Waze

Waze is a subsidiary of Google that provides satellite navigation software. It works on smartphones and other computers that have GPS support. It provides turn-by-turn navigation information and user-submitted travel times and route details while downloading location-dependent information over a mobile telephone network. Waze describes its app as a community-driven GPS navigation app, which is free to download and use.

The software is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, with comparable functionality in both versions. I mostly used Waze on an Android phone, but the service also includes a web-based version called Livemap that provides a birds-eye perspective of traffic.

Small, charming figures represent you and other Wazers, and they travel around the map in real-time. Each character has a unique appearance that changes depending on the user's attitude in the app, ranging from the cheerful Sunny to the ninja-like Sneaky. Waze has a more personal and social sense because you may alter your mood at any time. This is further strengthened by the option to message a Wazer or "Beep" them—a welcome to other Wazers on your commute—just clicking on their symbol.