Any way of adding fonts to PW2?

BookCat · 02-28-2014, 12:56 PM

I've had my PW2 for a few days and have been reading lots on it, but I don't like the choice of fonts much, especially as half of them are bold. I always end up using Palatino.

Is there any way of increasing the number of fonts on this device as could be done with the first version of the paperwhite? Or even buying more fonts from Amazon? (At a reasonable cost.)

My 505 tends to display the original document font, or as close as it can, and is much more flexible than the PW2, but I do love the extra speed of the paperwhite.

Thanks.

HarryT · 02-28-2014, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I've had my PW2 for a few days and have been reading lots on it, but I don't like the choice of fonts much, especially as half of them are bold. I always end up using Palatino.

Is there any way of increasing the number of fonts on this device as could be done with the first version of the paperwhite? Or even buying more fonts from Amazon? (At a reasonable cost.)

Only by embedding the font you want to use into the book. The PW1 "font hack" doesn't work on the PW2.

BookCat · 02-28-2014, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Only by embedding the font you want to use into the book.

Pleeeeese tell me in simple terms how this is done. Thanks.

HarryT · 02-28-2014, 01:06 PM

Ask in the Calibre forum. It's pretty simple, but I've never personally done it, so you really need advice from those who have.

BookCat · 02-28-2014, 01:18 PM

Josieb1, in another thread (I've directed him here) asked whether doing this adds another font to the PW2. I'm curious about this too.

HarryT · 02-28-2014, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Josieb1, in another thread (I've directed him here) asked whether doing this adds another font to the PW2. I'm curious about this too.

No, it just adds the font to that specific book.

Josieb1 · 02-28-2014, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Josieb1, in another thread (I've directed him here) asked whether doing this adds another font to the PW2. I'm curious about this too.

My objection to doing this is that I have to convert my mobi file to an AZW3, which then means I can't email my book to the Amazon Cloud, it has to be sideloaded, which then means I can't use Whispernet.

BookCat · 02-28-2014, 03:19 PM

Doesn't Calibre convert a mobi file to a different mobi? I'm (almost) sure it has this option.

JimmyR · 02-28-2014, 03:22 PM

You can convert to a dual-format MOBI in Calibre which Amazon will accept.

In the conversion options, under MOBI output, select "both" for the MOBI file type. Devices/apps that can read KF8 will get an AZW3 file from the cloud.

Barty · 02-28-2014, 03:44 PM

I recommend jailbreaking and installing the font hack. See the developer sub forum.

Embedding font is a pita. You have to do it for EVERY book, and when you decide to tweak your font or find another font you like better you have to reapply to all your books. Plus the downsides already mentioned above.

Jailbreaking and installing hack sound scary, but it beats the hassles. Once done, it works for all mobi and azw3 books past, present, future with no further work from you.

VictoriaP · 02-28-2014, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

I recommend jailbreaking and installing the font hack. See the developer sub forum.

Embedding font is a pita. You have to do it for EVERY book, and when you decide to tweak your font or find another font you like better you have to reapply to all your books. Plus the downsides already mentioned above.

Jailbreaking and installing hack sound scary, but it beats the hassles. Once done, it works for all mobi and azw3 books past, present, future with no further work from you.

Agreed--jailbreaking is relatively easy, much easier than having to individually embed fonts in your entire library and then sideloading all of that onto the PW. You also don't lose access to Whispersync that way.

dordale · 02-28-2014, 05:35 PM

I embed fonts using Calibre, and it really isn't that big of a deal. Under preferences, conversions/common options I set the default to embed the fonts I want and to "subset all embedded fonts". That keeps the converted file sizes smaller by only embedding the characters used in the AZW3 file rather than all the font characters. I also set the "Filter Style Information" tab to remove all fonts and margins--that way if the document already contains a font it'll remove it and replace with the font of my choice. I purchase almost all of my books in ePub format and then convert them to AZW3 for my PW2, so embedding the font during conversion is trivial for me.

