App of the Week: Waze – a Navigation App that Even Apple Recommends

As we wait for Apple to fix the debacle that is their native Maps app, give Waze a try. It’s free and recommended by Tim Cook himself!.

Waze is more than a maps app, it’s a fun, hands free, voice operated, community-based traffic & navigation app, 20 million strong.

Highlights include:

• Community generated real-time traffic and road alerts including accidents, hazards, police traps, and more.
• Complete voice-guided navigation.
• Automatic re-routing as conditions on the road change.
• Learns your frequent destinations, commuting hours and preferred routes.
• Find the cheapest gas station on your route.
• Redeem Wazer-only gas specials at participating gas stations. (currently in the US only)
• Meet-up! Share your location/destination and ETA to easily meet up with friends.
• Join or create groups to share info about your commute.
• Earn points and move up the ranks in your community as you contribute road info.
• Live maps, constantly updated by Waze community map editors.

Here’s how it works: Waze connects you to other drivers automatically (and anonymously) in the background. The app then pools data from everyone and channels it into more efficient, time-saving routing algorithms based on real world trip data from other users, not just what the map data infers.

Waze determines your preferred routes. It tells you about problems and lets you report problems which are usually resolved within a couple of days of being reported.

So if you ran out and got the new iPhone 5 or updated to iOS6, and was led astray by the new, promising, but not ready-for-prime-time native Maps app, join the Waze community. The app is also available for Android and other devices.

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