Smart Phones Are Edging Out Other Gadgets

智能手机正变得更加聪明，它们的智商超过了其他消费电子产品。Research in Motion的黑莓(BlackBerry)手机和苹果(Apple Inc.)的iPhone都是智能手机的代表，它们不仅配置操作系统，支持发送电子邮件和上网，还可以提供数码音乐数码相机和个人导航等功能。很长一段时间以来，这些功能比起消费者通过分别购买设备可以获得的体验都无法相提并论。但是最近开始，智能手机不仅大大提升了速度，而且增加了更大的屏幕，500万至800万像素的数码相机，还装有可以显示语音导航软件turn-by-turn的程序，并且赠送免费无限制下载音乐的一年期订阅合同。对于许多消费者来说，这意味着摒弃多种电子设备的时候终于来到了。比如说，上个月，切斯特•维加斯(Chester Vargas)就购买了售价319美元的诺基亚(Nokia Corp.) E71智能手机。自那以后，这位30岁的迈阿密居民不仅下载了谷歌地图(Google Maps)，还购买了一个8G的内存卡，在手机上存储音乐。本月早些时候，维加斯还利用E71的数码相机功能给他的宝宝拍了照，并把照片在当地的一家商店打印了出来。他说，他的家人看不出这些照片和他的佳能(Canon Inc.)数码相机拍出的照片有什么区别。维加斯先生说，“我为什么要携带这么多设备呢？有一个智能手机就足够了。”他补充说，他现在很少用到他另外的数码相机。他以前也没有单独的音乐播放器或者GPS设备。虽然个人科技专家很早就预测消费者最终会将各种功能需求整合到一种电子设备上，这种变化可能现在真的开始实现了。消费电子协会(Consumer Electronics Association)预计，今年美国的总体智能手机发货量将比一年前增长30%，达到3,740万部。与此同时，数码音乐播放器和GPS设备等独立电子产品的销售正在遭遇困境。消费电子协会表示，今年美国的便携式导航设备预计将仅增加15%，达到1,740万台，而去年此类电子设备的销量猛增了73%。消费电子协会还表示，2009年便携式媒体播放器的销量预计将下降6.2%，而数码相机的销售预计将下滑8.6%。TeleNavT-Mobile推出的G1具备了导航功能将各种移动技术需求整合到一件电子设备上可以节省开支，至少初期是这样。内存8G包括两年期美国电话电报公司(AT&T)合同的iPhone，用户只需支付199美元即可拥有。这个价格是AT&T大力补贴的结果。黑莓Storm (BlackBerry Storm)智能手机售价仅为199美元，而Pearl的一些型号甚至可以随Verizon Wireless的电信合同免费获得。包括两年期AT&T合同的黑莓Bold (BlackBerry Bold)只需299美元。相反，百思买(Best Buy Co.)的网站显示，来自佳能Garmin International Inc以及苹果等著名厂商最为畅销的数码相机GPS设备以及MP3播放器加在一起的价格比390美元稍低些。但是，消费者需要谨记，智能手机需要来自电信运营商的数据计划支持，和通话计划加在一起，月租费可能会超过100美元。使用智能手机──如德国电信(Deutsche Telekom AG)旗下T-Mobile USA推出的G1──的各种功能也会存在其它缺陷。首先，过于频繁地使用智能手机上的数码相机或者数码音乐功能会过早耗尽手机电池的使用时间。另外，智能手机缺乏独立电子设备所配置的专业功能。比如说，智能手机就没有数码相机通常包括的红眼减弱或者影像编辑功能。加拿大多伦多的DJ泰勒•格兰特(Tyler Grant)在9月份的时候花费了550加元（约合440美元）购买了一款黑莓Bold智能手机，用来应付他的大多数移动电子需求，包括电子邮件网页浏览以及音乐播放。但是，26岁的格兰特并不喜欢Bold配置的200万像素的数码相机功能，原因是它无法对焦，照片效果并不清晰。因此，格兰特先生说，当他需要经常出差的时候，除了Bold，他还是会带上佳能的自动对焦数码相机以便拍照。0格兰特先生说，我并不需要相机功能多么卓越，但是Bold仍然需要一些改进。独立电子设备制造所正在进行反击，有时候会借用智能手机的一些功能。去年，诸如尼康和松下等相机制造商已经推出内置无线技术或者定位功能（使用GPS技术指示拍照地点）的新款相机。比如说，新款数码相机可以将照片无线发送到照片分享网站。与此同时，导航公司TomTom NV也正在与智能手机进行竞争，该公司准备推出其首个配置无线技术的GPS设备，用户只需每月支付10美元（前三个月免费）就可以获得当地天气情况汽油价格以及交通状况等信息。这款TomTom Go 740 Live的设备定于4月推出，售价约为400美元。TomTom的新设备已经能够利用其上个月推出的数码地图功能，让用户纠正设备地图上的错误，当他们将设备重新连接到个人电脑的时候，还可以与其他人进行分享。其它设备制造商已经决定与智能手机联盟，而不是试图击败它们。苹果和晟碟(SanDisk Corp.)等数码音乐播放器制造商正在推动其用户从便携式播放器转向多媒体手机，如iPhone。Garmin-AsusGarmin与华硕的合作产品M20拟于今年面市去年11月份，晟碟推出了slotMusic存储卡，不仅适合多种多媒体手机，而且还预先载入音乐。该公司已经开始销售空白存储卡，以便用户可以上传自己的音乐。GPS和个人导航设备制造商Garmin已经与硬件设备制造商华硕电脑有限公司(AsusTek Computer Inc.)展开合作，将于今年晚些时候推出两款Nuvifone品牌手机。它们将提供导航定位相关的服务，如交通状况和油价信息。Nuvifone手机还可以针对手机联系人名单上的任何联系人提供方向指导，并且允许用户通过文本电子邮件或者定位相关的社交网络分享互相的地址。这两款手机的运营商和定价信息尚未披露。Garmin负责无线市场的业务拓展总监马克•佩里尼(Mark Perini)表示，公司正在进军手机领域，在一定程度上是因为消费者越来越多地将导航软件安装到手机上。佩里尼说，我们认为独立汽车导航设备自然有它的市场……但是，我们认为通过Nuvifone手机可以为用户带来更多的服务。Christopher Lawton / Sara Silver 本文涉及股票或公司document.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', '2357.TW'));华硕电脑有限公司英文名称：Asustek Computer Inc.总部地点：台湾上市地点：台湾证交所股票代码：2357document.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'NOK'));诺基亚公司英文名称：Nokia Corp. (ADS)总部地点：芬兰(Finland)上市地点：纽约证交所股票代码：NOKdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'AAPL'));苹果公司英文名称：Apple Inc.总部地点：美国上市地点：纳斯达克股票代码：AAPLdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'SNDK'));SanDisk Corp.总部地点：美国上市地点：纳斯达克股票代码：SNDKdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'GRMN'));Garmin Ltd.总部地点：开曼群岛(Cayman Islands)上市地点：纳斯达克股票代码：GRMNdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'RIMM'));Research in Motion Ltd.总部地点：加拿大(Canada)上市地点：纳斯达克股票代码：RIMMdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'TOM2.AE'));Tomtom N.v.总部地点：荷兰(Netherlands)上市地点：AMS股票代码：TOM2document.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'NOK1V.HE'));诺基亚公司英文名称：Nokia Corp.总部地点：芬兰(Finland)上市地点：HELS股票代码：NOK1Vdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'AKCIY'));Asustek Computer Inc.  (gdr)总部地点：台湾上市地点：NNOTC股票代码：AKCIYdocument.write (truthmeter('2009年04月06日08:23', 'RIM.T'));Research In Motion Ltd.总部地点：加拿大(Canada)上市地点：多伦多股票代码：RIM


