I’m generally not a fan of using an app that re-works a website to be more “mobile-friendly.”
Wikipanion is the exception. It makes browsing Wikipedia articles easy and fast from any iOS device. Since I co-host the world’s most popular Wikipedia-related podcast, you know I’ve played with numerous apps in this category
(While I’ll be looking at the iPad app in this review, the iPhone app is just as useful and well-designed. Note that Wikipanion is not an universal app as of this writing.)
When the app is launched, focus is placed in the search field. The app auto-fills article names after a moment:
One an article is selected, the app can show the page’s contents in the sidebar (or pop-over, in portrait mode). With a simple tap, the app scrolls to that section of the article:
The app also can be used to find related content. This is a great way to get lost on Wikipedia. This view also shows links to find articles based on your current location, or to go to the home page or a random article:
Wikipanion also can save bookmarks and store your browsing history, which can be helpful if you get lost down the rabbit hole.
The app is free, with a premium version (dubbed Wikipanion Plus) that adds a queue feature, offline access for saved articles and the ability to use the app to browse other MediaWiki-powered wikis. The Plus version is $4.99.
Go check out this app. In the months Myke and I have been doing Ungeniused, it has become a very useful tool. It really is that good.