Glo Can I add/replace fonts on Kobo Glo?

[beedaddy]

Originally Posted by bartveld

On another note: I'd mostly be sideloading books on a Kobo (all DRM-free, of course ). Does that pose any special problems on that device? I had downloaded the Kobo Android app on my tablet and I simply couldn't find any way to browse the tablet itself. I don't need it (Coolreader works perfectly), but I was wondering if the Kobo Glo has any issues with sideloaded books (I hate clouds).

No problems that I'm aware of. I have plenty of sideloaded books on the Glo.

[bartveld]

Delving deeper (and getting OT) I found some complaints about not being able to make collections like on the Kindle. But you can make different shelves, can't you, and assign books to them? Which seems to be the same principle as a Kindle collection.

Also, I found complaints about a reader not being able to read a truly huge amount of books from the sd card. Is that a known issue?

[beedaddy]

Originally Posted by bartveld

Delving deeper (and getting OT) I found some complaints about not being able to make collections like on the Kindle. But you can make different shelves, can't you, and assign books to them? Which seems to be the same principle as a Kindle collection.

Yes, you can create shelves, e.g. genres or whatever, and put there your books into. Works good, especially together with Calibre.

Originally Posted by bartveld

Also, I found complaints about a reader not being able to read a truly huge amount of books from the sd card. Is that a known issue?

I'm not sure about that. I have not so much books but with my 250 or so, there is no problem at all. Please note that Kobo is releasing new firmware versions from time to time, and things have improved enormously (and often you get also new bugs, for free ).

[Koboyashi]

Originally Posted by beedaddy

... (and often you get also new bugs, for free ).

Woah ! Maybe sometimes we'll see bug recommendations on the home screen? For free of course
Sorry, could'nt resist

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by bartveld

Delving deeper (and getting OT) I found some complaints about not being able to make collections like on the Kindle. But you can make different shelves, can't you, and assign books to them? Which seems to be the same principle as a Kindle collection.

Shelves are the Kobo equivalent of collections on other devices. And as beedaddy said, the calibre has support for them and I think it is fairly good support. But, I am also a little biased.

Also, I found complaints about a reader not being able to read a truly huge amount of books from the sd card. Is that a known issue?

There is a thread around here for someone with 5000 books on an SD card. He didn't like the fact he couldn't browse the file system and didn't like the shelves. I know someone else who has the same number of books and is happy with it. His original shelf setup meant he had about 1000 shelves, but found that impractical. I think he settled on about 200 shelves and is happy.

[bartveld]

Originally Posted by davidfor

There is a thread around here for someone with 5000 books on an SD card. He didn't like the fact he couldn't browse the file system and didn't like the shelves. I know someone else who has the same number of books and is happy with it. His original shelf setup meant he had about 1000 shelves, but found that impractical. I think he settled on about 200 shelves and is happy.

Yes, we're referring to the same thread. I admit that browsing the file system would be nice (like in CoolReader) but that's how it is on all dedicated readers; categorizing books is a clunky business but no matter which reader you're on, they all have more or less the same silly system.

So in conclusion, I think I'll go for the Glo. Especially the ability to change the font to my own taste without having to hack is a huge advantage. Thank you all for your feedback!

[Danger]

Are sideloaded fonts on the new firmwares still anorexic looking? I have a font that I really like and it has a nice weight in 1.9.17 on the Touch but the firmwares I tried after 2.0.0 make it look thin and sickly, just wondering if this has been fixed yet with 2.1.5. Looking to get a Glo and this (among other things) is holding me back so far. I've tried the other fonts that are preloaded on the Touch, none impress me at all. Particularly don't like the new "Kobo" fonts.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Danger

Are sideloaded fonts on the new firmwares still anorexic looking? I have a font that I really like and it has a nice weight in 1.9.17 on the Touch but the firmwares I tried after 2.0.0 make it look thin and sickly, just wondering if this has been fixed yet with 2.1.5. Looking to get a Glo and this (among other things) is holding me back so far. I've tried the other fonts that are preloaded on the Touch, none impress me at all. Particularly don't like the new "Kobo" fonts.

It's quite odd, when I first got the Glo I just copied over all the sideloaded fonts I'd been using for ages on my Sony devices. But on the Glo, some of them work well and some don't. Trial and error, I'm afraid.

Of course, if you use sideloaded fonts you don't get the ability to increase font-weight like you do with many of the built-in ones. For me, this is one of the highlights of the Glo.

[bartveld]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Of course, if you use sideloaded fonts you don't get the ability to increase font-weight like you do with many of the built-in ones. For me, this is one of the highlights of the Glo.

But then again, you can tweak the font of your choice with a program like Highlogic's Fontcreator and then put it on the Kobo. I mean, once it's perfect I don't need to fiddle with on the device itself.

I don't have a Glo yet, but once I do I'll certainly adapt a font for it. Then we may start a thread where everybody with custom fonts can post his/her favorites.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by bartveld

But then again, you can tweak the font of your choice with a program like Highlogic's Fontcreator

I've never tried that. Is it difficult or very time-consuming?

[bartveld]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I've never tried that. Is it difficult or very time-consuming?

You can make it as difficult as you like, even make your own font (though that is very difficult). What I do is choose an existing font and adapt it for the ereader. For example, I used Times Roman and fattened it a little, to make it more legible. That is quite simple in Fontcreator, though it takes some trial and error before you get it just right.

You can find tweaked fonts for the Kindle here. Haven't tested them yet on the Glo, and you certainly have to rename them to the Kobo naming convention.

[bartveld]

I've just tried it with the Times Roman I mentioned and which can be found at the Kindle wiki. Works perfectly!

[bartveld]

Well, it works technically. Not too happy with the way the Times Roman looks on the Glo (too thin), so I'll tweak it some more.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by bartveld

Well, it works technically. Not too happy with the way the Times Roman looks on the Glo (too thin), so I'll tweak it some more.

Yes those were my observations with my ArnoPro fonts that I like a lot on my Sonys. Some of the thinner parts of each character's strokes almost disappear at my preferred font size. It has that 'inkjet-printer-starting-to-run-out-of-ink' look. The Charis SIL fonts I have look good on the Glo.

On the whole, for me, the Glo built-in serif fonts are pretty good. I'm a bit undecided on Kobo Nickel, though. I do like to vary fonts to give each new book a different feel from the previous one.

[buffaloseven]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Yes those were my observations with my ArnoPro fonts that I like a lot on my Sonys. Some of the thinner parts of each character's strokes almost disappear at my preferred font size. It has that 'inkjet-printer-starting-to-run-out-of-ink' look. The Charis SIL fonts I have look good on the Glo.

On the whole, for me, the Glo built-in serif fonts are pretty good. I'm a bit undecided on Kobo Nickel, though. I do like to vary fonts to give each new book a different feel from the previous one.

I've been relatively unsatisfied with the serifed fonts. Kobo Nickel I would like if it had greater x-height; as it stands now it looks rather squashed to me.

My favorite font I've put on so far is definitely Iowan Old Style, which is nicely weighted, sharp, an just generally great looking on the Glo (which is odd, because it's not my favorite font on other types of screens). I've attached a picture showing Iowan Old Style.