這幾十年來我一直是CES的忠實參觀者，但這幾年我卻驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)有大量的家電設(shè)備─特別是白色家電──出現(xiàn)在消費性電子領(lǐng)導(dǎo)廠商的攤位上。
當(dāng)我還在疑惑著為何突然開始討論電冰箱、洗衣機以及真空吸塵器，接著就一頭栽進西屋電器(Westinghouse)的攤位，看見該公司的代言女明星Betty Furness (1916~1994)戴著珍珠項鏈、身著小禮服對我微笑。
就我所知，CES向來都是各種家用娛樂系統(tǒng)──也就是所謂“黑色家電”──的主場；跟那些真空吸塵器一點關(guān)系也沒有。數(shù)字平臺的轉(zhuǎn)移、新一代光學(xué)儲存設(shè)備規(guī)格之爭、音/視頻編譯碼標準、有線/無限家庭網(wǎng)絡(luò)技術(shù)、手機/平板…等等議題一直是展會上最受矚目的焦點。但現(xiàn)在，除了那些家用娛樂系統(tǒng)之外，各種家電產(chǎn)品忽然成為CES的當(dāng)紅炸子雞。
怎么會這樣？你也許發(fā)現(xiàn)我的語氣有淡淡的不舍，沒錯，我非常不解為何21世紀的CES會 “復(fù)古”回1950年代，那真的嚇到我了…于是我想到Colin Angle (iRobot創(chuàng)辦人)與James Dyson (Dyson創(chuàng)辦人)在日本市場是如何被看待的。
Colin Angle (左)與James Dyson (右)
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上 面這兩位仁兄是日本媒體眼中的搖滾巨星，幾乎每家日本高檔雜志都會出現(xiàn)Dyson或 iRobot這兩個家電品牌的廣告頁面，上面有Dyson或是Angle──兩位企業(yè)CEO都是身材修長、外貌英俊而且穿著休閑──意氣風(fēng)發(fā)的笑容；微微瞇著眼看，你可能會以為眼前的人像是喬布斯(Steve Jobs)或者庫克（Tim Cook）。
而除了以上“人”的因素，在CES也可以發(fā)現(xiàn)充分的證據(jù)，說明那些本來被看扁的家電設(shè)備為何卷土重來。
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁：用智能手機控制家中冰箱、洗衣機
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• 松下：押注環(huán)保事業(yè)風(fēng)險雖高，但值得一試
• 中國家電品牌借倫敦奧運東風(fēng)打營銷戰(zhàn)
• 對日本電子巨頭們來說，有舍才能有得zMbesmc
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樂金電子(LG Electronics)CTO Scott Ahn在展會期間談到了“智能控制(Smart Control)”，也就是讓使用者能透過
智能手機發(fā)出語音指令來管理家電，或是在外面遠程監(jiān)控家里的LG家電；該公司表示，只要簡單用智能手機掃描LG家電上的NFC卷標符號，使用者就能登入并執(zhí)行遠程控制 冰箱、洗衣機、真空吸塵機器人等設(shè)備。
除了洗衣機，還有一系列的智能衣物護理
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Ahn用智能手機示范如何遠程設(shè)定洗衣機的洗衣程序，他也談到如何遠程監(jiān)控家中的真空吸塵機器人執(zhí)行清掃任務(wù)。雖然我很討厭每種家電都要冠上“智能”兩個字，但LG先進的家用真空吸塵器顯然是具備了更高智能。
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁：聰明的真空吸塵器
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 松下：押注環(huán)保事業(yè)風(fēng)險雖高，但值得一試
• 中國家電品牌借倫敦奧運東風(fēng)打營銷戰(zhàn)
• 對日本電子巨頭們來說，有舍才能有得zMbesmc
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舉例來說，根據(jù)LG表示，該新型真空吸塵機器人配備了兩個進階攝影機，能繪制出更快且更有效率的清掃路線；以一上一下位置排列的兩個攝影機，每秒可拍攝數(shù)張影像，掃描天花板、墻壁與地板，甚至在低光線環(huán)境下也沒問題；所收集到的信息會進行分析，以產(chǎn)生更聰明的移動路線圖。
在此同時，吸塵器內(nèi)建的數(shù)個感測裝置會在180度角范圍內(nèi)偵測障礙物，擷取數(shù)百張行進表面的影像，以支持無碰撞的運作…你能想象那樣的畫面嗎？我能。
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本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
本文下一頁：家電東山再起的新動力：有個相貌英俊的CEO？
