With its new theme, Waze is out of this world!

Even though Waze is owned by Google, you wouldn't confuse it with Google Maps. Google Maps is not only about getting from point "A" to point "B" safely and quickly, it is also about where you can stay, eat, and be entertained when you arrive at "B." Waze is more about the journey. Using crowdsourced information from fellow Wazers, you'll know where the speed traps are, and which roads to avoid due to accidents, and the app will spit out the route that will get you to your destination in the fastest time.

Waze has just announced a new Alien driving experience that it says will "help us earthly creatures navigate the roads without winding up on a distant planet." With the new theme, drivers will be able to update their mood (which is how they appear on the Waze map to themselves and others) to Cosmic, Spacey, or Supernova. And a new "sleek and speedy" Hover Car will represent your vehicle on the Waze map.

If you use your own voice for Waze navigation directions, make sure to be very clear when recording

To get to the Alien voices and moods in the Waze app, tap on the hamburger three-line icon menu on the upper left corner of the screen. Go to Settings > Voice & sound > Waze voice. To change to the Hover Car, go to Settings > Map display > Car icon. The update might not have hit your phone yet as it was not available on my iPhone 11 Pro Max running iOS 16.6 or my Pixel 6 Pro running the latest Android 14 Beta version.

One of the cool things that you can do on Waze is listen to your own voice giving you the turn-by-turn directions. All you need to do is record yourself via the app repeating certain phrases. To do this, go to Settings > Voice and sound > Add a voice.

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