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App Mania 你App了吗？（译注：直译为应用程序热潮）

 

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Apple ignited the mobile-app frenzy; now iPhone’s rivals are vying to cash in on the booming market  苹果电脑引燃了手机行动应用程序的热潮，如今iPhone的对手也都摩拳擦掌争着抢食蓬勃发展的市场大饼

 

Next time you’re at an office [party], whip out your phone, open the App Store, and buy a title called Ocarina. Then hand the phone over to an iPhone skeptic and watch him figure it out.

下回你出席公司举行的派对时，不妨猛然拿出你的iPhone手机，开启应用程序在线商店的链接，然后购买一个名为Ocarina（陶笛）的程序，再把手机递给对iPhone半信半疑的怀疑论者，然后观察对方推敲出这个程序的玩法。

 

Ocarina starts up with four mysterious blue circles on the screen, and in the lower right-hand corner, a flashing yellow arrow with the instruction, “Blow into the mic.” Your pal does that – and when his breath hits the phone, the device emits an ethereal, high-pitched [flute-like] tone. The purpose of the blue circles now dawns on your friend. As he blows into the mic, he slips his fingers over these circles. The sounds shift in response to his digits, the phone producing strange, otherworldly music – but music nonetheless.

开启陶笛程序之后，屏幕上会出现四个神秘的蓝圈圈，右下角闪烁的黄色箭头会做出提示：「向麦克风吹气，」你的伙伴照做了──当手机接收到他的吹气时，就发出了轻柔飘逸、宛如笛音般的高音。这时你朋友也终于明白蓝色圈圈的功能了。他向麦克风吹气时，也把手指在这些圈圈上滑动。随着他手指的游移，笛音也随之婉转变化，手机就这样发出了奇特、超凡脱俗的乐音──虽然特殊，但仍然是音乐没错。

 

At this point, even if he’s not a musician, he may well dump his BlackBerry and head over to the Apple Store. Ocarina has this effect on people. After all, what other phone can transform into a flute? And if it can turn into a flute, what other amazing things might it do?

这时，即使他本身不是音乐家，也很可能会扔掉自己的黑莓机，然后向苹果专卖店飞奔而去（译注：指改买iPhone手机）。陶笛程序对人就是会起这么大的作用。毕竟，除了iPhone之外，还有哪种手机能顿时摇身一变成笛子啊！而既然iPhone连笛子都可以变了，那它会不会还有更多其他神奇的功能呢？

 

A vista of possibilities  无限可能性（译注：与possibilities连用时，vista指各式各样、很多）

 

That question animates app mania. In an otherwise grim economic time, mobile applications like Ocarina – download more than 700,000 times in its first four months on sale – have sparked a frenzy. Startups now flock to the iPhone as the biggest new market in town, the one place where customers are willing to pry open their wallets and actually pay for software. Venture capitalists see Apple’s device as a vistaof possibilities. If apps are the next big platform, then the mobile equivalent of Microsoft, Google and Amazon are waiting to be discovered. To the world’s major brands, meanwhile, iPhone apps represent a direct connection to the customer, an advertising model that puts your logo in people’s pockets, right in their lives.

上述问句掀起了一波应用程序的热潮（译注：指很多人心里都好奇iPhone可能有很多神奇的功能，因此一窝蜂购买各式各样的手机应用程序，好体验一下这些奇妙的功能）。在其他业界景气一片惨淡之际，像陶笛这类的行动装置应用程序却引发空前的热潮；例如，陶笛程序在上市的头四个月就被下载了超过七十万次。如今新创公司争相投入iPhone这个规模最大的新市场，因为似乎只有在这个市场里，用户才真正愿意掏腰包付钱买软件。在创业投资家眼中，苹果电脑的iPhone手机，带来了无限可能性；因为如果手机的行动应用程序是下一个重要平台的话，那么手机版本的微软、谷歌和亚马逊不也正等待被发掘吗！在此同时，对全球主要品牌的厂商来说，iPhone应用程序则代表了能和消费者直接联系的管道，这种广告营销模式能让产品商标直接进到消费者的口袋里、打进他们的生活中。

