How to Turn Your Commute into a Trip to Bikini Bottom

How to Turn Your Commute into a Trip to Bikini Bottom

Turn your daily drive into an adventure with SpongeBob guiding the way. Waze’s newest voice option brings nautical fun to your commute.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

December 12, 2025

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Traffic jams are inevitable, but boredom does not have to be. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Commute with SpongeBob.

Waze has partnered with Nickelodeon to bring the nautical nonsense of SpongeBob SquarePants directly to your dashboard just in time for his latest cinematic adventure.

Are You Ready, Kids?

Driving apps are usually utilitarian tools designed to shave minutes off your commute, but Waze distinguishes itself by making the drive entertaining. 

The latest limited-time "Drive with SpongeBob" experience transforms your navigation into a journey through Bikini Bottom.

This feature is not just a voice skin. 

It is a complete thematic overhaul that includes SpongeBob’s enthusiastic turn-by-turn directions, a custom "Patty Blaster" vehicle icon, and a whimsical Mood for your profile. 

Whether you are a parent trying to keep kids entertained on the school run or a nostalgic millennial reliving the golden age of cartoons, this integration adds a layer of joy to the daily grind.

What You’ll Gain

• Entertainment: Replace robotic commands with SpongeBob’s iconic laugh and optimism.
• Visual Fun: Swap your boring arrow for the legendary Patty Blaster.
• Nostalgia: A fully immersive experience for fans of the franchise.

Step-by-Step Instructions

You can activate the full experience in one tap or configure individual settings manually.

Method 1: The Quick Activation (Banner)

1. Open the Waze app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Look for the "Drive with SpongeBob" banner in the main menu.
3. Tap Activate. This will instantly change your Voice, Car Icon, and Mood to the SpongeBob theme.

fig. 1 - Drive with SpongeBob

Method 2: Manual Configuration (Mix and Match)

If you want the voice but not the car (or vice versa), use these steps:

To Change the Voice:

1. Open the Waze app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Tap the three line menu followed by the Settings (gear) icon.
3. Select Voice & sound.
4. Tap Waze voice.
5. Scroll down to the Promotional or English (US) section.
6. Select SpongeBob SquarePants.

To Change the Car Icon:

1. Go back to Settings.
2. Tap Map display.
3. Select Car icon.
4. Choose Patty Blaster.

To Change Your Mood:

1. Tap the three line menu.
2. Tap your User Name/Profile at the top.
3. Select Mood.
4. Choose the SpongeBob ("Brave") mood.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• High Engagement: Keeps passengers and children amused during long drives.
• Clarity: Despite the character voice, the directional instructions remain clear and accurate.
• Free: This is a promotional tie-in, so it requires no subscription.

Cons

• Repetition: SpongeBob's high-pitched enthusiasm can become grating during serious traffic or stressful driving moments.
• Limited Time: Like most Waze partnerships, this will likely expire after the movie's promotional window closes (expected January 2026).
• Visual Clutter: The custom moods can sometimes make the map feel busier than the standard view.

Feature Access

• Availability: Currently available on Waze for iOS and Android.
• Region: Rolling out globally, though voice commands are primarily in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
• Cost: Free for all users.
• Timeline: Launched early December 2025; expected to run through January 2026 to support The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.

Score

Criterion  |  Score (0–10)  |  Justification

Value 7

It is a free, fun addition, though purely cosmetic with no navigation performance boost.

Usability 9

Extremely easy to activate via the banner; instructions are clear despite the character voice.

Wow Factor 10

The "Patty Blaster" icon and authentic voice acting provide an instant delight for fans.

Total: 26/30  🌟 Excellent

A must-try for families and fans. It adds a layer of whimsy to the driving experience that Google Maps simply cannot match.

Key Takeaways

• Immersive Theme: You get a Voice, Car Icon, and Mood, not just audio.
• Easy Toggle: You can switch back to a professional voice instantly if the novelty wears off.
• Limited Time: Enjoy it while it lasts, as licensing deals usually remove these voices after a few months.

Cool Tip Snapshot

• Feature Name: Drive with SpongeBob
• Platform(s): iOS, Android
• Quick Benefit: Makes driving fun with character voices and custom vehicle icons.
• Access Type: Free (Limited Time Promotion)

Try It Yourself

Open Waze today and tap the "Drive with SpongeBob" banner to transform your car into the Patty Blaster for your drive home tonight. 

Be sure to leave a comment below on your favorite Waze voice, subscribe to the One Cool Tip newsletter, and share this nautical tip with your friends!

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• MORE Waze Cool Tips

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Rodger Mansfield, a seasoned technology expert and editor of OneCoolTip.com, transforms complex tech into practical advice for everyday users. His Cool Tips empower readers to stay productive, secure, and one step ahead in the digital world.

