Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
First Look: Wikipedia Mobile
I'll admit it -- I'm a Wikipedia junkie.Sometimes I just pull up Wikipedia, type in the first word that comes to my head, and then start following links. It's amazing how much information is available out there, and the connections that you can find are remarkable.
Until now, most of my Wikipedia surfing was limited to one of my Macs, since I wasn't fond of the way that the information was formatted in the iPhone Web app. As you can see in the screenshots below, it was scaled down and hard to read even in landscape mode.
With the new native iPhone Wikipedia Mobile app from Comoki Software, all that has changed. The information is neatly formatted for the iPhone, using disclosure triangles to hide or show information in sections of each article. There's a summary section on most pages that can be expanded to fill the iPhone screen by tapping an arrow in the upper left corner.
Other features include the ability to look at your search history, save and view saved searches, or change the language of an article.
The Wikipedia app is available now in the App Store for US$2.99 (click opens iTunes).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
waiownsyou said 1:09PM on 12-15-2008
There are soooo many Wikipedia apps available, many free... why would I pay for the same thing from essentially a free service? MADNESS.
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Jason said 1:24PM on 12-15-2008
Agreed. I use Wikiamo which (IMO) looks just as good, works great and is free. Paying for Wikipedia on the iPhone just seems silly.
caleb said 1:46PM on 12-15-2008
I've been using Quickipedia myself. I think a review article for all the free Wikipedia apps would be a great idea.
Paying $3 - Not so great.
caleb said 3:20PM on 12-15-2008
BTW - Found this:
http://www.splitbrain.org/blog/2008-12/12-7_free_wikipedia_iphone_apps_compared
Muero said 1:10PM on 12-15-2008
Try Wikipanion (the free or paid version). It's similar to Wikipedia Mobile but has better reviews. I use it often.
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Zyber said 1:18PM on 12-15-2008
I use wikipanion too.
vandil said 1:24PM on 12-15-2008
Wikipanion does the job just fine and the price is much better.
If you're going to offer a paid app for Wikipedia, it has to do something more than just some style-sheet/disclosure triangle UI magic.
Paul said 1:54PM on 12-15-2008
Add me to the list of Wikipanion fans. Free, readable, easy to use. What else do you need?
Tariq said 7:57PM on 12-15-2008
I'll also stick with Wikipanion. Doesn't look like it's missing any features compared to this new one, and the price of free is always nice.
Harbinger said 12:30PM on 12-16-2008
Wikipanion Plus, totally worth the money. Excellent app.
gonzo said 2:24PM on 12-15-2008
wikipanion, seconded. very good app, updated quite often and is just.. well done.
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Christina Warren said 1:19PM on 12-15-2008
Yeah, I have a few of the free apps -- but this looks pretty nice. Too bad WikiMobile (which is currently free for the Android-based G1 http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/10/23/android-first-look-wikimobile/) is a pay app for BB, and thus, likely pay for iPhone (if they ever develop it), it's my favorite Wikipedia mobile app.
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Zyber said 1:19PM on 12-15-2008
Test
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Zyber17 said 1:25PM on 12-15-2008
It's amazing what you can learn on Wikipedia...
Galley said 1:26PM on 12-15-2008
Aren't these the folks who did the IMDb web app? I'd like to see a native app for that.
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dastranger said 1:37PM on 12-15-2008
I'd rather imdb just to come out with a mobile version of their site instead. Personally, I'm not a fan of converting every website into an actual native app. Imho, it often just doesn't make any sense. To each their own.
Zyber said 1:28PM on 12-15-2008
Sorry. Test again...
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puhsitch said 6:35PM on 12-15-2008
Apology not accepted.
ack154 said 1:36PM on 12-15-2008
I could see this as maybe $.99 or free.. but $3 for some formatting of a site you can already visit and zoom in on with Safari? I'm not sure I see the value in that.
Then again, I don't regularly browse Wikipedia from mobile devices...
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Max Walmsley said 1:39PM on 12-15-2008
STEELY DAN!!!!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
M
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