RAISE THE STAKES 加籌碼

字彙

raise the stakes

stumbling

compatible
evolving

at breakneck speed
flying under the radar
fierce

Reality Distortion Field

emanating
HQ


文句

In a bid to raise the stakes, Google is making its free Quickoffice suite a standard feature of its latest Android distribution, KitKat. Meanwhile, Apple is stumbling, cutting features as it tries to make its iWork programs compatible across iPads and Macs.

All of which explains why Microsoft is evolving its Office Web Apps at breakneck speed...

Amazingly, the dramatic improvement in Microsoft online services is flying under the radar for most of the Silicon Valley press, which appears to be caught in a fierce Reality Distortion Field emanating from Google HQ. But for small businesses and individuals outside the Google bubble, these changes will be welcome indeed.

解釋

raise the stakes  增加籌碼。

stumbling  跌跌撞撞；踉蹌。這裡指的是Google的競爭對手蘋果，不問品質好壞和功能多寡，只求自己的 iWork 能快一點跨平台，在自家的平板和桌機使用。

compatible  相容於；大部分狀況下會接上介系詞 "with"。

evolving  發展

at breakneck speed  高速危險的速度。

flying under the radar  原本是飛行用語。意思是作戰時，飛在敵人雷達能掃到的範圍之下；保持低調。

fierce 兇猛的；凶暴的

Reality Distortion Field (RDF)  現實扭曲力場，是蘋果公司內部在1981年創造的詞彙，用於描述公司創辦人史蒂夫·賈伯斯在麥金塔產品開發上的影響力。衍伸自星艦奇航記。指某人帶有扭曲現實力場的能量；他出現時，可以改變現實，可以説服大家相信任何不存在的事。

emanating  散發；射出

HQ  (Headquarters) 總部；大本營。這個字永遠是複數（自尾得加上"-s"）。例如：The firm's headquarters are in Tokyo. 總公司設在東京。

QuickOffice suite  如同微軟 Office 的套組，針對安裝安卓系統的設備，提供線上文書、表格、簡報的功能。