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Drive With the Wizard of Oz on Waze

Drive With the Wizard of Oz on Waze

Waze now lets you make your daily drives more whimsical by enabling a Wizard of Oz-themed experience, complete with voices, characters, and map styles from the classic. Here’s what it does, how to turn it on, what works well (and not so well), and whether it’s more novelty than productivity boost.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

September 28, 2025

Ever wanted Dorothy, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion guiding your route instead of a generic GPS voice? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Drive with the Wizard of Oz on Waze.

Waze’s new Wizard of Oz overlay brings just that: when activated, characters chime in with navigation prompts ("turn left," "heavy traffic ahead") and sprinkle in memorable lines from the original film. 

You can also choose your “mood” (how your avatar appears), e.g. “Ruby Slippers” and drive a stylized “Emerald” classic car on the map. 

This isn’t just a gimmick dropped out of nowhere. 

How to Master Waze’s Camera Alerts Before They Catch You

How to Master Waze’s Camera Alerts Before They Catch You

Waze now warns drivers about more than just speed traps. From red-light cameras to mobile phone checks, the app helps you tailor alerts to your commute and avoid costly surprises.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

September 4, 2025

You’re driving to work, music playing, traffic steady. 

Then Waze announces: “Camera ahead.” 

Instantly, you check your speed. 

These moments are why camera alerts matter. 

Waze has expanded the range of enforcement cameras it reports, making the app more than just a shortcut to dodge traffic. 

What the Feature Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters

The Waze app doesn’t flag only speed cameras anymore. 

It now covers red-light cameras, stop-sign enforcement, HOV lanes, bus-lane violations, mobile phone use, seat-belt checks, noise cameras, and even “safe distance” alerts.

These alerts are fueled by the Waze community and, in some cases, official data. 

The point is not only to help you avoid a fine but also to keep you aware of the driving rules that vary from place to place. 

For anyone who travels often, or for business users who drive new routes every week, that heads-up can be invaluable.

Find EV Charging Stations Faster with Waze

Find EV Charging Stations Faster with Waze

If you drive an EV, Waze’s built-in EV charging station search feature can save you serious time, stress, and battery anxiety. Learn exactly how to use it, plus why it’s a smart move for every EV owner.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

July 6, 2025

Ever pulled into a random parking lot only to discover the nearest charging station was miles away and you’re running on 3%? 

You’re not alone. 

EV drivers have long wrestled with the “where-do-I-charge” conundrum. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Find EV Charging Stations Faster with Waze.

Waze, the community-powered navigation app, can be a lifesaver when you need to recharge. 

It recently improved how you can search for EV charging stations directly in the app, cutting down on range anxiety and wasted detours.

One Cool Ride: Groove to Your Destination with Chaka Khan on Waze

One Cool Ride: Groove to Your Destination with Chaka Khan on Waze

Want to add some soul to your daily commute? Waze lets you navigate with the legendary Chaka Khan, providing voice guidance that’s as smooth as her vocals. This Cool Tip details how to bring that "Sweet Thing" vibe to your drive.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

March 18, 2025

Have you ever wished your GPS could give you directions with a little more flair? 

Tired of the same old robotic voices guiding you through traffic? 

What if you could have a music icon tell you when to turn? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Drive with Chaka on Waze!

Waze is making those dreams a reality. 

Waze, the popular community-based traffic and navigation app, has introduced a limited-time feature that allows users to swap their standard navigation voice for the iconic voice of Chaka Khan. 

This collaboration brings a unique and entertaining twist to the everyday commute, transforming mundane drives into funky adventures.

What is "Drive with Chaka Khan on Waze"?

For the Horde! Navigate Your World with Waze & Thrall

For the Horde! Navigate Your World with Waze & Thrall

Waze users can now embark on journeys with the legendary Warchief of the Horde, Thrall, as their guide. This new feature offers World of Warcraft fans an immersive navigation experience complete with Thrall's iconic voice, themed moods, and a fearsome Red Drake vehicle icon.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 10, 2024

Imagine cruising down the highway, not with the monotonous drone of a generic GPS voice, but with the booming commands of Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, guiding your every turn.  

Here's a Cool Tip: Add Thrall to your Waze Navigation.

Thanks to a recent collaboration between Waze and World of Warcraft, this fantasy is now a reality!  

Throwback: Running Out of Gas? Let Waze Show You the Best Prices

Throwback: Running Out of Gas? Let Waze Show You the Best Prices

Waze isn't just for navigation! Discover how to use this powerful app to find the cheapest gas near you, and how you can contribute to the community by reporting gas prices yourself.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

August 25, 2024 - First published October 9, 2015

All hail the mighty power of Waze.

