Waze, a crowdsourced traffic report app that routes you around traffic jams, has integrated with Foursquare, Yelp and Bing, and redesigned its user interface on the iPhone to better help you find where you actually want to go [ h/t Robert Scoble ]. Android app is coming soon.
When you search for a destination, Waze now lets you see Yelp, Foursquare and Bing results without needing to leave the app.
"The seed behind the foursquare integration was really the idea of offering a navigation system that reflects the mobile social experiences we go through everyday- e.g. local search, local discovery, check-in, etc," Director of Communications Michal Habdank-Kolaczkowski tells LAUNCH via email. "It also gives drivers access to user generated points of interest and real-time information (think parades, new restaurants, even protests) that they just won't get on any other map system."
The update also features walls so Waze members can easily communicate with each other, a new rank legend in the scorecard and redesigned moods, such as "frustrated," "happy" or "speedy." Users can also now compare and switch routes based on traffic.
"You can see events along the routes," Michal says recent video interview with Scoble. "It's really to give you an idea and a feeling of understanding and insight into the road before you get on the road, and while you're on the road."
Waze provides turn-by-turn directions to help you find the best route. Users share live traffic information, and Waze then routes you around traffic jams.
Waze currently has 7M registered users. Competitors include Sigalert, Traffic info map USA and Beat theTraffic Plus+.
Uri Levine, Amir Shinar and Ehud Shabtai founded Waze in 2008. To date, the company has raised $50M from investors including Blue Run Ventures, Magma Venture Partners and Vertex Venture Capital.
SCREEN SHOTS
Main screen. Click the icon on the bottom left to access the main menu. Click the icon on the bottom right to report traffic conditions.
To get directions and traffic conditions, click Navigate.
Search for an address, place or person in the search tab.
Bing results.
Foursquare results.
Yelp reviews.
Click Routes to see other options.
Compare routes based on time, distance and traffic problems.
Clicking the exclamation icon on the main screen lets you submit a traffic report or check-in.
Check in using Foursquare.
Groups now feature a wall for users to comment.
The scoreboard now features a rank legend. Select a mood based on how you feel while on the road.
CONTACTS & LINKS
Noam Bardin, CEO
Google+: https://plus.google.com/100181489874219002401
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/noambardin
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/noamb11
Michal Habdank-Kolaczkowski, Director of Communications
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mhabdank
Google+: https://plus.google.com/105551210362370273632
Twitter: @mhabdank
Robert Scoble
Twitter: @Scobleizer
Google+: https://plus.google.com/111091089527727420853
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scobleizer
Blog: scobleizer.com/