移動應用開始"傍明星" 與現實產品代言融合

Geeks and celebrities make unlikely bedfellows but mobile app developers are increasingly looking to pair up with the likes of reality TV star Kim Kardashian as they look for new ways to stand out in an overcrowded marketplace.

極客與名流不大可能成爲夥伴，但手機應用開發者爲了在過度擁擠的市場上脫穎而出，開始尋求“傍明星”，比如真人秀明星金•卡戴珊(Kim Kardashian)。

Since Apple’s App Store launched in 2008, many of the most popular apps for the iPhone or Google’s Android smartphones have been new franchises such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush Saga or Clash of Clans.

自蘋果(Apple)應用商店(App Store)於2008年上線以來，iPhone或谷歌(Google)安卓智能手機上一些最熱門的應用，一直是憤怒的小鳥(Angry Birds)、《糖果粉碎傳奇》(Candy Crush Saga)，或《部落戰爭》(Clash of Clans)這類遊戲。

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But the recent success of games and utilities to which celebrities have lent their name, combined with the growing challenge of getting noticed in the App Store, is prompting more developers to seek new tie-ups with stars.

但最近一些以明星冠名的遊戲和工具類應用大獲成功，加上在應用商店脫穎而出的難度越來越大，使得更多開發者開始尋求與明星達成合作。

Glu Mobile said last month that its celebrity tie-in game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood had made $1.6m in its first five days on sale. Would-be starlets can buy virtual haircuts, makeovers or kittens as they make their way up the celebrity rankings, with Ms Kardashian acting as their guide to life in the limelight. The game is currently fifth in the iPhone’s US chart of top-grossing apps.

Glu Mobile表示，上月其與卡戴珊合作的手機遊戲——《金•卡戴珊：好萊塢》——在上市後的五天裏，便賺到了160萬美元。有意成爲影壇新秀的用戶可以通過這款應用購買虛擬的髮型、妝容或小寵物，並接受卡戴珊的指導——在鎂光燈下怎麼表現。目前該遊戲在美國iPhone暢銷應用排行榜上排第五位。

This week, actor Tom Hanks released a typewriter-style word-processing app for the iPad that immediately shot to the top of the App Store charts in the US.

好萊塢男影星湯姆•漢克斯(Tom Hanks)本月也爲iPad發佈了一款打字機界面的文字處理應用Hanx Writer，很快就衝上了蘋果應用商店排行榜的頭名。