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 Reportedly Orders CDMA Chips for December Production Run of Verizon iPhone
Yes, it's the subject that's been beaten to death: a Verizon iPhone. The ongoing rumors have been stoked in recent weeks by a claim from Bloomberg that the device will launch in January, with this week's announcement that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg will offer the keynote address at CES 2011 sparking speculation that an iPhone introduction could occur there.
TechCrunch weighs in today with...
Read Full Article • 366 comments
iPhone Hardware Engineering Chief Mark Papermaster Leaves Apple
The New York Times reports that Mark Papermaster, Apple's Senior Vice President of Devices Hardware Engineering, has left the company. Papermaster has been heading up Apple's iPhone and iPod engineering teams since he began work with the company in April 2009. Mark Papermaster, the Apple executive in charge of hardware for the company's flagship iPhone, has left the company in the wake of widely...
Apple Ordered to Post Battery Replacement Details for First-Generation iPod Nano in Japan
Reuters reports that Apple has been ordered by a Japanese regulatory agency to provide customers with information on receiving replacement batteries for their first-generation iPod nanos, citing fire risk from overheating batteries. The ministry ordered Apple to publish an "easy to understand" statement online explaining how users of the devices -- responsible for four cases of minor burns in...
Wi-Fi Capable iPhone 3GS Set to Launch in China Next Week
The Wall Street Journal reports that China Unicom will begin selling Wi-Fi enabled iPhone models in that country beginning next week. The news comes a government regulatory body approved the device's frequency ranges in early May, but at the time the company was still waiting to receive a network access license in order to begin sales. China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. plans to start selling a...
iPod Touch and iOS Media Event Scheduled for Mid-August?
Claimed next-generation iPod touch LCD and front bezel showing apparent camera hole
MacMagazine reports (Google translation) that it has received information from a "reliable source within Apple" that the company is planning to hold its traditional September iPod-focused media event a bit early this year, with the middle of this month appearing to be the targeted date. The MacMagazine today...
Apple Adds Email-Based FaceTime Support in iOS 4.1 Beta 3
Apple's latest beta version of iOS 4.1 released earlier this week has offered the strongest evidence yet that the company is planning to roll out FaceTime video calling functionality to future non-iPhone devices based on the iOS operating system. A new option in the iOS "Contacts" application allows users to make FaceTime calls using either a phone number or an email address. This would allow...
Apple Adds 'Genius' Tab to iPad App Store
Several readers have noted that Apple has rolled out a new "Genius" feature for its App Store application on the iPad. Similar to other Genius offerings from Apple, the new tab offers automatic suggestions on applications users might be interested in based on other applications that have already downloaded.
After activating the service by agreeing to the terms and conditions, which note...
Analyst Claims September Launch for New iPod Touch, Smaller iPod Nano, Two New MacBook Air Models
Barron's reports on a new research note from BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman claiming multiple new product releases for Apple next month, including several iPods as expected and two new MacBook Air models said to be scheduled to ship in high volumes.
For Apple's iPod line, Bachman reports that the company will launch a new iPod touch, as well as a smaller iPod nano that could see the...
The Beatles and Apple Still Unable to Reach iTunes Distribution Deal
It seems that little has changed in the three months since the last update on negotiations between Apple and The Beatles to bring the legendary group's music to the iTunes Store, as John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono claims that there are still hurdles to overcome and that fans should not expect a resolution anytime soon. "(Apple CEO) Steve Jobs has his own idea and he's a brilliant guy," Ono, the...
Controversy Over Apple Travel Patent Application
A bit of controversy has arisen over a patent application filed by Apple in December 2009 that was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week. The patent application describes an integrated travel application for the iPhone offering users the ability to access a host of travel services, from airline bookings and check-ins to information on airport shops and social networking.
...
Apple Researching Methods to Turn iPhone Into Feature-Rich Bike Computer
Patently Apple reports on an Apple patent application published today that describes Apple's vision for using the iPhone, iPod, or other electronic device as an interface for a multi-feature bicycle computer. While current bike computers are typically limited primarily to such data as speed, distance, and cadence with the possibility for integration of other devices such as heart rate...
European Commission Set to Adopt Universal Micro-USB Smartphone Charging Standard in January
Late last week, Deutsche Welle reported that the European Commission has formally approved a policy that will require nearly all smartphones and simpler data-enabled phones to adopt a standard micro-USB charging connector as of January 2011. The policy is a formalization of an agreement signed by ten top mobile phone manufacturers, including Apple, last year. "Introduction of the universal...
Inside Apple's New Covent Garden Retail Store
We've mentioned Apple's new retail store set to open in the Covent Garden district of London on Saturday several times over the past week, but the location is an interesting one given its status as the company's largest store yet. Yesterday we shared some photos of the exterior of the store after the wraps came down, but today Electricpig.co.uk follows up with a brief video walkthrough of the...
Apple to Purchase Chinese Game Developer Handseeing?
We're really not quite sure to make of this one, but Chinese SinoCast Daily Business Beat is reporting that Apple is preparing to purchase Handseeing Information Technology, a Chinese game developer focused on Rich Internet Applications (RIAs). As US-based Apple Inc. is close to making the purchase of Handseeing Information Technology Co., Ltd., a mobile Internet service provider and a mobile game ...
Case Manufacturer Shows Off Claimed Next-Generation iPod Touch Design Mockup
HardMac reports that it has received from a case manufacturer a design mockup for the next-generation iPod touch, showing an off-center rear camera and flash similar to that found on the iPhone 4. Even if it is hard to have a perfect view through the case, it looks like the back is rounded, unlike the one of the new iPhone, and of course, there is a camera and a flash.
This source is very...
Apple Learning Interchange Shutting Down in Favor of iTunes U
Apple today announced that it will be phasing out its Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) site as of September 3rd, diverting its users to iTunes U for that program's educational resources. For years the Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) has served as an important resource for educators to access great education content, share best practices, and learn more about using technology in the context of...
CES Keynote by Verizon CEO Stokes Speculation Regarding iPhone Announcement
The Consumer Electronics Association today announced that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg will be making the opening keynote speech at CES 2011, the major consumer electronics expo held each January in Las Vegas. Seidenberg's keynote speech will be held on the morning of January 6th, 2011.
While the topic of Seidenberg's keynote is obviously unknown at this point, news of his speech is already...
Software Fix for iOS PDF-Handling Vulnerability Awaiting Release
CNET reports that Apple has developed a software fix for the iOS security hole exploited to enable a Web-based jailbreak over the weekend, and that the fix will be deployed in an upcoming software update. On Wednesday an Apple spokeswoman said in a statement, "We're aware of this reported issue, we have already developed a fix and it will be available to customers in an upcoming software...
Apple Seeds 'Snow Leopard Graphics Update' to Developers
Apple has reportedly seeded a new software update called "Snow Leopard Graphics Update" to developers. While the exact focus of the update in testing is unclear, it appears from the areas in which developers are being asked to focus their testing that it addresses several aspects of graphics performance including VRAM utilization and hot-plugging and wake-from-sleep issues. The general...
'MobileMe iDisk' Music Streaming Functionality Gaining Renewed Attention
In what seems to be a bit of a time warp, a number of sites are reporting on the ability of Apple's MobileMe iDisk application for iOS devices to stream music from a user's iDisk, including support for background audio via multitasking. The feature was introduced and plainly noted by Apple as part of a broader update to the application released nearly a month ago.
Today's publicity appears...
