Eric Slivka
Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of MacRumors and has been writing for the site since 2008.
An avid swimmer and former biophysicist, Eric has been using Apple products for over 35 years and has been interviewed for pieces by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other publications.
Eric's current primary role involves day-to-day oversight of the editorial operations at MacRumors, but he also contributes occasional news and review articles while handling various other duties related to the site's operation.
An avid swimmer and former biophysicist, Eric has been using Apple products for over 35 years and has been interviewed for pieces by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other publications.
Eric's current primary role involves day-to-day oversight of the editorial operations at MacRumors, but he also contributes occasional news and review articles while handling various other duties related to the site's operation.
Eric Slivka's Articles
Apple's Purchase Price for Lala: $80 Million? [Update: $17 Million?]
Media Memo reports that multiple sources are saying that Apple paid approximately $80 million in its acquisition of streaming music service Lala Media late last week. Apple ended up paying around $80 million for the company, according to multiple sources. That's less than half of what investors valued the company at in 2008, but it's more than the $35 million the company raised throughout its...
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iPod Touch Seen as Building Base of Future iPhone Users
Mobile analytics firm Flurry yesterday released a report promoting an interesting take on Apple's iPod touch market, one that sees its strong performance among young consumers as building a base that will naturally migrate to the iPhone as they mature. As all industry eyes look to the iPhone, the iPod Touch is quietly building a loyal base among the next generation of iPhone users, positioning...
New York Times Profiles Apple's App Store
The New York Times yesterday published a lengthy feature article on Apple's iPhone and the App Store, calling them a "game changer" in the field of telephony and mobile applications. While the article provides little in the way of new information, the prominent story is part of a recent push by Apple executives to share their vision for the App Store and to address concerns from customers and...
AT&T Releases 'Mark The Spot' Application to Track Network Issues
AT&T yesterday released AT&T Mark the Spot [App Store, Free], a new iPhone application allowing users to alert the company to problems with its wireless network. The application takes advantage of the iPhone's GPS receiver to pinpoint the user's location and allow them to submit reports on a number of network issues, including dropped calls, failed calls, coverage holes, data service failures, ...
Apple Ordered to Pay Finalized $21.7 Million Patent Verdict, Hit With New Suit Over iPhone Camera
Silicon Alley Insider reports that Apple has been told to pay a $21.7 million patent infringement judgment to OPTi Inc., a former semiconductor company that abandoned its business to focus on pursuing patent claims against other companies.
The patent in question involves "predictive snooping" technology for transferring data and the suit was initially found in OPTi's favor by a jury back in...
Apple Snapping Up 7-Inch Touchscreens Ahead of January Tablet Launch?
T3 has received word that there is a currently a major shortage of 7" touchscreen components, with speculation centering on Apple as a likely culprit ahead of a possible January launch of its much-rumored tablet computer. Our source said: "If you want to buy a 7-inch touchscreen at the moment, you can't." They added that this could indicate a January release window for Apple's hotly-anticipated...
Apple Looking to Acquire Music Streaming Service Lala?
CNET reports that Apple is in "advanced" negotiations to acquire music streaming firm Lala. The news comes from two sources who reportedly have knowledge of the discussions between the two companies. Talks are very advanced, said the sources. One of the sources said that the sides have already agreed on terms and have only to sign a final agreement.
Steve Dowling, Apple's spokesman, said the...
Apple Products Top U.S. Retail Desktop and Notebook Sales Lists
CNET reports on new data from market research NPD showing that Apple models grabbed the top spots in both the desktop and notebook computer U.S. retail sales lists for the month of October. Among desktops, the company's new 21.5" iMac grabbed the #1 spot, with the 27" iMac taking the third spot. In the notebook category, Apple's entry-level 13" MacBook Pro took top honors, with three other...
Microsoft Modifies European 'Browser Ballot' to Eliminate Safari's Advantage
In mid-October, it was reported that Apple's Safari for Windows browser was slated to receive prominent placement on a "browser ballot" designed to allow Windows users in Europe to select which Internet browser they wished to use. The ballot process was included by Microsoft to address anti-competitive concerns there, where the company has been found at fault for its integration of Internet...