Smart phones are getting so smart that they're now outwitting other consumer-electronics devices.Smart phones -- beefed-up cellphones such as Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry and Apple Inc.'s iPhone -- come with an operating system, do email, and surf the Internet. They also offer digital music, digital camera and personal-navigation features.For a long time, these offerings paled in comparison to what you could get by buying separate specialized devices.But more recently, smart phones have improved their horsepower and added larger screens, five- to eight-megapixel digital cameras, programs that can display turn-by-turn navigation, and free one-year subscriptions for unlimited downloads of music.For many consumers, that means the time has finally come to shed multiple devices. Chester Vargas, for example, picked up a $319 Nokia Corp. E71 smart phone last month. Since then, the 30-year-old Miami resident has downloaded Google Maps onto the phone to help him find his way around town and purchased an eight-gigabyte memory card to store music on the phone.Earlier this month, he also took pictures of his baby son using the E71's camera and printed them at a local shop; he says his family couldn't tell the difference between those photos and ones taken on his Canon Inc. digital camera.'Why would you want to carry around so many devices? I have everything I need in one device,' Mr. Vargas says, adding that he now hardly ever uses his stand-alone digital camera. He didn't previously own a music player or GPS device.While personal-technology experts have long predicted that people would consolidate onto a single device, that change may now actually be starting to unfold. The Consumer Electronics Association predicts that overall smart-phone shipments in the U.S. will grow just over 30% this year to 37.4 million units from a year ago.Meanwhile, sales of some stand-alone electronics gadgets like digital music players and GPS devices are running into trouble. Unit sales of portable navigation devices in the U.S. are projected to increase 15% to just over 17.4 million units this year, after jumping 73% last year, says the CEA.Meanwhile, unit sales of portable media players are forecast to slide 6.2% in 2009, and digital cameras sales are expected to slip 8.6%, says the CEA.Consolidating your mobile tech needs in one gadget can save money, at least initially. Consumers can expect to pay $199 for an eight-gigabyte iPhone with a two-year AT&T Inc. contract, a price that is heavily subsidized by AT&T. BlackBerry smart phones can be had for $199 for the Storm, or free for some models of the Pearl, with a Verizon Wireless contract. The BlackBerry Bold costs $299 with a two-year AT&T contract. By contrast, a best-selling camera, GPS device and mp3 player from manufacturers such as Canon, Garmin International Inc. and Apple on the Best Buy Co. Web site add up to just under $390.But consumers need to keep in mind that smart phones require data plans from carriers, which together with voice plans can drive the subscription fees above $100 a month.Using a smart phone, such as the G1 from Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA, for every application has other drawbacks. For one, using the digital camera or digital music functions of a smart phone too often can drain the device's battery.Smart phones also don't offer many of the specialized functions that stand-alone devices do. For example, the phones don't offer red-eye reduction or most image-editing features that digital cameras typically include.Tyler Grant, a disc jockey in Toronto, Canada, purchased a BlackBerry Bold smartphone for around 550 Canadian dollars (U.S.$444) in September. He uses it for most of his on-the-go electronics needs, including email, Web surfing and listening to music. But the 26-year-old doesn't like the phone's two-megapixel camera because it isn't able to focus and the pictures come out grainy. So Mr. Grant says when he travels frequently for work, besides his BlackBerry Bold he also takes along his Canon point-and-shoot camera to take pictures.'I don't need a whole lot in a camera, but this still needs some improvement,' Mr. Grant says.Makers of stand-alone electronics devices are fighting back, sometimes by borrowing some of the features of smart phones. In the past year, camera manufacturers such as Nikon Corp. and Panasonic Corp. have launched new models with built-in wireless technology or geo-tagging, which uses GPS to note the location where a picture was taken. The new digital cameras, for instance, can send pictures wirelessly to photo-sharing Web sites.Meanwhile, navigation company TomTom NV is competing with smart phones by launching its first GPS device with wireless technology that can get local weather information, gasoline prices and traffic updates for a $10 monthly subscription fee (after a three-month, free promotional period).The device, called TomTom Go 740 Live, is due to roll out early next month at a price of about $400. TomTom devices already can take advantage of a digital-map feature launched last month that allows customers to make corrections to maps on the device and share those with others when they reconnect the device to their PC.Other device makers have decided to join forces with smart phones instead of trying to beat them. Makers of digital-music players, such as Apple and SanDisk Corp., are moving their consumers from portable players to multimedia phones such as the iPhone.In November, SanDisk launched 'slotMusic' memory cards that fit in several multimedia phones and that come pre-loaded with music. The company already sells blank memory cards for people to load their own music.Garmin, a GPS and personal-navigational-device maker, has partnered with hardware maker AsusTek Computer Inc. to launch two mobile phones under the brand name Nuvifone later this year. The phones will provide navigation and location-based services, such as traffic data and fuel prices.They will also be able to provide directions to any contact on the phone's contact list, and share a user's location with others via text, email or location-based social networks. The phones' carriers and pricing haven't been announced.Mark Perini, Garmin's director of business development for wireless markets, says the company is moving into phones in part because consumers are increasingly installing software-based navigation applications onto their phones. 'We see there's a place for stand-alone automobile devices . . . but what we see with the Nuvifone is you're able to get so much more,' he says.Christopher Lawton / Sara Silver