Use Wikipedia As Your Personal Guide With WikiCompass
One of my favorite parts of the journey is the opportunity to explore new areas. I’m not really an expert on guidebooks, so I usually rely on tidbits of information from walking tours, signs on the side of streets, and conversations with the people I meet to piece together information about the area. This week I stumbled upon an app that I think might also fall into my arsenal of travel apps called WikiCompass .
With it, you can find Wikipedia articles about places near you. The application marks on the map every place about which there is an article in Wikipedia. You can click on the icon on the map to display a small picture of what the Wikipedia article is about. If you’re still curious, you can click on it again to run the article and read more.
I am currently traveling around New Orleans and this is what is in the app around my hotel (it’s a ton):
There is also an augmented reality feature where you can simply pick up your phone and superimpose this information on the whole world around you.
The app is currently only for iPhone (or iPad, this is how I test it). It’s not free either. The download costs $ 0.99, which I think is worth it for a pocket guide, but might scare off people who don’t think they’ll use it often.
The idea is exceptionally similar to Google Field Trip, another app that I loved but used not too long ago. Field Trip, available for Android phones and iPhones , also overlays information on the map. It includes not only informative articles, but also restaurant recommendations and information on upcoming events, as well as historical information.
It’s also a great download and it’s free.