乔布斯传 第501期:iPod(1)

 The iPod iPod

The next step for the digital hub strategy was to make a portable music player. 数字中枢战略的下一步就是制造一个便携式音乐播放器。

Jobs realized that Apple had the opportunity to design such a device in tandem¹ with the iTunes software, 乔布斯意识到，苹果可以设计一个和iTunes配套的设备，

allowing it to be simpler. 让收听音乐变得更简单。

Complex tasks could be handled on the computer, easy ones on the device. 由计算机来完成复杂的任务，而音乐播放器的功能要筒单。

Thus was born the iPod, the device that would begin the transformation² of Apple from being a computer maker³ into being the world's most valuable company. iPod因此而诞生了，该设备使苹果公司从一家计算机生产商转变成了世界上最有价值的科技公司。

Jobs had a special passion for the project because he loved music. 乔布斯对这个项目怀有特殊的热情，因为他非常热爱音乐。

The music players that were already on the market, he told his colleagues, "truly sucked." 他和他的同事们说：“市场上现有的这些音乐播放器实在是太差劲儿了。”

Phil Schiller, Jon Rubinstein, and the rest of the team agreed. 菲尔·席勒、乔恩·鲁宾斯坦，以及团队的其他成员都表示同意。

As they were building iTunes, they spent time with the Rio and other players while merrily trashing them. 在开发iTunes的时候，他们试用了Rio和其他音乐播放器，然后高兴地把它们扔在一边。

"We would sit around and say, 'These things really stink,'" Schiller recalled. “我们坐在一起，讨论着这些东西到底有多差劲儿，”席勒回忆道。

"They held about sixteen songs, and you couldn't figure out how to use them." “它们最多能装16首歌曲，而且你根本不知道怎么用。”

 

1 tandem   

n.同时发生；配合；adv.一个跟着一个地；纵排地；adj.（两匹马）前后纵列的

参考例句：

• Malcolm's contract will run in tandem with his existing one.马尔科姆的合同将与他手头的合同同时生效。
• He is working in tandem with officials of the Serious Fraud Office.他正配合欺诈重案办公室的官员工作。

2 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

3 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。