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
LaCie Brings USB 3.0 Hard Drive Support to Mac Pros and MacBook Pros
Just as rumors of Intel pushing forward on its Light Peak connectivity standard surface, LaCie has announced support for USB 3.0 on Mac OS X with the release of a free driver to support the company's USB 3.0 hard drives. LaCie announced today a major breakthrough, introducing industry-leading performance to Mac users with the availability of a USB 3.0 driver for Mac OS. The driver brings the...
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Light Peak Coming in Early 2011 With Apple at Forefront?
CNET reports that Intel is preparing to launch its Light Peak high-speed computer connection standard as soon as early next year, paving the way for 10 Gbps connections. Light Peak is now on track to appear in products in the first half of 2011--and likely earlier in the year than later, according to an industry source familiar with the progress of the technology. Light Peak is significantly...
Skype 5.0 for Mac Beta With Group Video Calling Now Available
Popular VoIP and video calling firm Skype today announced the release of a beta version of Skype 5.0 for Mac, bringing a single-window design, group video calling, Address Book integration, and a number of other new and improved features to the company's software. It was worth the wait - the new Skype 5.0 is now available for Mac today in beta, introducing a revamped look and feel that...
Apple Internal Support Acknowledges MacBook Air Display Issues, Software Update Coming
Earlier this week, we noted increasing reports of video distortion and other issues being experienced by users of Apple's new MacBook Air. According to BGR's new tipster with access to Apple's internal support documentation, the company is aware of the issue and will address it in a forthcoming software update.
According to the support documents captured by the tipster, Apple has identified ...
Apple's Internal Policy on Bad Pixels Revealed
BGR has received a screenshot of a purported internal Apple support document outlining the company's policies regarding bad pixels on the displays of its products.
According to the document, Apple allows for repair or replacement with as little as one light or dark pixel on the company's iPhone and iPod touch, moving up to as many 16 required as a minimum for repair or replacement on...
Facebook Rolls Out Mobile Initiative, Updates iPhone App With Groups and Places, Says iPad Isn't 'Mobile'
At a media event held today, Facebook announced a new push into mobile, bringing updates to the company's Android and iOS applications and rolling out a new single sign on service that will allow users logged into the company's applications to also access other applications such as Flixster, Groupon, and Loopt. Single sign on is currently available on a handful of Android applications, with...
'Skyfire Web Browser' Now Available in App Store [Updated]
Yesterday, we noted that Skyfire would be bringing its Flash conversion browser to the App Store later this week. While the release was scheduled for tomorrow, Skyfire Web Browser [App Store, $2.99] has just gone live in the App Store.
Skyfire Web Browser allows users to access Flash video content on iOS devices by sending the Flash content to the company's servers for conversion to HTML5. ...
Apple Approving Game Center-Enabled iPad Applications
In another sign that the release of iOS 4.2 is imminent, 9 to 5 Mac notes that Apple has begun approving applications with support for Game Center functionality on the iPad. Big Bad Sudoku Book is one early example of a universal App Store application that is now compatible with Game Center on the iPad, which requires iOS 4.2. Multitasking support for the iPad version is also included in the...
Apple Support Acknowledges iOS 4.1 Daylight Saving Time Bug
Apple today posted a new support document acknowledging the daylight saving time bug being experienced by iPhone and iPod touch users on iOS 4.1 in a number of countries. In some regions, shortly before or after the daylight saving time (DST) change, repeating alarms created in the Clock app may work incorrectly.Apple's recommended workaround is for users to manually set their alarms each day for...
Apple Hires Key Digital Music Industry Legal Executive
Eliott Peters (center) at Columbia Law School event
Billboard reports that Apple has hired Elliott Peters, a senior vice president and head of digital legal affairs at Warner Music Group, to manage the company's legal team overseeing iTunes and MobileMe services in Europe. According to an internal memo obtained by Billboard, Peters is taking on the role of corporate attorney director for iTunes ...
