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E-readers make reading easier, but they're bad for our eyes. Google and Amazon have a solution.

E-book worms rejoice! Reading on your favorite device just got even better.

E-books are a bookworm's dream.

They make it infinitely easier to read all of your favorites (and hate reads).


Me when I bought my first e-reader. GIF via "Sailor Moon."

They're light. They're versatile.

Try holding all of the "Game of Thrones" books this way. Actually, don't. Image via John Blyberg/Flickr.

I mean, you can look up words instantly, highlight, make quotes, and get background info- without losing your page!

And they allow you to carry thousands of books in the palm of your hand.

Imagine lugging your book collection to your beach vacation. Image via Jennie Faber/Flickr.

In case you couldn't tell, I have a bit of a personal bias here. I am a huge fan of e-book readers — my device du jour is always close to my heart.

Unfortunately, the relationship between my eyes and my e-book device isn't as healthy-happy in comparison (luckily, I find glasses to be a fun fashion accessory).

Not everyone loves e-books as much as I do — and I'll admit, their reasons aren't without merit.

While the convenience factor on e-readers can be high, there have been studies that show people do not retain as much information when reading on a device compared to old-fashioned paper. There's also the downside of using a device with so many capabilities; it can be easy to get distracted and go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole.

But whether you prefer paper or digital, one thing is clear: E-books are here to stay.

As e-book reading devices have improved and become more affordable, the amount of Americans reading e-books has also increased. In fact, half of all Americans own at least one electronic device for reading. And when you consider things like e-books' ability to ease the reading experience for people with dyslexia, it's easy to see how they're good for increasing literacy in our communities.

Now, of course, e-book reading isn't always a walk in the park; it can be hard on the eyes.

And while technology has gotten better in terms of creating screens that aren't as visually harsh (hellooo, e-ink display), there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Let's face it: The fonts that work well for a 300-page novel in print just don't quite work the same way on a screen.

It's great that we have options, but they're just not cutting it. Iimage via Yuya Tamai/Flickr.

Luckily, Amazon and Google have finally heard our (literal) cries of pain and released brand-new fonts made specifically for our e-reading pleasure.

Not only will the fonts be easier on our eyes, these new fonts will help us read more quickly, too.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon did an eye-tracking test and found that readers read 2% faster when using their new font Bookerly.

So you'll be able to put down that impossible-to-put-down thriller sooner — because you've finished it. Seems like a win-win situation to me.

And as if all of this weren't exciting enough: Amazon developed technology that makes the text layout on your device more natural.

Companies are finally starting to recognize the unique needs of the e-reading experience and are creating solutions for making it as seamless as possible.

Now the text will be more "smart" in its display and automatically rearrange words on the screen in an easy-to-read way no matter what size font you are using.

I know there are a lot of die-hard fans of paper books out there.

Many people swear they will never touch a Kindle or Nook — and that's OK. These improvements to the e-reading experience will make diving into a good book and learning something new easier than ever. That's something we can all celebrate, don't you think?

GIF via "The X Factor."

I never thought I'd ever be this excited about fonts. Who knew?

Want to see what the hype is about? Check out the current Kindle titles available in Bookerly and learn how to install it here. Read TypeTogether's post about their partnership with Google and see screenshots of the font here.

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