科技前沿:個人電腦製造商紛紛推出"混合型"設備

Personal-computer makers unveiled a range of unconventional devices on the eve of Asia's biggest computer trade show as they seek to revive a flagging industry and stay relevant amid stiff competition.

在亞洲最大的電腦展會開幕前夕，個人電腦製造商們紛紛推出了一系列不同以往的設備。這些個人電腦製造商正尋求重振一個日益衰落的行業，並在嚴酷的競爭中保持實力。

Asustek Computer Inc. touted an everything machine that can do triple duty as a tablet, laptop or desktop computer. It runs on both Microsoft Corp.'s Windows and Google Inc.'s Android operating systems. Acer Inc. showcased a mini Windows 8 tablet that compressed the functions of a desktop into an 8-inch tablet. Both Taiwanese PC makers unveiled phone-tablet combos, and tablet-laptop crosses, as well as hybrids of other sorts. Dell Inc. is also expanding into new device forms with a thin laptop that can fold backward into a tablet, the company's vice president of end computing sales, Kirk Schell, said Monday. The 11.6-inch XPS 11 is expected to ship in time for the holidays, he said.

華碩電腦有限公司(Asustek Computer Inc.)展示了一款集平板電腦、筆記本電腦和臺式電腦於一身的“全能設備”。它同時運行着微軟(Microsoft Corp.)的Windows和谷歌(Google Inc.)的安卓(Android)操作系統。宏碁股份有限公司(Acer Inc.)展示了一個迷你的Windows 8平板電腦，這個八英寸的平板電腦擁有臺式電腦的功能。這兩家臺灣的個人電腦製造商都展示了手機和平板電腦的結合體，以及平板電腦和筆記本電腦的“混血兒”，還有其他種類的“混合”產品。戴爾公司(Dell Inc.)終端電腦銷售副總裁謝爾(Kirk Schell)週一說，戴爾也在向新的設備類型拓展，該公司展示了一款可以向後摺疊成平板電腦的超薄筆記本電腦。他說，這款名爲XPS 11的11.6英寸產品預計將在假日季之前發貨。

The only things in short supply were traditional computers.

唯獨傳統電腦的數量寥寥無幾。

'The amount of innovation is more than what has happened in years,' said Gregory Bryant, Intel Corp.'s vice president in charge of Asian-Pacific operations.

英特爾公司(Intel Corp.)負責亞太業務的副總裁布萊恩特(Gregory Bryant)說，此次展會上的創新規模超過了過去幾年的總和。

The products come as part of the PC industry's efforts to reverse double-digit shipment declines amid worries that they have sat still while mobile companies such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. were quick to jump into the smartphone and tablet markets. Global PC shipments declined 14% in the first quarter, while tablet shipments more than doubled in the same period, according to market-research firm IDC. But PC makers could face a challenging recovery, with shipments expected to fall 7.8% globally this year, according to IDC.

這些產品是個人電腦行業爲逆轉出貨量兩位數的下降趨勢所做努力的一部分。有人擔心，在蘋果(Apple Inc.)和三星(Samsung Electronics Co.)迅速進入智能手機和平板電腦市場之際，個人電腦產業仍然原地踏步。根據市場研究公司IDC的數據，第一季度全球個人電腦發貨量下降了14%，而同期平板電腦的發貨量增長超過一倍。但是個人電腦製造商的復甦前景可能充滿挑戰，根據IDC的數據，預計今年全球個人電腦的發貨量將下降7.8%。

Computex officially opens on Tuesday and runs through Saturday, with planned keynote speeches from Intel and Microsoft. Intel will unveil its fourth-generation Core processors, while Microsoft is expected to discuss its coming operating-system refresh called Windows 8.1. The annual event is the largest computing show in Asia, with about 1,724 exhibitors and more than 5,000 booths this year. It functions as a showcase for PC makers' new models that will hit shelves later in the year, as well as for components and other devices. Diversification in both chips and operating systems is a major trend at this year's Computex after the industry relied for years on Microsoft and Intel.

臺北國際電腦展(Computex)週二正式開幕，將持續到週六。英特爾和微軟按計劃將做主旨演講。英特爾將推出第四代的Core處理器，而微軟預計將談論升級後的操作系統Windows 8.1。這個一年一度的活動是亞洲最大規模的電腦展，今年有大約1,724名參展商，超過5,000個展位。這一展會展出的是將於今年晚些時候推向市場的個人電腦製造商的新產品，以及零部件和其他設備。芯片和操作系統的多樣化是今年電腦展呈現出的主要趨勢，這個領域多年以來一直由微軟和英特爾主導。

Acer Chairman J.T. Wang said in an interview Monday that the company is working on an Android desktop PC. The company on Monday launched its first 'phablet' -- a mobile device that has functions of a phone and a tablet -- running a low-cost chip made by Taiwanese chip designer Mediatek Inc. The product line for Asus -- as the company is widely known -- was primarily based on Android, an operating system used almost solely in mobile devices.

宏碁的董事長王振堂週一接受採訪時說，這家公司正在開發一款運行安卓系統的臺式電腦。宏碁週一推出了它的第一款“手機平板”，即同時擁有手機和平板功能的移動設備。該設備將搭載臺灣芯片設計商聯發科技股份有限公司(MediaTek Inc.)的低成本芯片。華碩的產品系列主要搭載安卓系統，安卓系統基本上只用於移動設備。

Mr. Wang said that the death of the traditional PC is fast approaching, with touch-screen computers becoming the norm in three years, by his estimate.

王振堂說，傳統個人電腦的末日正在逼近。據他的估計，觸屏電腦在三年後將成爲主流。

Many of the devices unveiled Monday haven't yet been priced, and analysts said price will be a crucial factor in whether they sink or swim in the market.

週一推出的許多設備還沒有被定價。分析人士說，價格將是他們能否在市場上存活的關鍵因素。

'Pricing is probably the key to determine who is going to win,' said UBS analyst Arthur Hsieh.

瑞銀(UBS)的分析師Arthur Hsieh說，定價可能是決定誰能夠勝出的關鍵。

The devices that have been priced include Acer's Iconia W3, the small Windows 8 tablet, at $379. Asus only gave a price for its new low-cost Android tablet, the Memo Pad, which will be $149, with a $129 version for emerging markets.

已經公佈售價的設備包括宏碁的小型Windows 8平板電腦Iconia W3，這款產品的售價將爲379美元。華碩僅提供了其新款低成本安卓平板電腦Memo Pad的售價，該產品售價將爲149美元，新興市場的版本售價爲129美元。