Hi everyone:
I'm new here, I'm waiting for my Kindle. Once it arrives, I intend to load a French-English dictionary on it. I know there is Igor's hack allow one to do that. I'm curious to know if anyone have tried using a mobipocket dictionary on Kindle.
Thanks

If you buy it at Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise.com)or BooksonBoard (http://www.booksonboard.com), it should work. A dictionary created with Mobipocket Creator does indeed work with the Kindle. I don't know about the DRM, though. If your dictionary was created as a dictionary and has no DRM then it will work fine.

Thank you for the answer. Is there a difference if I buy a mobipocket file from booksonboard.com or from mobipocket.com?

There is a peculiarity in the device ID of the Kindle that separates it from Mobipocket ebook readers. Kindle device IDs have a * at a certain point, and Mobipocket device IDs have a $ at the same point.

Mobipocket's own DRM servers will not accept that * in the device ID. But, there is a second set of DRM servers for the Mobipocket format that are run by a company called OverDrive (OD). These servers will let you enter the *, and Fictionwise uses the OD servers as well as the Mobipocket ones.

Plus, Fictionwise is cheaper.

P.S. On another note, most if not all public libraries that have Mobipocket format ebooks use the OD servers to support them. You should be able to check ebooks out of the library and put them on your Kindle.

Thank you Nate the great. That is very informative for me. For that dictionary, I wrote to the publisher and they say they will release it for Kindle in a few weeks. I plan to just wait a little since they are saying their Kindle version needs a little more work. Thank you again.

Hi Li Po,

Did you ever get a good fr-eng dictionary for your Kindle? I bought a Cambridge Klett from Mobipocket and then found it was DRM protected. The only other one I found was a very simple one called "DDP World Team" from worldlibrary.net which you can only use with the search function. I would think good language dictionaries would be a good selling point for Kindle so I don't know why they're not provided yet. Have you had any luck?

One note on Mobipocket dictionaries.

If you do end up buying a dictionary from a source, whos DRM does not work on the kindle, you can always strip the DRM using the DeDRM script (Google is your friend).

The Legality of this is a grey area, but personally I feel that what you do to a file you bought for personal use is your own business.

If you do end up buying a dictionary from a source, whos DRM does not work on the kindle, you can always strip the DRM using the DeDRM script Perhaps, but I suspect that one reason that more dictionaries are not available on the Kindle is that some of them use features of the MOBI format that are not implemented on the Kindle. This isn't usually an issue for search, but may be an issue for browsing the dictionary. Also, you can only have one "primary" dictionary on the Kindle and publishers may be waiting for the Kindle's software to be updated for multi-dictionary support before releasing dictionaries for the Kindle.

Perhaps, but I suspect that one reason that more dictionaries are not available on the Kindle is that some of them use features of the MOBI format that are not implemented on the Kindle. This isn't usually an issue for search, but may be an issue for browsing the dictionary. Also, you can only have one "primary" dictionary on the Kindle and publishers may be waiting for the Kindle's software to be updated for multi-dictionary support before releasing dictionaries for the Kindle.

If I remember from one of the other threads, you can replace the built in dictionary with another mobipocket dictionary without any problems for look up at least, so I figure that that works at least.

And Yes While it does currently only support one dictionary right now, someone may prefer to use one of the more comprehensive dictionaries until Amazon gets off their duff and enables multi dictionary support.

Well, you can definitely select a new default dictionary for the kindle.
The file I have is ".prc" and it can be selected as the default dictionary ... I read somewhere that the file needs to be on the internal device memory to work correctly.
see the following post for more info.
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12000

But what I really want is a French-English dictionary. Why is this sooooo hard?

--- later ---
OK ...
I downloaded the "free sample" (it has only the "A" from the dictionary) from
http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=68810
I CAN PICK IT FOR THE DICTIONARY!

I think I will buy the entire book ... it seems to work!

-- still later --
Well ...
That didn't work .... seems the "mobipocket" software does not support the kindle for the DRM'd content.

Seems wrong that I can only see the content that I don't pay for, and after paying I can't use it.

I even tried getting the kindle "PID" and using that while re-downloading the books, etc, etc ... again ...

why is this soooooooo hard?

The demos on mobipocket.com work fine on Kindle but the purchased books do not. If you complain on their forum they seem to be good about providing a refund. Their forums suggest new Kindle owners often purchase their unworkable DRM protected books, so if Kindle and mobipocket are not willing to lift the restriction they should at least give notice prior to purchase.

On the issue of fr-eng and other foreign language dictionaires be sure to complain to kindle-feedback@amazon.com. Also, on all their paper and hardback dictionary pages there is a button to press to indicate you want to have it available for Kindle.

seems the "mobipocket" software does not support the kindle for the DRM'd content With standard Secure MOBI ebooks, mobidedrm can be used to strip the DRM and the resulting DRM-free MOBI works on the Kindle - but I'm not sure if mobidrdrm works on dictionaries.

Otherwise, you can probably get a refund - particularly if you explain that you tried the demo on the Kindle and it worked.

With standard Secure MOBI ebooks, mobidedrm can be used to strip the DRM and the resulting DRM-free MOBI works on the Kindle - but I'm not sure if mobidrdrm works on dictionaries.