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 松下：押注環(huán)保事業(yè)風(fēng)險雖高，但值得一試
• 中國家電品牌借倫敦奧運東風(fēng)打營銷戰(zhàn)
• 對日本電子巨頭們來說，有舍才能有得zMbesmc
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于是我終于了解，不再只有電視機、高傳真音響或是藍光光驅(qū)等魅力產(chǎn)品會消耗大量微控制器、傳感器以及其它芯片，如今任何一種看似單調(diào)無趣的家電設(shè)備，對想要設(shè)計出更智能設(shè)備的公司來說，都是一個真正的游樂場(平臺)。
在這篇文章中，我將避免通常以“誰會需要？”來反駁的論調(diào)(例如：用智能手機來操控洗衣程序？少來了！)，主要是因為此一趨勢可能會開啟新局，我也承認我確實對白色家電的進展以及所帶來的市場商機感到訝異。
我一直認為我了解美國的“能源之星(Energy Star)”等節(jié)能標準，是如何推動新一代的白色家電發(fā)展；但在那之外，“連結(jié)性”也成為一個重要關(guān)鍵──為了帶來更多新功能，智能手機與家電的搭檔成為明確的趨勢，物聯(lián)網(wǎng)(IoT)隨之成為熱門議題。
將以上所有元素綜合起來，我感受到低功耗、連結(jié)性與智能手機，是推動家電設(shè)備在CES東山再起的新動力；這也是家電產(chǎn)品成為部分消費性電子大廠新寵的另一個理由，松下(Panasonic)就是一個例子。
面臨轉(zhuǎn)虧為盈的挑戰(zhàn)，身為日本最大消費性電子廠商的松下退守家電業(yè)務(wù)，而非一度是旗艦的電視業(yè)務(wù)；根據(jù)松下財報，在該公司目前財務(wù)年度的前六個月，唯一營收成長的業(yè)務(wù)就是家電與車用系統(tǒng)部門。
松下總裁津賀一宏(Kazuhiro Tsuga)在CES期間接受采訪時，談到了該公司焦點由電視轉(zhuǎn)向家電的策略，表示家電設(shè)備因為是“單機”產(chǎn)品，因此更具發(fā)展前途；在他的定義中，電視機 是一種“以基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施為本”的產(chǎn)品，需要搭配包括內(nèi)容、廣播系統(tǒng)與服務(wù)等元素的整套方案，才能讓新一代的智能電視真正發(fā)揮出色功能。
相反的，家電產(chǎn)品的獲利途徑更單純、也更容易。雖然松下并不會在短時間之內(nèi)放棄電視市場，津賀對家電業(yè)務(wù)的未來發(fā)展抱持高度期望。
要讓松下品牌在目前由GE、Hoover與Electrolux稱王的家用電器市場脫穎而出，可能并非易事，但看看Dyson與iRobot這兩個在十年前還沒沒無聞的非傳統(tǒng)家電品牌在短時間內(nèi)席卷市場(特別在日本)的威力，那還是有機會的。
只不過，要塑造出那樣的旋風(fēng)，需要真正獨特的技術(shù)、貼心的產(chǎn)品設(shè)計，也許還需要有個相貌英俊的CEO！（對于家庭主婦掌經(jīng)濟大權(quán)的家庭，這條可以有……）
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
編譯：Judith Cheng
參考英文原文：Yoshida in Japan: Second-coming of Steve Jobs，by Junko Yoshida
相關(guān)閱讀：
• 松下：押注環(huán)保事業(yè)風(fēng)險雖高，但值得一試
• 中國家電品牌借倫敦奧運東風(fēng)打營銷戰(zhàn)
• 對日本電子巨頭們來說，有舍才能有得zMbesmc
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Yoshida in Japan: Second-coming of Steve Jobs
Junko Yoshida
We are suddenly seeing home appliances masquerading as red hot new products at CES. Why is that? Observe how Colin Angle and James Dyson are treated in Japan.
Despite my decades of faithful attendance at International CES, it strikes me odd in recent years to see the abundance of white goods--home appliances--at leading CE companies’ booths.
I found myself wondering why we’re suddenly talking about fridges, washing machines and vacuum cleaners. Next thing you know, I’ll stumble into the Westinghouse booth and find Betty Furness in pearls and cocktail dress.
