By 
A region where Google has been making inroads with its Android operating system is hopeful Google will acknowledge their culture with future Android releases. Individuals from the India tech community are banding together to campaign for regional desserts to be considered as names for the next version of Android.
Google’s announcement that the next version of Android would be dubbed KitKat sparked graduates from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) to push for the use of lassi — a thick, yogurt-based drink popular in southeast Asia — as the followup. Another group comprised of Indian tech startups wants Google to consider ‘ladoo,’ a different Indian sweet.
A group from IIT Kharagpur has written an open letter to Google’s Sundar Pichai, arguing that India’s consumer support of the Android operating system warrants the use of a name familiar with locals. They are also hoping to appeal to Pichai on a personal level. He is a graduate of IIT Kharagpur.
Naming the next version of Android ‘lassi’ or ‘ladoo’ would be a great gesture by Google, but it probably isn’t going to happen. Google has shown no penchant to stray away from desserts more familiar with western audiences. The selection of KitKat for the latest name also suggests Google might be heading toward more corporate tie-ins for future versions.
Yesterday we predicted the future of Android version names, and lassi and ladoo were, perhaps not surprisingly, nowhere on our list. What do you guys thing? Should Google listen to the voice of India’s growing group of Android users?
[via ZDNet]
Screw that, Android originated here in the west.
Totally agree…..Android was created in the US and then shared with the rest of the world so anything Android needs to START here in the states and then make it’s way to the rest of the world. With that being said it only makes sense to stick with the current naming system we have. As soon as Google tries to please everyone their OS standards will drop all due to the focus on the F’n name. Stupid Indian people quit crying and leave Google be.
Uh it was just a small group of people who suggested this, don’t make blanket statements like “stupid Indian people”.
so the olympics should have never came to the US because it originated in Europe?
The guy in charge of Android is Indian
Eclair originated in France. Gingerbread have French and German origins. Honeycomb is a structure created in nature. Ice cream was created in China and modernized in Italy. The Ice cream sandwich is derived from English trifles. Jelly beans were derived from a soft jelly sweet that originated in Turkey. Kit Kat was created by Nestle, hence originated in UK
It looks like Google’s naming convention is “desserts” or “sweet treats”, not “sweet treats that are created in the US”
they are treats that google is familiar with. Hiroshi Lockheimer (android dev) liked to eat kitkats so they named it after that. It’s really that simple.
I don’t argue with that idea at all. My point simply is that we shouldn’t be so arrogant as to say that Android is created in the US so anything Android related needs to start here. Google is a multinational company and Android has been developed by brilliant people from all over the world.
Yes, i see your point but it’s not like France, Germany or any other country ever asked/begged/campaigned in order to get there desired name. If this goes through think of the other handful of countries that would ask for the next version to be named after their favorite dessert.
As an Android dev, I’m thrilled that the community is getting involved in all aspects of the OS. I’m looking at this like a playful competition that might result in some really good ideas. The spirit of Android is strengthened by the community (and well wishers) so we shouldn’t mind that any country campaigns for names. I’m sure that only the best name will be selected.
Yeah screw that, the rest of the world doesn’t know what the hell a ladoo is.. Also we don’t want or damn support being in india to being with!!!
-.-
Is your screen name what people shout at you when you spout these crazy notions?
We’re now having open letters and campaigns? I think they are missing the point. The name is supposed to be fun and spontaneous-not something carefully selected to appeal to a specific marketing demographic.
Seriously.
Looking forward to Android Ladyfinger (hope they choose the middle one for the statue!)
*grin*
…and the followup version, Android Fish Fingers & Custard.
I agree and their campaign just doesn’t make sense. From a marketing standpoint, it will be hard to make those names appealing. The Google execs would have to be smoking some grade-a ganja to consider choosing “KhajuKatli” over KitKat. Everyone knows what KitKat it so it was an excellent choice.
Kaju katli (also known as Kaju Katri or Kaju barfi) is an Indian dessert similar to a Barfi ? WTH?
