Disqus
Waze has just launched an alpha for their mapping service, which allows users in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston to help build road maps while they drive. Not only does GPS integration allow Waze to keep tabs on real-time traffic conditions, but you can also report speed traps, accidents and gas stations for fellow motorists. If that wasn’t cool enough, you can even put new roads on the map that aren’t currently listed, and name them. As with all services that hinge on user-generated content, Waze will only be as good as the people who use it, but if you’re packing an Android handset and are willing to put in a little elbow grease, it could turn out to be a great community. While it’s a neat idea, it would be nice if a system like this could plug into something more publicly available, like Google Maps. Check out Waze’s site to get started.
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