 

 

单词发音

 

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vie [vaɪ] v. 争；竞争

whip out  迅速拿出 to jerk something out [of some place]

whip [hwɪp] v. 猛然挪动（或拿取，拔出等）；迅速作成

app (application) 应用程序 a self-contained software program designed primarily for handheld devices and used to perform a specific function for the user

ocarina [͵ɑkəˋrinə] n. 小鹅笛（一种陶制甘薯形笛）

start up 启动, 开始

pitch [pɪtʃ] n.【语】【音】音高

dawn on someone 渐渐为…所明白, 开始为…所理解[for a fact] to become apparent to someone; [for something] to be suddenly realized by someone

digit [ˋdɪdʒɪt] n. 手指；足趾

otherworldly [ˋʌðɚˋwɝldlɪ] adj. 空想的；超脱尘俗的

nonetheless [͵nʌnðəˋlɛs] adv. 但是；仍然

vista [ˋvɪstə] n. 回顾；展望; 前景

otherwise [ˋʌðɚ͵waɪz] adv. 除此以外；在其他方面 in other respects

grim [grɪm] adj. 严峻的；令人不快的；让人沮丧的

frenzy [ˋfrɛnzɪ] n.（暂时的）疯狂；狂怒；狂热

startup ['stɑrt'ʌp] n. 新兴公司(尤指新兴网络公司)

pry [praɪ] v.（用杠杆等）撬，撬起，撬动 to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

venture capitalist 风险投资人; 风险资本家

 

 

 

 

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At the moment, all this excitement is centered on Apple, whose iPhone and iPod Touch App Store now carries more than 25,000 programs, with 5,000 new apps being added every month. But Apple’s rivals are also catching app fever.

在目前，所有令人兴奋的焦点都集中在苹果公司上，因为该公司的iPhone和iPad Touch应用程序在线商店如今供应超过二万五千种程序，而每个月还会增添五千种新的应用程序加入阵容。不过，苹果的对手也同样赶上了这波应用程序热潮。

 

App frenzy bears much in common with the early web boom. Some app developers sound as optimistic as those who landed on the shores of San Francisco [circa-1999] ready to claim their stake in the then-new economy.Yet the big talk also makes sense, says Ge Wang, cofounder of Smule, Ocarina’s creator. Remember, the PC really did change everything. And what’s the iPhone but a mobile PC that’s always connected to the Internet – so why wouldn’t we expect it to change everything, too?

应用程序的热潮，和当年网络问世之初的荣景十分类似。语带乐观的应用程序研发厂商，就很像当年（一九九九年左右）来到旧金山岸边准备在当时新兴的网络新经济中获取自己应有的利益（译注：旧金山岸边指硅谷，硅谷并非一个地名，而是指北加州旧金山湾区南端的地区，当年网络兴起时，许多硅芯片制造厂都群聚在该区，因而有硅谷之称）。不过，据创造出陶笛程序的史慕尔公司共同创办人葛．王表示，或许应用程序研发业者所说的大话言之有理，可别忘了，当年个人电脑就曾成功使一切为之改观，而iPhone不也像是一台随时联机上网的行动式个人电脑吗！因此外界为何不能照样期待iPhone也可以像个人电脑一样，足以令一切为之改观呢！

 

The ‘Apple’ way  「苹果之道」

 

Apple didn’t invent the idea of allowing third-party programs on its phones. [Yet] when Steve Jobs finally let other people’s programs sully his phone, he modeled his success on the iPod and iTunes. Which is to say: He made it easy, and he put Apple in charge.

让别家公司的程序在自家手机上操作的概念，并非苹果电脑所首创，不过，当史提夫．贾布斯（译注：苹果电脑创办人）最后终于放手让其他厂商的程序「玷污」自家手机的完美之际，却也不忘把iPad和iTunes的成功模式套用在iPhone上；也就是说，他把程序的购买和使用等流程变得简单好操作，而且最后还是由苹果掌控一切。

 

Every iPhone app would be sold through a store that sat right on the phone. Customers loved this model. But the plan worked out best for Apple. The company approves every app that enters the store, and it keeps 30 cents on every dollar customers spend. Just as Jobs has done in the music business, he’s given customers and producers everything they wanted – yet he has somehow managed to keep all the power for Apple.