Barfi. yeah, that’s really going to work
Ok then? That’s still not gonna work.
Yes, “KitKat” was soooo spontaneous that even the Android dev team were using KLP and it’s choice was clearly nothing to do with marketing [rolls eyes]
one of the android devs likes to eat kitkats so it rolled along from there
Or Google is basically an advertising company and they found an additional way to monetize android ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o2qeU4RSuA
ladoo sounds gay
Didn’t know a drink could have a sexuality.
Guess you weren’t around for Zima. :P
ladoo isnt a drink lol
/well lassi is
Not sure about America, but you can buy those drinks in the UK in Indian restaurants, it helps with the spices so not totally unknown :-)
Ladoo is not a drink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laddu
Ahh sorry I was thinking they both were as lassi is.
Yea indian restaurants in the u.s. also sell mango lassi. And i’m going to go out on a limb here and guess indian restaurants in china/southeast asia, also sell lassi.
+100000 for each post so far. Screw ladoo
How is India thinking the world should revolve around it better than America thinking the world revolves around it?
campaigning for one desert name is not thinking the world revolves around it. That’s like complaining that a country is self centered because they are campaigning to get the olympics.
An Indian sweet is fine as long as it is worldwide popular — or is a hidden diamond that would snowball with the exposure that comes with an android version being named after it.
Something not much mentioned in these discussions on version names is Google’s bringing more updates in through Google Services. I imagine Kit Kat is going to last a lot longer than jelly bean has. We might not hit licorice lassi ladoo till 2015.
you mean licorice lemon lime lollipop
Agreed, Baklava for instance is internationally known and loved. Ladoo is not.
I actually know what Baklava is and enjoy it. Lassi or Ladoo sound so weird to me. I agree with you, it has to be something the whole world knows at least a little.
I disagree. No one knows what that is. Nothing against India but I don’t think it’s a good idea at all.
I’m from India and I don’t agree either haha its an awful idea
they sell mango lassi at pretty much every indian restaurant worldwide, you should get out more.
Max. Practically everywhere in the world yet it’s unknown. Cut it out
Based on the comments on this thread, people would conclude that Android is the preferred operating system of ignorant bigots of immeasurable magnitude. Bigots sitting in their moms basements imagining their superiority over others. Fortunately, bright people all over the planet have been part of the Android community, and the childlike bigotry expressed here is from a meaningless minority.
I bet you feel all superior and enlightened now. Good for you, sport.
I actually find it a little bit bigotted that this group of Indians were ‘disappointed’ by Google that they didn’t choose a name that really only meaningful to them, over the globally recognized one they did choose.
its not bigoted to campaign for one dish that is culturally important to “only” a billion people. It would be reverse bigotry? if they wanted all android names to only be Indian deserts and they get angry (not disappointed) if they every choose anything else.
I don’t think it’s bigoted but it would cause resentments from all the other billions of people in the world who didn’t get their favorite dessert in because they couldn’t afford a campaign. It takes the fun when people start organizing political campaigns over a name.
i’m not saying Google needs to do this or has to even entertain this idea, but i fail to see the big deal. But I don’t see any reason for there to be any resentment because a handful of people really like one want their desert to be chosen. I don’t really care for ice cream sandwiches but i wasnt upset they went with that name. I just really fail to see the cause for resentment from any logical individual.
On one hand it’ll be cool if every letter was a different international desert and it would spark people to try new treats, on the other hand, i might think its less of a cute name if i never heard of the desert so i might want something to resonate with… which is what they are saying.
I couldn’t care less either. It’s really nothing worth having a fit over. No one is not going to buy an android device, or going to chose not to update their phone because its a desert from a different country.
People will find ways to feel resentments once you have this side vs another. It doesn’t even have to be about any ideology. Just watch any soccer (or any other sport) game
Relax there are only like two people that posted any ignorant or bigoted comments, that shouldn’t rustle your jimmies… Just flag the comments.
