華碩銷售雙系統設備的計劃受阻

Plans for a new breed of mobile devices running operating systems from both Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. have apparently hit a wall, falling victim to opposition from the software suppliers.

由於軟件供應商的反對，打造能同時運行微軟(Microsoft Co.)和谷歌(Google Inc.)操作系統的新一代移動設備的計劃顯然已經受阻。

Facing pressure from Google and Microsoft, Taiwanese PC maker Asustek Computer Inc. has indefinitely postponed plans to sell a high-profile device designed to simultaneously run both Android and Windows software, people familiar with the matter said.

知情人士稱，臺灣的華碩電腦有限公司(Asustek Computer Inc.)原本打算銷售一款能同時運行安卓(Android)和Windows軟件的備受矚目的移動設備，但面對來自谷歌和微軟的壓力，只得無限期推遲該計劃。

The Taiwanese company unveiled the Transformer Book Duet TD300, which converts from a tablet to clamshell-style laptop, in January at the Consumer Electronics Show. The device was slated to go on sale in the first half of this year.

今年1月份，華碩電腦在國際消費電子產品展(Consumer Electronics Show)上發佈了Transformer Book Duet TD300，該設備能在平板電腦與翻蓋式筆記本電腦的形態之間自由轉換。這款產品原定在今年上半年上市銷售。

Dual-OS devices were widely seen as a boon to chip giant Intel Corp., which has been trying to spur interest in PCs amid flagging sales as well as build a foothold in tablets. Brian Krzanich, Intel's chief executive, showed the Asustek convertible device during his CES keynote.

業界普遍認爲，雙操作系統設備的推出是芯片巨頭英特爾公司(Intel Co., INTC)的福音，因爲銷售業績低迷的英特爾一邊在努力激發市場對個人電腦的興趣，一邊也試圖在平板電腦市場佔據一席之地。英特爾首席執行長科再奇(Brian Krzanich)在國際消費電子產品展上發表主旨演講時展示了華碩的這款可轉換設備。

Such hybrid products, in theory, could appeal to buyers interested in both work chores and leisure-time activities. They could allow users to run PC-oriented application programs as well as mobile-style apps developed for Android tablets.

從理論上說，這類混合型產品可以吸引那些對用電腦工作和休閒都感興趣的消費者。這種產品使用戶既可以運行鍼對個人電腦的應用程序，也可以運行專爲安卓平板電腦開發的移動式應用軟件。

But the software companies have ways to exert pressure to deter the propagation of dual-OS products, people familiar with the situation say.

但知情人士說，軟件公司已設法施加壓力，阻止雙操作系統產品的發展。

Though versions of Android are available under open-source licenses that give Google little control, for example, versions that allow access to Google's app store must be approved by the company, said Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. 'Google wants all-Android devices,' he said.

Moor Insights & Strategy的分析師穆爾黑德(Patrick Moorhead)說，雖然安卓系統是在開源協議下提供的，谷歌沒有多大的控制權，但要獲得能使用谷歌應用軟件商店等功能的系統版本就必須經過谷歌批准。他說，谷歌想看到的是單純使用安卓系統的設備。

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

谷歌的發言人未就此置評。

Microsoft has its own reasons for not wanting to share space on computers with Google, particularly on business-oriented desktop and laptop PCs that could give the Internet giant an entry point into a Microsoft stronghold.

微軟也有自己的理由不想與谷歌軟件分享電腦空間，特別是針對商用的臺式電腦和筆記本電腦，因爲這可能爲谷歌提供進入微軟重點領地的入口。

Computer makers that make dual-OS machines risk jeopardizing a flow of marketing funds from Microsoft that are an important economic force in the low-margin PC business, Mr. Moorhead said.

穆爾黑德說，製造雙操作系統設備的電腦製造商要冒着難以從微軟獲得營銷資金的危險，在低利潤率的個人電腦產業，這筆資金是重要的經濟力量。

Besides the new convertible device, Asustek will stop selling the dual-OS Asus Transformer AiO P1801 and P1802 all-in-one PCs launched last year due to Microsoft's 'new policy' of not supporting dual OS products, according to an internal Asustek memo circulated to some employees and obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

《華爾街日報》(The Wall Street Journal)看到的已下發給華碩部分員工的公司內部備忘錄顯示，除上述這款新的可轉換設備外，華碩還將暫停銷售去年推出的同樣有雙操作系統的Transformer AiO P1801和P1802兩款電腦一體機，原因是微軟不支持雙操作系統設備的“新政策”。

A Microsoft spokesman said its policies haven't changed for PC makers.

