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
Wal-Mart Planning to Carry iPad 'Later This Year'
Bloomberg reports that Wal-Mart is expecting to begin offering the iPad for sale in its stores sometime "later this year", building on the company's existing offerings of the iPhone 3GS and various iPod models. "We anticipate being able to have the iPad later this year," Gary Severson, senior vice president of entertainment for Wal-Mart's U.S. stores, said in a telephone interview. The...
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Apple Extending Facebook Integration to iPhone OS?
Silicon Alley Insider reports that a "plugged-in source in the mobile industry" has indicated that Apple is building some form of Facebook integration into iPhone OS, with a possible introduction next month at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference. Our source tells us that Apple is at least going to build Facebook contact syncing directly into the iPhone software, so you can pull...
Adobe Responds to Apple's Anti-Flash Stance With Comments on Openness, Ad Campaign
Adobe today went on the offensive regarding the controversy over its Flash platform, pressing its support for openness on the Internet and responding to some of the comments made by others about the platform in recent weeks that it believes are incorrect. We believe open markets that allow developers, publishers, and consumers to make their own choices about how they create, distribute, and...
Steve Jobs Weighs in on iPad International Pricing and Taxes
With Apple's announcement on Friday regarding availability of the iPad in nine new countries later this month, a number of potential customers expressed dismay at the apparent higher prices in those countries relative to those in the United States. Several of those customers took the time to email Apple CEO Steve Jobs with complaints on the issue, two of whom shared his identical responses...
CBS Confirms Plans for Full HTML5-Based Video Offerings
In late March, we noted that U.S. television network CBS appeared to be preparing to launch HTML5-based video content on its CBS.com streaming site as an alternative to its existing Flash-based player.
Today, CBS Interactive executive Anthony Soohoo confirmed to NewTeeVee that by the start of the fall television season CBS will be offering its full CBS.com video content in an iPad-friendly...
Apple Retail Stores Run Dry of iPad Wi-Fi + 3G Models
AppleInsider yesterday reported that Apple's retail stores in the U.S. are running short of iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models, less than one week since the models launched. The report noted that all ten stores contacted had no 3G models on hand and were directing customers to Apple's "Notify Me" waiting list service. Many of the stores had also run out of Wi-Fi-only iPad models.
Bloomberg follows up...
Nintendo Takes Aim at Apple as 'Enemy of the Future'
While a number of indicators have shown that Apple's iPhone OS platform has become a factor in the portable gaming industry, Times Online reports that Nintendo finally appears to have acknowledged the threat it faces from the increasing popularity of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and turned its focus to address Apple head-on. Satoru Iwata, the Nintendo president, is understood to have told his...
Orange Announces UK Data Pricing for iPad
With Apple's official announcement of international availability for the iPad, Orange has announced pricing for its data service for 3G-capable iPad owners in the United Kingdom. The plans offer somewhat more flexibility in payment options than AT&T does in the United States, although Orange's monthly plans come in somewhat higher in price than AT&T's and Orange does not offer unlimited data...
Nokia Broadens Attack on Apple With New Lawsuit Targeting iPhone and iPad 3G
Nokia today announced that it has filed a new lawsuit against Apple alleging patent infringement by the company's iPhone and 3G-capable iPad products. Nokia announced that it has today filed a complaint against Apple with the Federal District Court in the Western District of Wisconsin, alleging that Apple iPhone and iPad 3G products infringe five important Nokia patents.
The patents in question ...
MobileMe to Become a Free Service?
MacDailyNews posts an unconfirmed rumor that Apple is planning to make its MobileMe syncing service free for all users. We have received a tip that we cannot confirm, hence our "RUMOR" designation, that nonetheless has at least an air of credibility about it that says "Apple is planning to make MobileMe free." . . . No timeframe was given for MobileMe to go free, other than: "sooner than later......
Apple to Begin International Roll Out of iBooks and iBookstore Alongside iPad Launch
Earlier today, Apple announced the launch of the iPad in nine new countries later this month: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. As noted by iLounge, Apple is also rolling out its iBooks iPad application and associated iBookstore in many of these countries at launch.
Apple's country-specific press releases for Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Spa...
Apple Maintains Third-Place Ranking Among Smartphone Vendors
Research firm IDC today released data on global smartphone ("converged mobile device") sales for the first quarter of 2010, showing Apple maintaining its third-place ranking behind Nokia and Research in Motion on very strong year-over-year growth. The overall picture remains nearly identical to last quarter, with most metrics moving only a tiny amount.
Worldwide Smartphone Shipments in 1Q10 ...
Apple Announces International iPad Availability for May 28th
Apple today announced that it will begin taking pre-orders for all iPad models in nine new countries on Monday, May 10th. The devices will launch on Friday, May 28th. Apple today announced that iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK on Friday, May 28. Customers can pre-order all iPad models from Apple's online store in all nine...
Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.6.4 Build 10F46 to Developers
World of Apple reports that Apple has seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.4, termed Build 10F46, to developers. The report notes that the update currently weighs in at 573.1 MB and asks developers to focus on GraphicsDrivers, SMB, USB, VoiceOver, and VPN. Apple also highlights nearly a dozen issues addressed in the update and lists one known issue in the current build involving an error...
Yahoo Examines iPad User Demographics and Trends, Finds 10% International Usage
Yahoo today published the results of some number crunching it performed on iPad users accessing its Web content. According to the data, males currently outnumber females 2:1 among iPad users on Yahoo's network, significantly about the nearly 50-50 split seen for overall usage. The survey also shows relative overrepresentation among the 30-54 age range (peaking in the 35-44 age group), as well ...
Scribd Abandoning Flash for HTML5
TechCrunch reports that social document sharing and publishing site Scribd has announced that it is scrapping its current Flash-based system for one based on HTML5. Scribd co-founder and chief technology officer Jared Friedman tells me: "We are scrapping three years of Flash development and betting the company on HTML5 because we believe HTML5 is a dramatically better reading experience than...
Opera Software Offers Thoughts on Future of Flash
TechRadar reports that a representative of Opera Software, the company behind the Opera browser for a number of platforms including the iPhone OS, has stepped into the discussion of Adobe's Flash and its role in Web content at the present and going forward. According to Opera product analyst Phillip Grnvold, Opera will continue to support Flash in its products due to it being an integral part of ...
Widespread Availability of Hexacore Xeon Processors for Mac Pro Not Slated Until Late June?
Hardmac reports that Intel has yet to begin shipping significant quantities of its six-core Xeon processors that many expect to appear in a refreshed Mac Pro. According to the report, distributors will have to wait until "the end of the second quarter" to receive mass quantities of the chips. Intel informed its distribution networks that the 6 core Xeon will only be available in limited quantity...
Apple's iPad Seen Cannibalizing Netbook Sales
For the last several years, netbooks have been a booming business for a number of computer manufacturers as consumers look for low-cost, portable machines to browse the Internet and perform other light tasks. Apple resisted entering the netbook market, repeatedly pointing to numerous shortcoming of such devices as it wrapped up development on its iPad tablet device, its own take on how consumers ...
Apple Patent Applications: Heartbeat Biometrics, Multidimensional Dashboard Widgets
A pair of interesting patent applications from Apple were published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealing concepts Apple engineers have been tossing around as they work to develop features for future products.
iPhone with various cardiac activity monitor leads (322, 324, 326)
Unwired View points to an application entitled "Seamlessly Embedded Heart Rate Monitor", and while ...
