Firmware Update Kindle Firmware update 5.9.6 - Hell has frozen over (custom fonts)

[jscris]

There's a sticky thread in the Kobo section that has some fonts specifically tweaked for eink.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=204363

[HLS]

Originally Posted by vrf

I quite like Bookerly, but I guess the feature is nice for all you tinkerers. Never really looked at the font that much, other than adjusting size/boldness for clarity.

Thats what I use

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by jscris

There's a sticky thread in the Kobo section that has some fonts specifically tweaked for eink.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=204363

That's probably where I found it, but it doesn't look like the Constantia font is available anymore.

[HLS]

I decided to play with it. Downloaded the worst font ever lmao.

[jscris]

Originally Posted by rcentros

That's probably where I found it, but it doesn't look like the Constantia font is available anymore.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...stantia&page=2

Post #18

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Where can I get that font

Check: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...11&postcount=1

And specifically for Charis SIL: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...84&postcount=1

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by jscris

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...stantia&page=2

Post #18

Thank you. I've re-downloaded it. I had forgotten how many fonts where included. I remember the only one I really liked was Constantia, but I'll take another look at them all.

Meanwhile I've found New Century Schoolbook, which looks good on the Kindle. This may now be my "go to" font. I think I'll load it on the Kobos as well.

(Nah, I think I like Constantia better.)

[Shad Plante]

I ended up having to reset my 6th gen Paperwhite to stop it from rebooting randomly. Not sure if it was related to the update or not.

Haven’t used it much since the reset, but I haven’t had the clock cause a refresh since the reset. I have thought the issue was gone before and was wrong so YMMV.

[Lordblacknail]

Ok, Ok, this is all real interesting, but what I would like to know, is what is the One Font To Rule Them All that a majority agrees is the best? I wouldn't know where to start looking, but on thw WWW, they say go with what you like. So far I have tried a few suggested here, but I am open to more suggestions, but would really like just USE THIS ONE, IT IS THE BEST. Thanks for your help.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Lordblacknail

Ok, Ok, this is all real interesting, but what I would like to know, is what is the One Font To Rule Them All that a majority agrees is the best? I wouldn't know where to start looking, but on thw WWW, they say go with what you like. So far I have tried a few suggested here, but I am open to more suggestions, but would really like just USE THIS ONE, IT IS THE BEST. Thanks for your help.

There's no such thing. Everyone has different preferences, likes and dislikes. For example I've always read exclusively with the Helvetica font on all my Kindles (haven't tried custom fonts yet) and prefer it even to Bookerly. It's my absolute favorite among Kindle fonts (built-in fonts, that is). Most people don't like Helvetica at all, from what I've read on various forums.

[Pjama]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Where can I get that font

I think I got it through this post, or I might have followed a link back to mobile read to get the 'Larger' version:
https://the-digital-reader.com/2016/...e-ink-screens/

I also downloaded the two e-ink specific fonts Bitter and Isodore, but I'm using this Charis SIL as I liked it best and so far I still like it better than Bookerly. (After a full day's reading). Also, as it is clearly legible at size 2, it's really helping extend my battery life, so I think I will be keeping it.

It also makes the kindle screen look more 'bookish', which is something I really liked about the kobo, during my short flirtation with an Aura One HD.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Lordblacknail

Ok, Ok, this is all real interesting, but what I would like to know, is what is the One Font To Rule Them All that a majority agrees is the best?

I don't think the majority is going to agree on anything. I can't even agree with myself. I like New Century Schoolbook on the Kindle, but I prefer Constantia on the Kobos. I DO know that I like having choices. This has probably made my 8th Generation Kindle my main Reader now (at the very least, my main Kindle Reader). I didn't really like any of the fonts Amazon supplied on it, though Palatino (on bold setting 2) was close, it wasn't Constantia or New Century Schoolbook.

[NullNix]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I don't think the majority is going to agree on anything. I can't even agree with myself. I like New Century Schoolbook on the Kindle, but I prefer Constantia on the Kobos.

Heck I use different fonts for fiction versus nonfiction (Bookerly and now bold-level-2-or-3 Quattrocento for fiction, Amazon Ember for nonfiction). I think the underlying reason for this is just to mimic the typeface the Economist uses when reading it this is so ingrained now that reading fiction in Ember or nonfiction in Bookerly feels wrong, like the fiction has somehow *become* nonfiction or something.

[Apparition B5]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Constantia (for me) is the perfect font. I don't know who made it (or where I found it) but I'll always be glad I did. (I think it was on Mobileread, and this one was specifically designed for Kindle and "bolded" to be darker, but I've never been able to find it again.)

FWIW, Constantia was part of a series of fonts commissioned by Microsoft for Windows Vista back around 2006, including Calibri, Consolas, and Corbel among others. It is one of my favorite fonts as well.

[rem736]

constantia has a weird setup for the numbers. why is it that 0,1,2 are smaller than 3 to 9? in addition, 6 and 8 are lifted up while 3,4,5,7,9 are lowered? this doesn't serve well any time you have to communicate numbers (addresses, phone numbers, monetary amount, etc), and especially in math equations. it's confusing because it may be interpreted as an exponent.

not specific to constantia, but a more perfect font should clearly distinguish 0 (zero) from the letter O/o, the number 1 (one) from the lower case letter l (el), the capital I from the lower case l (el), etc.

update: i just noticed that one of my favorite classic fonts (georgia) has exactly the same weird number setup. constantia is based on georgia?