Curiosity brings Wikipedia article to your current location

Going sightseeing and want to learn something about the area? Curiosity is the app for you. This iOS app makes use of geolocation to share Wikipedia articles with you based on what’s in your area. Of course, you still have to be careful when reading Wikipedia articles but it’s still a good way to learn things about a new place or even your neighbourhood. You can read it immediately or bookmark or share it so you can read it later. The app can also share articles on current issues or trending topics, if you want to stay in the know.

Source: Lifehacker | Download: Apple App Store ($2.29)

Wikipedia on Android now comes with article previews

Wikipedia on Android is making it easier for you to do your research with its latest update. There’s now a preview pop-up feature that shows you a snippet of information and a few images of a particular article, while reading one of Wikipedia’s entries. You can opt to click through and read the rest of the entry or go back to your original search. The app also now supports tabbed browsing so you look through different research threads without losing track of anything. Wikipedia now also has a quick language switcher button as well, which you can access once you’ve tapped in the “Search Wikipedia” box.

The Wikimedia Foundation plans to bring the preview feature to iOS soon and “is exploring” bringing the feature to mobile web as well.

Source: The Next Web | Download: Google Play Store (Free)

Wikipedia fortifies encryption to prevent others from tracking your activity

What you search on Wikipedia should just be your business. At least, that’s what Wikipedia seems to be telling us as it starts encrypting its web traffic through HTTPS, making it harder for people to track your research. Encryption isn’t exactly new for Wikipedia. The organization has had a manual HTTPS option since 2011 and this always-on policy means you get at least basic level of privacy. And it should somewhat deter censorship-happy governments from blocking facts they don’t want shared.

Source: Engadget

Wikipedia goes Dark to protest Web Piracy Bills

After completing its yearly call for donations, Wikipedia is once more calling attention to itself  by going offline for 24 hours but this time in the name of the ongoing legislation in the US that could damage the free and open Internet. The SOPA or Stop Online Piracy Act is seen by many as censorship which will alter the fundamental way the Internet works and has worked so far.

It will be interesting to see what their user's feedback on this move will be and if other websites and services of equal or greater importance will go into protest mode.

-Update: Some websites have already followed suit, namely Boing Boing, Wordpress, Reddit, Imgur, Mojang,  Tucows and dozens of other are following suit.