每一款iPhone的应用程序都会透过在手机上就能连结的商店来销售，而用户也对这种销售模式相当买账。不过，这种规划的最大赢家，仍是苹果电脑，因为每个想在这个商店贩卖的应用程序，都必须通过苹果的核准，而且用户每付出一美元，苹果就会抽取零点三美元的费用。正如贾布斯在音乐事业上的做法一样，这回他在iPhone上同样重施故技，同时满足顾客和厂商的一切需求──不过，他最后仍有办法把所有主控权操之在苹果。

 

Disposable apps  用完即丢的应用程序

 

When an app’s price falls to 99 cents, downloads can double, notes Greg Yardley, cofounder of Pinch Media. This is due, in part to the fickleness of iPhone customers. A lot of people buy apps knowing they won’t use them very often. On average, people will use one about 10 to 12 times, and then never again. If people consider apps disposable, why pay a lot of money?

品区媒体共同创办人葛瑞格．亚德雷指出，当应用程序的价格降到零点九九美元时，下载次数就可能会倍增。这种现象的部份原因出在，iPhone用户相当善变，很多人在买程序时，就很清楚自己可能不会经常使用那个程序。平均来说，用户会使用某种程序约十到十二次，之后就永远弃之不用了。既然大家把应用程序视为用完即丢的玩意儿，又怎么会愿意花大钱去买呢（译注：因此价格较便宜的程序自然下载率才会暴增）！

 

 

单词发音

 

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claim [klem] v. 索取，索要(有权拥有的东西)

stake [stek] n.（在公司、计划等中的）重大利益 an interest, often financial, held in something

yet [jɛt] conj. 而，然而 however

big talk 说大话, 吹牛, 言过其实地谈话

model [ˋmɑd!] v. 模仿；塑造

in charge 看管；掌管; 负责 in control of someone or something; having the responsibility for someone or something

work out 进展(顺利) to develop in a satisfactory way

in part 在某种程度上; 一部份

 

 

 

 

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Some of the most active developers aren’t in it for sales from downloads. Instead, they’re looking for an audience. AdMob, one of several companies hoping to make mobile phones the next great advertising medium, is currently serving ads in more than 700 iPhone apps. “In general, people are projecting that the interactive-ad market will be flat to slightly down this year,” says Omar Hamoui, AdMob’s CEO. “On mobile, it’s still growing.” Moreover, customers don’t seem to mind banner ads in their mobile apps. About 1 to 2 percent of people even click on the ads – about 10 times the rate people click on the web ads. That kind of enthusiasm has pushed marketers to create their own branded apps.

有些最积极的应用程序研发厂商其实目标并不在于下载的销售业绩，而是为了寻求广大的客户群。有些公司希望能让手机成为下一个主要的广告媒介，而AdMob公司便是其中之一，该公司目前在七百多种iPhone应用程序上加入广告。「一般来说，外界预期互动广告的市场在本年度应该是持平或略微下滑，」AdMob执行长欧玛．哈茂伊指出，「不过，在手机上，广告市场却持续成长中。」除此之外，用户似乎并不介意手机应用程序上出现横幅广告，约有百分之一到二的人甚至会点选广告──比率为网络广告点选率的十倍左右。用户对广告所表现出来的高度意愿，也促使厂商更积极开创自家品牌的应用程序。

 

And the winner is …. 谁是大赢家（译注：直译为得奖的是…）

 

Of course, the main brand succeeding in the App Store now is Apple – so far the one unquestionable winner on this new platform. The company rules the business with an iron fist. Over the past few months, developers have complained about the length of time it takes for Apple to review programs before they show up in the store. Worse, without much explanation, Apple has arbitrarily rejected several apps. It’s here that Apple’s rivals see an opening. Google’s Android project, in particular, has sought to attract developers by touting the store’s “openness.”

