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 Reduces Build Cost of CDMA iPhone With Design Tweaks
Research firm IHS iSuppli today announced that it has completed its full teardown of the CDMA iPhone that launched on Verizon this week, estimating that the device carries a bill of materials cost of about $171.35, or approximately 9% less than the original iPhone 4. Despite having nearly the same functionality and a similar bill of materials (BOM) as the previous model, the new code division...
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LG VL600 Becomes Verizon's Second Mac-Compatible 4G Modem
Last week, we noted that Verizon had released updated software finally bringing Mac OS X compatibility to the Pantech UML290, one of the carrier's two 4G (LTE) modems available for customer purchase.
Just over a week later, Verizon has now delivered a new version of its VZAccess Manager to add compatibility for its other 4G USB modem, the LG VL600.
Like the Pantech UML290, the LG VL600...
Apple's iAd Program Struggling to Fill Slots and Renew Advertisers?
Last week, we noted that Apple and Campbell's had commissioned a study that demonstrated that Apple's iAd mobile advertising platform offers advertisers more bang for their buck and greater brand recognition than traditional advertising channels such as television.
Apple may have felt it needed that data in order to entice advertisers to join the program, as a new report from TechCrunch...
Researchers Demonstrate Vulnerability Allowing Theft of iPhone Passwords
IDG News Service reports that German researchers have demonstrated how a knowledgeable thief could bypass the iPhone's passcode locking to upload a script capable of revealing entries from the device's password keychain system, potentially giving the hacker access to sensitive passwords stored on the device. In a video that demonstrates the attack, the researchers first jailbreak the phone using ...
Verizon iPhone Launches to Short Lines, Cold Temperatures
Last night, we noted that lines were beginning to form for the Verizon iPhone, which went on sale this morning at Apple and Verizon retail stores, as well as Best Buy and select Wal-Mart stores. But in the light of morning, lines are short in many locations, particularly at Apple stores.
Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan (Source: CNET)
With much of the country seeing frigid...
Skype for iPhone Adds Support for Video Calling to Select TVs
As noted by The Next Web, Skype has issued an update to its iOS application, adding video calling compatibility with a broader array of devices, most notably Skype for TV. If the idea of making a video call from some far-flung corner of the world back to a family TV sounds appealing to you, you'll need a TV that specifically supports Skype. A number of Panasonic and Samsung sets will do the job, ...
HP Announces WebOS-Based TouchPad Tablet, Pre 3 and Veer Smartphones
Image from Engadget's coverage
HP's acquisition of Palm may finally be bearing fruit, as an ongoing media event today has revealed a significant reboot of the company's webOS-based mobile strategy headlined by the TouchPad, a new tablet device similar in many respects to Apple's iPad.
Running on a dual-core Snapdragon processor at 1.2 GHz, the TouchPad offers 16 or 32 GB of storage, Wi-Fi...
AT&T Launches Unlimited 'Mobile to Any Mobile' Calling, Requires Unlimited Messaging
In what could be viewed as yet another bid by AT&T to keep customers from defecting to the Verizon iPhone, the carrier today announced that it will launch tomorrow a new "Mobile to Any Mobile" feature allowing unlimited calling from AT&T phones to other mobile phones in the U.S., regardless of carrier.
The feature, which rolls out tomorrow, requires customers to be on a qualifying voice plan ...
Video Footage of Early Steve Jobs TV Appearance Prep Surfaces
Electricpig.co.uk points to a recently-uploaded video showing a young Steve Jobs preparing for what seems to be his first television appearance.
The fidgeting Jobs is clearly nervous and amazed by the experience, revealing a side of the iconic CEO not seen in his polished public appearances in recent years. Jobs was clearly not feeling well for the appearance: You need to tell me where the...
Adobe Releases Flash Player 10.2 With 'Stage Video' Hardware Acceleration
Adobe yesterday announced that Flash Player 10.2 has exited the beta testing stage is now available for general consumption for Mac, Windows, and Linux. As previously noted, Flash Player 10.2 includes Adobe's new "Stage Video" technology to leverage hardware acceleration for smoother playback with significantly lower CPU consumption. Stage Video lets websites take advantage of full hardware...
