# Will new Hacks be needed for 2.5 update?



## Granvillen (Dec 12, 2009)

Just asking?


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Most likely. Until someone actually gets the update and tries to install the hack, we won't know for sure.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

It will be interesting to see if the font improvements in 2.5 are good enough that I don't really need the font hack any more, other than esthetically preferring the Georgia font.


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

<wakes up and asks....> when is the 2.5 update due? for those of us with a US version Kindle2, we didn't get 2.4. sighhhhh

However, the font hack does make life so much more enjoyable!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Per the Amazon Kindle update page:



> The 2.5 software update for Kindle and Kindle DX is coming soon. We are rolling out the new software update to a limited group of Kindle users and plan a broad release in late May 2010. Check back here for updates on the release schedule.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Vicki G. said:


> <wakes up and asks....> when is the 2.5 update due? for those of us with a US version Kindle2, we didn't get 2.4. sighhhhh
> 
> However, the font hack does make life so much more enjoyable!


The 2.5 update is being pushed out to selected users now and will be available to the rest of us at the end of May.

I don't think there actually was a 2.4 - I've got 2.3.4 on my K2i and 2.3.3 on my DXi - I never saw a manual download for anything past a 2.3.3 and I don't recall anyone ever mentioning having 2.4. As far as I know 2.3.4 only came out a short while ago and was never mentioned on the website though some of us got it automatically. It's all very strange but 2.5 is definite - it's on the website.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

For those who don't want to follow the link, here is the announcement with the list of enhancements:

The 2.5 software update for Kindle and Kindle DX is coming soon. We are rolling out the new software update to a limited group of Kindle users and plan a broad release in late May 2010. Check back here for updates on the release schedule.

Here's a list of the coming enhancements:

Collections: Organize your books and documents into one or more collections.

PDF Pan and Zoom: Zoom into PDFs and pan around to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics.

Password Protection: Password protect your Kindle when you're not using it.

More Fonts & Improved Clarity: Enjoy two new larger font sizes and sharper fonts for an even more comfortable reading experience.

Facebook & Twitter Posts: Share book passages with friends on Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle.

Popular Highlights: See what the Kindle community thinks are the most interesting passages in the books you're reading. 

The "collections" and the fonts are the items that I find the most interesting. Although I already have the fonts with the hacks, so I really am most looking forward to the collections which one hopes will serve as the folders we have been asking for.

Just sayin.....


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

This is a great question cause I will be curious also as to whether I will need to re-install the font hack.  I do so love the font hack choices.  I hope someone is able to create a screensaver hack for 2.5 because I just can't go back to those dead authors.  I finally have my screensavers exactly where I want them.  I'll just wait and see like everyone else.


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## Basilius (Feb 20, 2010)

chilady1 said:


> This is a great question cause I will be curious also as to whether I will need to re-install the font hack. I do so love the font hack choices. I hope someone is able to create a screensaver hack for 2.5 because I just can't go back to those dead authors. I finally have my screensavers exactly where I want them. I'll just wait and see like everyone else.


I installed a font hack early on, but after seeing some very positive comments about Caelicia in design blogs, I'm giving it another chance.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

chilady1 said:


> This is a great question cause I will be curious also as to whether I will need to re-install the font hack.


The font upgrade is an addition of two larger sizes and making the exisiting ones crisper. There are no actual additional font faces as far as I know so it depends on whether you have the font hack for ease of reading or for choice of font face.


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

I missed that one.  Thanks for the heads up.  Collections and fonts and and and.... Oh my!!!


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## LenEdgerly (Nov 23, 2008)

I was going to try to reinstall the screensaver hack to my Kindle with the 2.5 update, but there seems to be a big change making it impossible to do so.  When I go to settings from the Home screen of my Kindle, there is no Update Your Kindle choice.  Does this mean 2.5 is trying to close the door on hacks?  I don't know enough about programming to really understand what's involved.


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## LenEdgerly (Nov 23, 2008)

Correction: There IS an Update Your Kindle option in 2.5. I forgot you have to do Menu/Settings/Menu to get there. Sorry for the confusion.  

I don't think I'm going to risk my 2.5 update by installing the screensaver hack, after all.  Since there isn't a manual update available I'd be sunk if it messed up my Kindle somehow.  I'll wait for another brave soul to try it!


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

LenEdgerly said:


> I don't think I'm going to risk my 2.5 update by installing the screensaver hack, after all. Since there isn't a manual update available I'd be sunk if it messed up my Kindle somehow. I'll wait for another brave soul to try it!


I can't just find the thread at the moment, but I'm pretty certain that someone has already tried it. (I don't know if it was on a US or Global). The hack didn't mess up the Kindle, but it didn't work either.


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## PhillipA82 (Dec 20, 2009)

Yep...


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## brecklundin (Jan 21, 2010)

From what I have read so far, I think Amazon is being a bit misleading when they state there are "more" fonts.  All I have read is they simply added some larger font sizes, that is not adding "more fonts" in my way of thinking.  But the font will be the same serif font face and not the addition of any font face options.  For that reason, I have intentionally left my UFH hack using the Helvetica font face as I much prefer a sans-serif font.

