美媒评出年科技领域十大败笔

A lot of good things happened in tech this year. The iPhone 5 premiered with 4G and a feather-light design. Google released its Nexus 7 tablet to go head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle Fire, and equipped it with Jelly Bean. Samsung delivered a powerful one-two punch with the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II. And we saw a fair number of Ultrabooks that gave the Macbook Air a run for its money.

今年，众多科技产品纷纷登台亮相。设计轻薄的iPhone5问世，并支持4G网络；谷歌发布Nexus7平板电脑，内置安卓4.1操作系统，与亚马逊的Kindle Fire展开竞争；三星打出强有力的组合拳，推出Galaxy S III和Galaxy NoteII手机。此外，众多超级本与苹果超薄笔记本争夺市场。

But where there’s good, there’s bad. And there were plenty of major fails this year. Read on for the 10 biggest tech flops of the year.

但是，有好消息也就有坏消息。今年科技领域也出现了许多重大败笔。下面就是livescience网站总结的2012年科技领域十大败笔：

Wrong-Way Award: Apple Maps

With all the anticipation surrounding iOS 6, many didn’t think twice about giving up Google Maps for Apple’s new Maps app. But once users switched over, the complaints and outcries that the iOS app was far inferior to Google Maps mushroomed. The app was riddled with errors, including wrong addresses and warped-looking landmarks in the Flyover view while it lacked integrated mass-transit directions.

Apple eventually apologized for the Maps gaffe, and even recommended alternatives. CEO Tim Cook probably put it best, saying "we screwed up."

1.“指错路”奖：苹果地图

人们对苹果iOS 6系统拥有众多期待，很多人马上放弃了谷歌地图，开始尝试使用苹果公司的新版地图程序。但当用户改用苹果地图后，大家又开始抱怨并抗议iOS系统的地图远不及谷歌地图好用。这一地图应用程序错误百出，包括地址错误、立交桥地标扭曲，此外还缺少完整的大规模交通指示图标。

苹果公司最终为地图错误致歉，甚至建议大家改用其他地图。苹果公司CEO蒂姆－库克可能做得最好，他说：“我们搞砸了。”False Start Award: Windows 8

After Microsoft released a preview of the highly anticipated Windows 8, users were dismayed to find that, although the new system's desktop was practically identical to the Windows 7 interface, it lacked a Start menu. Microsoft had substituted the menu with a shortcut to the Start screen, which meant users are forced to leave the desktop just to launch an app that takes them right back to the desktop.

2.“启动错误”奖：Windows8

在微软公司发布大家寄予厚望的Windows8预览版后，用户们吃惊地发现，尽管新系统的桌面与W indows 7的桌面并无两样，但缺少“开始”菜单。微软用“开始”屏幕的快捷方式取代了“开始”菜单，这意味着用户要被迫离开桌面，以启动这一能将他们带回桌面的应用程序。Worst Sales Pitch: Dell’s “Daily Deals”

During LAPTOP’s annual Tech Support Showdown, we made three calls to Dell's tech support line and got more than we bargained for. During the calls, Dell pushed premium warranties on us, saying we had won a daily drawing that would allow us to buy a $500 four-year extended warranty for just $317.

Lucky us — we were chosen to spend even more money on something we didn’t need! When we resisted, the representative rushed us through the call, barely attempting to answer our question, but routinely haranguing us to buy the warranty, because otherwise the next caller would get our "prize."

According to Dell, using "drawings" as a sales tactic is against company policy. However, aggressively pushing extended warranties and hardware purchases is not, as we experienced on two other calls where support reps seemed more interested in making a commission than solving our problems.

3.“最糟糕的推销用语”奖：戴尔的“每日优惠”

在《LAPTOP》杂志的年度“技术支持评选”活动时，我们曾三次致电戴尔公司的技术支持热线，并得到了“意外惊喜”。通话期间，戴尔公司向我们推销保险担保服务，并称我们在每日抽奖活动中中奖，只需花317美元就可以购买价值500美元的4年延保服务。

我们真幸运，我们被选中花更多的钱购买不必要的服务！当我们拒绝时，销售代表开始在电话中应付我们，不愿回答我们的问题，但还是滔滔不绝地推销他们的保险，因为如果我们放弃，下一位打进电话的用户就会“中大奖”了。

据戴尔介绍，使用“抽奖”作为销售策略违背了公司政策。但强硬地向消费者推销延保服务和硬件却不违反政策。我们在另外两次致电戴尔时，技术支持代表对赚钱更感兴趣，而不是解决我们的问题。Most Sexist Tweet Award: ASUS at Computex

At this year’s Computex in Taiwan, ASUS tweeted a picture of its Transformer AIO with the caption, “The rear looks pretty nice. So does the new Transformer AIO.” Trouble was, the photo also highlighted the backside of a young woman who was showcasing the Transformer.

After understandably receiving tons of backlash, ASUS deleted the tweet. Then Digital Marketing Manager Tim Smalley released an apology, blaming a third party that had access to the company’s social media accounts. ASUS also sent out an apology tweet, but that didn’t stop the negative social media buzz.

4.“最具性别歧视色彩的推文”奖：台北国际电脑展－华硕

在今年的台北国际电脑展期间，华硕公司在推特上发布了一张TransformerAIO功能一体机的图片。图片说明写道：“后部看上去非常漂亮，新款Transfor-merAIO也是如此。”麻烦的是，展示这款一体机的一名年轻女子的臀部也出现在这张图片上。

这张图片引起强烈反响，华硕公司之后删除了推文。数码营销经理蒂姆-斯莫利随后发表道歉，谴责有人盗取了公司的社交媒体账户。华硕公司也发表推文道歉，但没能消除在社交媒体上产生的负面影响。IP-(Uh)-O Award: Facebook

Although Facebook’s IPO initially set a record for technology companies by raising more than $16 billion, it quickly became the decade’s worst initial public offering. When the social networking giant went public in May, its initial offering price was set at $38, while the company was valued at $104 billion. However, a little more than two weeks later, Facebook shares had dropped dramatically to $26.90 per share.

