Discover transforms the way you view Wikipedia on the iPad, for free

Update: Discover 1.1 has now been released, allowing you to rediscover content in your history without the need of an internet or data connection - meaning if you're ever in-air or without a data connection, or there's just no hotspots nearby, you'll have all your past information right at your fingertips. Who says you only need to discover things once? Full info here.

Cooliris, developers of the unique internet browser extension that allows you to view the web's pictorial content the way Sci-Fi movies dreamed of, has taken a leap into the iPad world with Discover, an iPad-only application that transforms Wikipedia into an e-magazine. Or is that iMagazine?

The free application "leverages the power of the iPad platform to deliver an enjoyable experience for Wikipedia's vast collection of articles" (Aaran Wessels, Cooliris), by simplifying article navigation through a new "smart search" feature and showcasing daily-updated featured articles and photos. Cooliris developers recognize that "the outstanding breadth and depth of information ... [can] make it difficult for users to navigate", and so the new simplified navigation will ensure that only directly relevant content is provided on-screen, with links to other concepts and ideas provided elsewhere. Photos will be centre-stage in an application that aims to make full efficient use of the iPad's 9.5" display.

“By turning Wikipedia into a ‘live magazine,’ we offer readers a virtually limitless source of quality content that is delightful to use on a daily basis” spoke Soujanya Bhumbar, co-founder and current CEO of Cooliris.

iPad owners will again continue to reap the benefits of developers' intuitive designs in magazine format, most evident in the release of the social networking magazine Flipboard earlier this month. The application, also free, renews the way you see what's happening on Facebook and Twitter by integrating both social tools into a three-by-three square board.