Community-based traffic app: Waze

Picture this: you're stuck in rush hour traffic on I-476 on a Friday, and you have no clue as to why you're still stuck in the same spot that you were 15 minutes ago. Well, the new app Waze can figure that out for you. 

Waze is a community-based traffic report app, that lets users know what is going on on the roads, like accidents, police action, serious traffic jams, and just debris in the middle of the lane or shoulder. It also lets users know the best, and quickest, route to take and even where the cheapest gas is located. The app is updated by others around you using it, so it all takes place in real time. The creators have also said that it’s helpful in finding new and quicker ways to get to your destination. 

The app is totally free on the iTunes app store, and it's probably also free for Android and Windows phone users as well. From the information that I've gathered on the iTunes app store, the app was developed in 2011 (at least that was the earliest that it was updated), and was just recently updated again in June of this year. An even more recent update now let's users change the voice to talk to you. Some options include: Rob Gronkowski, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert, and even Colonel Sanders. It also has four and a half stars.

Frankly, I think this is an awesome app, because I was stuck on I-476 last Friday on my way to the Phillie’s game, and other than the annoying rush hour traffic, Waze was updated to let me know that there was an accident on the left shoulder, along with police activity. Definitely more reliable than Apple or Google Maps.