navigation

If you regularly use a navigation app like Waze or Maps while driving, then you probably are no stranger to maddening interruptions while you are trying to listen to the radio or carry on a conversation with another passenger. Adding insult to injury, these apps will often repeat the exact same directions just seconds later. This can quickly become unbearable, especially if there are a lot of turns on your route. If you feel the same and are fine with just following on-screen directions, here's how to turn off turn-by-turn voice directions on Waze, Maps and Google Maps on iPhone:

The new Shortcuts app, which is a reboot of the old Workflow app that launched with iOS 12, lets you create simple programs that use a variety of apps to accomplish a task. For example, the Time Machine shortcut for Photos lets you quickly pull up all of your photos from one year ago. This is just one of hundreds of pre-programmed Shortcuts found in the app's Gallery. To use a shortcut you need to first add it to your Library from the Gallery.

Google-owned Waze ranks among the most popular navigation apps because of its real-time community based traffic reports that go above and beyond other apps in the category, with reports of potholes and other obstacles, red light cameras, police activity, speed traps and more. Like any app that is used while driving, its hands free features should be employed to avoid distraction. Waze wasn't always capable of voice control, so some long time users may not be aware that the feature was introduced later.

Arguably the best navigation app for your iPhone, Waze plans your route based on real-time crowdsourced information about the roadways. Using current data about accidents, construction, traffic jams, police activity and more, Waze will change your route accordingly, getting you to your destination via the fastest route available. One of its lesser known features allows you to schedule a drive for the future. Waze will then alert you when it is time to leave based on real-time road conditions.

Summer is just around the corner and with it comes the opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy nature. Getting away from the city for weekend camping trips, day hikes, mountain biking, rafting, rock climbing or whatever floats your boat, is a great way to do that, and while you may know the most popular attractions nearby, there are undoubtedly many overlooked gems. Crowd sourcing, as we are learning, is a very powerful tool, so why not apply it while deciding on what to do for your summer recreation (not to mention fall, winter and spring).