英闻天下——88 2013 CES Kicks off

 　　As CES, the biggest electronics trade show in the America kicks off this week in Las Vegas, US TV makers² will be doing their best to convince consumers to press pause on HD television, and make room in their place for Ultra HD television.

 

　　It's the latest gambit from an industry struggling with a shift in consumer spending from televisions, PCs and single-purpose devices such as camcorders to small, portable do-it-all gadgets⁴ like smartphones and tablets.

 

　　Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, which organizes the annual event, expects to see the number of visitors this year nearly reach the 156,000 who turned out last year.

 

　　Shapiro says there are certain gadget³ themes that will be in evidence this week.

 

　　"The video screen is rapidly changing. We have Ultra-HD, which is four times the resolution of high definition. Plus we have connected smart TVs, as well as new types of TV technology like LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). So many things are happening here in a big way; audio is great, safety technologies and of course, health care. There is a 25-percent increase in health care at the show because health care is something where you don't always have to go to your doctor with technology."

 

　　The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that device shipments to US buyers fell five percent in dollar terms last year, excluding smartphones and tablets, but rose six percent to 207 billion dollars, including those categories.

 

　　The trends suggest that the International CES is losing its stature⁵ as a start-of-the-year showcase for the gadgets that consumers will buy over the next 12 months. It started out as a venue⁶ for the television and stereo industries. Later, PCs joined the party.

 

　　But over the last few years, televisions and PCs have declined in importance as portable gadgets have risen, and CES has failed to keep pace.

 

　　It's not a major venue for phone and tablet launches, though some new models will likely see the light of day there when the show floor opens.

 

　　The biggest trendsetter in mobile gadgets industry, Apple Inc., stays away, as it shuns⁷ all events it doesn't organize itself.

 

　　But electronics giants Sony, LG, Westinghouse and others will be at the show with huge flat-panel televisions retailing⁸ for about $20,000.

 

　　While this sounds extreme, you've probably already been exposed to projections⁹ at this resolution, because they are used in digital movie theaters. While the sets are eye-catching, they will likely be niche¹⁰ products for years to come.

 

　　In 2013, reports point to several super-sized smartphones with screens bigger than five inches diagonally, making their debut¹¹ at the show.

 

　　China's Huawei Technologies have unveiled two new smartphones at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

 

　　The Chinese phone maker¹ unveiled "the world's biggest smartphone" Ascend¹² Mate ,and the Ascend D2, calling it "most powerful smartphone", in a way to challenge rivals, including Samsung and Apple.

 

　　The company says it is hoping its latest smartphones will offer an alternative for people who have to carry around their tablet computer, laptop, smartphone and camera all at once.

 

　　CES has been a showcase in recent years for technologies that free users from keyboards, mice and buttons.

 

　　Swedish company Tobii Technology is at CES to demonstrate its REX product, which, as CEO Henrik Eskilsson explains, is its "latest eye-tracking sensor¹³."

 

　　"So, basically, this is an eye-tracking sensor that allows a computer to know exactly where on the screen you're looking. We integrate that concept of eye control together with the keyboard, mouse or touchpad to create a revolutionary new user interface¹⁴ for the computer."

 

　　CES runs until January 11th.

 

　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 gadget   

n.小巧的机械，精巧的装置，小玩意儿

参考例句：

• This gadget isn't much good.这小机械没什么用处。
• She has invented a nifty little gadget for undoing stubborn nuts and bolts.她发明了一种灵巧的小工具用来松开紧固的螺母和螺栓。

4 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

5 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

6 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

7 shuns   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• We must not reproach her, or she shuns us. 我们可不要责备她，否则她要躲避我们。 来自辞典例句
• Any of them shuns, impedes, or attempts at inspection. 一规避、妨碍或拒绝检查。 来自互联网

8 retailing   

n.零售业v.零售(retail的现在分词)

参考例句：

• career opportunities in retailing 零售业的职业机会
• He is fond of retailing the news. 他喜欢传播消息。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

10 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

11 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

12 ascend   

vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上

参考例句：

• We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
• We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。

13 sensor   

n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）

参考例句：

• The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
• He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

14 interface   

n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系

参考例句：

• My computer has a network interface,which allows me to get to other computers.我的计算机有网络接口可以与其它计算机连在一起。
• This program has perspicuous interface and extensive application. 该程序界面明了，适用范围广。