How to get past Android's default tiny text size

[doogster]

I'd pay a little something to have an app to increase the font size... $3.99 or $4.99 would be ok with me....

 

[Kathie]

Both ChompSMS and Handcent have scalable fonts. Both of them are very similar - Handcent has optional font packs, but even without them, you can make the font larger and bold if necessary.

 

[Comedie]

Oh I would probably throw $20 at a solution. I'd want scalable fonts/icons everywhere tho, including home screen, contacts and caller popups. I really doubt I would do much surfing, since I'm rarely far from a big screen.

I have better eyes that most. Exam at the doc's this morning,,,, 20/15 and darn near 20/10. Presbyopia, however, means reading glasses get used a lot. Still, if I have issues reading the phone clearly/quickly, then I'm sure a ton of folks do.

Samsung Omnia II is coming out Dec 11. Not Android, but with a beautiful and large AMOLED screen. If they put in the scaling I need, then it will be very attractive to me. I want to see if the HTC Passion is rumor or fact too.

 

[ocean1]

Oh I would probably throw $20 at a solution. I'd want scalable fonts/icons everywhere tho, including home screen, contacts and caller popups. I really doubt I would do much surfing, since I'm rarely far from a big screen.

I have better eyes that most. Exam at the doc's this morning,,,, 20/15 and darn near 20/10. Presbyopia, however, means reading glasses get used a lot. Still, if I have issues reading the phone clearly/quickly, then I'm sure a ton of folks do.

Samsung Omnia II is coming out Dec 11. Not Android, but with a beautiful and large AMOLED screen. If they put in the scaling I need, then it will be very attractive to me. I want to see if the HTC Passion is rumor or fact too.

The problem is the Passion if its real and does come out it will be running Android... That means like the Droid all that real estate and not being able to use it. Still Tiny fonts. I use handsent SMS for texting it makes the text big and bold. So thank god for that! however everything else from contacts to well not going to list, the rest of the OS its TINY and we are stuck. Unless a programmer makes a whole new shell over the stock Android OS I dont know what else to do. Dont bother waiting on another Android device until someone at Google does something and brings the OS up to date with the rest of the OS's out there. Shame in so many ways Android is far better, yet they left out such a simple option. Every computer in the world and most phones going back a decade have some sort of scaleable fonts to resize or bold. They just dropped the ball on this.

 

[Comedie]

The problem is the Passion if its real and does come out it will be running Android... That means like the Droid all that real estate and not being able to use it. Still Tiny fonts. I use handsent SMS for texting it makes the text big and bold. So thank god for that! however everything else from contacts to well not going to list, the rest of the OS its TINY and we are stuck. Unless a programmer makes a whole new shell over the stock Android OS I dont know what else to do. Dont bother waiting on another Android device until someone at Google does something and brings the OS up to date with the rest of the OS's out there. Shame in so many ways Android is far better, yet they left out such a simple option. Every computer in the world and most phones going back a decade have some sort of scaleable fonts to resize or bold. They just dropped the ball on this.

Well I didn't dig too deep, but it smells simpler than that. It appears that there is a configuration setting in the OS called 'fontScale'. So if I'm right, the capability is there,,, but they didn't put in any user interface to access it.
For instance, in a search I found this description for something to check the font scaling settings: fontScale"The font scaling factor has changed — that is, the user has selected a new global font size.

So at some level, there seems to be font scaling potential. I'm a techie, but not on this stuff. My first thought would be whether there is a generic config file at boot-up, and then try making the setting there. I'm making an educated guess here, of course. It also looks like each 'activity' has the capability to maintain it's own scaling,,,, so would want to see if there are config files/setting for each of those as well.

Of course, I guess even tho the function appears to be in the OS, it could be nonfunctional and THAT is why it isn't used.

 

[ocean1]

To the top! Seeing new topics on this. Users going to leave Android. google or dev HELP PLEASE !

 

[dcalo]

When you are in your browser, go to Menu..Settings...Text Size. Larger works

 

[ocean1]

What about the rest of the OS and programs(home screen etc)

 

[doogster]

ChompSMS has fixed my small-text-problem with txtmsgs.... but I still can't read my email... UNREAL!!!! The text neds to be sizable!

 

[bacov]

I'm ancient, but still have 20/20 vision with my contacts. This is my second go-around with a Droid, having gotten one shortly after the launch. I returned it within 30 days because I kept reading how nifty the N1 would be and I didn't want buyer's remorse. Regretfully, it seems N1 may be awhile before arriving with Verizon, so I went back to store and repurchased the Droid. This time I'm realizing how annoying the microscopic font sizes are. I don't know if I can put up with it until next year when I can upgrade phone without taking out a 2nd mortgage, so I may return it AGAIN and find something that doesn't require a magnifying glass. Have you noticed the font size on the confirmation of a text message? Didn't know the written word could be that small!

 

[RodSaund]

Has this (larger text size) issue been addressed by anyone yet. I'm a member of the "semi-blind" (only need glasses to read) gang who would love a resolution to this problem. I bought the phone on the basis they advertised "pinch and spread" capability in their applications, but now find it only works on some applications, such as PDF Viewer and Doc Reader applications.