Well, I've run it on the Chambers dictionary, and the DeDRMd version is working fine on my Cybook Gen3, so the process does work.

It did take a couple of tries, as it was first time I was using those scripts, but onece you get the hang of it, its not difficult.

I am not sure of the legality of the mobidedrm, but if the sample works as a dictionary, then after removing the DRM, it will still work as a dictionary.


What I don't get is why I need to remove the DRM to use the file that I purchased ... doesn't that remove any potential benefit from the DRMing and just make the end user irritated? How can this go on so long and not get fixed ... I've been trying to get a dictionary for months and I have no alternative other than to mess with the file in order to get it on my hardware. That sucks.

What I don't get is why I need to remove the DRM to use the file that I purchased ... doesn't that remove any potential benefit from the DRMing and just make the end user irritated? How can this go on so long and not get fixed ... I've been trying to get a dictionary for months and I have no alternative other than to mess with the file in order to get it on my hardware. That sucks.


It was your choice to buy that hardware in the first place. If using MobiPocket dictionaries is important to you, why didn't you purchase a device which could use them directly? With respect, it seems a little unreasonable to blame the device manufacturer for a choice that you made.

I am not sure of the legality of the mobidedrm, but if the sample works as a dictionary, then after removing the DRM, it will still work as a dictionary.


What I don't get is why I need to remove the DRM to use the file that I purchased ... doesn't that remove any potential benefit from the DRMing and just make the end user irritated? How can this go on so long and not get fixed ... I've been trying to get a dictionary for months and I have no alternative other than to mess with the file in order to get it on my hardware. That sucks.

There is no potential benefit to DRM. Can you name me one? You did decide to purchase a Kindle and if you now find that you cannget get a dictionary for it that you want, who have you to blame but yourself? If you had purchased a device that used Mobipocket dictionaries directly, you would not have these problems. No need to rant about a problem that you did cause for yourself.

What I don't get is why I need to remove the DRM to use the file that I purchased ... doesn't that remove any potential benefit from the DRMing and just make the end user irritated? It is a strategy Amazon has adopted of locking down all Kindle ebooks just to the Kindle, even though DRMed MOBI ebooks would work perfectly well on the Kindle if Amazon let them. DRM is for the convenience of the publisher, or in this case of the device maker, not the consumer. One way this backfires is that it forces readers to either strip the DRM, or buy an ebook twice or, as in this case, forgo a needed capability.

It is a strategy Amazon has adopted of locking down all Kindle ebooks just to the Kindle, even though DRMed MOBI ebooks would work perfectly well on the Kindle if Amazon let them. DRM is for the convenience of the publisher, or in this case of the device maker, not the consumer. One way this backfires is that it forces readers to either strip the DRM, or buy an ebook twice or, as in this case, forgo a needed capability.

That's why it's important to do your research properly before you buy. If buying MobiPocket books is important to you, it doesn't really make a great deal of sense to buy a Kindle.

I have to agree 100% with Harry. Unless of course you can remove the DRM, then it is OK to buy a Kindle for Mobipocket eBooks.

That's why it's important to do your research properly before you buy. If buying MobiPocket books is important to you, it doesn't really make a great deal of sense to buy a Kindle.

The wierdness of anyone who doesn't get paid to do so defending DRM aside, Amazon owns Mobipocket. The simple fact is secure Mobi not working on the Kindle without hacking is just stupid. They could literally own the entire ebook space if they simply allowed sales from other stores to work via secure Mobi.

We should complain, loudly and often, until they change their policy. It will helps us as consumers and put money in Amazon's pockets.

The wierdness of anyone who doesn't get paid to do so defending DRM aside, Amazon owns Mobipocket. The simple fact is secure Mobi not working on the Kindle without hacking is just stupid. They could literally own the entire ebook space if they simply allowed sales from other stores to work via secure Mobi.


I'm certainly not "defending" DRM. Just saying that it does no good to complain about something that you knew to be the case at the time that you bought your Kindle. There are several devices other than the Kindle that you could have bought had buying Mobi books been a high priority for you.

Harry, you miss the point. I may prefer a Kindle for many reasons, but it's still perfectly legitimate to complain to Amazon about not providing a fr-eng dictionary, either on their own or through mobipocket. To paraphrase Chesterton, you may love your mother drunk or sober, but you still want her sober.

Certainly you can complain. I'm afraid I just feel that you're highly unlikely to achieve anything by doing so :(.

I have to agree 100% with Harry. Unless of course you can remove the DRM, then it is OK to buy a Kindle for Mobipocket eBooks.

Actually it depends on where you buy the Mobipocket formatted eBooks. Igor's fix allows DRM books to work on the Kindle if they are purchased from a site that will let you register your Kindle. The Mobipocket site will not let you register your Kindle but several other sites will. Libraries will also allow registering your Kindle to check out Mobipocket eBooks.

Dale

It is surprising that Amazon is not selling dictionaries formatted for the kindle (they do sell fr-eng dictionaries, but those files can't be used with the "lookup" feature). There certainly is a demand for it ... when I contacted kindle support they said that something would be available soon (that was a couple of months ago).

As users get books from other sources they will get less from Amazon. Feedbooks.com has a catalog which works very well with the kindle over sprint's 3G network (and the books are free).