FontShop Launches FontShuffle App For iPhone/iPod Touch
Wouldn’t it be great if a whole font catÂaÂlogue would fit into your shirt pocket? If you could find a typeÂface withÂout knowÂing its name, just by comÂparÂing its shapes? If it were posÂsiÂble to e-mail the marÂketÂing departÂment your desired typeÂface for a client preÂsenÂtaÂtion while still at the airport?
A new appliÂcaÂtion develÂoped by FontShop AG — the German office of FontShop — and Metaquark for the iPhone and iPod Touch could be the answer. FontShufÂfle 1.0 was released yesÂterÂday, and offers a new way of findÂing and comÂparÂing typeÂfaces, and of comÂposÂing text samÂples. The softÂware comÂbines the knowlÂedge of the anaÂlogue world with new advanced posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties of the digÂiÂtal mobile world.
First deterÂmine to which clasÂsiÂfiÂcaÂtion your typeÂface belongs, then select the sub-​category.
FontShufÂfle 1.0 is the world’s fastest source of typoÂgraphic inspiÂraÂtion. HunÂdreds of font famÂiÂlies are sorted by visual simÂiÂlarÂity into a visual family tree. WithÂout any preÂviÂous knowlÂedge about typogÂraÂphy, and using only visual criÂteÂria, you can navÂiÂgate directly to 6 font designs of simÂiÂlar style by tapÂping your iPhone twice. You can do this withÂout knowÂing the name or style catÂeÂgory of the desired font, but can learn these by playÂing around with the appliÂcaÂtion.
If the six options sugÂgested by FontShufÂfle are not to your liking, just shake the device and six new options appear. Shake again and the app links to the FontShop dataÂbase, downÂloadÂing more samÂples. ComÂpose a custom sample to see the font in action.
Shake the results list to throw new alterÂnaÂtives into the mix. Use the default sample text to disÂplay your font, or test it dynamÂiÂcally using your own words. Turn the screen to have a look at the glyph chart.
The FontShufÂfle catÂaÂlogue is conÂstantly updated. To do this, FontShop selects the best fonts from its huge assortÂment, conÂsistÂing of only origÂiÂnal designs from the world’s most respected type foundries.
UpcomÂing FontShuffle-​Enhancements:
- more shuffle-​fonts
- scalÂable font samples
- links to font inforÂmaÂtion on www.​fontshop.de
- furÂther localization
FontShufÂfle 1.0 is free of charge and availÂable in EngÂlish and German lanÂguage verÂsions. It is comÂpatÂiÂble with iPhone and iPod Touch, and requires iPhone 2.0 Software-​Update.
ShareThis15 Comments:
It’s a nice appliÂcaÂtion, but the icon is awful - for a design-​oriented comÂpany, it really is disÂapÂpointÂing.
Good god! Stop giving me more reaÂsons to buy an iPhone.
But really, it looks great!
Anders. No, not yet. I believe the iPhone system doesn’t allow such cusÂtomizaÂtion. What FontShufÂfle does do is let you browse the FontShop colÂlecÂtion.
This may be one of the few reaÂsons why I will finally get an iPhone. Thank you, FontShop, for making an amazÂing app that’s both helpÂful at type idenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtion and inspiÂraÂtion.
I can’t help but wonder if it will be ported to the desktop/web?
Bram - SomeÂthing simÂiÂlar to this catÂeÂgory browsÂing is coming to FontShop.com very soon.
Haven’t downÂloaded it yet, but sounds like a great app and a fanÂtasÂtic way to explore new fonts…
This is what I love about the iPhone, it has given so many the opporÂtuÂnity to create a speÂcific, taiÂlored expeÂriÂence to a stanÂdardÂised (mobile) platÂform.
Just installed the app and played around with it for a while. A must-​have for fontaÂholics with an iPhone. I am not so sure about the (loud) shufÂfle sound, though. Shouldn’t there be an option to turn that off?
Great app, loved it from the first run- and great for making iphone wallÂpaÂpers with your favourite font, can’t wait for the update with more fonts to choose from.
If you wanted to use a nifty font in a phone mesÂsage, wouldn’t the receivÂing party have to have that font installed too?
BW - FontShufÂfle is a font browser, not a font manÂager. You can’t use any of the fonts on your iPhone.
i got a friend who has an iphone to downÂload it, and i love it too, i just wish it had a search funcÂtion for speÂcific names, as i wanted to find parÂtiÂclur fonts, but it took too long to shufÂfle through all the options, plus i don’t always know the specifics of a fonts catÂeÂgory… like what kind of serif is meta serif? it was hard to find…
but other than that, it’s a great app! i jsut wish i had an iphone!
When someÂone writes an app that will tell me the name of the typeÂface when I take a pic of it w/my iPhone, I will install that…
Great app. But I’ll second that opinÂion about the icon…it’s just awful.
Do you have the Ariel font to install in iphone for emails? thanks!! Jeanne
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How delightÂful! Am I corÂrect in my assumpÂtion that this allows me to purÂchase and install the fonts onto an iPhone? It would be nice to read my emails in FF BalÂance, as I do on my deskÂtop system, and use someÂthing other than HelÂvetica for the AdressÂbok, which I do not prefer for teleÂphone numÂbers.