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
New Photos and Video of 'iPhone 5' Front Panel Show Minimal Height Increase Over iPhone 4S
The flood of part leaks claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone continues with a new report from Nowhereelse.fr [Google translation] pointing to a fresh set of high-quality photos and a video of an assembled front panel similar to the one that appeared earlier this week. The new photos and video come from Chinese parts distributor SINOCET.
While the part isn't a new leak, the photos...
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Next-Generation iPhone to Use A6 System-on-a-Chip?
While a significant number of parts claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone have appeared over the past few months, the component of perhaps the most interest has yet to be seen: the main processor package. Speculation has covered a number of different possibilities including a die-shrunk A5 similar to that introduced in the revised iPad 2 earlier this year, an A5X such as found in the...
Another Apple 1 Headed to Auction with $125,000 Estimate
Back in June, we noted the sale of one of only about 50 Apple 1 computers still in existence. That unit, which sold at auction for approximately $375,000, was reported to be one of just a handful of functioning Apple 1's in existence.
The Daily Mail now reports that another Apple 1 is headed to the auction block in early October, but with this unit being non-functional it has been estimated ...
Apple Broadens Access to Advanced Online Store Chat Services for UK, Germany, Spain
Pocket-lint notes that Apple's online store downtime earlier today saw the expansion of chat support services for iPad and iPhone customers in the UK, Germany, Spain, and Brazil. The updated chat options include the ability to participate in a traditional text chat with a Specialist, a guided tour in which the customer can share the Specialist's screen to be walked through product information,...
Apple Unsuccessfully Tried to Purchase Exclusive Access to TSMC Chip Production for iOS Devices
Bloomberg reports that Apple and Qualcomm each put forth investment bids topping $1 billion in attempting to secure exclusive access to chip supplies from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), but the bids were declined as TSMC has sought to retain flexibility for its production. While Apple's effort has so far been unsuccessful, it does appear to be part of the company's continuing ...
Newly-Discovered Java 7 Security Vulnerability Poses Risks to Macs
Just two weeks after Oracle officially took over responsibility for Java on OS X with the launch of Java SE 7 Update 6, a new Java vulnerability has been discovered to pose a significant threat to systems running the software. Krebs on Security highlighted the issue yesterday, noting that it affects all versions of Java 7 on most browsers.News of the vulnerability (CVE-2012-4681) surfaced late...
Jury Foreman in Apple vs. Samsung Case Speaks to Rationale for Verdict
With the landmark Apple vs. Samsung patent and design lawsuit resulting a $1 billion verdict for Apple late last week, considerable discussion about the jury's decision-making process has been making the rounds. Several members of the jury, including foreman Velvin Hogan, gave interviews after the trial, but a new video interview of Hogan by Bloomberg Television's Emily Chang provides some...
An Inside Look at Apple's Genius Training Manual
Gizmodo reports that it has obtained a complete copy of Apple's training manual for new retail store Genius hires. The manual includes an overview of the two-week training new Geniuses go through, along with detailed information on how to handle customer service issues across a broad variety of scenarios.The manual could easily serve as the Humanity 101 textbook for a robot university, but at...
No NFC in Next-Generation iPhone
With Apple having announced its new Passbook digital wallet for iOS 6, speculation regarding the potential for the incorporation of near field communications (NFC) in the next-generation iPhone has ramped up. The technology would allow for contactless payments that could be closely incorporated into the Passbook functionality. Rumors of NFC capabilities for the next-generation iPhone received...
T-Mobile USA Focused on 'Selling Against the iPhone' Starting September 21
TmoNews reports (via Engadget) that it has received a pair of photos from T-Mobile USA's internal news system announcing that the carrier will be rolling out new training programs focused on "selling against the iPhone". The new training modules are being deployed on September 21, the rumored launch day for the next-generation iPhone in the United States. Perhaps it’s coincidental that the...