We've told you how the Waze app can help you navigate your next drive by avoiding congestion, police and road hazards.

But it's also a great way to find the best gas prices too.

You can find the closest stations to you as well as brands and current prices.

Bust Traffic Congestion With Ghostbusters on Waze

Get ready to navigate the roads in style with the new Ghostbusters theme on Waze!  This limited-time theme transforms your navigation experience into a spooktacular adventure.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

March 21, 2024

Are you tired of the same old navigation voice? 

Do you wish you could bust through traffic jams with some supernatural assistance? 

Here's a Cool Tip.  Buckle up and get ready to proton-pack your commute because the Ghostbusters are coming to Waze!

Google has teamed up with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic Ghostbusters franchise to its popular navigation app. 

For a limited time, you can transform your Waze experience with a complete Ghostbusters makeover.

Here's how to do it.

• Open the Waze app.
• Tap the three lines icon or "My Waze".
• Select the Settings gear icon.
• Tap "Customize your drive".
• Select "Drive with Ghostbusters in Frozen Empire".
• You can also switch your car icon to the legendary Ecto-1 and even choose a Ghostbuster "Mood" to reflect your feeling on the road.

fig. 1 - Waze - Drive with Ghostbusters Setting

Busting the Boredom of Driving

The Ghostbusters theme in Waze offers a fresh and entertaining way to navigate. 

It replaces the standard navigation voice with a paranormal expert - Ray Stantz , voiced by actor Dan Ackroyd,  guiding you through the streets.  

Imagine hearing updates like "there's some strange traffic activity ahead" instead of the typical turn-by-turn directions. 

This adds a fun and nostalgic layer to your commute.

The Ecto-1 Makes Navigation Cool

The option to transform your car icon into the legendary Ecto-1 is a delightful bonus in this theme. 

As you navigate in Waze, your location on the map is represented by the iconic ghost-hunting vehicle!

Get It While It's Hot

Remember, the Ghostbusters theme is only available in Waze for a limited time. 

So bust a move to your app store and update Waze to experience this thrilling collaboration. 

It's a great way to add some spooktacular fun to your daily drives.

Don't miss out! 

Update Waze now and start bustin' traffic with the Ghostbusters!

Enjoy!

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READ MORE

• Ditch the App?  Navigate the Roads with Waze on the Web
• Drive Safer with the New Waze Crash History Feature
• How to Share Your Location and ETA with Google Maps

Rodger Mansfield, a seasoned tech expert, is the mastermind behind OneCoolTip.com, where he serves as both writer and editor. With a keen eye for simplifying complex tech, Rodger delivers practical advice that empowers readers to navigate the digital world with confidence. Dive into OneCoolTip.com for a treasure trove of savvy tips and tricks that keep you one step ahead in tech.

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Ditch the App? Navigate the Roads with Waze on the Web!

Stuck in traffic, phone glued to your dashboard, wishing you could check Waze without taking your eyes off the road? 

Here's a Cool Tip. Use Waze on the web! 

Did you know that you can use Waze on a PC?

But before you ditch the app entirely, let's explore the hows and whys of this web-based navigation revolution.

Ever get stuck in a dead end just because your phone ran out of battery? 

Or longed to plan your route on a bigger screen before hitting the road? 

Waze on the Web solves these woes and more. 

Access real-time traffic updates, find gas stations, report hazards, and even earn points - all without draining your phone's battery or squinting at a tiny screen.

How to Navigate with Waze Web:

• Head to: https://www.waze.com/ on your desktop or laptop.
• Allow location access. 
• Waze needs to know where you are to show you relevant traffic and directions.
• Enter your destination and choose your preferred route. 
• Waze on the Web shows real-time traffic conditions so you can avoid jams and choose the fastest path.
• See live traffic updates, accidents, police traps, and even gas prices along your route. 
• Report hazards, accidents, and road closures to help other drivers on the road. 
• Save your driving route instructions to your mobile phone Waze app by selecting the "Save to app" button.
• The Best of Both Worlds!

fig. 1 - Waze on the Web

Use Waze on the Web on your laptop to research the best route, avoid construction zones, and find gas stations along the way.

So, ditch the app (or don't!) and explore the possibilities of Waze Web. 

Remember, the road less traveled might just be the one you see on a bigger screen!

Enjoy!

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READ MORE

• Drive Safer with the New Waze Crash History Feature
• How to Use the New Waze Alien Theme
• How to Share Your Location and ETA with Google Maps
• Discover the Power of What3Words

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Drive Safer with the New Waze Crash History Feature

Are you a frequent Waze user?

Do you worry about encountering accidents on your daily commute?

