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A bold option for the Kindle, PLEASE
April 15, 2009 | 8:55 am
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By David Rothman
Nope, I’m not just picking on Amazon. Some are knocking the Kindle 2for fuzzier fonts than the original K machine, thanks to font-smoothing.
Something there? Probably. In the past, I’ve protested that Sony and other vendors need to let people bold all the characters on their E Screens.
The current Cybook hardware already allows users this freedom. And so does FBReader software, at least on my Nokia 770.
One objection is that the publishers might protest that someone violated their sacred artistic intents. Another illustration of the inanities of the book world, just like the text-to-speech controversy, which is also about presentation? I think so. People could always avoid use of the boldface option and view books in their original, nonbolded form.
The current furor over the Kindle 2’s screen is one more example of the need for the bold option. Even iPhone e-book software, despite E Ink not being involved, ought to have it.
Detail: The price of used Kindles, originals, is approaching $300 in some cases, just $59 short of the cost of a brand-new Kindle 2. At least in part, could this be the marketplace voting on the screen?
Note: Kudos to the Wired site, the source of the above shots, for raising the issue!
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Comments:
My first Kindle2 was giving me headaches and driving me crazy with the lack of contrast (compared to my year-old sony 505). After comparing it to another Kindle2 in the office though, I called Amazon and said “I think mine has a bad screen”. They over-nighted me another one, no questions asked. The font is CRISPER by far, and the the background is a little lighter, which helps. No more headaches!
I STILL wish it had a “bold all text” option though. The Sony font still looks better and is easier on the eyes.
But be aware that Kindle2′s with “bad screens” are adding to this problem.