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
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Officially Opens CES, Briefly Demos Forthcoming HP Slate Device
Steve Ballmer Demoing HP Slate-Style PC
After some technical difficulties resulted in delays kicking things off, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer this evening is currently giving the opening keynote for the CES conference in Las Vegas. After word surfaced that Ballmer would be introducing a slate-style tablet device tonight, many Apple watchers have been interested to see how Microsoft's offering...
Read Full Article • 558 comments
Analyst Claims: Qualcomm 3G Chip Destined for Verizon iPhone, Tablet Based on P.A. Semi Processor
A pair of reports today from Scott Moritz of TheStreet share claims from Northeast Securities analyst Ashok Kumar that Qualcomm has struck a deal with Apple to provide a 3G EV-DO chip for a CDMA-based iPhone scheduled for launch later this year and that Apple has also officially decided against utilizing Intel's Atom platform in its forthcoming tablet device.
In the first report, Kumar claims...
Facebook iPhone Application Gains Push Notifications [Updated]
Facebook today updated its iPhone and iPod touch application [App Store, Free] to Version 3.1, adding highly-anticipated push notifications and the ability to sync Facebook friends with users' address books. Facebook's push notifications offer a fairly high degree of customization, allowing users to choose whether to receive alerts for seven categories of information.
Push notifications had ...
Apple Begins Seeding Mac OS X 10.6.3 Build 10D522 to Testers
Apple has reportedly begun seeding Build 10D522 of Mac OS X 10.6.3 to a limited set of developers, marking the first official beta version of the third maintenance release for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. According to those familiar with the release, Apple has addressed approximately 225 issues in the update, which reportedly weighs in at roughly 666 MB.
Apple documents four remaining known issues...
Former Apple Marketing Insider Sheds Light on Apple's 'Controlled Leaks'
Former Apple Senior Marketing Manager John Martellaro today penned an interesting piece describing the company's strategy for issuing controlled leaks, pointing to Monday's Wall Street Journal article on Apple's tablet device as a likely instance of such an information release.
Martellaro notes that Apple engages in the practice of controlled leaks for a number of reasons, including...
Apple Tablet Interface to Come With 'Steep Learning Curve'?
Cult of Mac reports that it has received a tip from someone claiming to have contact with an Apple employee who revealed that the company's much-rumored tablet will have a "steep learning curve" when it comes to the device's interface. According to reader Tom: "I just heard [to] be ready for a steep learning curve regarding the "new" Apple product about to be released [and its] interface. This...
AT&T Announces Completion of 7.2 Mbps Software Updates, But Backhaul Upgrades Still Needed
U.S. iPhone wireless carrier partner AT&T yesterday announced the completion of its nationwide software upgrade program designed to make all of its 3G cell sites compatible with 7.2 Mbps data speeds, double the current standard. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology across 3G cell sites is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T's network enhancement strategy designed...
Microsoft Reportedly Scheduled to Introduce Tablet Today [Updated]
The New York Times reported last night that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is set to introduce a new tablet device during his keynote address tonight at CES in Las Vegas. On Wednesday, Mr. Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, will unveil a novel take on a slate-type computer during his evening keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, according to people familiar with Microsoft's plans. ...
Google Launches Nexus One: T-Mobile Plan Available Now, Verizon and Vodafone Coming Soon
Google today announced the launch of its Nexus One smartphone, ushering in what the company calls the first of its "superphones" based on the Android operating system. The Nexus One, which offers an 800x480 screen, 5 megapixel camera with flash and is powered by Qualcomm's 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, utilizes the Android 2.1 operating system.
As revealed last week, the Nexus One is priced...
Apple Patent Application Points to 3D Multi-Touch Manipulation
The Baltimore Sun yesterday dug up a relatively recent patent application from Apple describing the manipulation of three-dimensional images on a variety of devices, including such implementations as the iPhone or the company's as-yet-unreleased tablet. Curiously, while the patent application is credited to several Apple engineers in France, the company's name appears nowhere on the...
Apple's Purchase of Quattro Wireless Confirmed
Mobile advertising company Quattro Wireless confirms today that it has been acquired by Apple. The news follows a report late yesterday that the deal had been reached, with Apple agreeing to pay $275 million for Quattro. Happy New Year from Quattro Wireless!
We are thrilled to let you know that Apple has acquired Quattro. We want to share with you our excitement about this news and what it...
CourseSmart Looks Ahead at eTextbooks on Apple's Tablet
The Wall Street Journal reports on eTextbook publisher CourseSmart, which is looking ahead to the release of Apple's much-rumored tablet and is using this week's CES conference in Las Vegas to show off its thoughts on how its content could be offered on the new device. However, Coursesmart Executive Vice President Frank Lyman has a very different take on the potential of tablet computers for...
Apple Announces 3 Billion App Store Downloads
Apple today announced that users have now downloaded over three billion iPhone and iPod touch applications from the company's App Store since its July 2008 launch. "Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months -- this is like nothing we've ever seen before," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike...
Apple Tablet Scheduled to Begin Shipping in March? Two Different Material Casings Being Considered?
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that while Apple is expected to introduce its tablet device at a media event reportedly scheduled for later this month, the tablet will not begin shipping until March. Apple Inc. plans to unveil a new multimedia tablet device later this month, but doesn't plan on shipping the product until March, people briefed by the company said.
While...
Android Gaining Momentum Among Future Smartphone Buyers
New survey data released today by ChangeWave Research indicates that Google's Android smartphone operating system has been rapidly gaining momentum over the past few months as the release of the Motorola Droid and the hype around the Google Nexus One have brought Android considerable publicity. In particular, the survey found that 21% of customers planning to purchase a new smartphone in the...
Apple Prepping iPhone OS 4.0 Beta? SDK to Include Tablet 'Simulator' Tools?
In a brief report [Google translation], French site Mac4Ever claims that Apple's special media event now reportedly scheduled for January 27th will see both the introduction of the company's much-rumored tablet device and the launch of beta versions of iPhone OS 4.0 and the associated Software Development Kit for developers.
According to the report, the SDK will include a "simulator" to assist ...
More Details on Nokia's Latest Complaints Against Apple Surface
Last week, Nokia filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) claiming infringement of its patents by "virtually all" Apple products. The complaint was an extension of an earlier lawsuit filed by Nokia over the iPhone, one which was met with strong denials and a countersuit from Apple, citing infringement of its own patents.
Engadget today notes that the text of the...
Magic Mouse Blamed for Draining Bluetooth Keyboard Batteries [Updated]
Over the weekend, TUAW pointed to a growing chorus of complaints in Apple's discussion forums from users who have seen poor battery life from their Apple wireless keyboards after moving to the company's new Magic Mouse, which began shipping in late October. According to the reports, some users are finding that their wireless keyboards are running through batteries on a nearly-weekly basis since...
Apple Takes Control of iPhone-Related Trademark in China
Macworld reports that Apple has taken control of a trademark for the term "i-phone" in China after reaching an agreement with the previous holder to resolve a conflict that could have prevented Apple from releasing the iPhone there under its global brand name. Hanwang Technology, a Chinese maker of e-readers and other devices, applied for the i-phone trademark for mobile phones in China in 2004,...
Apple Reportedly Addressing Fraud by Third-Party Service Centers
In a pair of articles published over the past week, Hardmac reveals that Apple has been working to fight against fraud perpetrated against the company by third-party authorized service centers. According to the initial report published last week, the fraud was conducted by repair centers both charging customers for out-of-warranty repairs and also reporting to Apple that the machines were under...