Wal-Mart to Carry Verizon iPhone in Nearly 600 Stores Tomorrow
Wal-Mart today announced that it wil offer the Verizon iPhone for sale in nearly 600 of its retail store locations, joining Apple, Verizon, and Best Buy as a launch retailer for the device at its debut for general availability. "We're excited to bring iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network, one the most anticipated mobile phone launches in recent history, to Walmart customers," said Gary...
'Death Hug': Verizon iPhone Demonstrates Antenna Attenuation Issues
With the GSM version of the iPhone having received considerable attention for issues with loss of cellular signal when held in a "death grip" position, observers have been interested to see whether a similar issue affects the Verizon iPhone with its modified antenna design.
iLounge reports that not only has it been able to demonstrate loss of cellular signal strength with the same "death...
MacBook Pro Shortages Continue as Apple Struggles to Deliver Replacement Machines
Reports of tightening supplies for Apple's MacBook Pro models continue today, with one reader letting us know that he was just informed by Apple that a replacement for his faulty machine will likely not be available for 4-6 weeks, and possibly as long as 8 weeks.
The long lead time was reportedly cited for a replacement on a custom-configured MacBook Pro carrying the top-of-the-line 2.8 GHz...
iPod Classic Supplies Tightening Ahead of Possible Update or Discontinuation
Late last month, we noted that Toshiba had introduced new 1.8-inch hard drives topping out at 220 GB and carrying the same form factor used in the existing iPod classic. With Apple's iPod classic currently coming in at 160 GB, the capacity bump would be a substantial one if Apple elected to adopt the new drives.
With that information floating around, observers have been keeping their eyes...
Google Debuts iOS Translation App, Brings Priority Inbox to Gmail Mobile Interface
Google today announced the release of a new Google Translate [App Store] application for iOS devices, offering such features as translation of spoken words and phrases and the ability to listen to translations spoken aloud. Speak to translate
The new app accepts voice input for 15 languages, and - just like the web app - you can translate a word or phrase into one of more than 50 languages. For ...
Apple Seeking to Build New Retail Store in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal's Main Concourse
A pair of reports from The New York Observer and ifoAppleStore indicate that Apple is looking to open a new retail store, its fifth in Manhattan, at the landmark Grand Central Terminal. The store would reportedly be located inside the busy transportation and tourist hub and would sit less than a mile from the company's flagship Fifth Avenue store. Apple...
Apple Still Dominates U.S. Movie Downloads and Streaming, But Rivals Growing
Market research firm IHS iSuppli yesterday released data on U.S. online movie downloads and streams for 2010, revealing that Apple continues to dominate the market with a 64.5% share of total spending. That share is down, however, from 74.4% in 2009 in the face of growth of other services such as Microsoft's Zune Video. "The iTunes online store showed remarkable competitive resilience last year ...
Verizon iPhone Carries World-Mode 'Gobi' Chip From Qualcomm [Updated]
Repair firm iFixyouri has started taking apart the Verizon iPhone and 9 to 5 Mac notes that the device carries a Qualcomm "Gobi" MDM6600 wireless chip inside it, technically offering "world-mode" compatibility with both CDMA and GSM networks. iFixit is also performing one of its usual high-quality teardowns of the Verizon iPhone and has seen the same chip.
The MDM6600 supports HSPA+ data...
Best Buy Guesses at a March MacBook Pro Release Date as Supplies Constrain
Late last month, we reported that we had received word of tightening MacBook Pro supplies, suggesting that an update to Apple's popular notebook line might be coming in the near future.
Information has continued to flow in regarding tightening supplies, with Japanese blog Mac Otakara reporting today that supplies in Japan are now pushing out to 2-3 week shipping estimates. The site also...
Apple Still Holding Second Place Among Global Smartphone Manufacturers
Research firm IDC has released the results of its survey of worldwide smartphone sales for the fourth quarter of 2010, finding Apple holding onto the same second-place ranking it earned last quarter as the top manufacturers see their shares decline slightly as small vendors ride the Android wave to greater sales.
Worldwide Smartphone Sales in 4Q10 in Millions of Units (Source: IDC) ...
