Paragon Software Group and educational publisher Encyclopaedia Britannica have unveiled Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia 2010 2.0 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The new, concise version of one of the world’s most trusted encyclopedias includes almost 2,000 new maps and images, categorization of search results, new search options, and new interface features. If you can’t remember the exact spelling of a name, place or event, an advanced ‘wildcard search’ feature allows you to replace unknown letters with symbols, to find the word you’re looking for.

Prepared by the editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia 2010 delivers over 25,000 thoroughly researched and fact-checked entries covering art, history, geography, politics, technology, science, sports, pop culture, and other subjects. Articles can be shared with friends via email, and if you fancy a bit of miscellaneous enlightenment, just shake your iPhone to return a random article.

The app is available for $19.99 (£13) from the Apple App Store.