Someday, I may be brave enough to try jailbreaking--it would be nice to add my own fonts directly to the Kindle and be able to switch between my fonts instead of having only one font per book.

jswinden · 02-28-2014, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Doesn't Calibre convert a mobi file to a different mobi? I'm (almost) sure it has this option.

Only KF8 can have embedded fonts, the older mobi7 cannot have them. AZW3 is calibres KF8 formatting.

jswinden · 02-28-2014, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

My objection to doing this is that I have to convert my mobi file to an AZW3, which then means I can't email my book to the Amazon Cloud, it has to be sideloaded, which then means I can't use Whispernet.

I haven't a clue about calibre, but I have used Sigil and Kindle Previewer to add fonts to KF8 books and successfully sent them to the Cloud. It isn't for the squeemish though, you have to understand CSS enough to do it manually. But when done properly you will have your font and Whispernet too. You will lose page numbers though.

BookCat · 03-01-2014, 08:56 AM

I'll see how Amazon respond to an email suggesting a firmware update which allows fonts to be added to the PW2 as they could be to the PW1; I'll tell them that I know of people who won't update to the PW2 because of this.

They'll either include this option in the next reader, or bring out a firmware update, especially if they have this request from several kindle users, or potential users. (Hint!)

02-28-2014, 12:56 PM	#1
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Any way of adding fonts to PW2? I've had my PW2 for a few days and have been reading lots on it, but I don't like the choice of fonts much, especially as half of them are bold. I always end up using Palatino. Is there any way of increasing the number of fonts on this device as could be done with the first version of the paperwhite? Or even buying more fonts from Amazon? (At a reasonable cost.) My 505 tends to display the original document font, or as close as it can, and is much more flexible than the PW2, but I do love the extra speed of the paperwhite. Thanks.

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02-28-2014, 01:06 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Ask in the Calibre forum. It's pretty simple, but I've never personally done it, so you really need advice from those who have.

02-28-2014, 01:18 PM	#5
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Josieb1, in another thread (I've directed him here) asked whether doing this adds another font to the PW2. I'm curious about this too.

02-28-2014, 03:19 PM	#8
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Doesn't Calibre convert a mobi file to a different mobi? I'm (almost) sure it has this option.

02-28-2014, 03:22 PM	#9
JimmyR ɴₐɴ Posts: 421 Karma: 2507940 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: 37.2N 93.3W Device: KV PW4 PW3 PW2	You can convert to a dual-format MOBI in Calibre which Amazon will accept. In the conversion options, under MOBI output, select "both" for the MOBI file type. Devices/apps that can read KF8 will get an AZW3 file from the cloud.

02-28-2014, 03:44 PM	#10
Barty doofus Posts: 2,543 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I recommend jailbreaking and installing the font hack. See the developer sub forum. Embedding font is a pita. You have to do it for EVERY book, and when you decide to tweak your font or find another font you like better you have to reapply to all your books. Plus the downsides already mentioned above. Jailbreaking and installing hack sound scary, but it beats the hassles. Once done, it works for all mobi and azw3 books past, present, future with no further work from you.

02-28-2014, 05:35 PM	#12
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	I embed fonts using Calibre, and it really isn't that big of a deal. Under preferences, conversions/common options I set the default to embed the fonts I want and to "subset all embedded fonts". That keeps the converted file sizes smaller by only embedding the characters used in the AZW3 file rather than all the font characters. I also set the "Filter Style Information" tab to remove all fonts and margins--that way if the document already contains a font it'll remove it and replace with the font of my choice. I purchase almost all of my books in ePub format and then convert them to AZW3 for my PW2, so embedding the font during conversion is trivial for me. Someday, I may be brave enough to try jailbreaking--it would be nice to add my own fonts directly to the Kindle and be able to switch between my fonts instead of having only one font per book.

03-01-2014, 08:56 AM	#15
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I'll see how Amazon respond to an email suggesting a firmware update which allows fonts to be added to the PW2 as they could be to the PW1; I'll tell them that I know of people who won't update to the PW2 because of this. They'll either include this option in the next reader, or bring out a firmware update, especially if they have this request from several kindle users, or potential users. (Hint!)

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