幾年前，飛思卡爾半導(dǎo)體(Freescale)曾經(jīng)揭露一款基于 ARM 的新移動計算機原型──“智能筆電”(smartbook)，至今卻一直沒有下文。不過，它還可能卷土重來。 至少，這是Moor Insights & Strategy公司首席分析師Patrick Moorhead的想法。畢竟，蘋果 iPad 其實只是1990年代EO個人通訊器再搭配上更好的顯示面板、芯片與軟件的升級版罷了。蘋果成功的關(guān)鍵并不在于發(fā)明了新的概念，而是掌握了最佳時機。 這對基于ARM的筆記本電腦市場來說或許也是一樣的。問題的關(guān)鍵并不在于這是不是個好主意，而是上市的時機是否成熟。 時間可能就在2014年。 Android 如今氣勢正旺，成功地打開了智能手機和平板電腦市場，并被業(yè)界譽為移動時代的“Microsoft Windows”。另一方面， Windows 目前正陷于掙扎中，特別是專為 ARM 平板電腦開發(fā)的 WinRT 版本。

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本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 第2頁：ARM筆記本電腦對于考量成本的消費者而言，是個更理想的選擇 第3頁：占卜Google的未來

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• Surface Pro能拯救Win8平板么？
• 不同于手機、平板市場，觸控筆記本電腦發(fā)展自有特性
• 工信部打造自主OS，中國版Ubuntu“麒麟”4月發(fā)布IDdesmc

{pagination} Moorhead 比較兩款不同版本的Microsoft平板電腦── Win x86(Surface Pro)以及 Win ARM版(Surface RT)。 x86 系統(tǒng)由于缺乏內(nèi)存以及執(zhí)行一般筆電應(yīng)用程序的性能，因而會隨使用時間而遲緩，形成所謂的“Win Rot”現(xiàn)象。但它的情況比起連象樣的本地或云端應(yīng)用程序都沒有的 Tegra 3 / WinRT 系統(tǒng)還好些。Moorhead指出，“WinRT 目前的處境正岌岌可危。” 當然，微軟現(xiàn)正致力于改善這些問題。Moorhead說，微軟可能開始提供一些更好的 Outlook 電子郵件客戶端，以及更多的云端儲存支持。但無論是哪一種情況，它都無法展現(xiàn)像 Android 的強大性能，因而似乎為基于 ARM 的筆記本電腦市場再度帶來機會。

Surface RT與PRO具體差別
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當今的 Tegra 4 、 Snapdragon 及其競爭產(chǎn)品比飛思卡爾在幾年前推出的 i.MX 具有更強大的處理性能。此外，還有更加成熟的 Android，Google還推出了更多云端應(yīng)用程序。 相較于支持全鍵盤、更大電池以及整合更多外圍的高階 Android 平板電腦，如果OEM銷售一款A(yù)RM筆記本電腦，對于考量成本的消費者而言，這可能是個更理想的選擇。但Google可能步入 Wintel ultrabook的后塵嗎？ 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 第3頁：占卜Google的未來

相關(guān)閱讀：
• Surface Pro能拯救Win8平板么？
• 不同于手機、平板市場，觸控筆記本電腦發(fā)展自有特性
• 工信部打造自主OS，中國版Ubuntu“麒麟”4月發(fā)布IDdesmc

