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 Makes Changes to 'One to One' Program
Apple today deployed a series of changes to its 'One to One' program that provides personalized setup and training for Mac users. The $99/year program is now available only to users who have purchased a Mac directly from an Apple sales channel (retail store, online or phone), and is only available at the time of machine purchase. Memberships may be renewed twice for a total of three years of...
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Apple Releases MobileMe Control Panel for Windows 1.4
Apple today released MobileMe Control Panel for Windows 1.4 (2.3 MB), bringing support for connections through proxy servers. Required to set up and manage MobileMe syncing and manage iDisk settings on a Windows PC. This update provides support for connecting to MobileMe through various proxy servers.
More information about supported proxy configurations in this support article.
Apple has...
Four iPhone Models Ranging From 4 GB to 32 GB Coming?
Engadget reports that Apple has just received approval from a certification board for four new iPhones with capacities ranging from 4 GB to 32 GB. 4GB to 32GB -- that's one hell of a range, but we're hearing from a trusted source that new iPhones in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities just garnered approval by the PCS Type Review Certification Board, the standards body responsible for...
Apple Releases GarageBand 5.0.2
Apple today released GarageBand 5.0.2 via Software Update, addressing a number of minor performance issues. This update addresses general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and fixes a number of other minor issues. The issues addressed include:
- Improved purchasing experience for Artist Lessons in the GarageBand Lesson Store
- Accessing installed Jam Packs in the loop browser
...
Apple Releases iTunes 8.2 and QuickTime 7.6.2
Apple today released iTunes 8.2 via Software Update. The update adds support for iPhone OS 3.0, which is expected to be featured at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week and be released in the near future. iTunes 8.2 now supports iPhone or iPod touch with the iPhone 3.0 Software Update. iTunes 8.2 also includes many accessibility improvements and bug fixes.
For information on the...
More Claims of Wireless Movie and TV Downloads to iPhone Surface
AppleInsider reports that Apple has begun internal training of its AppleCare staff to prepare for the deployment of wireless movie and TV downloads in the forthcoming iPhone OS 3.0. The report comes on the heels of a blog entry posted last week showing screenshots of a testing version of the iTunes Store download pages. Now however, AppleInsider has learned from people familiar with Apple's...
Apple Releases iWork '09 9.0.2 and MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.3
Apple today released a pair of software updates, one for iWork '09 users and one for MacBook Pro users.
iWork '09 9.0.2 (42.8 MB) addresses issues with saving documents and Keynote. This update improves reliability when saving some iWork documents and when playing some presentations more than once per Keynote session.The update requires iWork '09 and OS X 10.4.11 or 10.5.6 or later.
MacBook...
Apple Launches Additional Back-to-School Promotions Internationally
In something of a surprise move, Apple has launched its annual Back to School promotion for education customers in a number of its international online stores alongside the U.S. and Canadian promotion. Apple has typically offered the promotion outside of the United States and Canada later in the calendar year.
The promotion is available to education customers purchasing a Mac and an iPod on...
Palm Pre to Sync with iTunes on Macs?
Fortune reports that the forthcoming Palm Pre is able to sync with iTunes on Macs, appearing in iTunes' device list just like an iPhone or iPod with the only limitation on syncing being its inability to handle older, copy-protected tracks from the iTunes Store. Although not mentioned in the report, the Pre would also presumably be incompatible with movies and other videos from the iTunes Store,...
AT&T Announces Plans for 7.2 Mbps 3G Deployment
AT&T today announced its plans for deployment of HSPA 7.2 3G wireless technology topping out at 7.2 Mbps, doubling the speed of AT&T's current offerings and serving as an intermediate step to the deployment of LTE (4G) several years down the road. AT&T plans to begin rolling out the improvements later this year and will take until 2011 to fully deploy the necessary equipment. LTE trials are...
Apple Launches U.S. Back-to-School Promo, Does Not Include iPhone
Alongside today's minor update to its white MacBook, Apple announced the launch of its annual Back to School promo for U.S. education customers. This year's program offers rebates of up to $229 on the full line of iPods when purchased with a qualifying new Apple computer, which includes all Macs except the Mac mini.
Both the Mac and iPod must be purchased at the same time on the same...
Apple Releases Minor Update to White MacBook
Apple today quietly bumped the specs on the white MacBook. Changes to the base specs include:
- Processsor speed bumped from 2.0 GHz to 2.13 GHz.
- RAM speed bumped from 667 MHz to 800 MHz.
- Hard drive capacity increased from 120 GB to 160 GB. Build-to-order options up to 500 GB are now available, up from a previous maximum of 320 GB. Notably, the aluminum MacBook and MacBook Pro...
Psystar Files for Bankruptcy
The Mac Observer reports that Psystar, the manufacturer of unauthorized Mac clones currently embroiled in a legal battle with Apple, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move is likely to delay the proceedings in Apple's case, which is currently still in the discovery phase, although it also signals that Psystar may be unable to finance its continuing defense against Apple. Unauthorized Mac...
Apple Relents, Approves 'Eucalyptus' eBook App
On Friday, we reported on Apple's rejection of James Montgomerie's Eucalyptus eBook application due to its ability to access "objectionable" content, namely a translation of the Kama Sutra available through Project Gutenberg's collection of free eBooks created from public domain works.
Today, Montgomerie announced on his blog that Apple has reconsidered its decision and approved Eucalyptus as...
Orange Sells Millionth iPhone in France
Orange today announced that it has sold one million iPhones in France since its initial offering of the original iPhone in November 2007. In recognition of the milestone, Orange is offering its customers free access to its Roland-Garros iPhone application, providing tennis fans with mobile viewing of the upcoming French Open.
In the release, Orange also highlights a number of other iPhone...
Apple Rejects eBook App Over Access to Kama Sutra
In an extensive blog entry, James Montgomerie reveals that Apple has repeatedly rejected his eBook reader iPhone application, Eucalyptus, due to its ability to access a version of the ancient Indian text Kama Sutra, which Apple considers to contain objectionable content.
As Montgomerie describes, the Eucalyptus application does not contain the "objectionable" text, as it merely serves as an...
Apple Announces Free Summer Workshops for Kids
Apple has announced a series of free workshops at its retail stores targeted at children ages 8-12. Known as Apple Camp, the program consists of four three-hour workshops targeting such skills as movies, music, photos, and presentations. Workshops are offered in the latter half of July at most Apple retail stores, although not all locations will be offering all four workshops.
Participants ...
Apple Tablet Coming in 2010?
Silicon Alley Insider reports on a note from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster claiming that Apple's rumored "media pad" or tablet computer will not arrive until sometime in the first half of 2010. Munster also claims that the device will be more dramatically different from the iPhone and competing netbooks than most analysts and investors are expecting. The complexity of the operating system, ...
Unpatched OS X Java Vulnerabilities Drawing Attention
Programmer and former Apple engineer Landon Fuller has released a proof-of-concept exploit demonstrating vulnerabilities in Apple's current implementation of Java that allow arbitrary code execution in Java-enabled Web browsers. While the vulnerabilities, first discovered last August, were disclosed and patched by Sun last December, Apple has yet to roll out a fix for its own implementation of...
Amazon Brings Landscape Mode and Viewing Customizations to 'Kindle for iPhone'
Screenshot from TechCrunch Amazon's Kindle for iPhone [App Store, Free] has been updated to Version 1.1, bringing several important new features to the popular eBook reader. Most notably, Amazon has added support for viewing in landscape orientation and the ability to customize text and background colors. The changes include: * Read in portrait or landscape mode.
* Select alternate background...
