So, in recent news. France has elected a non-insane President (or so it seems for now), Rev Asia was acquired by Media Prima and Waze now allows you record a custom voice to give you directions as you drive around town (currently only available on the Android version).
As noted by The Verge, most of the ordinary population hates the sound of their own voices, so this will probably be used to record the sound of loved ones.
As Malaysians number among the top 5 when it comes to worldwide Waze users, it’s not a far cry to expect more of us to be driving around with customised voices and instructions in the future.
We gave it a go on our own apps, and there are really quite a few instructions to record. Just make sure you don’t mix up your lefts and rights, or you might be in for some trouble when you’re actually on the road.
This new feature got us thinking about other voices we’d rather hear on the Waze app, and the list starts with…
1. Bring back Tony!
Not Stark, Fernandes.
For a brief, happy time, we were able to receive navigation instructions from the boss of AirAsia himself, and we loved it. He called us captain! “All set, Captain.”
2. A Secret Agent
James Bond might be a bit dated, but the classy British accent is timeless. However, a voice that treats you as a fellow secret agent would be a great addition to the app, particularly if it starts throwing out genteel curses when you’re caught in traffic.
In conjunction with the new Kingsman release, we figure Colin Firth would be ideal for this role. Or maybe Dame Judi Dench could take a while out of her busy schedule to reprise her role as M just for the recording.
3. Scarlet Johansson
She might be known for her face and her role in action films, but she’s also done a few voice roles, most notably as Samantha as Her, Kaa in the live action remake of The Jungle Book and Ash in Sing.
Her voice, characteristically raspy, isn’t typical of your Hollywood leading lady, and that’s what makes her stand out. Just try not to fall in love with her voice, there’s already been a whole movie on how that didn’t work out.
4. Morgan Freeman
What voice could be better that the smooth velvety tones of Morgan Freeman, almost reminiscent of a higher power telling you what’s the best route home?
We had a bit of a discussion on this one, and a small but vocal faction wanted David Attenborough instead. Both Morgan and David just sound like the classic narrators, so rather than being instructed, it will feel like our lives are being narrated as we drive.
5. Sofia Vergara
“JAAAAAY! Maaaannyyyy!”
Sofia’s accent is unmistakable and we’re counting on more people being amused rather than annoyed when it comes to using her as the voice of Waze. At the very least, you probably won’t fall asleep at the wheel with her as your navigator.
For the old-schoolers, we can’t go wrong with Fran Drescher of The Nanny fame, though her voice will probably get on your nerves past the second traffic light. A Malaysian twist? Perhaps give King Coco a listen.
BONUS: I am Groot!
Let’s be realistic, having Vin Diesel’s Groot give directions in Waze would be both a dream come true and a nightmare. We’ll probably get hopelessly lost wherever we’re driving to (or in an accident because we’d have to keep looking at our phones).
We’d like an option for Baby Groot too please.
It’s not really a feature that improves the overall functionality of Waze to have your very own customised voice giving directions, but it’s a fun trick to have.
Now can we have an option that will actually pronounce our road names right? Try listen to Waze attempt to say something as simple as Jalan Masjid for some real laughs.
Should we do an all-Malaysian list of voices we’d like to hear on our Waze apps instead? Let us know in the comments!