Apple Obtains Rezoning on Second Cupertino Campus Parcel
The Cupertino Courier reports that the Cupertino planning commission voted earlier this week to rezone a 7.78-acre portion of a 50-acre property assemblage owned by Apple to allow the company to build its planned second corporate campus just a few miles from its headquarters. Apple announced in April 2006 that it had purchased the properties and planned to consolidate at the new campus its...
Apple Quietly Adds 3.33 GHz Quad-Core Option to Mac Pro [Updated: Xserve]
Apple has quietly upgraded its Mac Pro offerings, adding the option of a 3.33 GHz quad-core processor and adding the ability to configure both the quad-core and 8-core models with 2 TB hard drives, doubling the machine's total build-to-order hard drive capacity to 8 TB.
The upgraded processor carries a hefty price tag as a $1,200 option over the base quad-core 2.66 GHz model, or $800 over...
Apple Releases Java Updates for Snow Leopard and Leopard
Apple today released a pair of software updates for users of Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Leopard, delivering updated versions of Java containing the latest performance and security fixes.
- Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 1 weighs in at 78 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.6.2. Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 1 delivers improved reliability, security, and compatibility for Java SE 6. Java for Mac OS X 10.6 ...
Apple Nixes Support for New iPod Click Wheel Games?
Joystiq reported earlier this week on the release of Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore, a new iPhone game available in paid [App Store, $9.99] and lite [App Store, Free] versions from developer Square Enix. Included in the report is mention that the new iPhone games contain touch-enabled versions of both the original Song Summoner that was a popular click wheel iPod game and Song...
Google Releases Chrome for Mac Beta
As anticipated, Google has finally released an official beta version of its Chrome browser for Mac. The initial beta version, termed Build 4.0.249.30, requires Mac OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard, and is only compatible with Intel-based Macs. In addition to the Mac release, Chrome for Linux has also been promoted to a beta version.
While developer builds of Chrome have been available for...
China's Largest E-Commerce Store Has Sold Only Five iPhones
IDG News Service reports that a China Unicom iPhone store on Taobao.com, China's largest e-commerce site, has sold only five iPhones in the two weeks since it began offering the device's for sale. Taobao.com is similar to eBay in that it serves as an online auction site but also connects other sellers such as retailers and wholesalers with customers. An official iPhone store on Taobao.com, the...
Apple Postpones Frankfurt Retail Store Opening at Last Minute
Apple's Frankfurt Retail Store Under Wraps
Courtesy of Macerkopf.de
ifoAppleStore reports on news out of Germany [Google translation] that Apple has canceled the grand opening of its planned Frankfurt retail store just two days before the event. The reasons behind the delay are currently unknown beyond suppositions that some aspect of the store's construction was not able to be completed in...
Research Firm Predicts Apple Tablet, 300,000 iPhone Applications for 2010
The New York Times covers a new, wide-ranging report from research firm IDC outlining its technology predictions for 2010. Among the firm's predictions for Apple are the release of an Apple tablet computing device and the achievement of a 300,000-application milestone for iPhone and iPod touch applications.
IDC predicts that by the end of 2010 there will be over one billion mobile devices...
Apple Tablet to Be Priced 'Shockingly' Low?
In the latest episode of Diggnation, co-host Alex Albrecht reveals under pressure from Kevin Rose that he has received information about Apple's much-rumored tablet computer, but acknowledges only that he was "shocked" to hear how low the device will be priced.
The episode also features John Hodgman of Apple's "Get a Mac" commercials as a guest, and while he too is asked about the company's...
Steve Jobs Reportedly Intervenes in iPhone Application Approval
Ars Technica reported yesterday on the approval of Knocking Live Video [App Store, Free], which was notable for the apparent personal intervention of Apple CEO Steve Jobs after the iPhone-to-iPhone video streaming application was initially denied.
Jobs' interest in the case appears to have been sparked by an e-mail sent to him by the developer after the application was rejected for relying on...
AT&T and Verizon Drop Lawsuits Over Ad Campaigns
Dow Jones Newswires reports in a brief note that AT&T's lawsuit against Verizon regarding Verizon's recent ad campaigns targeting AT&T's 3G coverage has been dismissed. AT&T Inc. (T) on Wednesday dismissed its lawsuit against Verizon Wireless and its recent "There's A Map For That" campaign.
AT&T had already suffered a legal setback when a judge rejected its request to pull the ads last month,...
