10 reasons you’re about to dump Google Maps for Waze

We’re firing up our apps just in case the traffic is backed-up and we can save ourselves from bumper-to-bumper angst. And most of us are using Google Maps. In fact, Google Maps is one of the most used apps full. stop – and not only in the mapping category.

But does the popularity of Google Maps mean it is the best? Sure, it does a great job and has some handy additional features that you might not know about that we’ve covered before, but there’s more to the world of map apps.

Waze has been around ages and it’s less popular in Australia than it is OS, but it just might sway you. It’s a fun play on ‘ways’ and good for a pun (like ‘this better not Waze my time’) – an app that turns a GPS-led drive into a social occasion. Waze feels like a fun combination of Pokemon-style augmented reality and social media, and has some neat integration features. Here are the ten features of Waze that might avert your gaze from good old Google Maps.

One thing Google Maps doesn’t offer, beyond the red stretch of road that symbolises ‘traffic sucks today’, is the ability for its users to know the cause of the traffic (beyond roadworks, of course). Since Waze combines Google data – oh, yeah, the app is owned by Google, FYI – with information supplied by its users, it offers real-time community-sourced information on conditions. Is there a booze bus slowing things down, a burst water main or a herd of rabid sheep blocking the highway? Waze will notify you with a beep.

Traffic and fuel prices aren’t getting any better, so we need all the help we can get. With Waze, when you search for a station along your route, it will not only give you the closest diversions to keep you on track (just like Google Maps does) it will also feature the most recently reported price of each station option. This relies on community-provided data so the more people that use the app, the better it will get. The sore point: seeing that it was $1.15 per litre 3 days ago. Gah.

When you input your journey, the app will automatically offer you a car park location at your destination. You can hit ‘x’ if you don’t need it, but having an app guide you to the nearest parking spot is surely handy when time is tight on your way to somewhere new.

Waze also does the basics right, like giving you the option of saving your home and work addresses. And at the completion of your journey and arrival at your destination, it prompts you to save your car’s parked location. Handy for the forgetful.

Hit that familiar green-and-white speaker logo and Waze will prompt you: ‘”Waze” wants to open “Spotify”’. This enables you have access to easy-to-use playback controls so you can play Spotify in Waze or Waze in Spotify. Now there’s no n

eed to leave your map app, adjust your playlist and click ’resume’ after you return to maps, allowing you to keep on travelling and listening to your favourite tunes.

Got a hankering for a coffee down Gipps Street? Before you duck down to your favourite local, consult Waze! If traffic is crawling at 3km/h, that one kilometre is going to take twenty goddam minutes. If time is tight, consider a coffee from the servo on the way instead.

While this isn’t augmented reality, Waze does have a bit of a Pokémon Go-slash-Neko Atsume feel to it. The character avatars of the other Waze users (yes, you can see other Wazers on the map) include cats, speech bubbles, and various blobular ciritters.

If you can get passed these characters you’ll enjoy the simplicity of the map design. Even if it is colourful and cartoony, it’s clear, uncomplicated and easy to read. Red-light and speed cameras really stand out on the plain beige-and-grey background.

We doubt people become best buds or find true love using Waze, but the app does allow you to ‘Beep’ (the equivalence of the old poke on Facebook) or message other Wazers. Frankly, this is a bit weird but it might work for some of you. We won’t judge.

Heading out on a drive to meet a loved one or want to keep your mates up to speed with where you’re at? You can share your drives via text by clicking ‘Send ETA.’ This sends a text to any number in your contacts list and provides a link so people can see a live map of your journey.

While we know iCal will prompt you when it’s time to leave for a meeting, Waze is more dynamic. It will even talk with your Facebook app so you’ll never miss that special event.

You can also program a planned journey so if something outside of the ordinary happens – like that herd of rabid sheep we mentioned – Waze will let you know that you should leave early.

Each state has different laws on this so make sure you know them, but put simply: driving while using your phone is a no-no. Besides being incredibly dangerous, actively using your phone while driving will cost you in fines big time. Check your local laws!

While Google Maps lets you click while on a trip, Waze disallows you from typing while on an active trip. This is a smart safety feature that removes the temptation and reminds you that it is not on.

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