[DD]

No one appreciates Ted's work more than I do! If you only knew how dedicated he is to helping us enjoy our Kindles...

Many, many thanks, Ted!
~P

Agreed indeed!!! I've told him before, but thank you, thank you, thank you, Ted!

 

[tedsan]

Agreed indeed!!! I've told him before, but thank you, thank you, thank you, Ted!

You folks are too good to me! Thank you.
And a special thanks again to those who have contributed to the font editor fund! I've almost gotten enough to pay for the font editor that made all this possible. It's been a great experience and a wonderful opportunity to "meet" you.

Cheers!
-Ted

 

[Sweet-P]

You folks are too good to me! Thank you.
And a special thanks again to those who have contributed to the font editor fund! I've almost gotten enough to pay for the font editor that made all this possible. It's been a great experience and a wonderful opportunity to "meet" you.

Cheers!
-Ted

Come on, people....let's give to Ted so he can get that program and give us more BEAUTIFUL fonts for our Kindles!!

 

[Katydid]

Hi, Demoman. Welcome to the Kindleboards. This is from tedsan's website:

"Individual font files are installed by placing a single of the the update_xxx.bin file into the top level directory of the Kindle 2 through a USB connection.
Note: download one of the new font .bin files (e.g. update_arialRndNrw_install.bin) from the website and save it somewhere on your computer. Each .bin file represents one new font. Connect your Kindle 2 to your computer with the USB cable. Open Windows Explorer. Your Kindle will appear as a drive in the file listing. Drag the saved .bin file to the drive letter that represents your Kindle. (Don't put it in any of the subfolders on the Kindle, only in the 'root directory', the main drive - on my PC it is called Drive (FKindle.) Dismount your Kindle from the computer using the "safely remove hardware" choice in your toolbar.

The Kindle 2 is then to be updated to install the new fonts. This is done as follows: Note: these steps are self explanatory
From the "home" screen, press "menu"
Select "settings"
Press "menu"
Select "Update Your Kindle"
The Kindle will go through the installation procedure and restart itself. Don't use the slider or the menu 'restart option' to do this. This causes an infinite reboot cycle. Just let the Kindle do its thing when you go through the update process. I've done this hundreds of times now without a single glitch."

I've detailed the instructions in my notes (in blue) above. Remember, this font is only for use on the Kindle 2.
After you do this you should have the new font on your Kindle 2.

You can try other fonts by repeating the procedure above with a different font .bin file. You don't have to uninstall the last font in order to do this.

To uninstall the hack completely and return to Amazon's default font, repeat the procedure above using the 'update_uninstall.bin' file instead of one of the new font .bin files.

I hope I've made this clear. Have fun and enjoy the results of Ted's hard work!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tedsan. And you too, DD. I just discovered this thread and was reluctant to try this font hack because--while I'm not quite computer illiterate--I'm not the most computer-savy person.

Like a number of other people here, I have eye problems (a stupid rare corneal disease). I upgraded from the KK to the K2 because Amazon's preview made it look like the K2 background was white instead of grey, which would give it more contrast. I was sorely disappointed.

I have downloaded the Georgia2 font and am now able to read with font size 4 instead of 6. What a pleasure. I am most grateful to you Tedsan. I need to test drive several of the fonts before I make a final decision as to my favorite.

I love KindleBoards!

 

[DD]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tedsan. And you too, DD. I just discovered this thread and was reluctant to try this font hack because--while I'm not quite computer illiterate--I'm not the most computer-savy person.

Like a number of other people here, I have eye problems (a stupid rare corneal disease). I upgraded from the KK to the K2 because Amazon's preview made it look like the K2 background was white instead of grey, which would give it more contrast. I was sorely disappointed.

I have downloaded the Georgia2 font and am now able to read with font size 4 instead of 6. What a pleasure. I am most grateful to you Tedsan. I need to test drive several of the fonts before I make a final decision as to my favorite.

I love KindleBoards!

So glad Ted's font enhancements (I think 'hack' sounds so pedestrian) helped you like they help me. I love the helveticaBL. It is so dark and crisp, I can read on size 3 or 4 when I used to have to use size 6, even with the K1. This has made life so much easier.

 

[veeboo]

My favorite font changes on a weekly basis (because Ted keeps adding more fonts! A good thing!)

I keep going back to Helvetica2 though...

I would be more than happy to contribute Ted!

 

[Katydid]

You're so right, DD.  Enhancement is a much better word. 

 

[NogDog]

Eh, a hard-core programmer won't be insulted by "hack" (even if "hacker" has acquired the same connotation as "cracker" in general usage). Just don't call it a "kludge".

 

[tedsan]

Hey font-testers!

My wife had an idea - since there's so much about the Kindle in the press these days, she suggested that I put together an article to send to the national papers about how the Kindle has made reading more possible/enjoyable for readers with visual disabilities/issues, especially with the font enhancement. When she read your comments, she said "you really need to expand public awareness of this beyond the few hundred people reading the boards."

It sounds like a great idea to me! So if you've got a story that you'd like to share, could you post a short paragraph. I'll have my wife pick some of these and put together an article for us.

She also suggested that we have a picture of someone reading the Kindle to "humanize" the article a bit more. That sounded like an excellent idea also. So if any of you are willing/able and interested, maybe you could send a picture or two. Maybe one front view reading and another from the side showing the screen and some text) as well as the reader.

She also suggest we strike while the poker is hot and gave me a deadline of collecting the quotes and pictures in the first few days of the week.

Thanks for your help!
-Ted

 

[DD]

Hey font-testers!

