Ampersand Conference Summary

Matej Latin

November 13, 2015 — Brighton, UK

Bruno Maag

DESIGNING A TYPEFACE FOR AMAZON KINDLE

Typeface Designer — Dalton Maag

Dalton Maag is a type foundry known for it's work for Nokia and Intel.

Amazon Kindles have been using Caecilia and Berthold typefaces. Both were designed for print in the 1990s.

Amazon asked Dalton Maag to design a typeface for Kindle screens.

Comparing the iPad and Kindle Screens

How E–Ink works

The Kindle screen has a higher resolution meaning the typefaces rendered on it are much sharper.

A close–up on Kindle screen crystals coloured by E-Ink.

Kindle screens are much better at rendering typefaces than LCD screens but because Amazon has been using old typefaces — meant for use in print — the screen hasn't been used to its' full potential.

Bookerly is the first typeface designed for Kindle screens.

Kindle finally gets typography that doesn't suck.

According to Amazon's internal testing.

Bookerly is

easier on the eye.

Bookerly increases

reading speed by

Readers read

more books.

Bookerly sells

Small details make a
big difference.

Sarah Hyndman

THINKING OUTSIDE THE FONT

Founder — Type Tasting

Sarah Hyndman founded type tasting to study psychological effects of typefaces.

Her tests are renowned because of their fun side and conclusive results.

One of her famous tests is the Font Dating Test where participants decide wether to take a font to a date based on its' looks. The decision has to be made quickly so it's mostly based on subconscious response.