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
Snow Leopard Build 10A421 Seeded to Developers
Apple today seeded a new version of OS X Snow Leopard, termed Build 10A421, to registered developers. The update reportedly weighs in at just over 740 MB, roughly the same size as the previous version, Build 10A411, pushed to developers ten days ago.
As usual, Apple provides few hints about changes in the new build, although users with access to the new version will certainly be examining the ...
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Palm Reports Apple to USB Compliance Organization Over iTunes Syncing Issues
In a statement made to Digital Daily yesterday, Palm acknowledges firing yet another salvo in the ongoing dispute between Apple and Palm over the Palm Pre's ability to sync iTunes media by emulating an iPod, claiming that it has reported Apple to the USB Implementers Forum for improper use of the Vendor ID used to identify devices using the USB interface. "Palm has released webOS 1.1, which, along ...
Apple Tablet to Launch in Early 2010 Using Chip Platform From P.A. Semi?
Artist's rendition of Apple tablet computer
AppleInsider reports that Apple is putting the finishing touches on its much-rumored tablet computer and is looking to launch the device, depicted in an artist's rendition, in early 2010. The report recaps a long history of developmental fits and starts as Apple has designed and redesigned the device in search of a solution meeting the company's...
Microsoft Alters "Laptop Hunters" Ads in Wake of Apple Price Cuts
Advertising Age reports that Microsoft has quietly altered at least one of its "Laptop Hunters" television commercials to remove reference to the price of a MacBook Pro after recent price cuts to Apple's notebook line rendered the reference inaccurate. The move comes just a week after Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer seemingly gloated over Apple's lawyers having contacted Microsoft to request ...
Palm Releases WebOS 1.1, Restores iTunes Media Syncing
The cat-and-mouse game between Apple and Palm continues today with Palm's announcement that it has released webOS 1.1, bringing a host of new features and improvements to the Palm Pre including restoration of iTunes media syncing. Oh, and one more thing: Palm webOS 1.1 re-enables Palm media sync. That's right -- you once again can have seamless access to your music, photos and videos from the...
Google Latitude Web App for iPhone Now Available
Google today announced that it has launched Google Latitude for the iPhone and iPod touch. Google Latitude, which runs as a web app in Safari, utilizes GPS and Wi-Fi geolocation to display the real-time location of a user's friends and to allow others to track their location. Privacy settings allow users to customize which contacts are permitted to see their location. To try Google Latitude,...
New Apple Retail Store "Flying Apps" Window Display Unveiled
TechCrunch reports that the Apple retail store in Palo Alto, California has unveiled an eye-catching new window display consisting of a video wall presenting a cloud of App Store application icons flying by with featured apps being shown on an oversized iPhone mockup in the center of the display. Earlier this evening I was walking down the streets of Palo Alto near TechCrunch HQ, when I stumbled...
Apple Releases ProKit 5.0
Apple today released ProKit 5.0, an update to the framework that provides the controls and user interface for Apple's pro applications. A number of Apple's pro applications, including the Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio suites for video and audio production and editing also received updates today. About ProKit 5.0
This update improves general user interface reliability for Apple's professional ...
More Purported Next-Generation iPod Touch and iPod Nano Cases Surface
Cult of Mac gathers an extensive gallery of cases from Chinese manufacturers claimed to be for the next-generation iPod touch and iPod nano. Cases for both devices feature holes in their backs that appear to provide openings for built-in cameras in the forthcoming models. The collection of cases follows discovery earlier this month of the first of these cases appearing on the market....
Apple Patent Application Details Touch-Sensitive Unmounting of External Devices From Computers
In a patent application filed in January 2008 and published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple describes its work on computer peripheral devices that are capable of initiating shut down of communications with the host computer to prepare for removal by sensing a touch or impending touch from the user. As an example, Apple points to the need for USB flash drives to be...
Apple Claims 91% of $1,000+ PC Market Revenue in June
Betanews reports (via The Loop) that according to market research firm NPD, Apple claimed 91% of the revenue market share for computers costing $1,000 or more in June. While NPD's sales numbers are limited to brick-and-mortar retail stores, the data shows a remarkable continuation of a trend that has been in place for several years now. While Apple's overall unit market share remains below 10%, ...
Apple Updates Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server, and Logic Studio
Apple today released updates to its professional video and audio editing applications: Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server, and Logic Studio.
The revised Final Cut Studio brings over 100 new features to the application suite including new versions of nearly every component application and is priced at $999, a $300 discount over the previous version. Apple today announced a significant update to...
Apple Legal Reportedly Hinders Reporter's Investigation of iPods Catching Fire
Amy Clancy of KIRO 7 TV in Seattle reports on her investigation of complaints of iPods overheating, smoldering and catching fire. The complaints, made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, amount to over 800 pages of documentation covering 15 incidents that Apple's lawyers repeatedly tried to prevent Clancy from accessing under a Freedom of Information Act request. It took more than...
Apple to Release Subsidized Tablet Through Verizon Later This Year?
The Street's Scott Moritz reports that Apple is planning to release its long-rumored tablet computer "in time for the holidays" later this year. While Apple is reportedly still deciding on a sales model for the new device, Moritz's source reports that initial plans include subsidies from Verizon in order to lock in users for multi-year wireless data contracts while bringing down the upfront cost ...
Navigon Offers Full-Featured iPhone GPS Navigation for a Single Upfront Fee
German GPS firm Navigon has finally released MobileNavigator North America [App Store, $69.99 through August 15th and $99.99 thereafter], one of the first full-featured turn-by-turn GPS navigation applications for the iPhone. While several subscription-based GPS applications, including AT&T's own service have appeared since the release of iPhone OS 3.0, MobileNavigator represents the first...
AIM Messages Sent to Unlocked iPhones Routed to Unintended Recipients
CrunchGear reports that developer Till Schadde has discovered a security flaw that allows AIM instant messages sent to certain unlocked and jailbroken iPhones to be misrouted to unintended recipients. Till tested the service by sending an AIM from the OS X desktop using iChat to his iPhone. He then received a reply back from a random recipient. It is clear that this is a Push problem in the...
Apple Reports $1.23 Billion Profit for Q3 2009, Best Non-Holiday Quarter Ever
Apple today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2009. Apple posted revenue of $8.34 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.23 billion, or $1.35 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $7.46 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.07 billion, or $1.19 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.3 percent, compared to 34.8 percent in the year-ago...
Foxconn Employee Reportedly Commits Suicide Over Lost iPhone Prototype [Updated]
VentureBeat pieces together reports coming out of China regarding the recent apparent suicide of a Foxconn employee after he lost track of an iPhone prototype in his possession. The suicide of 25 year-old Sun Danyong, who was responsible for shipping prototypes to Apple, reportedly occurred in the wake of a potentially illegal search of the his home and possible physical intimidation against him ...
Universal Studios to Launch iPhone Features for Blu-ray Discs
Universal Studios Home Entertainment today announced (via iLounge) that it will begin offering iPhone-enabled features on some of its future Blu-ray video releases. Universal's initial launch for the concept will take place with the release of a special Blu-ray edition of Fast & Furious on July 28th. Utilizing an Internet-connected Blu-ray player and a free companion iPhone application to be...
BlackBerry Desktop Manager Coming to Mac
In a blog post today, Research in Motion announced its plans for BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac, which will provide full-featured media and data syncing. Here are some key features the initial release will include:
- Sync your iTunes playlists, calendars, contacts, notes and tasks
- Add/Remove applications
- Update your device when new software becomes available
- Backup and restore...
