Kindle 3.x dictionary lookup API hack?

Doitsu · 12-01-2011, 03:57 AM

I find it more than annoying that the Kindle firmware lacks some dictionary features that were (and are) present in Mobipocket Reader.
While Mobipocket Reader support a huge number of dictionary lookup languages the Kindle firmware seems to be limited to languages that use the Latin-1 and Latin-1 Supplement Unicode ranges, even though the Kindle can display languages that use characters outside of these ranges, e.g. classical Greek or Russian.
I'm wondering whether the Kindle 3.x dictionary lookup mechanism could be hacked in any way to behave in the same way that Mobipocket Reader does.
I'd really appreciate it, if one of the reverse engineering experts on this forum could have a look at the source code to find out how the dictionary lookup works and whether it can be easily hacked to support more languages.
Think of it as a dictionary language jailbreak.

Theon · 12-02-2013, 09:23 AM

Would love this.

The problem seems to be that the dictionary look-up system on Kindle 1-3 is based on spaces between words. Many Asian languages don't use spaces, and thus it can't tell where words begin or end.
With the Paperwhite you can mark words and by doing so elect what part of the text you want an explanation of.

thomass · 12-02-2013, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theon

The problem seems to be that...

Are you aware of that this is a two years old thread ?

Theon · 12-02-2013, 09:49 PM

Yes.
It deserves to be revived, though

With all the neat things done for the Kindle, I'm surprised this hasn't happened yet.

12-01-2011, 03:57 AM	#1
Doitsu Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,584 Karma: 22735033 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle PW2	Kindle 3.x dictionary lookup API hack? I find it more than annoying that the Kindle firmware lacks some dictionary features that were (and are) present in Mobipocket Reader. While Mobipocket Reader support a huge number of dictionary lookup languages the Kindle firmware seems to be limited to languages that use the Latin-1 and Latin-1 Supplement Unicode ranges, even though the Kindle can display languages that use characters outside of these ranges, e.g. classical Greek or Russian. I'm wondering whether the Kindle 3.x dictionary lookup mechanism could be hacked in any way to behave in the same way that Mobipocket Reader does. I'd really appreciate it, if one of the reverse engineering experts on this forum could have a look at the source code to find out how the dictionary lookup works and whether it can be easily hacked to support more languages. Think of it as a dictionary language jailbreak.

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12-02-2013, 09:23 AM	#2
Theon Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2013 Device: Kindle 3, Sony Reader PRS-350	Would love this. The problem seems to be that the dictionary look-up system on Kindle 1-3 is based on spaces between words. Many Asian languages don't use spaces, and thus it can't tell where words begin or end. With the Paperwhite you can mark words and by doing so elect what part of the text you want an explanation of.

12-02-2013, 09:49 PM	#4
Theon Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2013 Device: Kindle 3, Sony Reader PRS-350	Yes. It deserves to be revived, though With all the neat things done for the Kindle, I'm surprised this hasn't happened yet.

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