乔布斯传 第532期:放养猫(4)

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Indeed Sony provided a clear counterexample to Apple.

实际上，索尼给苹果提供了一个清晰的反面教材。

It had a consumer electronics division that made sleek¹ products and a music division with beloved artists (including Bob Dylan).

他们的消费电子产品部门能制造出时髦漂亮的产品；他们的音乐部门也签约了当红的艺人（比如鲍勃·迪伦）。

But because each division tried to protect its own interests,

但是由于每一个部门都在竭力保护自己的利益，

the company as a whole never got its act together to produce an end-to-end service.

所以整个公司也无法合作推出端到端的服务。

Andy Lack, the new head of Sony music,

索尼音乐的新总裁安迪·拉克，

had the unenviable task of negotiating with Jobs about whether Sony would sell its music in the iTunes Store.

面临着一项艰巨的任务：和乔布斯谈判，争取把索尼的音乐放进iTunes商店里出售。

The irrepressible and savvy² Lack had just come from a distinguished³ career in television journalism⁴

拉克是一个精明能干、不服输的人，在电视新闻界是个响当当的人物

a producer at CBS News and president of NBC -- and he knew how to size people up and keep his sense of humor.

他曾是哥伦比亚广播公司的制片人、全国广播公司的总裁，他看人很准，而且很有幽默感。

He realized that, for Sony, selling its songs in the iTunes Store was both insane and necessary

他意识到，对于索尼来说，在iTunes商店出售音乐是一个既疯狂又必要的选择，

which seemed to be the case with a lot of decisions in the music business.

对于唱片行业来说很多决定都是这样作出的。

Apple would make out like a bandit, not just from its cut on song sales, but from driving the sale of iPods.

苹果将采用一种强盗式的做法，不仅要从歌曲中抽取利润，还要连带促进iPod的销售。

Lack believed that since the music companies would be responsible for the success of the iPod,

拉克认为，既然是唱片公司促成了iPod的成功，

they should get a royalty⁵ from each device sold.

那么他们也应该从iPod的销售利润中分一杯羹。

1 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

2 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

3 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

4 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

5 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。