As far as I remember, CES was always a show about what was once known as “brown goods”--home entertainment systems--for parties. It was never about the vacuum cleaner you used to clean up after the party.
The transition to digital platforms; emerging format battles over the next-generation optical storage devices; standards for audio and video codecs; wired and wireless home networking technologies; mobile phones and tablets…there was always, and still is, so much to cover.
But beyond those home entertainment systems, we are now suddenly seeing home appliances masquerading as red hot new products at CES.
Why is that?
If you detected a touch of dismay in my tone, you’re right. I’ve been more than a little perplexed to see the 21st century revert to the 1950s. But then, it hit me.
I thought of how Colin Angle (left) and James Dyson (below) are treated in Japan.
These guys are rock stars in the Japanese media. Every high-end magazine in Japan carries an ad by Dyson or iRobot. In each ad, Dyson or Angle--each is a slender, good-looking, casually dressed CEO of his company--struts his job. Close your eyes a little and you might think you’re looking at Steve Jobs.
Beyond the personality factor, there was also ample evidence at CES as to why the once lowly home appliance is staging a comeback.
Scott Ahn, CTO of LG Electronics, talked about “Smart Control,” which allows users to manage appliances with voice commands via smartphone and to monitor LG's appliances from outside the home.
By simply scanning a smartphone with the NFC Tag-on symbol on LG's smart appliances, LG says users can register and control their refrigerator, washing machine, robotic vacuum cleaner or range remotely. Ahn gave the example of controlling a washing cycle on his smartphone. He also talked about the ability to monitor--remotely--how a robotic vacuum cleaner is doing its job.
Home appliances: Playground for the engineer
As much as I hate calling every appliance at home “smart,” LG’s advanced hom-bot vacuum cleaner appears to have gotten measurably smarter.
For example, the new robotic vacuum cleaner now uses two improved cameras to plot out a faster and more efficient cleaning route, according to the company. Taking several images per second, the upper and lower cameras scan ceilings, walls and floors, even under dim lighting conditions. This information is analyzed to generate smarter mapping. At the same time, multiple sensors detect obstacles within a 180-degree field, taking hundreds of surface images to help provide collision-free operation.
Are you getting the picture here?
Well, I am.
I’ve finally realized that it’s no longer just the glamour goods--TVs, Hi-Fi systems and Blu-ray recorders--consuming masses of microcontrollers, sensors and other chips. Nowadays, every drab appliance is a genuine playground (or “platform”) for the engineer who wants to make things more intelligent than ever before.
In this column, I’m going to refrain from the usual “who-needs-it” retort (like changing a washing cycle on your smartphone? Come on!), mainly because that would take a whole new column. I’ll just confess my amazement how far all the white goods have come; and the opportunities white goods bring to the market.
In the back of my mind, I think I always understood how the Energy Star movement in the United States (to lower power consumption in appliances) drove development of a new generation of white goods.
But beyond that, it’s important to point out that the key is “connectivity.” There is a decidedly new trend of pairing appliances with smartphones--for the purpose of adding more features. Along with this comes the usual hype about the Internet of Things. But putting all these elements into a big picture, I sense that low power, connectivity and smartphones are a fresh impetus for the revival of home appliances at CES.
There is, however, another reason why the home appliance is turning into a new darling for some CE companies. Take a look at Panasonic.
Faced with the huge challenge of bringing Japan’s largest consumer electronics company back to profitability, Panasonic is falling back on the company’s home appliance business, instead of what was once a flagship TV business. In financial results for the first six months of the current fiscal year, the only segments where Panasonic’s sales increased were appliances and automotive systems.
When asked about the shift of emphasis from TV to home appliances during an interview at CES, Kazuhiro Tsuga, president of Panasonic, said that home appliances have more promise because they’re “standalone” products. In his definition, TV is an "infrastructure-based product" which requires a whole host of development efforts in content, broadcast and services before a new generation of smart TV can really stand out. In contrast, home appliances pose a simpler, easier route to profitability. While Panasonic is not walking away from TV anytime soon, Tsuga holds high hopes for the future of home appliances.
To push Panasonic as a household appliance brand in the global markets, now ruled by GE, Hoover and Electrolux, might not be so easy. But if you see how non-traditional brands like Dyson and iRobot--both little known to regular consumers only a decade ago--have taken the market by storm (especially in Japan), you know it can be done. The storm, however, needs truly unique technologies, thoughtful designs and perhaps good-looking CEOs.
責(zé)編：Quentin
