You can now listen to Audible on Waze

Waze is making it easier for you to catch up on your audiobooks as the navigation app welcomes Audible into its Audio Player Program. This means you get easy access to Audible's vast array of Audible Originals, audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio programs through Waze. Of course, you'll need to be an Audible member to use the feature.

To access the feature, open the Waze app and then tap on the music note icon. From there, select Audible as your audio player. If you're within the Audible app, you will also receive next turn directions from Waze. This integration has already begun rolling out.

Waze's Snow Alert helps you avoid unplowed roads

While this isn't a new feature, it's definitely a useful one as snow has started to descend in the Greater Toronto Area. Waze's Snow Warning feature lets you know if roads are coming up haven't been plowed. Since Waze relies on crowdsourcing, you can also report in real-time if you spot a road that hasn't been plowed. As expected, Waze Canada notes that reports of unplowed roads peaked around days with the most snowfall. 

"The trips Canadians make this winter will be to pick up essentials as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mike Wilson, Waze's Canada country manager. "We want to make sure these trips are as smooth as possible so people can focus on navigating safely to their destinations. Knowing which roads have been plowed—and flagging unplowed roads for others—can help drivers avoid difficult driving conditions and provide some extra peace of mind." 

Waze lets you plan your drive on your desktop with Live Map

With this new Waze feature, you don't need to wait until you get into the car to plot your drive. The app will let you save your planned drive to your Waze app using the Waze.com Live Map. The Live Map lets you use real-time data to save your itinerary directly to your mobile app with a single click, allowing you to plan your drive and find the best route before you step into your car. You will get time-to-leave notifications based on real-time traffic and the ability to start navigation quickly.

To use the feature, you'll need to head to the site and then input your route and desired arrival time. Select the "Save to app" option, and then your planned drive will show up on the app. The feature will be available to all users starting today.

Source: Waze

Waze partners with Clinia to help users find COVID-19 testing centres

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Waze has partnered with Montreal-based Clinia Health Inc. to help make it easier to locate COVID-19 testing and screening locations. Clinia draws information from public health departments to build a directory of testing centres across Canada. The database has over 340 data points, and the info on Waze is being refreshed a few times a week. It shows the information on testing and screening sites at hospitals, clinics, and mobile drive-through sites to show you what options are available to you.