自從蘋果(Apple)iPod帶來(lái)數(shù)字音樂(lè)行業(yè)革命以來(lái)，微軟(Microsoft)的高管們就一直受到誘惑，想要生產(chǎn)出自己的消費(fèi)者產(chǎn)品。

Enthusing about the iPod's simple scroll wheel, the hardware interface that made it easy to sift through large libraries of music, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive, said at the time that his company might have to develop more of its own hardware if it wanted truly to compete with Apple.

微軟首席執(zhí)行官史蒂夫•鮑爾默(Steve Ballmer)對(duì)iPod簡(jiǎn)單的滾動(dòng)輪很感興趣。這個(gè)滾動(dòng)輪是一種硬件接口，使得在大型音樂(lè)庫(kù)之間來(lái)回切換變得很容易。鮑爾默當(dāng)時(shí)表示，微軟如果真心想與蘋果競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，可能就不得不自行開(kāi)發(fā)出更多的硬件產(chǎn)品來(lái)。

Now, seven years later, the moment may finally have arrived.

七年之后的今天，這個(gè)時(shí)刻可能終于到來(lái)了。

The world's biggest software company has been gearing up to introduce its own tablet computer, which would compete head-to-head with Apple's iPad, according to people familiar with its deliberations.

了解微軟思路的知情人士表示，這家全球最大的軟件公司最近正準(zhǔn)備推出自己的平板電腦，與蘋果的iPad展開(kāi)正面競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。

The move would mark a sea change in the 30-year history of the personal computing industry. But with Apple threatening to disrupt the way of doing business on which its fortune is founded, Microsoft may have little choice.

微軟此舉將標(biāo)志著，已有30年歷史的個(gè)人電腦行業(yè)將發(fā)生翻天覆地的變化。但由于蘋果有可能破壞微軟的財(cái)富所依賴的經(jīng)營(yíng)模式，微軟可能沒(méi)有多少選擇機(jī)會(huì)。