No offense to the Indian nation, but Lassi sounds like a dog to the American Ear, and Ladoo sounds like something Lassi does to Timmy when he’s stuck in the well and has pissed her off…
Lol this made my day
If the next version of Android was named lassi I would find it delicious. (Have that many people really never had a mango lassi?!). I’ve never tried ladoo and to be fair it doesn’t have to be the next version of android and it doesn’t have to be an indian sweet but I am all for international desserts being used as names. If they can name Android 4.4 Kitkat really anything is fair game.
Well to be fair, all of their choices so far have been pretty freaking international. So again, it’s this group of Indians being bigoted here, not Google. Though if you assume they’re not taking themselves TOO seriously, maybe it’s not being bigotted but it’s just a weird obsession with wanting to influence the naming.
I actually prefer a savory lassi or the sweetened. The mango doesn’t do it for me.
Eclair IS French you know…
True,but eclair dessert is internationally popular even here in philippines
No one would know how to pronounce it.
Seriously? It’s LAH DEW. I’ll let that sink into your thick skull for a second. It’s not hard at all to pronounce.
Just the fact that you had to tell me how to pronounce it proves my point. BTW, I know how to pronounce it, but the general population would not.
Sorry guys it is most likely (99% sure) going to be called “Licorice”. Some inside info. You guys are wasting your time.
yeah same source that claimed it would be key lime pie
Never underestimate the power of corporate marketing power, it will probably end up as:
Android Life Savers®
Get the latest android OS is one of 5 delicious flavors!
Life Savers…love it.
Some of the comments here sound like the comments on a Fox News article. Calm down, it is a fun little campaign from a country where Android is used by the overwhelming majority of smartphone users.
It isn’t going to happen, so keep the bigoted BS out of it.
I haven’t seen one bigoted comment posted here…don’t be so sensitive just because most here (so far) don’t like the idea. I can’t speak for others, but I’ve never heard of Lassi or Ladoo before reading this article…I’m Canadian BTW.
They cleaned the thread up, there were some pretty bad ones.
I came late, I guess. Touchy article to begin with…my apologies.
I’ve been guilty of this too, but…
We all just need to “realize” that our comments are viewed by many and should be directed towards the article and not make personal attacks at other’s opinions.
Glad to see the moderators are doing their job…bigotry should never be tolerated on any forum.
It’s not a good idea. Both Lassi (Not Dessert) and Ladoo (Dessert) are delicious but I don’t think they make very good names for Android versions. I get the sentiment behind it. Make they name one of the minor versions releases and call it something Indian as dedication
The next version of Android will be named lager.
I second that
Beer for breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND dessert? Guinness then?
Android is AMERICAN, therefore the names should be too
In that case almost all Android OS names given so far need to be changed.
Obvious troll is obvious.
As another poster pointed out, nearly all of the names have not been American and actually originated from other countries. They just choose names that are well known around the world, regardless of origin.
Simply put, you’re dumb.
Android lemon meringue pie
I’m rooting for Licorice or Lollipop (suck on that!), but, if I HAD to choose between another L-Named-BrandName(TM)(r) and Ladoo, I choose Ladoo.
life savers no?
Tough one…….
I personally could care less. It is just silly marketing. They can call it poop-on-a-stick, if they want. As long as they make the OS better with each version, that is all that really matters.
And yes I know that doesn’t begin with the letter L, but you get the point.
Only 5 more versions until that’s a viable option though…I’ll bet that’s a delicacy somewhere…
LOL. That’s actually a legitimate point. But yes I agree with @hellhoundwp:disqus that what’s important is that Android keeps getting better. And having seen how much progress has been made since Gingerbread I think Android is definitely going in the right direction. It’s got a great developer community, backing from some very big hardware manufacturers and constructive criticism from lot of well wishers.
I am Indian but, sorry, NO! I am fine with names everyone knows and understands :-)
ok here’s how it works. You guys just keep thinking about names. Google will filter these names out in their final choice to make surprise.
LASAGNA !!!
