Dictionaries, Textbooks and the like - using KTouch or K4

[Brownskins]

My experience using my 1st generation Nook was that these books are not at all user friendly in ebook format.

On the contrary, I have these (Bible, dictionary and review textbooks) in the form of apps in my iphone and android and find them quite useful and efficient to use.  I assume the same for the Kindle Fire.

Since a lot of these reference books went on sale in ebook format yesterday (daily deal), I am just curious, how do you find the ease and efficiency of use in the new Touch or the K4 (baby Kindle)?  Since 2 years have passed since the 1st gen Nook came out, I wonder how the newer ereaders are handling these large-sized books.

By the way, I have a K4, and I love it for the usual-sized books, but I haven't tried reading large books on it, hence this question...

[Ann in Arlington]

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking.

I've been happy with the quality of Kindle versions of pretty much any book I've gotten. . and I've had a Kindle of one sort or another since July of 2008.  I admit I haven't gotten many text books, however.  The Dictionary works when I want to look up a book.  I have a version of the Bible that is nicely indexed.  Have had for years.

The only things I've found problematic on the 6" screen kindles are PDF documents.  They're generally designed to be printed on standard letter sized paper and the smaller Kindle screen is, obviously, not going to work as well.  And the panning and zooming is clunky at best.  They generally work satisfactorily on the DX, I found, however. 

Beyond that, how usable a given reference is, is going to depend on how much trouble the publisher went to to make it so.  If they've bothered to index it decently it should be just fine.  If they didn't. . .it's going to be a bear.

[Brownskins]

Thanks Ann.  I think you addressed my question.  I was wanting to know how easy it was to go to a particular section of the book (speedwise) particularly if it was volume intensive, like the Bible is.  I don't have any of K1-3 and the DX, but I do have the original Nook and a Nook Color.  If I use the ebook version of the Bible, there is a lag when I try to follow the swift Scripture references mentioned from the pulpit.  I would have to go to the table of contents, scroll down, etc.  - basically, inefficient.  The app version though is so much easier to use.  I just tap the book, chapter and verse - then I get to it.  I have the same Bible app in both my iphone and my tablet. 

The experience is the same when using a full-sized dictionary.  Ebook is slower compared to an app - the app I guess is an enhanced ebook really, with better indexing.

Since the K4 is so light and handy, I was wondering what the experience was like using a Bible. 

You mentioned that you've used a version of the Bible that was well indexed.  May I ask which version you use?  Also, which dictionary do you use other than the built in one?  (For example, yesterday, a lot of the MW dictionaries went on sale for about $5 but they are the humongous versions... so I don't want to slow down my kindle because of that).

Thanks anyway.  You are always very helpful and insightful! 

[Ann in Arlington]

I've used a Douay Rheims version indexed and formatted by Osnova. . .they have other Bibles they've formatted as well.  They use something called "direct verse jump" so you can move quickly if you need to. . .you just have to learn the book abbreviations and format for running the search.  I can't say whether it would work for you . . .I think it's pretty reasonable but might not be quick enough for you if you're trying to flip through during a sermon.

I have only used the installed dictionary.