Kobo with epub rather than kepub?

[fogice]

What are the disadvantages of not loading kepubs and just reading epubs with the Kobo stock reader? This would be with the version 4 of the Kobo software, not the beta version 6, where I understand that it doesn't make a difference.

(I'm asking because I'm playing with the Kobalt reader replacement software, where epub/kepub doesn't make a difference, and trying different flavors of KoSync, but having issues in that the kepubs contain structural changes that prevent me from getting the hashes to match.)

[Sirtel]

Epubs:

- Better word spacing and typography
- Adobe page numbers instead of 1 screen=1 page
- slower, especially with very large books
- can't zoom images
- no epub3 features
- widows/orphans protection, unless you edit the Kobo configuration file
- display embedded fonts without having to select Publisher Default (can be done via patching with kepubs)
- some differences in reading stats, but as I don't use those, I don't know exactly what

Personally I read kepubs on my Sage and epubs on my Libra 2. With fully justified, non-hyphenated text epubs look better on the smaller screen of the Libra. With Sage, there's no longer any meaningful difference, especially with the word spacing patch for kepubs.

[neclepsio]

Also, kepubs allow for pen notes on KLC.

[rashkae]

Some other kepub advantages, (aka, epub disadvantages.)

Kepub can use supplemental fonts to display missing glyphs, whereas epub will just leave them blank. Useful for some books that include text in different languages.

Fast page flip, although that feature is going away next update.

Aside from the ability to zoom images and or open images in a dedicated image viewer, on some devices, (not including Libra Colour), images will display with much better quality dithering that looks like full greyscale instead of 16 colour. (The libra colour resists doing this however, and looks terrible without obscure work arounds.)

[John F]

Not sure if it is still true, but with kepubs it is easier to click on small links (footnotes, end notes).

[JSWolf]

Native KePub have noticeably worse typesetting. KePub can make a mess at times.

But if you install NickelTypeFix, then the typesetting for KePub will be fixed.

[howyoudoin]

Is font hinting a necessity on 300ppi e-readers?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

Is font hinting a necessity on 300ppi e-readers?

It can be. It's needed on some Kindle firmware versions. I don't if all Kindle firmware versions need hinting. But there was one firmware version were Amazon used a version of Bookerly without hinting and it was noticeable that the font was not displaying correctly.

I've found in cases where you don't need hinting, having hinting makes no difference. But with all of these new mods coming out for Kobo, it's better to have hinting to be sure your font will properly display.

[howyoudoin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It can be. It's needed on some Kindle firmware versions. I don't if all Kindle firmware versions need hinting. But there was one firmware version were Amazon used a version of Bookerly without hinting and it was noticeable that the font was not displaying correctly.

I've found in cases where you don't need hinting, having hinting makes no difference. But with all of these new mods coming out for Kobo, it's better to have hinting to be sure your font will properly display.

Kobalt and Nickeltypefix disable hinting, no? I’m not sure that’s a good thing for typography

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

Kobalt and Nickeltypefix disable hinting, no? I’m not sure that’s a good thing for typography

I cannot say. You'll have to ask the author. But I know that with the font I use, it works well. It does have hinting.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by rashkae

Fast page flip, although that feature is going away next update.

Eh? Has Kobo said why?