I’d be fine with it either way. On a more important note, has anyone found those fabled Kit Kats in store???
Nope.
Should have installed an “I Do Not Support Ladoo for Android” button as well….then we could see all the numbers.
India? Flyover country. Civilised women aren’t safe there. Let’s not promote India. At all.
You come from a country where a rape occurs every 2 minutes, and a violent crime every 25 seconds. As such, you have absolutely no credibility to speak on this issue.
This is definitely a healthy way to think. That country isn’t filled with real people, each with their own unique beliefs and opinions on things. We should just disregard all of them.
I think Google tends to opt for more mainstream sweets when naming Android versions. I’d be fine with Android Lassi or Ladoo, but neither has the iconic ring that all previous versions of Android have. This was the first I’ve heard of either of these treats, and I’ve been around.
I’m not sure what they were thinking with KajuKatli though. I’m sure it’s a fine dish, but it’s a bit to “complicated” for naming an Android version.
It will be lollipop. I have little doubt on that.
I can almost see the little android guy on a stick in front of the Google headquarters now,
Could be. And lollipops are universal, too. But it’s not a bad idea if Google consider desserts from around the world. If nothing else, it’ll show that they’re committed to making features global, particularly in the Play Store where a lot of stuff aren’t available to regions outside US.
But the problem is that would it conflict with LG’s lolipop phone?
Many people here have commented that the next version of Android should be named something that everybody (read Americans) can pronounce…..
These people should understand that America is not the WORLD… There are people from other countries that use Android too… And if you go by stats… people in India who use Android far exceeds the American…
I don’t have anything against America… but believe me I had not heard of Icecream Sandich before it was named as one of the Android Version…. I knew about the other deserts…
But believe me majority of people in India…. don’t know about the deserts in question here… (cupcake, donut, eclair, froyo, gingerbread etc….)
Still when they hear about it they make an effort to know what the name stands for…
Same way if Google wishes to name the next version Ladoo or Lassi… I believe people in America will find out what these name stand for… as we in India do….
And last but not the least… I do not wish to start a cultural fued by my above comment… I just felt like speaking my mind… so here it is
I agree whole heartedly. I’ve been an avid Android fan, supporter and developer for many years and I’m glad that people all over the world are so passionate about it. I’m looking forward to many more ideas from other countries also.
Android should be named by something googlers are familiar with. Otherwise, they aren’t picking the name because it’s fun but rather because of marketing calculations.
When India defends woman’s rights and moves out of the cow century then we will talk.
I do agree that they need to defed women’s rights but this argument has nothing to do with suggesting names for Android.
You come from a country where a rape occurs every 2 minutes, and a violent crime every 25.3 seconds. You don’t even have a pulpit to stand on.
And exactly what percentage of India’s sex crime is actually reported and recorded? The same goes for violent crime. India is a great place, with great people, fascinating history, amazing architectures and delicious food, but there’s definitely a lot that can be done to improve the situation, because let’s face it, when was the last time a tourist was raped by the hotel owner in America? It probably is just an isolated case, but if the average tourist can’t even feel safe in a hotel room you have some serious public image problem. Telling someone else that their country isn’t much better is not going to make the problem go away.
And what percentage of US’s sex crime is actually reported and recorded? The US is a great place too, with a ton of history. That doesn’t give Americans the right to slander other countries, lest they want to get a taste of their own medicine. I’m not here to make any problem go away. It’s more of a don’t throw stones when you live in a glass house sort of thing.
Not… Ever… Likely…
Well… If those words are pronounced “lassy” and “Lah-doo” then those sound alright. Though I wouldn’t know what it is.
This makes me wonder though. What about Eclair? I didn’t even know what that was. LoL!!
What I don’t get is why they feel entitled to have an OS named after one of their dishes? It’s not like you see China or Russia vying for a locally named dessert as the next Android version.
Some Chinese suggest to use sth like Lanzhou Lamian or Qie Gao as a upcoming andrtoid name although they’re mostly joke…
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