{pagination} 占卜Google的未來 Google最近才重新安排了移動操作系統(tǒng)業(yè)務(wù)的掌舵人。 Android 創(chuàng)始人Andy Rubin已黯然退場，他一手打造的 Android 團隊將與 Chrome OS 團隊合并為 Chromebook ，并由Google公司資深副總裁Sundar Pichai負責。 在新的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人帶領(lǐng)下，即使想開拓 Android 筆電等其它新市場，Google應(yīng)該也能像過去一樣地順利。事實上，Pichai也可能考慮將 Chrome OS 用于低成本智能手機等移動設(shè)備中，瞄準為中國與其它新興市場提供功能手機的展訊及其它廠商。 對于未來的預(yù)測還衍生了一些問題：比較 Chrome OS 與 Android ，二者在內(nèi)存和處理能力上有何不同？用戶對于搭載 Chrome OS 的智能手機有什么看法？Google與其合作伙伴能容忍 Android 和 Chrome OS 之間這么多的重疊嗎？ 從策略上來看，Chrome OS 與 Android兩種系統(tǒng)對于Google來說都意義非凡。 Android 筆記本電腦可能會對微軟 WinRT 帶來致命一擊，而 Chrome OS 則可能用于打擊Mozilla最新的移動操作系統(tǒng)。 總之，目前看來還有很多懸而未決的問題。但我最后想問的是：你會選擇使用 Android筆記本電腦或 Chrome OS 手機嗎？ 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：Android notebook's time may be close，by Rick Merritt

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• 不同于手機、平板市場，觸控筆記本電腦發(fā)展自有特性
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{pagination} Android notebook's time may be close Rick Merritt Years ago, Freescale was flogging the concept of a smartbook, an ARM-based notebook. It never got off the ground then, but it may be coming around again. At least that’s what Patrick Moorhead thinks. The more I think about it, the AMD exec turned analyst has a good point. After all, the Apple iPad is really just a 1990’s era EO Personal Communicator updated with a better display, chips and software. Apple’s success came not in inventing the concept but in knowing when the time for it was right. The same may be true for the ARM-based notebook. The question is not whether or not it’s a good idea, it’s a matter of when the time is ripe. That could be 2014. Android is on a roll in smartphones and tablets. Everyone sees it as the Microsoft Windows of the mobile era. Meanwhile, Windows itself is floundering, especially the WinRT version that was supposed to enable ARM-based tablets. Moorhead carries two tablets--a Win x86 and a Win ARM machine. The x86 model gets sluggish with what he calls “Win Rot” regularly because it lacks the memory and muscle to run typical notebook apps. But it’s much better than the Tegra 3/WinRT model he carries that doesn’t even have decent local or cloud apps. “WinRT is teetering on the brink of extinction,” Moorhead says. Microsoft is working on it, no doubt. Moorhead says it could start by providing a better Outlook email client, and more support for cloud storage. In any case, it is weak and Android is strong and thus it appears there’s an opportunity again for an ARM-based notebook. Today’s Tegra 4, Snapdragon and their rivals are much more muscular processors than the i.MX Freescale was flogging years ago. Android is more mature and Google has more cloud apps to offer now. If OEMs sell an ARM notebook as a premium Android tablet sporting a full keyboard, larger battery and more integrated peripherals, it could be a nice product for a cost conscious consumer. But would Google go after Wintel’s ultrabook? Reading the Google tea leaves Here’s where the speculation gets interesting. Google just rearranged the deck chairs in its mobile operating system business. Android founder Andy Rubin is out. His team is combined with the Chrome OS team that enabled the Chromebook with both groups run by Chrome OS leader Sundar Pichai. Perhaps the shift is a sign there was some big debate that Rubin lost. Or maybe the still-young entrepreneur just got bored running a big business and wanted to start the next big thing. In any case, under a new leader, Google is at least as prone as it was in the past to pioneering something new like an Android notebook. Indeed Pichai might even consider a Chrome OS handset, perhaps a lower cost smartphone for that feature phone market Spreadtrum and others are riding in China and other emerging markets. The speculation spawns questions: What’s the difference in memory and processing power for Chrome OS vs. Android? What new user scenarios might emerge for Chrome OS smartphones? Would Google and its partners tolerate so much Android and Chrome OS overlap? Strategically, both initiatives make sense for Google. An Android notebook could be a coup de grace blow on Microsoft’s WinRT. A Chrome OS handset might stop Mozilla’s mobile bid before it got off the ground. There are plenty of unanswered questions ahead. I’ve got one for you: Would you build or use an Android notebook or a Chrome OS handset?