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
Penguin Looking to Reinvent eBooks on iPad With Interactive Media
paidContent:UK reported earlier this week on a presentation from Penguin Books CEO John Makinson showing his company's vision for the future of eBooks on the iPad. Makinson's presentation highlighted Penguin's goal of embedding interactive content such as audio and video into its eBooks, as well as the inclusion of even more advanced features such as chats between readers.
Interestingly,...
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'Layar Reality Browser' Returns to App Store
Augmented reality firm Layar today announced that its iPhone application Layar Reality Browser has reappeared in the App Store after a several-month absence. The much-anticipated application capable of utilizing the camera, GPS, and digital compass on the iPhone 3GS to superimpose data on top of live video had been released last October but was pulled in December for a complete rebuild after...
Valve Leaks Teaser Images for Announcement of Steam (and Games) for Mac [Updatedx4]
Last week, Valve Software generated some excitement among gaming fans who noticed Mac OS X menu components and other items in the most recent release of the company's Steam distribution platform for the PC. Combined with reports of Valve recruiting Mac engineers, the evidence suggested that Valve may be planning to make a move into the Mac platform.
MacRumors today received a teaser image...
China Unicom Continues Talking Up Wi-Fi iPhone
PCWorld reports that China Unicom has officially acknowledged that it is in discussions with Apple to offer a Wi-Fi capable iPhone in that country. "I know that in the market there is hope we will offer an iPhone with Wi-Fi," said Chang Xiaobing, chairman and CEO of China Unicom, outside an event in Beijing. "We have been holding talks with Apple in this area."
Chang did not give a timetable...
Rupert Murdoch Confirms Plans for Wall Street Journal iPad Application
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) on comments from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of parent company News Corp., who noted that the newspaper will be present on the iPad and that Apple has provided the company with access to one of the tablet devices. The newspaper's iPad device is apparently kept under very tight security overseen by Apple itself. Mr. Murdoch said the...
Apple Pressuring Music Labels Over Participation in Amazon's 'Daily Deal' Program
Billboard reports that Apple has been pressuring music labels over their participation in Amazon's "Daily Deal" program that has allowed them increased exposure and sale pricing on Amazon's MP3 download store. Apple's primary objection has been Amazon's push for one-day exclusives on new releases offered through the program, an offering that has placed Apple's iTunes Store at a disadvantage for...
Google Stands Behind HTC in Patent Dispute With Apple
TechCrunch reports that a Google spokesperson issued a statement yesterday indicating that the company will "stand behind" handset manufacturer HTC in its patent dispute with Apple. "We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it," a Google spokesperson emailed us.Apple's lawsuits against HTC have been...
iPad Suppliers Dispute Claims of Shortages at Launch
Earlier this week, research analyst Peter Misek of Canaccord Adams claimed that a "manufacturing bottleneck" at Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn/Hon Hai Precision would result in constrained supplies (300,000 versus a rumored planned 1,000,000) of the iPad at its launch later this month. The report had also suggested that the shortages could be severe enough to result in a delayed launch,...
Apple Releases ProKit 5.1 for Leopard and Snow Leopard
Apple today released ProKit 5.1 for Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5), an update to the framework that provides the controls and user interface for Apple's pro applications. This ProKit Update fixes issues with user interface software resources that are shared by Apple's professional applications.
The issues addressed include:
- Corrected an issue with improper scrolling behavior.
- Resolved memory...
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson Speaks About iPhone and iPad
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) on comments made today by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson at an investor conference in which he noted that he expects Apple's iPhone to be an important part of the carrier's offerings for "quite some time". Stephenson did not address, however, whether the company is expecting to lose its exclusivity for the iPhone in the U.S. in the near...
'MLB.com At Bat 2010' Hits the App Store
Macworld reports that MLB.com At Bat 2010 has arrived in the App Store, offering baseball fans even more coverage of the upcoming season's games. As with last year's version, users can listen live to every regular season and postseason game and also view streaming video of games not blacked out in the user's market. The app also continues to offer the "Gameday" feature with pitch-by-pitch...
Apple Making Plans to Extend iBookstore Internationally
While much has been made of Apple's negotiations with book publishers to bring their content to the company's iBookstore for distribution to the iPad, little news has surfaced about Apple's plans to extend the iBookstore beyond the United States. Since the device's introduction, Apple has noted that the iBookstore will only be available in the U.S. at launch, although it has been presumed that ...
Apple Building Up Team for Mobile Advertising
Silicon Alley Insider reports on an Apple job posting published last month for a position dedicated to "next generation mobile advertising". The manager position involves oversight of a team of Apple developers leveraging frameworks in the iPhone SDK for mobile advertising purposes. The iPhone team is looking for a manager to work on supporting next generation mobile advertising. This will...
Apple Hires Former Mozilla Security Chief
PCWorld reports that Apple has hired former Mozilla security chief Window Snyder as a Senior Product Manager in its security group. Apple is the third browser-maker in the past five years that has employed Snyder, who previously had worked as a security strategist at Microsoft where she managed the company's relationships with security consultants and had worked on the Windows XP and Windows...
TomTom for iPhone Set to Gain Real-Time Traffic Updates, Local Search
MobileCrunch reports that TomTom has issued a press release announcing the submission of Version 1.3 of its iPhone application to Apple for inclusion in the App Store. The updated version will bring real-time traffic updates and local search functionality offered by Google, as well as other yet-to-be-announced enhancements. A number of new services and features are coming soon to the TomTom app ...
Shipping Times for 27-Inch iMacs Finally Return to Normal in U.S. and Canada
Several MacRumors readers have reported that shipping lead times for Apple's 27-inch iMac models have returned to "Within 24hrs" in Apple's online stores in the U.S. and Canada, the minimum possible shipping window in Apple's stores. Shipping times had ballooned to as much as three weeks in the U.S. and Canada in January as the company struggled to deal with high demand and several issues...
Apple Files Lawsuit Against HTC Over Alleged iPhone Patent Infringement
Apple today announced that it has filed suit against handset manufacturer HTC regarding alleged infringement of 20 iPhone-related patents. The patents cover such aspects as the user interface, architecture, and hardware. Apple today filed a lawsuit against HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone's user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. The lawsuit was filed...
Netflix Surveying Users Regarding Interest in iPhone Streaming via Wi-Fi
HackingNetflix reports (via TechCrunch) that DVD rental and streaming service Netflix has issued a survey to some of its users including a question asking about their interest in using a Netflix iPhone application to watch streamed video offerings via Wi-Fi. The survey question reads: Imagine that Netflix offers its subscribers the ability to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on their...
Thumbplay Poaches Apple Executive, Launches Subscription Music Service
Media Memo reports that popular ringtone site Thumbplay has launched a new subscription music service, offering consumers unlimited streaming for $10/month with the option to purchase songs from a catalog of 8 million tracks at the same $0.69-$1.29 price points found on Apple's iTunes Store.
While the launch of yet another music service is not terribly newsworthy by itself, Thumbplay has also a...
Apple Preparing to Add HDMI to Macs?
Mockup of Mac mini with HDMI port in place of existing DVI port
AppleInsider reports that Apple is preparing to introduce HDMI connectivity into some its new Macs later this year, bringing increased compatibility with home theater systems as well as the ability to deliver both video and audio over a single cable. More specifically, prototypes of a new Mac mini -- Apple's smallest and most...
