Google mulls offering paid TV services: report

 　　SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Google is mulling a plan to offer paid cable-TV services to consumers, a move that could flare¹ up a new wave of competition in the traditional TV business, U.S. media reported on Friday.

　　According to The Wall Street Journal, the Internet search giant has considered adding video and phone services to a previously² announced high-speed Internet service in two U.S. cities.

　　People briefed on the plan told the newspaper that Google has discussed distributing major TV channels from companies like Walt Disney, Time Warner and Discovery Communications as part of the video service. The discussions were still exploratory and no final decisions have been made, said the report.

　　Google said it does not comment on rumor³ or speculation⁴.

　　Whether it is a speculation or not, the reported plan reflects possible innovation and revolution for the traditional TV experience with the growth of high-speed Internet, which may become another lucrative⁵ battlefield all the technology giants will fight for.

　　With the growth of home and mobile broadband services, more and more video contents become available for rental⁶, purchase and streaming on desktop⁷ computers, tablet computers and smartphones.

　　Competitions on the video streaming market have been increasingly fierce this year, among such services as Apple's iTunes, Amazon's Prime Video, NetFlix, Hulu Plus and Vudu, which is owned by Wal-Mart.

　　Cable companies, facing a grim picture of being kicked out in the decades to come, also fought back with their own mobile apps and online streaming services.

　　A new Steve Jobs biography revealed that the late Apple co- founder⁸ had been working on an Apple television.

　　"It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface⁹ you could imagine. I finally cracked it," Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson in the book.

　　Some analysts¹⁰ said the introduction of an Apple smart TV could bring a 100-billion-U.S.-dollar revenue opportunity for the Cupertino, California-based company.

　　Last Friday, Google-owned YouTube announced a plan to launch 100 channels on its site with original professionally produced content. A new version of Google TV was also launched with new search tools that expand results from shows on cable to web-based services like NetFlix and Amazon.

1 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

6 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

7 desktop   

n.桌面管理系统程序；台式

参考例句：

• My computer is a desktop computer of excellent quality.我的计算机是品质卓越的台式计算机。
• Do you know which one is better,a laptop or a desktop?你知道哪一种更好，笔记本还是台式机？

8 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

9 interface   

n.接合部位，分界面；v.(使)互相联系

参考例句：

• My computer has a network interface,which allows me to get to other computers.我的计算机有网络接口可以与其它计算机连在一起。
• This program has perspicuous interface and extensive application. 该程序界面明了，适用范围广。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。