英語角-圓桌會議 RoundTable - 精華版科技篇

Topic1 Smartphone Replacement DemandWhen is your last time buying a new smart phone?

Chinese people seem to love having the latest phone, with figures showing that China is just behind the US in terms of how often people replace their phone. Obviously this is great for Chinese manufacturers as 60% of all smartphones bought in China are from domestic brands. However, this could place iteration pressure on the manufacturers as well as pressure on the environment as only 1% of old phones are recycled in China.

Would you say its accurate to say that Chinese people replace their phones for the latest offering often? Why do think replacement demand is so high?

Topic2 3D PrintingThe Economist says 3D Printing will cause a third industrial revolution. However Taiwan tycoon Terry Guo, founder and chairman of Foxconn, totally disagrees. He says if 3D Printing can cause a third industrial revolution, he will spell his surname Guobackwards, a common way Chinese swear that something would never happen.

Is 3D printing a revolutionary technology?

Topic3 Online Open CoursesFudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University this week joined Coursera, one of the three major technology companies offering massive open online courses (MOOCs).

What is MOOCs? Is it the same with some other online teaching resources, like Harvard lectures orTED speeches?

Topic4 SurrogacyRecently, the Ministry of Health, or MOH, has collected experts' opinions on surrogacy. One expert said it would take at least 5 to 10 years for surrogacy to be legalized in China. Then some media misinterpreted the issue into surrogacy would be legalized in China in 5 to 10 years. So the ministry reiterated that surrogate motherhood remains banned in China and it would step up its control over Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Is the policy unchanged?

Topic5 4G Licenses GrantedChina issued long-awaited 4G licenses to three telecommunications carriers Wednesday, which would offer mobile Internet access 20 to 50 times faster than the current 3G network and create a new trillion-yuan market for devices and services.

What does it mean?

Topic6 Moving to Other PlanetsLast June, a Mars migration initiative named Mars One began to recruit volunteers. So far at least 78,000 people worldwide, including about 10,000 from China, had submitted applications as of May 7. Recently media reports the project’s headquarter is in a rented house in the Netherlands, with just one employee. Many people question the project is just a scam.

According to the project brochure, applicants pay an administration fee based on their country's per-capita gross domestic product. Chinese applicants pay US$11. Media says Mars One has already generated more than US$1 million (S$1.25 million) in non-refundable application fees.