Software renders multi-lingual text on consumer electronics.
Press Release Summary:
Available as optional plug-in for iType® v4.1, Edge(TM) Technology offers font rendering solution for manufacturers of memory-constrained electronic devices. Program supports Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages. Tuned for grayscale output, Edge-enabled TrueType fonts preserve style and legibility at small to large text sizes. Smaller text can be adjusted to appear with higher screen contrast, while larger output may be tuned for softer appearance.
Original Press Release:
Monotype Imaging Announces Edge Technology for Rendering Multilingual Text on Embedded Consumer Electronics Devices
iType Plug-In Enables OEMs and Developers to Render Stylistic Fonts within a Low Memory Footprint
WOBURN, Mass. & LONDON, Symbian Smartphone Show, booth 61, Oct. 21, 2008 - Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: TYPE), a leading global provider of text imaging solutions, has introduced Edge(TM) Technology, an advanced font rendering solution for manufacturers of memory-constrained, consumer electronics devices. Available as an optional plug-in for Monotype Imaging's iType® scalable font engine version 4.1, also announced today, Edge Technology debuts with typefaces that support Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages with clarity, consistency and style.
Edge Technology encompasses text rendering and font "hinting" techniques - methods for fine-tuning characters - that combine to achieve superior visual results using scalable fonts in a low-memory footprint. Based on grayscale rendering technology, Edge Technology addresses key development challenges. Central to these are memory limitations and low screen resolution - conditions that had suppressed the expansion of type choices for consumer electronics devices.
"Edge has allowed us to lift barriers that have hindered the ability to offer stylistic typefaces optimized for memory-constrained devices," said John Seguin, executive vice president of Monotype Imaging Inc. "Through Edge, we are better positioned to quickly increase typeface availability for consumer electronics devices worldwide. To start, we're launching Edge as the cornerstone of a new East Asian solution that offers style and quality yet tackles difficult challenges OEMs have had to face."
Challenges include the ability to support upwards of more than 28,000 Chinese characters with aesthetically pleasing typefaces, which have typically required sizeable memory, and the ability to display intricately shaped characters clearly at small sizes. "Edge introduces a new level of flexibility because it reduces the need to sacrifice typographic style in order to conserve device memory and ensure legibility," said Steve Martin, vice president of engineering at Monotype Imaging Inc. "Significant memory is often necessary to handle the larger file sizes of stylish East Asian fonts. Edge alleviates this tradeoff by enabling style and legibility at all supported text sizes while retaining a low-memory footprint."
Edge Technology also introduces a grayscale tuning capability, which enables modifications to darkness and sharpness. Smaller sized text can be adjusted to appear with higher screen contrast to aid legibility, while larger output may be tuned for a softer appearance.
Fonts supported by Edge Technology
Edge Technology launches with a selection of four fonts based on Monotype Imaging's CATT(TM) (Compact Asian Technology for TrueType®) format. Tuned for grayscale (anti-aliased) output, Edge-enabled TrueType fonts are engineered to preserve style and legibility at small to large text sizes. Edge fonts are substantially smaller in file size than standard TrueType fonts. For example, a MHei(TM) style unhinted TrueType font supporting the GB18030 Simplified Chinese character set requires 7.1 MB, compared to 3.8 MB required for the hinted Edge alternative.
East Asian Edge fonts available today:
MHei design for Simplified Chinese (GB18030 character set)
MHei design for Traditional Chinese (Big5+ HKSCS character set)
TB Kaku Gothic(TM) design for Japanese (JIS208 character set)
MT Gothic(TM) design for Korean (CP949 character set)
As Monotype Imaging's most compact East Asian stroke-based solution, Edge-enabled stroke fonts are designed to retain legibility. Intricately shaped characters are engineered to hold their fidelity at small text sizes, achieved partly through a stroke reduction process, which also occurs with Edge-enhanced TrueType fonts. Certain strokes that form characters are removed automatically, which aids legibility without changing the meaning of effected characters that are otherwise at risk for displaying illegibly. Tuned for grayscale output, stroke-based Edge fonts are most suitable for memory-constrained, low-end devices and those with low screen resolutions. The first Edge-enabled stroke font, which will support Japanese text, is expected to be released next month.
Fonts may also be optimized for use with Edge Technology from Monotype Imaging's OpenType®- and TrueType-based collections for world languages, as well as fonts from the company's Monotype®, Linotype® and ITC® libraries.
About Monotype Imaging
Monotype Imaging is a global provider of text imaging solutions for manufacturers and developers of consumer electronics devices including laser printers, copiers, mobile phones, digital televisions, set-top boxes, digital cameras and software applications and operating systems. The company also provides printer drivers and color imaging technologies to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). Monotype Imaging technologies are combined with access to more than 10,000 typefaces from the Monotype, Linotype and ITC typeface libraries - home to some of the world's most widely used designs, including the Times New Roman®, Helvetica® and ITC Franklin Gothic(TM) typefaces. Fonts are licensed to creative and business professionals through custom font design services, direct sales or e-commerce portals. Monotype Imaging offers fonts and industry-standard solutions that support all of the world's major languages. The company is based in Woburn, Mass., with regional offices in the U.K., Germany (Linotype), Mt. Prospect, Ill., Redwood City, Calif., Boulder, Colo., Japan and China. Information about Monotype Imaging and its products can be found at www.monotypeimaging.com, www.fonts.com, www.linotype.com, www.monotypefonts.com, www.itcfonts.com, www.customfonts.com, www.fontwise.com, www.fonts.hk and www.faces.co.uk.
Monotype, iType and WorldType are trademarks of Monotype Imaging Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Edge, MT Gothic and CATT are trademarks of Monotype Imaging Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Times New Roman is a trademark of The Monotype Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. MHei is a trademark of The Monotype Corp. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. TB Kaku Gothic is a trademark of Type Bank Co., Ltd. Linotype is a trademark of Linotype GmbH registered in the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Helvetica is a trademark of Linotype Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions in the name of Linotype Corp. or its licensee Linotype GmbH. ITC is a trademark of International Typeface Corp. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. ITC Franklin Gothic is a trademark of International Typeface Corp. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. TrueType is a trademark of Apple Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries. OpenType is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the U. S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2008 Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc. All rights reserved.
