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.

Eric Slivka's Articles

os x messages

Apple Releases Public Beta of New Messages App for OS X

Thursday February 16, 2012 5:04 am PST by
Alongside today's OS X Mountain Lion news, Apple released a public beta version of its new Messages app for OS X for existing users. Set to replace iChat in OS X Mountain Lion, the new Messages app integrates features of iChat and FaceTime and adds compatibility with the iMessages service introduced for iOS last year.Download Messages Beta and get a taste of what’s coming in OS X Mountain...
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Apple Releases First Developer Preview of OS X Mountain Lion, Public Launch in Late Summer

Thursday February 16, 2012 4:54 am PST by
Apple today announced that it has released the first developer preview of the company's next-generation operating system, named OS X Mountain Lion. The release will bring over 100 new features, including a number of those familiar to iOS users such as Messages, Notes, Reminders, Game Center, Notification Center, Twitter integration, and AirPlay Mirroring. The first developer preview is...
intel ivy bridge chip promo

Intel Delaying Mass Availability of Ivy Bridge Processors Until 'After June'?

Wednesday February 15, 2012 8:17 pm PST by
Digitimes reports that Intel has apparently begun informing partners that mass availability of its forthcoming Ivy Bridge processors will be delayed until "after June". Intel is said to be sticking to its initial schedule calling for an April introduction of Ivy Bridge, but only very limited supplies of the chips will be available at that time.Intel recently notified its partners about plans to...
ipad 2 box

iPad Issues in China: Amazon Not an Authorized Retailer, Apple's Victory in Hong Kong Trademark Case

Wednesday February 15, 2012 8:02 pm PST by
Earlier today, we noted that the iPad had been pulled from sale at online retailers Amazon China and Suning.com, with the development coming just days after authorities had seized some iPads over a trademark dispute involving the "iPad" name. At the time of the removal, an Amazon China spokesperson indicated that the iPad had been removed at Apple's request rather than as a result of actions...
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Apple to Require Explicit Permission for iOS Apps Accessing Address Book Data

Wednesday February 15, 2012 10:04 am PST by
Just hours after a pair of U.S. Congressmen sent a letter to Apple requesting information on privacy practices, specifically as they relate to address book data being collected and stored by the apps' developers, Apple has issued a statement to AllThingsD indicating that the issue will be addressed in a forthcoming iOS software update.“Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data...
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Apple Seeks Bankruptcy Court's Blessing to Sue Kodak over Patents

Wednesday February 15, 2012 9:50 am PST by
With Kodak having filed last-minute patent lawsuits against Apple and HTC as it was heading into bankruptcy last month, Bloomberg reports that Apple is looking to assert itself against the pioneering photography company with a new lawsuit alleging infringement of Apple-held patents. While Apple says in its filing with the bankruptcy court overseeing Kodak's case that it is not required to...
path address book

Congress Weighs in on iOS Apps Collecting Address Book and Other Personal Data

Wednesday February 15, 2012 8:13 am PST by
Last week, controversy erupted when it was discovered that the popular iOS app Path was uploading users' entire address books to the company's servers without alerting users or asking for authorization. While Path quickly deleted all address book data on its servers and updated its app to make the data collection an opt-in service, the issue has cast a fresh light on user privacy issues on iOS. ...
apple fair labor association logos

Fair Labor Association Offers Initial Impressions on Foxconn Audit as iPads Used to Collect Survey Data

Wednesday February 15, 2012 7:24 am PST by
With the Fair Labor Association's independent audit of Foxconn's manufacturing facilities for Apple products having been underway for several days now, Reuters reports on the association's initial impressions as it works to collect and analyze data on working conditions. According to Fair Labor Association president Auret van Heerden, Foxconn's facilities appear to be "first-class" in...
amazon china no ipads

Apple Pulls Online iPad Sales from Amazon China for Unknown Reasons

Wednesday February 15, 2012 6:21 am PST by
Just as Chinese authorities have indicated that it would be difficult to impose a ban on Apple's iPad over a trademark dispute, Tech in Asia notes that the popular tablet has gone missing from online stores at Amazon China and Suning.com. The removal is apparently not, however, the result of a request from Proview Technology, which is laying claim to the iPad trademark and which has been seek...
timcookceo

Tim Cook at Goldman Sachs: Worker Safety, iPhone and iPad Growth, and Financial Strategy

Tuesday February 14, 2012 12:54 pm PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook has just completed a Q&A session with analyst Bill Shope at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference. While we liveblogged the event with a rough transcript of Cook's comments, here are a few of the highlights: - Worker safety: Addressing ongoing publicity about working conditions at Apple's suppliers' facilities, Cook reiterated his position that no company is ...
samsung smart tv

Samsung Underestimating Apple's Potential Impact on Television Market?

