Don't know enough about the app to have a considered opinion about it but wow there are some hateful racist comments on that site.

Have you read the comments on that link?

Despicable.

You are more likely to get hurt zooming on the highway, than driving through the "ghetto."

That would be PERFECT for a place like Rio de Janeiro..... So many people have got lost in the favelas... True ghettos.

Why do I have the feeling this is an urban legend?

I would love it. Years ago before I had a GPS or smartphone, I got lost in Baltimore and stopped at a gas station to ask for directions. I'd been driving around for a while and was pretty desperate. Everyone in the gas station said they'd never heard of 95. Now that I am typing this, I wonder if that was true or if they didn't want to help me. I ended up buying a map and got myself home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/06/microsoft-patents-avoid-ghetto-feature-for-gps-devices/

What do you think?

Sign me up!

Do you live in DC? If so, how will you get home?

They will build a special "douchebag detour" option for him.

or better version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwBoa-NbNL8&feature=related

I wonder what would have happened if this family had this feature on the family truckster?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRJnEbt89w8

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/06/microsoft-patents-avoid-ghetto-feature-for-gps-devices/

What do you think?

Sign me up!

Do you live in DC? If so, how will you get home?

The spirit of the feature, I agree with, but I'm offended if the feature will be called "avoid ghetto". I'm hoping Microsoft isn't stupid enough to put their name behind such a thing. Really sick of this BS.

Anonymous wrote:http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/06/microsoft-patents-avoid-ghetto-feature-for-gps-devices/

What do you think?

Sign me up!

It's a great idea, but probably won't work in downtown Baltimore, Detroit, etc, etc. Sometimes its impossible to avoid high-crime areas (just like its impossible to avoid tolls). I once had a GPS 'route' me through Canada because it was trying to avoid all tolls.

Calling the feature "Avoid Ghetto" is offensive and misleading. I wonder how that term ended up in the news report given that it doesn't appear in the patent application and Microsoft refused to comment for the report. Did some "reporter" just make it up? From the patent application, here is the description of this feature:

"Production of the direction set can be based upon security information (e.g., avoiding unsafe neighborhoods), weather information (e.g., having a user travel indoors when rain is expected or taking place), terrain information (e.g., avoiding non-paved roads for an elderly pedestrian), or a combination thereof."

The feature sounds interesting and calling it "Avoid Ghetto" is really a disservice.

I think its good, I always end up on the ghetto! We were headed home from the Baltimore zoo and we ended up in pig town, it was scary! And wierd!

http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/01/06/microsoft-patents-avoid-ghetto-feature-for-gps-devices/

What do you think?