Amazon's advanced typesetting isn't always 100% supported on eInk Kindle

[violent23]

Okay, I find it odd that some of Amazon's purchased eBooks will have alignment options when using the Android or iOS Kindle app to read, and yet the same eBook version on my eInk Kindle has no such option.

For example, Andy Weirs' The Martian: A Novel eBook is listed on Amazon as containing enhanced typesetting. Which is true, because I can change from a ragged right edge to justified without issue on my Android and iOS tablets in the Kindle app. And yet, when I load up the eBook on my eInk Oasis 2 or Voyage, the ragged right option is greyed out.

I have checked to see if there is an update for the book on my "Manage Your Content and Devices" page in my account settings, and there isn't one. Not sure how to get my eInk Kindles to recognize that specific advanced typesetting option.

I am also a bit peeved that we can't trust the Kindle store to accurately tell us whether an eBook offers such advanced typesetting options for our eInk Kindles, as it is apparently a crapshoot.

Just to be clear, The Martian is not the only eBook that I run into this issue with. In my opinion Amazon needs to be a lot more clear as to what devices and eBooks support what features specifically.

[Lady Stardust]

Are you by any chance loading the book to your Kindle from Calibre?
On my books in azw3 format loaded from Calibre ragged right is greyed out, but on the book I download from Amazon it is not.

[violent23]

Nope, these are all purchased eBooks that download directly from Amazon to the device.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by violent23

Nope, these are all purchased eBooks that download directly from Amazon to the device.

Do they show on Amazon as having advanced typesetting?

[John Hopper]

Originally Posted by violent23

Okay, I find it odd that some of Amazon's purchased eBooks will have alignment options when using the Android or iOS Kindle app to read, and yet the same eBook version on my eInk Kindle has no such option.

For example, Andy Weirs' The Martian: A Novel eBook is listed on Amazon as containing enhanced typesetting. Which is true, because I can change from a ragged right edge to justified without issue on my Android and iOS tablets in the Kindle app. And yet, when I load up the eBook on my eInk Oasis 2 or Voyage, the ragged right option is greyed out.

I have checked to see if there is an update for the book on my "Manage Your Content and Devices" page in my account settings, and there isn't one. Not sure how to get my eInk Kindles to recognize that specific advanced typesetting option.

I am also a bit peeved that we can't trust the Kindle store to accurately tell us whether an eBook offers such advanced typesetting options for our eInk Kindles, as it is apparently a crapshoot.

Just to be clear, The Martian is not the only eBook that I run into this issue with. In my opinion Amazon needs to be a lot more clear as to what devices and eBooks support what features specifically.

A couple of times that's happened to me, and I've deleted and redownloaded it and the settings have appeared. On the other hand, sometimes that has backfired and I've lost page numbers and/or a publisher font, when redownloaded. Anyway, just a thought.

[violent23]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do they show on Amazon as having advanced typesetting?

Yes it does.

Originally Posted by John Hopper

A couple of times that's happened to me, and I've deleted and redownloaded it and the settings have appeared. On the other hand, sometimes that has backfired and I've lost page numbers and/or a publisher font, when redownloaded. Anyway, just a thought.

I have noticed this works occasionally. Once I deleted the majority with issues from my eInk Kindle, I then downloaded the eBooks in the iOS Kindle app and saw the eBooks in fact did properly support the feature. Once I redownloaded those titles back on my eInk Kindle some of them were fixed, while others still suffer the same issue.

Not really sure what is going on here, but Amazon needs to get this sorted. There is no reason the paid books I purchase that are clearly marked as containing such features should lack them when using a supported device.

It's clear that there are multiple versions of these books on their servers and some devices download different ones, even if that device supports these new features.

[violent23]

Please delete, double post.

Also, it would be nice if we could delete our own posts ourselves. Stack this issue on top of the ridiculous 600x600 image size limit and it is clear the forum is really showing its age.

[Readirect]

[QUOTE=violent23;3607134]Yes it does.


Not really sure what is going on here, but Amazon needs to get this sorted. There is no reason the paid books I purchase that are clearly marked as containing such features should lack them when using a supported device.
/QUOTE]

I've run into this problem too. The font weight/size always works, the margin choice is hit or miss. At first I thought it was a KFX/AZW3 thing but it has occurred for me on both. My sideloaded books *never* have the margin choice but I've already set that to my preference in Calibre so it doesn't matter.

It's clear that whatever they did to (partially) imitate Kobo's typography, it is an imperfect kludge and when combined with multiple versions of books on their servers, they (and users) have a mess.