My wife had an idea - since there's so much about the Kindle in the press these days, she suggested that I put together an article to send to the national papers about how the Kindle has made reading more possible/enjoyable for readers with visual disabilities/issues, especially with the font enhancement. When she read your comments, she said "you really need to expand public awareness of this beyond the few hundred people reading the boards."

It sounds like a great idea to me! So if you've got a story that you'd like to share, could you post a short paragraph. I'll have my wife pick some of these and put together an article for us.

She also suggested that we have a picture of someone reading the Kindle to "humanize" the article a bit more. That sounded like an excellent idea also. So if any of you are willing/able and interested, maybe you could send a picture or two. Maybe one front view reading and another from the side showing the screen and some text) as well as the reader.

She also suggest we strike while the poker is hot and gave me a deadline of collecting the quotes and pictures in the first few days of the week.

Thanks for your help!
-Ted

Great idea, Ted, to get this out in the public more. (Smart wife!). Below in brackets is a comment you can use that summarizes all of the comments I've made in the past:

[ I've been told I'm starting to have cataracts and will have to consider surgery in the near future. I've loved to read all my life but have never had the time I would like. Now that I'm retired and have all the time in the world to read, it's growing more difficult for me! When the Kindle 1 came out, I thought it was like a miracle. I could read for hours without eyestrain and the nice crisp text and adjustable font sizes made it easy.

The light text on the Kindle 2 was a disappointment, a step backwards for me. Your font enhancements have made it so much easier for me to read. You have no idea how many lives you have touched. For those who have a love of reading but have some difficulty with their eyesight what you have done is almost miraculous. My Mom has a visual impairment due to Macular Degeneration. She can't even read the large text books from the library. Your Helvetica Bold large text at size 6 is going to restore the joy of reading for her.

If Amazon would give Kindle 2 owners a choice of font style and boldness in addition to the size choice, it could open up the world of books for many people who would otherwise not be able to read. Plus, by expanding the market to include those with vision issues, Amazon will sell more Kindles! ]

Hope you can use this. Sorry, I have no pictures. I left my camera charger up North and we won't be back up there until next week.

 

[NogDog]

I love the fact that I can change the font size "on the go" with the Kindle. I had a torn retina in one eye which was repaired by laser surgery (where "repaired" means they stop it from tearing any further). However it still has "stuff" floating around in it as an after-effect. That along with being pretty badly near-sighted and with astigmatism, my sight is so-so at best, sometimes tends to have a vertical double or ghost image, and sometimes has significant "floaters" in my damaged eye that can mess things up. Being able to adjust the font size to the current state of my trouble-making eyes can be a real blessing. And your darker fonts generally allow me to go maybe one size smaller now for the same readability, which is great in that it means less paging and somewhat better page formatting, in general.

 

[tamborine]

Ted, you're my new idol! 

I changed to Georgia 2 - what a difference! And I have a dark colored DecalGirl skin coming soon, so it'll get even better.

Thanks so much for providing this for us!

I wish I had good story for your wife to pass on to Amazon, but unfortunately, my only problem is that I'm getting old. I'm 50 and super nearsighted. Now I've developed presbyopia too. Rather than wear contacts & use reading glasses, I have monovision contacts (one lens for distance, the other for reading). So consequently I don't have the sharpest eyesight under any conditions. I've only had the K-2 for 2 days, but I wasn't liking the screen contrast, and had to use a gigantic font and turn the page after a couple of sentences. Your fix has made a wonderful improvement and will definitely increase my enjoyment of my new toy!!

(zipping away to donate now!!)

Maryann

 

[veeboo]

Any updates on that article Ted-san?

 

[tedsan]

Any updates on that article Ted-san?

Life's gotten in the way... Hopefully I'll be able to get back to it soon.

 

[veeboo]

Completely understand! Was just wondering because you've been quiet lately. Hope everything is well- let us know if we can help in any way!

 

[DavidSherwood]

Thank you for providing a choice of fonts for my Kindle. All of your fonts that I have tried are better than the Kindle font because that are darker which makes better contrast and easier reading. My favorite is ComicSans. I was going to vote in the poll but found my choice not listed! I guess with a name like “Comic” you get no respect! This font happens to be my favorite on my computer. It is a pleasure to have it on my Kindle. I hope if Amazon every does provide font choices, ComicSans is not left out because it is assumed to be a joke.

 

[Abouna]

Thank you for providing a choice of fonts for my Kindle. All of your fonts that I have tried are better than the Kindle font because that are darker which makes better contrast and easier reading. My favorite is ComicSans. I was going to vote in the poll but found my choice not listed! I guess with a name like "Comic" you get no respect! This font happens to be my favorite on my computer. It is a pleasure to have it on my Kindle. I hope if Amazon every does provide font choices, ComicSans is not left out because it is assumed to be a joke.

I didn't see ComicSans in the list?

 

[tedsan]

Well, according to blogkindle (the creator of the original "font hack"), Amazon has changed the code updating routines so his font updater does NOT work with the the Kindle DX.

On the positive side, Andrei (blogkindle's author) says the text looks darker. But, of course, no folders, no fonts.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

-T

 

[chilady1]

Just wanted to send out my THANKS to Ted on the great font hack!  I have to admit I was somewhat nervous about loading the font hack onto my K2 but after reading all of the really great reviews, I decided to give it a try and WOW what a difference.  The text is darker and much crisper than the original K2 fonts.  I actually loaded the lucinda font and I LOVE IT!  My only question is if the smart people that own Kindles can figure this stuff out, why can't Amazon?  I am guessing it is only a matter of time until one of the Kindle owners figures out how to put folders onto Kindle.  Amazon, are you listening?  Thanks Ted for your time and effort and I am truly happy with the results. 

 

[tedsan]

Awesome. I'm glad to be "part of the solution!"