Japanese fonts: Distinction between Kindle and Kindle PW ?

tc1970 · 01-26-2014, 09:03 AM

I am learning Japanese in Germany. At the German Amazon Kindle-Shop there are about 17.000 Japanese eBooks. I already bought some of them and I read them on the Kindle Apps for iPad and iPod touch. This all works fine.

Now I am considering to buy a Kindle. But I am a little confused. At the Amazon Kindle shop there is written, that the eBooks work on a Kindle Paperwhite. The Kindle 4 is not listed.

Is there really a distinction between Kindle 4 and Kindle Paperwhite when displaying Japanese ebooks ?

I also have some EPUB-books, which I want to convert with Calibre to the Kindle format. Will this work with Kindle 4 or do I really need the Kindle Paperwhite ?

susan_cassidy · 01-26-2014, 03:49 PM

It is possible that the books won't display properly on a Kindle 4, if they are not listed as compatible devices. You wouldn't be able to download the book(s) for the K4, if it is not listed.

Converted books should work fine on either device.

charmian · 01-26-2014, 06:10 PM

Yes, there is some distinction. Note that only the Kindle PW is sold in Japan. The regular Kindle is not. Although the regular Kindle will display Japanese fonts in documents, it won't do vertical text. I don't think it can use the Japanese dictionary either.

I have the PW (American) and I was able to download the Japanese dictionary by opening a Japanese language book. (I was also able to use AozoraEpub3 in combination with Kindlegen to format free books from Aozora Bunko into vertical format compatible with Kindle).

01-26-2014, 09:03 AM	#1
tc1970 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: iPod Touch, iPad 1	Japanese fonts: Distinction between Kindle and Kindle PW ? I am learning Japanese in Germany. At the German Amazon Kindle-Shop there are about 17.000 Japanese eBooks. I already bought some of them and I read them on the Kindle Apps for iPad and iPod touch. This all works fine. Now I am considering to buy a Kindle. But I am a little confused. At the Amazon Kindle shop there is written, that the eBooks work on a Kindle Paperwhite. The Kindle 4 is not listed. Is there really a distinction between Kindle 4 and Kindle Paperwhite when displaying Japanese ebooks ? I also have some EPUB-books, which I want to convert with Calibre to the Kindle format. Will this work with Kindle 4 or do I really need the Kindle Paperwhite ?

01-26-2014, 06:10 PM	#3
charmian Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 1814548 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle PW2	Yes, there is some distinction. Note that only the Kindle PW is sold in Japan. The regular Kindle is not. Although the regular Kindle will display Japanese fonts in documents, it won't do vertical text. I don't think it can use the Japanese dictionary either. I have the PW (American) and I was able to download the Japanese dictionary by opening a Japanese language book. (I was also able to use AozoraEpub3 in combination with Kindlegen to format free books from Aozora Bunko into vertical format compatible with Kindle). Last edited by charmian; 01-26-2014 at 06:20 PM. Reason: never mind, found them on the US Amazon page

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01-26-2014, 03:49 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	It is possible that the books won't display properly on a Kindle 4, if they are not listed as compatible devices. You wouldn't be able to download the book(s) for the K4, if it is not listed. Converted books should work fine on either device.

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