VOA标准英语2010-Apple's 'Revolutionary' iPad Goes on Sale

The tablet computer's worldwide release is expected later this month.

Brian Allen | Washington 03 April 2010

Ryan Brown with his new iPad outside the Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland, 03 Apr 2010

Apple is calling its new tablet computer, the iPad, a "revolution." At electronics stores across the United States, customers lined up before the sun rose April 3, 2010 to get their hands on one. But is the iPad really going to be the future of computing¹ technology?

The sun had barely risen, but the line outside of the Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland already stretched around the block.

Apple fans and enthusiasts² were eager to finally purchase an iPad, a tablet computer with a touch-screen that Apple claims will "bridge the gap" between a cell phone and a laptop computer.

Ryan Brown was first in line at the Maryland store. He said he believes that the iPad is the "next generation" of computing technology.

"I think anything hands-on is going to get [you] really, really into the technology. If you can just manipulate anything with your hands and be a part of it, it makes it a lot more personal," he said.

Matthew Carney said the iPad is a sign of things to come. "I think a lot of the advancements³ that will come from it, will definitely play a larger role than we probably think now. I don't think it will change everything overnight, don't get me wrong. Will we have more touch-control or touch-interface or that kind of thing? Yes," he said.

The iPad has a touch-screen that is just under 25 centimeters in diagonal.  It does not have a mechanical keyboard and weighs less than one kilogram.

It allows users to surf the Web, watch video, listen to music, play games or read electronic versions of books.  Computer programmers already have created thousands of applications for the iPad that will allow customers to perform many other tasks previously⁴ done on regular laptops or on mobile phones.

Still, not everyone is sold on the new device. "Now, is the iPad itself a really great and elegant and beautiful device? Yes! It turns out that it is," said Industry analyst⁵ James McQuivey.

No Flash support

But that's not enough to start the revolution that they claim to be starting and that's I think my principal disappointment here. It doesn't give you enough content. It doesn't give you most of the things you want to do online, for example - Hulu.com, Netflix, because it doesn't support Flash. These are things that Apple has chosen to do that I think hamper⁶ its ability to have the impact that it really could have otherwise," he added.

Regardless of whether or not the iPad is the next generation of computing technology, Ryan Brown is just glad to finally have one of his own. "I'm really excited to have it. I've been waiting forever for it," he said.

The iPad's worldwide release is expected later this month.
 

1 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

2 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

3 advancements   

n.（级别的）晋升( advancement的名词复数 )；前进；进展；促进

参考例句：

• Today, the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements. 当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Great advancements in drought prediction have been made in recent years. 近年来，人们对干旱灾害的预报研究取得了长足的进步。 来自互联网

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 hamper   

vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子

参考例句：

• There are some apples in a picnic hamper.在野餐用的大篮子里有许多苹果。
• The emergence of such problems seriously hamper the development of enterprises.这些问题的出现严重阻碍了企业的发展。