Collections will be nice, but for me the font face is more important so I will wait until the hack is updated and if it never is, then I won't update beyond 2.3.3


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

brecklundin said:


> From what I have read so far, I think Amazon is being a bit misleading when they state there are "more" fonts. All I have read is they simply added some larger font sizes,


Well, _technically_, a different size _is_ a different "font" even though it's the same typeface. . . .though since the advent of computers with scalable font styles it's not really used that way any more. . . . .


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## brecklundin (Jan 21, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, _technically_, a different size _is_ a different "font" even though it's the same typeface. . . .though since the advent of computers with scalable font styles it's not really used that way any more. . . . .


good point...I mean considering ya be a Nats fan....  But yeah, technically each size is a variation of a type face and they are technically a font family I suppose. But that was not really been the way fonts have been presented since the advent of scaleable fonts a couple decades back.

So I still say Amazon's comment is misleading based on how consumers understand what a "new" font is today. I know I was hopeful when i read NEW fonts then disappointed to read only larger sizes, for which the need for on a 6" device has to be quite limited in scope. But the real key is the improved antialiasing to yeild a bolder looking/crisper font. Still, it's not a sans-serif font so I am not going to see any real reason to install 2.5 until the UFH Helvetica font hack works under 2.5 or Amazon truely adds more fonts.

On an aside, I never thought it would be worth watching but there was a documentary-movie called, coincedentially ehough, "Helvetica" that is about the whole industry that is type face creation. It was actually quite interesting and I learned quite a lot from it...enough so as to stop taking fonts for granted.


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## dawnflight1984 (Aug 21, 2009)

LenEdgerly said:


> Correction: There IS an Update Your Kindle option in 2.5. I forgot you have to do Menu/Settings/Menu to get there. Sorry for the confusion.
> 
> I don't think I'm going to risk my 2.5 update by installing the screensaver hack, after all. Since there isn't a manual update available I'd be sunk if it messed up my Kindle somehow. I'll wait for another brave soul to try it!


I wrote to Amazon and they said that when they are ready to roll 2.5 out to the masses they will put a link for manual download on the website. Hope it comes soon since I am not in a whispernet enabled region... More than that, I hope to see the screensaver hack for 2.5 soon because I don't want to see dead people's pictures!


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## Dan S. (Jun 9, 2010)

Any updates? I have 2.52, but I find the default font unpleasant. Anyone know where I can get Helvetica for 2.52?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I would not expect new font files to be available until the 2.5.2 update is posted on Amazon 'cause the font makers will have to have that file to work out if the alternate fonts will work.  I wouldn't expect it, personally, before the end of June, and more likely July.

But I have no personal knowledge either of when Amazon is likely to post the update file, nor how much work will be required to adapt the alternate font files.


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## Dan S. (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks.


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## brecklundin (Jan 21, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I would not expect new font files to be available until the 2.5.2 update is posted on Amazon 'cause the font makers will have to have that file to work out if the alternate fonts will work. I wouldn't expect it, personally, before the end of June, and more likely July.
> 
> But I have no personal knowledge either of when Amazon is likely to post the update file, nor how much work will be required to adapt the alternate font files.


I would bet both my K2i's that these guys already have copies of the BIN files...a small bit of sleuthing with Goggle or your fav flavor search engine will reveal oodles of download options...from save and legit sources.

Still I think you are on target time frame wise...end of June but more likely sometime in July depending on how much time each font-hack person has to spend on the project...not like they are getting paid for it.  Even so, given the other issues the 2.5.x firmware induces I am not going to be "upgrading" until other tools for managing my Kindle content are fixed to address those issues. BTW, these issues have absolutely nothing to do with how your Kindle will work but rather off device library management and archiving/backups.

To be honest, with Calibre and the fact I don't need to lug around my whole library with me....yet anyway cuz I KNOW it's gonna happen no matter how much I try and resist that Siren song...so the "update" really does not do much, if anything for me it just locks down the content a bit more than previously.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

never got the screensaver hack, but interested now.  Will the current version work, or will a new one be needed due to 2.5.x?

thx!


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

Gwennie said:


> never got the screensaver hack, but interested now. Will the current version work, or will a new one be needed due to 2.5.x?
> 
> thx!


We are all awaiting the new hacks - each version of the software seems to need a slightly amended version of the hacks.


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks!  I knew the font hack would have to be updated; wasn't sure if the ss one would have to be.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

In the past they've come out within a week of the files being posted on Amazon for download. . .so watch this space. . . .


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## Sunnie (Apr 3, 2010)

Awesome!  Thanks!


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## mfdealba (Jun 16, 2010)

I came across this thread during my desperate search to remove the dead authors after updating to 2.5... BINGO! It worked for me  ..whewww! HELLOOO pretty screensavers 

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=963004#post963004

Hope it works for you, too!


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