2006年VOA标准英语-20,000 Electronic Gadgets Unveiled at Cons

By Kathie Scarrah
Washington, DC
10 January 2006
 
watch Electronics report

  
  
The world's largest consumer technology trade show has just wrapped up in the United States. The annual event has pitted traditional electronic leaders against each other and served as a launch pad for new electronic gadgets¹.

Twenty thousand new products were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show. Held in a space large enough for 28 football fields, the show is really a giant electronics toy store for adults.
 

Brian Cooley   
  
Brian Cooley is with CNet, an Internet-based media company. "This is where you come to see what's going to change the way we're entertained, communicate and stay organized in the year ahead."

New video gadgets unveiled at the show included a 261-centimeter plasma² TV -- the largest screen ever, as well as a much smaller screen that fits on the visor of your car.

Electronic manufacturers are betting that 2006 is the year consumers switch from analog³ television to high definition TVs, three years before analog broadcasts are to be phased out in the U.S. 

Victor Matsuda  
  
The new high definition monitors have already led to a competition for the multi billion-dollar digital videodisc market. HD-DVD and Blu Ray unveiled new and competing technologies. Victor Matsuda of Blu Ray says consumers will determine which company succeeds.

"It's going to be up to the consumers to decide, obviously. But we see such an advantage of us in industry support, we're very confident in our chances," he says.

New audio gadgets included a cordless telephone that lets you make free long distance calls over the Internet.

Chris Hehring   
  
And from Pioneer, Chris Kehring unveiled a device which combines satellite radio with an MP3 player. "It's revolutionary in size. It's very small. It fits in your hand. You can carry it anywhere. But it gives you everything. "

In the Best of Show awards, the Samsung ZX20 was named the best new mobile phone. It will be the fastest mobile phone on the market with data speeds up to several megabytes says Larry Haag of Samsung. "We're getting faster and faster. This will allow you to download movies, download songs. We're into the heavy movie, heavy song business with this phone."

Internet giants Google and Yahoo are now also trying to become media companies.

Google announced it would sell CBS television programs and NBA basketball games for consumers to play on their computers.

And the new Yahoo! Go system allows users to access e-mail, photos and search for Internet content from their TV or mobile phone. Convergence was the big trend this year as traditional electronic companies offered a wide array of new multi-functional gadgets that merged⁴ content with technology.

1 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

2 plasma   

n.血浆，细胞质，乳清

参考例句：

• Keep some blood plasma back for the serious cases.留一些血浆给重病号。
• The plasma is the liquid portion of blood that is free of cells .血浆是血液的液体部分，不包含各种细胞。

3 analog   

n.类似物，模拟

参考例句：

• The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
• The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行，而是连续地进行量度。

4 merged   

（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中

参考例句：

• Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。
• The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。