Here's a Cool Tip. Waze Crash History.

Waze introduced a new feature, Waze Crash History, which is designed to enhance your driving experience and promote safer road conditions.

This innovative feature utilizes historical crash data and real-time reports from fellow Waze users to alert you about accident-prone areas along your route.

Here's how to use it.

• Keep your Waze app updated to the latest version to access the Crash History feature.
• Enable Crash History Alerts: Navigate to Settings > Alerts & Reports > Reports > Enable "Alert while driving"
• While driving, Waze will display alerts for roads with a history of crashes.

fig. 1 - Waze Crash History Warning

A few notes:

• Alerts may not appear for roads that you drive on frequently.
• If your route has multiple roads with a history of crashes, Waze only alerts you of the most critical ones.
• One alert may appear for multiple affected roads in the same area.

Check out Waze for your next driving adventure.

You can download Waze:  iPhone/iPad and Google Play.

You can also visit Waze.com.

Enjoy!

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READ MORE

• How to Use the New Waze Alien Theme
• How to Share Your Location and ETA with Google Maps
• Discover the Power of What3Words

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Cool Tech Tips for a Cooler Life

#Google @Google #Waze #CrashHistory #DrivingSafety #RoadAwareness #InformedDriving #Navigation #TechTips #OneCoolTip @OneCoolTip

How to Use the New Waze Alien Theme

Are you a fan of space aliens?

Here's a Cool Tip: The New Alien theme in the Waze app!

This theme lets you customize your car icon and navigation voice to make it look and sound like you're driving a spaceship.

fig. 1 - Waze Alien Theme

Here's how to do it:

• Open the Waze app on your mobile phone.
• Tap on the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left corner.
• Select Settings.
• Tap on Voice & sound.
• Under Waze voice, select English (US)  - Alien.
• Go back to Settings
• Tap on Map display.
• Under Car icon, select Ghost Car.

The Aliens theme is a fun and creative way to customize your Waze experience.

Whether you're a fan of aliens or just looking for a way to add a little bit of fun to your commute, the Aliens theme is a great option.

Enjoy!

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READ MORE

• Waze Now Lets You Record and Share Your Own Turn-by-Turn Navigation Audio 2017
• Avoid That Speeding Ticket. Waze App Now Warns With Speed Limits 2016
• Running Out of Gas?  Let Waze Show You the Best Prices 2015

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Waze Now Lets You Record and Share Your Own Turn-by-Turn Navigation Audio

We love Waze, Google's crowd-sourced navigation and traffic app.

From real-time predictive arrival times and the ability for you and your fellow commuters to report hazards and traffic problems, Waze is the best mobile navigation app.

From time to time, Waze has promoted celebrity voices who offered turn-by-turn navigation.  These have included Stephen Colbert, Mr. T and C3PO.

But now Waze lets users to create their own custom audio and also the ability to share that audio with others.

Here's how to record your voice directions:

• Open Waze app on your mobile phone.
• Tap the Hamburger men (three lines)
• Tap Settings.
• Tap Voice and sound.
• Tap Waze voice.
• Tap Add a voice.
• Click OK on the Safety Warning screen (after reading!)
• Tap Name your voice.
• Tap Enter a name for your custom voice to give your set of recordings a name. 
• Tap Done.
• Tap on the type of direction you'd like to record, 
• Tap the record icon  to start recording and stop  when you've finished recording. 
• To play your recording back, tap the play icon .
• Tap Save.

A few suggestions when making and using the custom voice navigation:

• Be accurate when recording your custom navigation.  Safety first!  
• Your voice recording is saved locally.  So it is possible that it can be deleted when you uninstall the Waze app.
• Did you read the warning above about being accurate when making a custom recording?  Safety first!
• Custom voice navigation is not as complete as the normal voice navigation options.  Use a custom voice when you are familiar with your travel plans and destinations.  Use the default voice options when you need more precise street names for your audio navigation.

You can also share your customer voice navigation with others.  

Here's how:

• Tap the Hamburger menu (three lines) then Settings .
• Tap Voice and sound.
• Tap Waze Voice.
• Tap Share  on iOS or  on Android and then Share again on the voice you want to share.
• Choose your preferred method (SMS, email, etc.). and select the recipient.

Send your voice recording to friends and they'll hear your recorded directions while navigating with Waze.

Check out this custom voice:

Rodger's Wild Ride (Waze Custom Voice Navigation)

READ MORE

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• Running Out of Gas?  Let Waze Show You the Best Prices
• Waze is Your "Must Have" Driving App
• Waze Knows Where You Are Going
• Use the New Low Power Mode in iOS 9 to Extend Your iPhone Battery Life
• Siri, What Flights are Overhead?
• Try These Top 5 Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

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