Rob's Recommendations: Waze

I'm sometimes surprised by how many people are unaware of Waze. Waze is a free app from Google (actually, it was bought by Google a few years ago after having been developed independently). It's a navigation app that will get you from here to there in the most efficient way possible. It's like Google Maps but better because it's designed specifically for navigation.

The killer part of the app is that it updates traffic conditions in real time, so it will let you know if there is a slow-down or traffic jam. Plus it's crowd-sourced in that people can identify navigation hazards like cars on the side of the road, construction, blockages, speed traps, and much more. 

The only downside is that it uses your phone's GPS and data which can be a battery drain, especially if you're traveling any distance, so it helps to keep the phone plugged in while you're using it.

If you don't yet have and use Waze, I'd highly recommend it.