Free application HearPlanet plays audio tracks of Wikipedia articles based on points of interest surrounding your current location, turning your iPhone or iPod touch into an audio tour guide for any places supported by the app. The iPhone’s power and usefulness grow even further.

HearPlanet uses your iPhone’s location awareness to find places of interest near you. When you choose a topic, HearPlanet loads up a screen with both the text and audio of the Wikipedia article in question. If your iPhone or iPod touch can’t find you, HearPlanet offers a search option in which you can enter a search topic and location. That means that even if you don’t want the audio tour guide, you can still use HearPlanet to listen to Wikipedia articles on the go—if you don’t mind a little robot voice, that is.

HearPlanet is a simple but smart app with a nice look and feel. As some sites have suggested, integration with maps and phone numbers would be a great addition in time. HearPlanet is a free download (for a limited time) from the iTunes App Store, works on both the iPhone and iPod touch, and it illustrates how powerful the Apple devices have grown in a very limited time.