微軟的發言人表示，公司對個人電腦製造商的政策沒有變化。

'Microsoft will continue to invest with OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to promote best-in-class OEM and Microsoft experiences to our joint customers.'

這位發言人說，微軟將繼續對原始設備製造商進行投資，以便使雙方共同的客戶從原始設備製造商和微軟獲得一流的用戶體驗。

One person familiar with the situation traced conflicts with Asus to Microsoft patents. Microsoft has sought patent royalties from several hardware makers using the Android software, claiming it owns some mobile patents used in Android.

一位知情人士將微軟與華碩之間衝突的根源歸結爲微軟的專利。微軟一直試圖向數家使用安卓軟件的硬件生產商收取專利使用費，稱自己擁有用於安卓系統的部分移動專利。

Asustek, typically known to consumers as Asus, grew up in the PC industry but has made forays into mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. It has products that run Android as well as Windows, the mainstay of PCs.

華碩從個人電腦業起家，但目前已進入平板電腦和智能手機等移動設備領域。它既生產搭載安卓系統的產品，也生產搭載主流個人電腦系統Windows的產品。

Though shifting between operating systems isn't a new concept, Asustek's TD300 device had a selling point called Instant Switch. The company said it would allow users to switch between Windows and Android with one simple command, whether the device was configured at the time as a tablet or a laptop.

儘管在不同的操作系統之間進行切換並不是一個新的概念，但華碩TD300設備擁有“快速切換”(Instant Switch)的賣點。該公司稱，用戶可以通過一條簡單的指令完成Windows和安卓系統之間的切換，無論設備當時是平板電腦的設置還是筆記本電腦的設置。

The suspension of Asustek's dual-OS tablet was reported last month by the Taiwan-based publication Digitimes.

臺灣出版物《電子時報》(Digitimes)上個月報道了華碩暫停雙操作系統平板電腦銷售計劃的消息。

Samsung Electronics Co. also announced a dual-OS tablet last year, a product that it hasn't begun selling.

三星電子(Samsung Electronics Co.)去年也公佈了一款雙操作系統平板電腦，這款產品目前尚未開始銷售。

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., has long relied on its partnership with Microsoft in the PC market. But it has increasingly hedged its bets, in part because Windows has failed to gain a major foothold in either smartphones or tablets.

位於加州 巴巴拉的英特爾在個人電腦市場長期以來一直依靠與微軟的夥伴關係。但該公司目前越來越多地與更多的公司合作，部分原因在於微軟無論是在智能手機還是平板電腦市場上都未獲得主要地位。

The chip maker has worked hard to make sure Android works as well on Intel microprocessors as those based on chip designs licensed by U.K.-based ARM. Intel also supplies what the industry calls firmware--software stored on chips called read-only memory--that can support both Windows and Android, Mr. Moorhead said.

英特爾努力確保安卓在英特爾微處理器上的表現與在基於ARM構架的微處理器上的表現一樣好。穆爾黑德說，英特爾還提供既支持Windows也支持安卓系統的固件（存儲在只讀存儲器上的軟件）。

Mr. Kraznich, in a meeting with analysts in November, said Intel would increasingly help companies ship new PCs or tablets to distribution channels without buying or installing operating systems. Hardware makers, in that scheme, could load the desired software at the time a customer orders a system.

科再奇去年11月在與分析師的一個會議上稱，英特爾將越來越多地幫助公司在不購買、不安裝操作系統的情況下將新的個人電腦或平板電腦發送到分銷渠道。這種情況下，硬件生產商可以在客戶訂購系統的時候安裝想使用的軟件。

Other Intel executives have said customers in China seemed particularly interested in the dual-OS option.

其他英特爾的高管說，中國的客戶似乎對雙操作系統格外感興趣。

One person familiar with Intel's thinking traced the idea for such machines to computer makers, but said Intel provided assistance and gradually got more enthusiastic about the dual-OS concept.

一位瞭解英特爾想法的人士認爲，雙操作系統的想法源自電腦生產商，但說英特爾在期間提供了幫助，並逐漸對雙操作系統的概念產生了更大的熱情。

'Intel remains committed to supporting our customer plans for our platforms, and to help them bring to market the best user experiences,' said Intel's Asia corporate PR manager John Mandeville.

英特爾亞洲公司公關經理曼德維爾(John Mandeville)表示，英特爾仍致力於支持我們平臺的客戶計劃，幫助他們使用戶獲得最佳的體驗。