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Waze makes it easy to find EV charging stations

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Waze makes it easy to find EV charging stations
Stop hunting for EV charging stations and start finding them.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

A new feature in Waze hopes to remove one of the hassles of driving an electric vehicle: finding charging stations. Tell the navigation app some spaces about your car and it’ll show you compatible spots to juice up along your route.

The feature is rolling out now to all versions of the app, including iPhone.

Waze finally adds Apple Music integration for better commutes

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Waze finally adds Apple Music integration for better commutes
Waze embraces Apple Music for a happier commute.
Photo: Google

Google’s Waze navigation app makes driving a little more fun by building in support for Apple Music. This allows drivers to make changes to the music streaming through their iPhone or Android without leaving Waze.

The app already supports other music streaming services.

Waze alerts drivers to roads still needing a snow plow

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Waze on iPhone warns of unplowed roads
Waze users can get alerted if there are unplowed, snowy roads on their route.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An update to Google’s Waze navigation app lets users warn other drivers about snow-covered roads that have yet to be plowed.

This feature is already available in both the iOS and Android versions.

Waze embraces YouTube Music for a happier commute

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YouTube Music and Waze
YouTube Music and Waze are now friends.
Photo: Google

The latest move by the Waze navigation app to make driving a little more fun involves built-in controls for YouTube Music. This allows drivers to make changes to the music streaming through their iPhone or Android without leaving the Waze app.

Waze’s annual Tim Cook Day is totally not a compliment

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Apple Maps reservation OpenTable
The first version of Apple Maps was terrible. Driving-directions-that-can-get-you-killed terrible. And that was the making of Waze.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Waze CEO Norm Bardin will never forget the day his company started on the path from small startup to becoming practically a household name. He says the beginning of this rise is all due to Apple and its CEO.

But that wasn’t really Tim Cook’s plan. Waze’s success is due to a bad, bad time for Apple.

Waze adds podcast controls to brighten up your commute

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The Waze Audio Player puts podcast controls right next to your driving directions.
The Waze Audio Player puts podcast controls right next to your driving directions.
Photo: Waze

Long trips and podcasts go well together, and Google’s Waze navigation software just added support for controlling some popular streaming audio services from right within the app.

The goal of the new Waze Audio Player feature is making it less dangerous to adjust what you’re listening to while driving.

Waze’s next-gen navigation cruises onto CarPlay

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Waze CarPlay
The long wait for Waze on Apple's CarPlay in-dash system is over.
Photo: Waze

For too many years, the only navigation application for CarPlay users was Apple Maps. But iOS 12 changed that. Last week, CarPlay users got access to Google Maps. And now the rival Waze is an option.

This means that all three of the most popular turn-by-turn smartphone navigation titles can be used with Apple’s in-dash system.

Google Maps finally works with CarPlay

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CarPlay Google Maps
CarPlay allows Google Maps navigation with iOS 12.
Photo: Apple

Apple Maps is no longer the only option for navigation through Apple’s CarPlay system now that iOS 12 is out.

With an update released today for Google Maps, CarPlay users can now choose between Google Maps and Apple Maps. And more third-party apps are on the way.