Another problem which is annoying is that they don't tell you how to re-activate the screen keyboard when in the middle of a call which requires keyboard entry after the screen's gone blank. I use the left hand phone button, but I'm never sure it's not going to have side effects. The roller ball doesn't seem to re-activate the screen (perhaps pressing it does?). Is there a timer setting that I can use to keep the screen alive for a bit longer?

Any ideas would be welcome.

Cheers

Rod

 

[icelatte]

I missed my Blackberry, texting was such a bliss . Example, one of the features that I missed is holding on to a particular letter will automatically Capitalize it, but not with Android which need a additional step.

Now my immediate needs, just like everyone here, to have a scalable fonts settings, just like all Blackberry devices.

Can google stop horsing around in their nice office and start working a solution on this ?

 

[abbath]

Hi,
just wanted to add a tip. I'm also struggling with small text issues, especially when writing SMS. I know that ChompSMS and Handcent can increase the font size when _reading_ texts, but they do not increase the size when composing texts.

This may not be an ideal solution, but here's what helped me. I downloaded and installed "Text Edit", a very simple text editor with the possibility to increase the text size in the editor window (Note that this only works when using the portrait keyboard, not the landscape one). So I simply increased the font size to huge, edit my text here and then copy and paste it into my SMS app. At least I'm able to read
what I'm writing without any strain.

Hope this can help others until font scaling becomes part of Android.
--
abbath

 

[udik]

Cool new app on Market, Webtalk - voice enabled internet browser... helps greatly for visually impaired, have it read aloud any article, say on cnn, yahoo, cbs etc - so you are free to do other suff while listening.. check also youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6KTrkmiCg8

 

[lpnalda]

I think it would be a no brainer for them. They would make quite a bit fo money fixing the one thing about Android that bother me the most. It bother many others to. Its on all the forums in one way or another. The TINy text and unscalable fonts has been an issue for Android for a long time. I think those Google kids that program Android dont give a #@$$ about anyone over 30. Sad thing is its us that have the money to spend. The kids like the pretty Iphone. I think just threaten a law suit for ADA. Get some attention. Really Android is a nice OS they just need to give a few options that are standard on almost every other platform.

I'm Visually Impaired (some useable vision) and I hate to make demands on people, but I agree wholeheartedly with the above. Making scaleable fonts should be *required! by Google. If Apple can spend money on accessibility than certainly Google can too. I'm very excited by all the hands-free voice projects, and all the apps that are going to use the Talkback API, but Not all of the OS is readable by voice, and then there are times when larger fonts are handier, both for people like myself, or people that just have trouble seeing. I'm going to keep an eye on this (ooh bad pun), as I'm looking into the Sanyo Zio no-contract deal on Cricket.

 

[ktb1381]

I ended up just getting an Evo and it's really helped out! I know it's a bit of a drag to have to buy new hardware to make the problem (largely) go away, but... we're stuck with the Android we have, for now.

 

[lpnalda]

When you are in your browser, go to Menu..Settings...Text Size. Larger works

This and the sms suglgestions are a big help, and k-9 mail for emails, but therte's still the fact I can't. Read contacts or calandar . Blackberry is looking pretty tempting.

 

[lpnalda]

I do want to mention Ideal Text enlarger from apps 4android as the idea is goodbut it breaks som apps including itself. It allowed for non rooted changing of fonts in all apps. Including system.

 

[lpnalda]

ChompSMS has fixed my small-text-problem with txtmsgs.... but I still can't read my email... UNREAL!!!! The text neds to be sizable!

Get k-9 mail. It allows you to set a large font and you can even zoom as in the browser.

 

[lpnalda]

I missed my Blackberry, texting was such a bliss . Example, one of the features that I missed is holding on to a particular letter will automatically Capitalize it, but not with Android which need a additional step.

Now my immediate needs, just like everyone here, to have a scalable fonts settings, just like all Blackberry devices.

Can google stop horsing around in their nice office and start working a solution on this ?

I'm contemplating switching to Blackberry for all the reasons above. And with vlingo they even have something like voice actions. I'm tired of not being able to see my fancy smartphone's os. Forget mundane things like reading the calendar or creating contacts!

 

[lpnalda]

Ok thanks to ChompSMS and voice actions, I'm making this work.

 

[lpnalda]

Another cool app for those hard as seen to check out Is car dock v2. Very nice program make s your icons huge!

 

[lpnalda]

Another cool app for those hard as seen to check out Is car dock v2. Very nice program make s your icons huge!

Even if it does look a little bit like Windows phone just a little

 

[NickNitro]

I've been on youtube dog'n the iphone "fanboys" for two weeks and then found out iphone will enlarge text system wide. Guess I will turn into an iphone fanyboy now and take this junk back to the store for a refund. Sucks bigtime because now I have to switch carries to get the iphone. Fumbling around for reading glasses 100 times a day just plain SUCKS. No more android phones for me untill they pull their heads out and fix it. I now tell everyone that wears glasses to buy BB or iphone. Everyone else who wears glasses should do the same. Maybe we can kill allot of android sales in our appreciation to them for ignoring us for 2 years now, when BB & iphone understands.

 

[snapper.fishes]

It's not going to make a difference. The majority of Android users out there are not concerned about the font size change at all.