Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Waze is great for fast reroutes and real-time driver alerts. Google Maps has deep Gemini integration and more features. Both apps keep improving, but which one is truly the best? The internet is loaded with claims that Waze leaves Google Maps in the dust. But is that really true? I'm a longtime Google Maps (and Google Earth ) user. I swear by it and regularly side-eye anyone who says otherwise (especially, god forbid , Apple Maps users). Also:  Master your navigation: 41 hidden Google Maps settings you should know I'm a tech editor, though, so I do my best to set aside personal bias in the name of journalism. Every now and then, I force myself to try alternative navigation apps , and that includes Waze, which, in case you didn't know, Google acquired it in 2013. So, if you're looking for a feature-by-feature breakdown of how Waze actually compares to Google Maps, you've come to the right place.…