5.“IPO失败”奖：Facebook

尽管Facebook的IPO（首次公开募股）融资超过160亿美元，创下科技类公司的最高纪录，但却迅速成为这个十年中最糟糕的IPO。今年5月，这家社交网络巨头以每股38美元的发行价上市，公司市值达到1040亿美元。但仅在两周后，Facebook股价就开始急剧下跌，至每股26.9美元。Biggest Rip-Off Award: Shared Data Plans

In June, Verizon unveiled its new Share Everything plans, which allow customers to pay a flat fee for each device, plus a single charge for shared monthly data, which ranges from 1GB to 10GB. The plan includes unlimited voice minutes and text messages and makes you pay for them, whether you need them or not. As a result, a 2GB data plan costs $100 on the new plan while 2GB with a limited number of minutes and texts cost $70 on the old plan.

6.最“敲竹杠”奖：数据共享套餐

今年6月，韦里孙公司公布了新制定的“分享一切”套餐，允许用户为每个设备支付固定费率，同时每月为各设备共享的数据流量单独付费，数据流量从1GB到10GB不等。套餐内通话和短信虽然上不封顶，但不管是否需要，消费者都要为这些服务付费。结果，按照新套餐，一项2G数据套餐要花100美元，而根据原来的限时计划，2G数据流量套餐仅花70美元。Bad Idea Award: Google Nexus Q

Google's Nexus Q could have easily made our list of most overpriced gadgets of all-time . . . if it had actually come out. First shown and given to attendees at Google I/O 2012, the Nexus Q is a set-top box in the shape of an orb that streams either music or movies to your home theater from Google Play and Google Play only.

While a $50 Roku box, a $100 Apple TV or a $99 Google TV box offers a variety of content services and even apps, the $299 Nexus Q didn't even have Netflix. Once you got over its unique design, the Nexus Q's main feature was allowing multiple users to add to the same playlist, something that was sure to create plenty of arguments among family members with different tastes. To Google's credit, the company quickly realized it had a dud on its hands, stopped accepting new orders and gave free units to anyone who had preordered.

10.“坏主意”奖：谷歌NexusQ

如果正式面世，谷歌的Nexus Q很有可能成为史上定价最为过高的设备之一。在2012谷歌开发者年会上，NexusQ初次亮相，并被分发给参会者。Nexus Q是一种球形机顶盒，能从谷歌在线商店（只能从谷歌商店）传输音乐或电影到你的家庭影院。

50美元的Roku机顶盒、100美元的苹果电视机顶盒或者99美元的谷歌电视机顶盒都能提供各种内容服务甚至应用程序，但299美元的Nexus Q甚至无法使用Netflix视频网站的服务。一旦你搞清了它的独特设计，那么Nexus Q的主要特点就是能让多位用户添加一份播放列表，这当然会使不同品味的家庭成员间产生争吵。值得称道的是，谷歌公司迅速发现了这一产品毫无用处，停止接受新订单，并对预订者给予免费。

Reach-Around Award: Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook

The Aspire S5 was the thinnest Ultrabook around when it debuted, but to achieve such a svelte profile, Acer incorporated a drop-down door to access the Ultrabook’s ports. Even worse, the ports are in the back, making it uncomfortable to reach around to plug in a USB cable.

7.“使用不便”奖：宏碁Aspire S5超级本

Aspire S5以“世界最薄的超级本”的身份首次亮相。为了得到这样的“苗条”身材，宏碁公司采用了下拉式接口设计。但糟糕的是，接口位于机身后部，插入USB等设备时有所不便。Broken Promises Award: BB10

BlackBerry 10 has become somewhat of a punchline in the tech industry, with the release of RIM’s new OS continually delayed at a time when the straggling smartphone-maker should be trying anything to keep up with its Android and iPhone competitors. After a brief demonstration of BlackBerry 10 at BlackBerry World in May, RIM pushed back the operating system’s release until Q1 of 2013, and soon after slashed 5,000 jobs.

Although there are some features in BB10 that look promising, many BlackBerry loyalists have already jumped ship. We'll find out in January if RIM has a shot at a better 2013.

8.“违背诺言”奖：黑莓10

从某种程度上说，黑莓10已经成为科技行业的笑柄。目前，已经落伍的移动通信研究公司应该竭尽全力，追赶竞争对手安卓和iPhone，但这家智能手机制造商却一再推迟发布新操作系统。今年5月在“黑莓世界”简短介绍了“黑莓10”后，该公司将操作系统的发布推迟到2013年第一季度，随后又削减了五千个工作岗位。

尽管黑莓10也有令人期待的新特色，但很多黑莓手机的拥趸已经改用其他手机。我们静待明年1月，看该公司是否将在明年有所起色。Bait-and-Switch Award: Microsoft Surface

When commercials for the Microsoft Surface started airing, viewers were enthralled by the device's Touch Cover.

One would assume that if Microsoft was putting the Touch Cover into its Surface commercials, it would come with the Surface, right? Wrong. Turns out the Touch Cover is a separate purchase, and shoppers would have to invest an additional $119 for the accessory.

9.“诱饵调包”奖：微软Surface平板电脑

当微软Surface平板电脑的广告开始播出时，这款电脑的Touch Cover键盘保护罩吸引了观众的眼球。

有人也许会认为，如果微软把Touch Cover放在Surface平板电脑的广告里，那么Touch Cover会和Surface一起出售，对吗？错了。Touch Cover需要单独购买，另外再加119美元才能得到。