Waze is a mashup of social networking and the GPS positi0n tracking chip that is embedded into every cell phone sold.  While this chip was included in order to allow the government a way of tracking the location of 911 calls, it’s also being used to turn smart phones into dashboard GPS units.

Most cell phone companies charge by the month or year for the “service” of giving their customers access to the GPS chip that they already paid for.  Actually, it’s not that unfair.  Keeping accurate information available for a GPS is, using the traditional business model, relatively costly.

Waze does it differently.  Instead of hiring folks to go out and locate changes to roads, Waze depends on it’s users to keep the data fresh.  As you use Waze, it get’s smarter about the area you are traveling in.  It keeps track of how fast vehicles go on each road and modifies it’s direction finding paradigm as it collects more data. Users are notified about changes in traffic condition and given an opportunity to avoid trouble spots.

The more that Waze is used in an area, the better it gets.

One of the more interesting parts of Waze is a reporting system.  When a user sees a speed trap, road construction or other road concerns, they can notify the service (and other nearby users) by pushing a button on the interface.  It’s possible to add a note too, but Waze disables text input while the vehicle is moving.

Click on the image for additional information on this product.

To use Waze efficiently, you really need a car mount for your iPhone.  My favorite so far is the Window Seat from Griffin Technology.  This is a suction cup mount system and includes a variety of mounts and parts to fit many different vehicles.  The mount captures the iPhone (comes with adapters for the 3G, 3Gs, original iPhone and iPod Touch) but leaves access to the charging port and audio jack.  I’m a fan.

Waze is going to change the way we think about automotive GPS units, and make driving a more cooperative experience.  To download your own free copy of Waze for your iPhone or Google Android power phone, click here.  Versions for Windows Mobile, Symbian smart phones and other devices are in the works.

This is the "innovation S curve". Actually, the curve extends and turns into a normal curve with a smaller number of late adopters and a long tail of rusting edgers.

In the world of technology innovation, there are the early adopters, the “me too’s” and yes, those who live on the rusting edge. I’ve owned my share of Apple gizmos over the years and in many cases, was one of first to go home with the latest, greatest.

Motorola Marco - The iPhone of 1996. This device was an Apple Newton MessagePad 100 with a built in packet switching radio. You could send and receive email messages and faxes (remember those?) from anywhere in the large footprint of the ARDIS network.

While cleaning the porch yesterday, I found a box of old Apple Newtons and even a Motorola Marco; the ‘way ahead of it’s time’ wireless device based on the Newton 100. I have a fond memory of sitting in a Sun server seminar. The trainer was doing a mail server demo.

All of a sudden, a ‘new mail’ alert popped up. Yes, I had sent a wireless email from my seat in the 5th row.

So it was surprising to my family and friends that I waited so long to drink the iPhone Koolaid™. Part of it was being tied to a contract with my former provider, but mostly it had to do with waiting for a couple of generations of early adopters to shake out the bugs and for Apple and AT&T to work out their codependency issues.

Things may still be a little confused in the corporate relationship world, but the iPhone 3Gs is a winner. It’s an amazing device and has become my constant companion.

Home of the "death star". AT&T corporate HQ in (where else?) Texas.

That’s not to say that there aren’t a few issues with the device. Mostly they have to do with AT&T’s policies but Apple also has some ‘splaining to do. For example, I’m writing this post on my iPhone. The on-screen keyboard is brilliant, but sitting in my travel drawer is a nice folding Bluetooth keyboard. Sadly, I can’t use it with my iPhone unless I choose to ‘jailbreak’ it, voiding my warranty, the EULA and according to some people, violating the law.

Then there is the whole issue of connectivity. I live in the fringe area of AT&T coverage. I get a good signal in the backyard but once I go inside, it’s hit-or-miss. How difficult would it be for AT&T to provide an automatic switchover to VOIP when the GSM network fades?

I suspect that between competitive pressures and governmental oversight, the network issues will soon disappear.  In the meantime, I promise to be a fan of the iPhone and a bit of a grump when it comes to the network.

Dave Brightbill is a researcher and writer and a long time MacGuy.