's a matter of preference. Some people like seeing the same font as in the print edition, whereas others prefer to use their favourite font for every book.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

Thanks.

So do you recommend using the " publisher default " font preference on the kobo.

Some googling tells me that using that will let all any embedded fonts shine through

(Though many of them seem to be there just to make the frontis pages and copyright pages look extra pretty )

It helps that some books get republished as omnibus editions e.g. books 1 to 3 of a series get redone as "the early cases", with all the latest bells and whistles added.

I looked at a couple of those. They are also easier 5o find in libraries 5hqn the original early volumes.

I stress tested a couple of omnibus editions, trying 5o get kobo navigation aids to offer up a wrong chapter, but they seemed reslient

Most eBooks with embedded fonts don't use fonts that you need or are good enough on eInk. Most embedded fonts I rip out because I prefer my font choice. Publisher default is only useful if the eBook has embedded fonts. I've noticed a decrease in embedded fonts. It would be best to just use whatever font you like.

[Cootey]

I borrow a lot of Overdrive books. I find the default settings just fine most of the time. In the cases where that default setting is too small or thin, I either pinch and zoom in the page to adjust the font size (it works similarly to Kindle’s method, but with a preview), or I edit the font.

It really depends on how particular your family member is. Some people here are extremely particular about what fonts they prefer. What’s nice is that the Kobo can accommodate their tastes, but most average readers will likely not have issues with the fonts.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by stumped

Elly Griffiths and similar female-lead detective series

mainstream enough for publishers to provide a decently formatted out of the box e-book +kobo e reader experience

I realise that what i see on the kobo comes via the kobo store, what I see in ADE on PC comes only via overdrive - but that should not make a big difference ?

Can you not just tell her how to change the font and weight herself and leave her to figure out how she likes to read? It's not complicated

[stumped]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Most eBooks with embedded fonts don't use fonts that you need or are good enough on eInk. Most embedded fonts I rip out because I prefer my font choice. Publisher default is only useful if the eBook has embedded fonts. I've noticed a decrease in embedded fonts. It would be best to just use whatever font you like.

that is exactly what I used to believe and do

but I am wondering if my views are out of date - if publishers have finally realised that kobo has huge market share and thus actually bother to test their font choices before releasing the book
or are they still just fixated on reproducing the print book styling

if you have noticed a decrease in embedded fonts, is that time related i.e. is that in more recent releases compared to older books ? or genre related ?

PS when I look back at my old own tweaked files, I see a lot that I did to overcome obstinate sony e-reader behaviours - probably un necessary for modern kobos

[stumped]

Originally Posted by meeera

Can you not just tell her how to change the font and weight herself and leave her to figure out how she likes to read? It's not complicated

for you and i, maybe.

but I am preparing it for a older person who is recovering from brain surgery.
she may not know or care what a font is and may never touch the menus - so I am trying to optimise the out-of-the-box settings before I hand it over

really though, my initial question was a general query, as to whether publishers are now bothering to get it right for kobo and not persist with silly unreadable print fonts. I have checked a range of library books but I don't have / cant borrow a large enough sample size to answer my own question

i dont want to sidetrack my own thread, but is there an existing discussion thread somewhere as to which is the most readable of the built in kobo fonts & which additional fonts are worth sideloading. [ i know how to do a font sideload and already have bookerly on the device ]

[meeera]

Originally Posted by stumped

for you and i, maybe.

but I am preparing it for a older person who is recovering from brain surgery.
she may not know or care what a font is and may never touch the menus - so I am trying to optimise the out-of-the-box settings before I hand it over

Sure. I'm just guessing that if she can handle following a mystery novel, she might be able to handle knowing how to change font size and weight - even if that means giving her a sticky note with instructions to tuck inside the ereader cover.

Lots of font discussions, have a search; including the term "Chareink" should get you the relevant threads