毋庸置疑，在应用程序在线商店大获全胜的首要品牌，仍然是苹果自己──迄今，苹果电脑毫无疑问地是这种新平台的最大赢家，而且厉行铁腕来掌控这项业务。过去几个月来，研发厂商屡发怨言，表示程序在iPhone应用程序在线商店上架之前，往往必须经过苹果电脑旷日费时的审核。更糟的是，苹果有时还会把一些应用程序悍然拒于门外，而且不解释原委；而一些苹果的对手公司就在这个缺口上找到了商机。谷歌的Android手持行动平台项目，就特别吹捧该平台的「开放态度」，以吸引程序研发厂商的青睐。

 

“We believe it’s important to reduce barriers that make it difficult for developers to get apps to users,” says Eric Chu, Google’s mobile platform program manager.

「有些障碍会害研发厂商很难把应用程序推广给用户，因此我们认为，减少这种障碍，是非常重要的，」谷歌的行动平台计划经理艾立克．朱如此表示。

 

But at some point, it’s going to become too late for rivals to catch up with Apple. The Apple Store, just like Microsoft’s PC hegemony, succeeds on network effects: Every time you buy an app, you’re tying yourself ever more tightly to Apple’s mobile platform. This only makes the platform more attractive to developers – which, of course, keeps us buying more apps. It’s a vicious cycle. Unless you’re Steve Jobs, in which case, it’s genius.

但到某个时刻之后，敌手公司想要跟上苹果的脚步，恐怕就为时已晚了，因为iPhone的应用程序在线商店就和在个人电脑界享有霸权的微软公司一样，也是靠着网络效应致胜：也就是说，每次用户购买一个应用程序，就等于又让自己和苹果的手机行动平台变得更密不可分了；而这点也让这个平台更受到研发厂商的青睐（译注：因而生产更多应用程序）──这样一来，当然也就连带促使消费者不断买下更多应用程序了。这形成了一种恶性循环，除非你是史提夫．贾布斯才不至于陷入这股恶性循环，而就此案例而言，史提夫．贾布斯想出的这种模式还真是高明啊！

 

－by Farhad Manjoo, Bloomberg

 

 

单词发音

 

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in [ɪn] adv. 从事于；参加着 joining in; taking part

project [prəˋdʒɛkt] v. 预计，推断

banner ad 网站广告条幅

hegemony [hiˋdʒɛmənɪ] n. 霸权；领导权 the position of being the most powerful and therefore able to control others

vicious cycle 恶性循环

vicious [ˋvɪʃəs] adj. 邪恶的；堕落的

 

 

 

 

单词发音

 

Vocabulary Focus

cash in on 从…中获利; 赚钱 to make money from an event or situation, or to get some other advantage from it

ethereal [ɪˋθɪrɪəl] adj. 如空气般轻的；飘逸的；精致的 light and delicate, especially in an unnatural way

animate [ˋænə͵met] v. 激励，鼓舞 to cause someone or something to be full of interest and enthusiasm; heighten or intensify

fever [ˋfivɚ] n.一时的狂热 a state of great excitement or enthusiasm

circa [ˋsɝkɚ] prep.【拉】大约于，大概是在……（用于日期、数字前）about or approximately

sully [ˋsʌlɪ] v. 败坏; 有损于; 使贬值 to spoil the perfection of something or someone

fickleness [ˋfɪkəlnəs] n. 变化无常 the quality of being likely to change your opinion or your feelings suddenly and without a good reason

rule with an iron fist 以铁腕统治; 厉行铁腕掌控 to control a group of people very firmly, having complete power over everything that they do

arbitrarily [͵ɑrbəˋtrɛrəlɪ] adv. 专横地；独断独行地 in a manner based on whim or change rather than reason

tout [taʊt] v. 招徕顾客；兜售 to advertise, make known or praise something repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging its sale, popularity or development

 

 

App Review Ocarina (iPhone / iPod Touch)

 

 

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