I'm guessing that this isn't something that can be easily fixed by them. The way for users to fix this, of course, is to return to sideloading books and manipulating those features in Calibre. Pain in the butt -- especially compared to Kobo -- but it works.

[jhowell]

Enhanced typesetting is complicated. It requires the book to be sent to your device in KFX format. That can fail to happen for several reasons. You might have bought and downloaded the book before it was available in KFX.

Another reason for failure is that KFX keeps having new features added over time and the books and reading software are updated frequently. If you do not have the latest firmware on your kindle you may not get some books delivered in KFX.

And as was mentioned you are usually locked in to the version of the book that was current at the time you bought it. Even if the book is subsequently updated in most cases that will not be made available. But in that case all of your devices me will receive the same version.

[HarryT]

I'd suggest raising the issue of this particular book with Amazon, and see what they say about it.

[tomsem]

FWIW, I have The Martian and there are no Enhanced Typography features on any platform (Kindle, Fire, or iOS - I don’t have Android handy), despite what the product description says.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by tomsem

FWIW, I have The Martian and there are no Enhanced Typography features on any platform (Kindle, Fire, or iOS - I don’t have Android handy), despite what the product description says.

Interesting...I bought the book a few weeks ago, and I am seeing all of the enhanced typography features. Can you hook your Kindle up to your computer to check what the filetype of the book is when you download it to the device from Amazon?

Shari

[violent23]

Originally Posted by Readirect

I've run into this problem too. The font weight/size always works, the margin choice is hit or miss. At first I thought it was a KFX/AZW3 thing but it has occurred for me on both. My sideloaded books *never* have the margin choice but I've already set that to my preference in Calibre so it doesn't matter.

It's clear that whatever they did to (partially) imitate Kobo's typography, it is an imperfect kludge and when combined with multiple versions of books on their servers, they (and users) have a mess.

I'm guessing that this isn't something that can be easily fixed by them. The way for users to fix this, of course, is to return to sideloading books and manipulating those features in Calibre. Pain in the butt -- especially compared to Kobo -- but it works.

Sounds about right, but if I wanted to do all that I would have gone with a Kobo.

Originally Posted by jhowell

Enhanced typesetting is complicated. It requires the book to be sent to your device in KFX format. That can fail to happen for several reasons. You might have bought and downloaded the book before it was available in KFX.

Another reason for failure is that KFX keeps having new features added over time and the books and reading software are updated frequently. If you do not have the latest firmware on your kindle you may not get some books delivered in KFX.

And as was mentioned you are usually locked in to the version of the book that was current at the time you bought it. Even if the book is subsequently updated in most cases that will not be made available. But in that case all of your devices me will receive the same version.

That's what I thought at first, but it seems like a lot of my books that didn't have advanced typesetting now do and work just fine for me, while others are still missing a few features. There really seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which books will be affected.

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd suggest raising the issue of this particular book with Amazon, and see what they say about it.

Considering it took them 6 years to fix the misaligned drop letters at the start of every chapter in Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules, I don't really hold a lot of hope for this method. But I'll make a report anyways just to see.

Originally Posted by tomsem

FWIW, I have The Martian and there are no Enhanced Typography features on any platform (Kindle, Fire, or iOS - I don’t have Android handy), despite what the product description says.

That's the thing, it does. All settings work for that book on my Android and iOS Kindle apps. They used to not work at all on my eInk Kindle, but now the majority do with one caveat, no ragged right option. Another commenter Shari has also confirmed that all features are working for her.

Originally Posted by shalym

Interesting...I bought the book a few weeks ago, and I am seeing all of the enhanced typography features. Can you hook your Kindle up to your computer to check what the filetype of the book is when you download it to the device from Amazon?

Shari

That seems to be in line with what Readirect is saying, that it can depend on when the book was purchased. I purchased mine before advanced typography was a thing, and yet it seems to have been updated with the features, only that the ragged right option is broken on my eInk Kindles. Very odd indeed.

And thanks everyone for taking the time to comment on the issue. Definitely a big help to see I am not the only one who has noticed this.

[JSWolf]

I have read of others not getting updated (KFX) versions unless they called Amazon and got them to sort this.

[violent23]

I'll have to give that a try and see where it gets me. I also thought about maybe writing up an article on the issue and seeing if any of the popular eReading sites want to take me up on a guest post.

Either way, I will definitely be looking into it further and will report back here if I find out anything useful.