Avoid the Red!
I’ve heard of some crazy phone apps but none crazier than Microsoft’s “Avoid Ghetto” phone app. Well that not the exact name of the app but lets be real, when they say “Unsafe Neighborhoods,” you don’t mean the west side of Woodstock, Illinois. TheWeek.com gives us the lowdown.
What exactly is this app?
Last week, Microsoft was awarded a patent for a feature on GPS devices. The feature, which will reportedly be part of future Windows phones, takes into account weather and crime statistics when suggesting routes for pedestrians. According to the patent filing, the technology will help a user avoid passing through an “unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures.”
It’s not really called the “avoid ghetto” app, right?
No. That’s simply what many commentators have dubbed it. And “the ‘avoid ghetto’ tag is a bit of a misnomer,” says David Murphy at PC Mag. “Microsoft seems to want its users to be able to avoid any and all transit headaches.”
And people are poking fun at it?
Some are. This app, says Supermercado at WorkItLA, is “perfect for all your racist friends.” And “what if someone using a route from this system does get mugged, shot, assaulted, or robbed?” wonders Chris Matyszczyk at CNET. “Would they feel entitled to sue Microsoft because the route was supposed to be ‘ghetto-free’?” Well, before we laugh this off too much, says Anna North at Jezebel, we should acknowledge that this app could actually help women avoid rape. If Microsoft includes “rape states in their route recommendations, they may be arming ladies with some extra information.”
Oh click here for the definition of the word Ghetto. The reason why I prefer the hood.
