2014大展望：三大趋势统治科技界

    同日达成为现实。亚马逊（Amazon）无人机配送即便能实现，也至少是三、四年之后的事情。不过，随着亚马逊和eBay等企业扩充自身配送团队、缩短交付时间，同日达将使数百万希望下单后马上拿到商品的消费者梦想成真。虽然仍然有人对同日达持怀疑态度——弗雷斯特研究公司（Forrester）分析师苏查雷塔•马尔博卢去年11月表示，企业为此向消费者收取的费用不足于抵消其成本——在一定程度上，各公司不过是为了争夺日后吹嘘的资本。在客户眼中，送货速度最快的企业自然零售实力非凡，哪怕他们通常并不需要同日达服务。

    电动汽车迈向主流。美国电力驱动运输协会（Electric Drive Transportation Association）称，插电式电动车2013年的销量可能不足10万部，但这已经比2012年销量高了近一倍。埃隆•穆斯克和他的特斯拉（Tesla）功不可没。凭借顶尖的设计和一流的性能，特斯拉令人刮目相看。这家公司估计它售价逾7万美元的Model S电动轿车在2013年销量约为2万台——成为销量最高的电动车。2014年，特斯拉将推出Model X SUV车型，百公里加速仅需4.4秒。而宝马（BMW）也将推出外观更拉风、定价更低廉的新款i3电动车。（财富中文网）

    译者：项航

    Same-day shipping gets real. Delivery by Amazon drone is at least three or four years away, if it ever comes at all. But as businesses like Amazon (AMZN) and eBay (EBAY) swell their distribution ranks and trim delivery times, same-day will become standard for millions more instant gratification-loving shoppers. Never mind that same-day shipping still has its skeptics -- companies aren't charging consumers the full cost, Forrester research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru explained in November -- the race is now partly like a contest for bragging rights. In the eyes of the customer, whoever can get to your door quickest sends a powerful retail message, even if they don't opt for it much.

    Electric vehicles inch closer to mainstream. Sales of battery-electric and plug-in cars could number under 100,000 for 2013, but that's roughly twice 2012 sales, says the Electric Drive Transportation Association. Thank Tesla (TSLA), the avant-garde carmaker from Elon Musk for changing their image with top-notch design and sports car performance. The company projects it will sell 20,000 of its $70,000-plus Model S sedan this year -- the most of any electric car. Also entering the mix next year: Tesla's Model X SUV, with 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 4.4 seconds and BMW's cheaper, puckish-looking i3.