Apple Retail's Emphasis on Profits Continues, Tied to Operational Perspective of Cook and Browett
Earlier this month, we reported on several changes at Apple retail stores that were reportedly seeing some employees being laid off or seeing recent promotions being retracted, while other part-time employees were seeing their hours reduced significantly, in some cases to zero. Our report was followed several days later by an acknowledgement from Apple that the company had "messed up" in...
iTunes Festival 2012 Live Streaming App Appears on Apple TV
Back in May, Apple announced that its annual iTunes Festival in London would be moving to September for 2012, with the event once again offering 30 days of free concerts at The Roundhouse. While tickets to the shows have been awarded on a lottery basis, Apple this year is offering access to the concerts with a number of live streaming options including through the iTunes Festival website,...
OS X Lion 10.7.5 Build 11G45 Seeded to Developers
Apple today seeded a new version of OS X Lio 10.7.5 to developers for testing. The new version, Build 11G45, arrives less than two weeks after the previous seed, and the build increment of nine suggests that Apple has been continuing to make a number of tweaks to the update in preparation for a public launch.
Apple continues to list no known issues with the update and is asking developers...
Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio Named Senior Executives, Bob Mansfield to Remain at Apple
Apple today announced that Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio will be joining the company's senior executive team, receiving promotions to the Senior Vice President level.
Craig Federighi (left) and Dan Riccio (right)
Federighi succeeded Bertrand Serlet as head of Mac Software Engineering in early 2011, but was not elevated to the senior executive team at that time. Riccio is currently transiti...
Apple Seeks Sales Bans on Eight Samsung Smartphones
In the wake of Apple's $1 billion victory over Samsung in its high-profile lawsuit over patent and trade dress issues, The Verge reports that the company has officially requested U.S. sales bans on eight Samsung smartphones found by the jury to infringe upon Apple's intellectual property.- Galaxy S 4G
- Galaxy S2 (AT&T)
- Galaxy S2 (Skyrocket)
- Galaxy S2 (T-Mobile)
- Galaxy S2 Epic 4G
-...
Samsung Working to Keep Design Dispute Separate from Component Contracts
Yesterday, we pointed to a report from The Korea Times quoting a senior Samsung executive as saying the $1 billion judgment against the firm in its patent and design dispute with Apple was the "worst scenario" for Samsung. Several senior executives were reportedly holding an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss Samsung's next moves in the case.
Reuters now notes that Samsung CEO Kwon...
AT&T Denies Rumor of Company-Wide Vacation Blackout at End of September
Yesterday, TechCrunch reported that AT&T had issued a vacation blackout for September 21-30 ahead of an "iconic release", coinciding exactly with a similar blackout at Verizon.
9to5Mac now reports that AT&T has specifically denied that a company-wide blackout is in effect for that time period. Anecdotal reports from store staff do, however, suggest that the carrier may be increasing its...
Samsung Promises to Fight on in Internal Memo, Seeks to Overturn Galaxy Tab Injunction
With Samsung having already issued a public statement following the $1 billion verdict against the company in its patent and trade dress dispute with Apple, the company has now published its internal memo to employees about the issue, noting that it will continue to fight on through all available means until it wins its case.Certainly, we are very disappointed by the verdict at the US District...
Apple Prepares to Open First Swedish Retail Stores
We've been following Apple's efforts to open retail store locations in Sweden for some time, noting last November that the company had filed for a business registration certificate. The company began hiring for its new stores in February, although the locations for those stores were not disclosed at the time.
Over this past weekend, 99mac reported [Google translation] that a new location...
Google Looks to Distance Android from Apple vs. Samsung Ruling
The Verge reports that Google has officially responded to Friday's ruling in the Apple vs. Samsung case that saw a jury award Apple over $1 billion in deciding that Samsung had infringed upon Apple's patents and trade dress.
In its statement, Google attempts to distance itself from the controversy somewhat, indicating that most of the issues addressed in the trial do not relate to Android...
