By 
Ex-Google China president Kai-Fu Lee announced today via the Wall Street Journal his intention to launch a brand new mobile operating system based around Android. The OS variant doesn’t stray far from its Android origins in naming, either, sticking with the food theme but going for something a bit heartier than dessert. The OS to be named Tapas won’t just be a simple re-skinning of Android, though the modifications being made hardly seem to warrant the need for a brand new OS.
Lee wants to add in software that detects the originating city of incoming calls, built-in contact syncing for Chinese social networks, and a lyric-gathering music player. Yeah, those all sound like things apps could (and have) taken care of, but OK. We are willing to see what else Tapas might offer.
[via MobileCrunch]
Sounds like the Chinese are stealing Android & adding Chi-comm ‘monitoring’ services.
Sounds a lot like the Michael Scott Paper Company.
Wow! Who would have seen a cheap Chinese knock-off coming?
“I have a great idea; let’s take something which already exists, change the name, add a few features which already exist as plugins and push it as our own product!”…
I wonder how happy Google will be at their Ex-employee here.
i wonder if they plan on selling this “NEW” OS
wow,could he be any more lame? Chinese knock-offs are becoming rediculous
LMAO!! How pathetic!!
If this is an example of his genius, it’s no wonder he no longer works at Google.
The is the world’s largest mobile market and there are plans for a Chinese based mobile phone offering. Perhaps this is it.. one would expect a Chinese offering to support Baidu the Chinese search engine, etc. over Google or Bing.
Another Ex-Google, another Cuil (search engine) kind of failed product??
China, the bootleg country.
a lot of in’s, a lot of out’s , a lot of what have ya’s.
For those of you who don’t know, Kai-Fu Lee was born in Taiwan. He represents a growing group of business leaders who spearheads the commercial cooperation between China and Taiwan.
“13. ak wrote on September 8, 2010
For those of you who don’t know, Kai-Fu Lee was born in Taiwan. He represents a growing group of business leaders who spearheads the commercial cooperation between China and Taiwan.”
AKA Communist simpathizer….
This reminds of of something Microsoft would do.
…as well as China…
There go the Chinese people again thinking they’re so much smarter than we are and yet still stealing another American idea. They are no smarter than the Mexicans they just steal American ideas.
How the hell did Google not have this motherfucker locked down in a Noncompete!?!?!? This is one of the more ridiculous tech news headlines I have seen since Apple filed the patent infringement case against HTC.
@Nathan But Microsoft would leave it closed source.
Whats the problem. The chinese have taken an open source product and are making it better. Hell, I bet they will even start selling into US and undercut American wages in the process. The bottom line is Android is open and free and as a result even though US know how created it…the chinese will ultimately benefit from it at the cost of US jobs. Big deal.
I think the guy saw the possibility of marketing to China alone since the Chinese Government hates Google already and is “banning” google’s Android in China. Then again I could be wrong
JC said: “Sounds a lot like the Michael Scott Paper Company”
LOL, that made my night!