Tuesday February 14, 2012 10:51 am PST by
Soon after rumors of Apple's plans for entering the television market began to gain significant momentum late last year, analysts noted that the industry's existing players were already "scrambling" to react to Apple's likely entry and its chances of remaking the industry. But perhaps not all television manufacturers are sweating Apple's arrival, as Pocket-lint reports on comments from a...
mac pro 2010 side top half

Apple Switching Back to NVIDIA Graphics for Upcoming Mac Pro Update?

Tuesday February 14, 2012 9:26 am PST by
M.I.C gadget reports that it has received information from sources indicating that Apple is "close to finally updating" its aging Mac Pro line. As we detailed in a report last month, the window for a potential Mac Pro update is approaching as Intel prepares to launch its Sandy Bridge E Xeon processors and AMD is pushing out its new "Tahiti" family of graphics cards. But M.I.C gadget reports...
sharp ipad 3 panel

Apple Reportedly Planning Orders for 65-70 Million iPad 3 Displays in 2012

Tuesday February 14, 2012 6:46 am PST by
Electronista reports on a new article [Google translation] from Taiwan's Commercial Times claiming that Apple is planning for production of 65-70 million iPad 3 displays in 2012, paving the way for a significant boost to Apple's tablet sales.Shipments for the new LCD panel, believed designed by Sharp but being manufactured by LG Display and Samsung, were said by the Commercial Times to be...
clog apple stack

Apple's Architectural Contributions Examined in New Magazine

Tuesday February 14, 2012 6:29 am PST by
CLOG, a new quarterly architecture magazine, has opted to cover Apple in its just-published February 2012 issue. The magazine offers nearly 150 pages of stories and images about Apple and architecture, with coverage ranging from Steve Jobs' boyhood Eichler home to the company's forthcoming "spaceship campus" to Apple's network of over 350 retail stores around the world.With one of the largest...
ipad 2 china

Proview Seeking to Cut Off Apple's Worldwide Supply of iPads

Tuesday February 14, 2012 5:49 am PST by
Earlier this week, we noted that Chinese authorities had begun seizing iPad stocks from a small number of retailers over Apple's alleged infringement of a disputed "iPad" trademark. Apple claims that it purchased the Chinese rights to the trademark several years ago, but the original owner Proview and Chinese courts have disagreed with that assertion. Bloomberg now notes that Proview is...
apple store amsterdam orange 1

Apple Unveils Striking New Window Coverings at Forthcoming Amsterdam Store

Tuesday February 14, 2012 5:33 am PST by
We've been covering Apple's forthcoming Amsterdam retail store with interest for some time now, as it will be the company's first location in the Netherlands. While development has been slowed by historic preservation issues, rumors last month suggested that the store could open on February 18. Photo from One More Thing Apple indeed appears to be getting closer to opening the store, as...
iPad Mini comparison t

Apple Working with Suppliers on 8-Inch iPad

Monday February 13, 2012 11:20 pm PST by
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is working with suppliers on a smaller iPad carrying a display in the range of 8 inches on the diagonal, down from the 9.7-inch display in the current iPad but still larger than the 7-inch display found in the Kindle Fire.Officials at some of Apple's suppliers, who declined to be named, said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has shown them screen...
cook goldman sachs webcast

Apple to Live Stream Audio of Tim Cook's Speech at Goldman Sachs Conference Tomorrow

Monday February 13, 2012 12:38 pm PST by
As noted by @settBIT, Apple has posted a notice on its investor relations page announcing that it will be offering a live audio webcast of a presentation by CEO Tim Cook tomorrow at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference. Cook's presentation will begin at approximately 3:30 PM Eastern / 12:30 PM Pacific. Cook has spoken at the annual conference a number of times (2007, 2008, 20...
apple japan back to school 2012

Apple Launches Back to School Promotion in Japan with ¥10,000 App Store Gift Cards

Monday February 13, 2012 9:32 am PST by
Apple today launched its annual back to school promotion in Japan, offering students purchasing a new Mac a gift card worth ¥10,000 (US$129) and redeemable in the App Store, Mac App Store, or iTunes Store. The program runs through May 22. The promotion is valid on all standard and build-to-order Mac models with the exception of the Mac mini. Refurbished Macs are also not eligible for the...
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Apple Reportedly Pressures Pegatron into Ceasing ASUS Zenbook Production

Monday February 13, 2012 8:02 am PST by
Digitimes reports on an article from Taiwanese newspaper Commerical Times claiming that Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron has ended its relationship with ASUS for production of the Zenbook under pressure from Apple. According to the report, Apple is displeased with the similarity in appearance between ASUS's Zenbook and the MacBook Air and forced Pegatron's hand with an ultimatum stating...