Ever walk through Fort Tryon Park and wonder about it's history? Now you can instantly listen to information about the park and other local points of interest from your iPhone. HearPlanet is a mobile application that lets iPhone 3G owners instantly receive "audio guides" for locations near them. The application uses the phone's GPS to locate wikipedia articles for nearby attractions and points of interests and then reads the article to the listener, saving people the hassle of having to stop and read the whole article as they walk around. 
The app is a nice idea, and I suggest downloading HearPlanet while it's free, through the weekend. There are a few problems, however, like not being able to scrub through the audio, and the fundamental problem of only one person being able to hear the audio guide at once. The application works best if you are touring an area like Washington Heights or Inwood alone. A group of two or more may find the application a bit cumbersome because they won't be able to use headphones to listen to the articles.
There are several sights in Washington Heights and Inwood featured in the app, and if you don't know the neighborhood well it's worth a try if you'll be out alone touring the area with your iPhone 3G. Local residents who are familiar with the ins and outs of northern Manhattan may want to save this one for a trip outside of the area.
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