ITC Staff Side With Nokia Regarding Apple's Patent Claims
Nokia and Apple, which have been involved in a patent dispute for over a year that has seen both parties file lawsuits and U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) complaints against each other, are finally headed to a courtroom after ITC staff issued a memo supporting Nokia in its defense against Apple's claims, Bloomberg reports. "The evidence will not establish a violation" of Apple patent...
Apple to Extend iTunes Song Previews to 90 Seconds in U.S.
According to Symphonic Distribution, Apple has informed music labels that it is preparing to extend the length of iTunes Store song previews in the United States to 90 seconds for songs that are at least 2 minutes and 30 seconds long. Shorter songs will continue to offer the current 30-second samples. We are pleased to let you know that we are preparing to increase the length of music previews...
Apple Discontinues 'Personal Shopping' Service in Retail Stores
Old (left) and new (right) options for retail store reservations
ifoAppleStore reports that Apple has quietly discontinued its "Personal Shopping" service that had enabled customers to make appointments at Apple retail stores for one-on-one assistance with testing out and purchasing Apple products. All references to the service have been erased from the company's Web site, and the Personal...
Steve Jobs: Support for iTunes Extras and iTunes LP 'Coming' to New Apple TV
One of the features missing on the new Apple TV launched in September has been support for iTunes Extras and iTunes LPs, two sets of enhanced content available on select iTunes Store purchases. When you purchase an album with iTunes LP, you receive the songs from the album, plus special features such as lyrics, photos, videos, credits, and more. When you buy a film with iTunes Extras, you'll...
iPhone 4 Availability Now at 'Within 24 Hours' in U.S.
Availability of the iPhone 4 continues to improve in the United States, with the company's online store now offering shipping estimates of "within 24 hours" for new orders. After spending much of the summer with three-week shipping estimates, supplies of the iPhone 4 began to increase in early October with a move to 5-7 business day shipping estimates. Estimates improved once again to 1-3...
New MacBook Airs Experiencing Logic Board Issues?
Over the weekend, Cult of Mac noted that there appears to be a rising number of complaints from users of the new MacBook Air regarding kernel panics, video distortion and other issues that could be related to defective logic boards. Apple Discussion forum user, DanRyb, basically stated that his 11-inch model would randomly display "weird colors in vertical lines" extending across the entire screen ...
Best Buy Mobile to Carry iPad Beginning November 7th
Following on yesterday's news that Target will begin carrying the iPhone on November 7th, Bloomberg reports that Best Buy will expand distribution of the iPad to its standalone Best Buy Mobile stores on that same day. Best Buy, which began selling the iPad in its regular stores in April, is expanding distribution of the touch-screen device as it opens more mobile stores before the holidays.
The ...
Sophos Launches Free Anti-Virus Software for Mac OS X
Sophos today announced the release of free Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition software, a version of their paid software typically targeting business users. That means your home Macs can be protected automatically in-the-background with the latest anti-virus protection, checking every program you run, every file you download, every USB stick you insert, completely free. Is there a catch you're...
Skyfire to Bring Flash Video to iOS Devices
Fortune's Michael Copeland talks to Skyfire CEO Jeff Glueck
CNNMoney.com reports that a new iOS application from Skyfire that converts Flash-based video to HTML5 has been approved by Apple and will go live in the App Store on Thursday. The app, which will be priced at $2.99, activates a function that allows Flash video content in the browser to be sent to Skyfire's servers, converted to...
Apple Grabs 95% of Tablet Market as Competitors Ramp Up
Bloomberg reports on new data from research firm Strategy Analytics showing that Apple held a 95% share of the tablet market in the third quarter of 2010, leaving only 2.3% for Google's nascent Android platform. Global tablet sales rose 26 percent from the previous period to 4.4 million units, with Apple selling 4.19 million iPads, the company said in a statement. Android's share of the market...
