Scrabble - Active Content

drapeta · 05-15-2015, 04:29 PM

I got a replacement Kindle DX (physical button issues) and am working on getting scrabble back onto the Kindle.

Problem: Old Kindle DX - original version (1.1 published 2010) works perfectly, but the one that downloads from the amazon website doesn't. The cursor disappears in the top half of the game. I tried transferring over the file in documents from old to new (with and without the active content folder from the old) and I get an error "An error occurred opening this title"

(Also apparently this is a known issue - the cursor disappearing in the top half of the screen, the annoying workaround is to press menu and back)

I am wondering if anyone knows a way to transfer old active content from one kindle to another, or from one kindle to a computer back to a kindle and for it to work.

eschwartz · 05-15-2015, 05:43 PM

Moderator Notice

Please do not upload copyrighted content, DRMed or otherwise. Your attachment has been deleted.

eschwartz · 05-15-2015, 05:45 PM

Active Content is usually encrypted to work only on a specific device. I don't know whether anyone has ever researched how the DRM works, although Apprentice Alf's tools do work on Amazon ebooks.

It is possible Active Content uses a similar DRM, and anyone wishing to investigate might want to start looking there.

drapeta · 05-15-2015, 10:33 PM

Sorry about that.

Looking forward to any input

(Thank you for just deleting the attachment and not the whole post! I appreciate that)

After looking into your suggestion, I went to this website and checked out the tutorial.

Calibre can handle the file formats azw and azw3 and azw4 (I don't know what those are) however it doesn't have a listing for azw2 which I am thinking is kindle active content. I am giong to keep working on it and if i find anything out will report back.

Thanks for pointing me in this (or any) direction.

cybmole · 05-16-2015, 01:26 PM

have you called amazon support- any paid for version of anything that worked on your old devices should still be in their cloud, so as long as new device is registered to same account, the version you download should be 100% what you had before ?
if they can't provide you with a fully working version they may well compensate you for the loss.

maybe your newer device has newer " improved" fimware which introduced some incompatibility , but if that's the case, then no amount of decrypting & sideloading is going to help.

if it is a known issue, as you say, does the source of that statement not offer any other work-arounds ?

I think it is most unlikely that tools designed for decrypting kindle books are going to help here

drapeta · 05-22-2015, 03:20 AM

I have contacted amazon about this. Unfortunately they put this squarely on Hasbro/EA as something in need of update. (EA/Hasbro has promised an update but has not produced anything in 2-3 years so far for kindle DX - They have however updated for paperwhite etc which is interesting. There are rumors that an OS change is coming down the pipe for DX and other kindles, but its just rumor so far)

I don't know what the incompatability is, however swartz was right. It is encrypted per kindle. I couldn't unlock it (or that file format) so I could transfer it.

My workaround was to switch the five way selector button from the replacement kindle to the older one.

cybmole · 05-22-2015, 07:54 AM

That's classic EA.
they have a track record, across multiple platforms , of leaving broken games behind in order to flog their latest half-finished ones.

I have a recollection of them coming last in various game maker customer services, that may not be spot on but for sure they have an awful reputation.

when I put "EA reputation" into google, it suggest that I might want to search also on worst gaming company - that says it all really. even google knows how crap they are

edit/update: That recollection was spot on
http://www.destructoid.com/why-peopl...s-251899.phtml
It wasn't much of a surprise when Electronic Arts was recently voted the Worst Company in America by readers of Consumerist for the second year in a row.

05-15-2015, 04:29 PM	#1
drapeta Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Kindle dx, kindle fire hdx, kindle paperwhite	Scrabble - Active Content I got a replacement Kindle DX (physical button issues) and am working on getting scrabble back onto the Kindle. Problem: Old Kindle DX - original version (1.1 published 2010) works perfectly, but the one that downloads from the amazon website doesn't. The cursor disappears in the top half of the game. I tried transferring over the file in documents from old to new (with and without the active content folder from the old) and I get an error "An error occurred opening this title" (Also apparently this is a known issue - the cursor disappearing in the top half of the screen, the annoying workaround is to press menu and back) I am wondering if anyone knows a way to transfer old active content from one kindle to another, or from one kindle to a computer back to a kindle and for it to work. Last edited by eschwartz; 05-15-2015 at 05:41 PM.

05-15-2015, 10:33 PM	#4
drapeta Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Kindle dx, kindle fire hdx, kindle paperwhite	Oops! Sorry about that. Looking forward to any input (Thank you for just deleting the attachment and not the whole post! I appreciate that) After looking into your suggestion, I went to this website and checked out the tutorial. Calibre can handle the file formats azw and azw3 and azw4 (I don't know what those are) however it doesn't have a listing for azw2 which I am thinking is kindle active content. I am giong to keep working on it and if i find anything out will report back. Thanks for pointing me in this (or any) direction. Last edited by drapeta; 05-15-2015 at 11:02 PM.

05-22-2015, 03:20 AM	#6
drapeta Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2015 Device: Kindle dx, kindle fire hdx, kindle paperwhite	I have contacted amazon about this. Unfortunately they put this squarely on Hasbro/EA as something in need of update. (EA/Hasbro has promised an update but has not produced anything in 2-3 years so far for kindle DX - They have however updated for paperwhite etc which is interesting. There are rumors that an OS change is coming down the pipe for DX and other kindles, but its just rumor so far) I don't know what the incompatability is, however swartz was right. It is encrypted per kindle. I couldn't unlock it (or that file format) so I could transfer it. My workaround was to switch the five way selector button from the replacement kindle to the older one. Last edited by drapeta; 05-22-2015 at 03:22 AM. Reason: Adding more info

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05-15-2015, 05:43 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Moderator Notice Please do not upload copyrighted content, DRMed or otherwise. Your attachment has been deleted.

05-15-2015, 05:45 PM	#3
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Active Content is usually encrypted to work only on a specific device. I don't know whether anyone has ever researched how the DRM works, although Apprentice Alf's tools do work on Amazon ebooks. It is possible Active Content uses a similar DRM, and anyone wishing to investigate might want to start looking there.

05-16-2015, 01:26 PM	#5
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	have you called amazon support- any paid for version of anything that worked on your old devices should still be in their cloud, so as long as new device is registered to same account, the version you download should be 100% what you had before ? if they can't provide you with a fully working version they may well compensate you for the loss. maybe your newer device has newer " improved" fimware which introduced some incompatibility , but if that's the case, then no amount of decrypting & sideloading is going to help. if it is a known issue, as you say, does the source of that statement not offer any other work-arounds ? I think it is most unlikely that tools designed for decrypting kindle books are going to help here

05-22-2015, 07:54 AM	#7
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	That's classic EA. they have a track record, across multiple platforms , of leaving broken games behind in order to flog their latest half-finished ones. I have a recollection of them coming last in various game maker customer services, that may not be spot on but for sure they have an awful reputation. when I put "EA reputation" into google, it suggest that I might want to search also on worst gaming company - that says it all really. even google knows how crap they are edit/update: That recollection was spot on http://www.destructoid.com/why-peopl...s-251899.phtml It wasn't much of a surprise when Electronic Arts was recently voted the Worst Company in America by readers of Consumerist for the second year in a row.