Israeli drivers forgo GPS to ride Waze craze - Washington Post

TEL AVIV — Israelis have a reputation as some of the most aggressive drivers in the world. The tanned guy with the shaved head and wraparound sunglasses leaning on his horn, three inches from your bumper? He's in a hurry. But even the most competitive lane-changers in Israel have fallen in love with a homegrown satellite navigation system for their smartphones, called Waze, that is helping them cope with traffic jams, speed traps, road hazards — and maybe one another. Chariot festival, horse fair, NATO supply truck attack, mass protest in Turkey and more. Latest stories from Foreign Ruth Eglash and William Booth Homegrown navigation app has taken Israel's aggressive roads by storm — and maybe wooed Google. Pamela Constable Attacks are likely to continue despite insurgency's failure to expand sway and its loss of high-level fighters. Michael Birnbaum German Chancellor Angela Merkel vows to raise topic when she meets with President Obama next week. Ben Van Heuvelen and Patrick Osgood A brigade that was once a symbol of cooperation between Iraq's rival ethnic groups has divided in two. Pakistani president urges continued fight against militants; Turkish premier to meet with protesters. According to Bloomberg, Google has agreed in principle to acquire Waze for $1.1 billion, a person with knowledge of the pending deal said. The companies aren't talking. The Israeli business news site, TheMarker reported a possible hitch: European regulators may seek guarantees that user info held by Waze not be exploited by the spies at the U.S. National Security Agency. The voice navigation system was invented by a frustrated Israeli commuter and software designer named Ehud Shabtai, who, according to the company Web site, needed help following directions. With two partners, Shabtai founded the start-up in 2008 and two years later, the Waze app was widely available for download. Unlike traditional global positioning systems, or GPS, Waze is driven by "crowd-sourcing," which creates a kind of network effect. Each phone is tracked as it travels, and the information feeds into Waze servers that analyze speed, flow and routes in real time. Or as Waze puts it: "Outsmarting traffic. Together." Many Israeli drivers, traditionally, have not been too keen on the togetherness thing. But Waze may be steering them in another direction. "One of the features is that you can see and talk to other Wazers. There is a certain camaraderie," said Issamar Ginzberg, a business consultant and rabbi. "It's very interactive." The guidance system is popular in the United States, but here in Israel, Waze has become a kind of obsession. According to a company spokesperson, the app has been downloaded by about 90 percent of all Israeli drivers. More than 1.7 million Wazers were out on the Israeli roads last month. This is a country with only 2.5 million vehicles. "You use Waze, okay? It's free. It's Israeli. No problem," said Yossi Laor, who sells electronics in West Jerusalem, adding helpfully: "Everything else is garbage." He had fancy GPS units for sale in his shop but essentially said: Why bother? Newcomers to Israel are advised by friends — and complete strangers — to immediately download the app. "Waze it" has replaced "Google it" as a shorthand for getting driving instructions. "I was used to the old Israeli method of pulling over, talking to three different people and getting three different sets of directions," said Jay Ruderman, a former Bostonian who is now a resident of the southern Israeli town of Rehovot. "I will never go back to the old method." The more Wazers on the road, the better and more accurate the navigation and real-time information about traffic conditions. Waze takes this information and offers alternative routes. via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHw_qdJeS9aAHL-4G7YFgU9MZvI4w&url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israeli-drivers-forgo-gps-to-ride-waze-craze/2013/06/11/cf9bc3e2-d1b0-11e2-9577-df9f1c3348f5_story.html

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