It's not everyday that we hear news from Wikipedia. When news does arrive, it's usually of the good sort. Today, Wikipedia has announced a new feature that will bring out the inner geek in you. Wikipedia's 'Nearby' feature gathers together articles and information based on your current location.

As you might imagine, these location-based articles will help students trying to learn about the town that they live in; will assist travelers in strange cities (via mobile); and can help you discover things about your own town that you might not have known. Think you know everything about the area that you're living in? Think again.

Using Wikipedia's 'Nearby' Feature

The Wikimedia Foundation developed this new app feature, and it's really a lot of fun. Not only can users discover information about a certain location, but users are also encourage to illustrate articles that do not include any photographs. By snapping a photo of the place that you visit, you can upload this photograph to Wikipedia - a great interactive feature.

Wikipedia's Nearby feature was developed for the company's mobile app. However, this feature works with Wikipedia's desktop mode too. Here's how to check it out for yourself from your desktop: first, visit this page. Then, allow Wikipedia to access your current location. At the left side of the screen, you will see locations of interest near you.

Clicking on any of these locations will bring you to a Wikipedia page that provides information about a particular place. If you see a small camera icon next to an article, you can snap a photo of the location. This photo will then be added to the site after approval. If you want to use the mobile app feature, simply download the Wikipedia mobile app and follow instructions.

A Great New Feature

You should never stop learning, and Wikipedia now makes this process simpler than ever. What could be more interesting than learning about your current surroundings? Who knows, you might discover that your home is built on a historical landmark or that the cafe across the street was once home to someone important. All of these details can be at your fingertips in no time, and you can snap photos to prove that you were visiting.

There's lots of news spanning the tech headlines this morning, but Wikipedia's new feature is (in my opinion), one of the most interesting stories around. It's not a new device or something that costs hundreds of dollars, but Wikipedia's 'Nearby' feature is a lot of fun. If you take a walk today, bring the Wikipedia mobile app with you. You may just discover something about your neighborhood that you never knew.

What do you think about Wikipedia's latest app feature? Will you use this feature? I'm going to presume that Wikipedia will be screening every photograph that is snapped by tourists, so I'm not sure that your face will appear on a Wikipedia page next to a landmark. Still, this feature will be a lot of fun to use!