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 to iPhone Developers: Geolocation Not to Be Used Solely for Ads
In a posting on its news page for iPhone developers earlier this week, Apple encouraged developers to integrate the Core Location framework into their apps, offering the ability to deliver information to users based on their location. Perhaps more importantly, Apple also clarified that the use of such geolocation solely for serving ads to users is not permitted. If you build your application with ...
Read Full Article • 21 comments
iPad Helping Book Publishers Gain More Control Over eBook Pricing
Last weekend, book publisher Macmillan won out over Amazon in a battle over eBook pricing, switching to an "agency model" in which book prices are set by the publisher with retailers receiving a percentage (30% in Amazon's case) of the sales price. The move effectively eliminated Amazon's standard $9.99 eBook price for new releases, with Macmillan targeting a range of $12.99-$14.99 for new...
Steve Jobs Rumored to Have Recently Traveled to New York for iPad Media Talks [Updated]
Silicon Alley Insider reports that Apple CEO Steve Jobs apparently traveled to New York City in recent days to meet with executives at The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for discussions about bringing their content to the iPad. We're reliably informed that Jobs showed up for an iPad show and tell in the Times newsroom. The meeting was strictly off the record, though a person present...
Apple Reportedly Offering 15% Refunds to Purchasers of Troubled 27-Inch iMacs
As Apple struggles with flickering and yellow-tinting issues on the displays of its 27-inch iMac models, Gizmodo has been continuing to closely follow the situation and has learned that Apple has been offering refunds of 15% of the machine's purchase price to users experiencing repeated service issues with their machines. The news comes just days after Apple issued a second firmware update that...
Apple's iPhone Continues to Outpace Smartphone Industry Growth
Research firm IDC today issued a report highlighting fourth quarter and full year worldwide sales numbers of "converged mobile devices", more commonly known as smartphones, revealing continuing outstanding growth for Apple's iPhone above the overall industry already-healthy growth rate.
According to the data, Apple's shipments for the fourth quarter of 2009 were up 97.7% year-over-year, in...
AT&T Approves 'SlingPlayer Mobile' Television Streaming Over 3G
AT&T today announced that it has decided to allow Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone application to stream video content over its 3G network. SlingPlayer Mobile allows users of Sling Media's "Slingbox" hardware to control and stream live and recorded content to their iPhones and iPod touches.
AT&T attracted significant attention when it refused to allow the SlingPlayer Mobile to stream...
Apple Expands Browser-Based 'iTunes Preview' Functionality to Include App Store
TechCrunch reports that Apple has expanded its browser-based 'iTunes Preview' functionality to include pages for App Store applications. To see this for yourself, open any direct link to an iPhone app (example) in your favorite Web browser.
You'll notice that instead of only throwing up a dialog box prompting you to confirm that you wish to launch iTunes on your desktop, you'll see a nice...
Apple Boosts Mobile Advertising Capabilities in International Markets With New Hires
New Media Age reports (via paidContent:UK) that Apple has hired two new managers focused on mobile advertising sales in its international markets as it seeks to takes advantage of its recent acquisition of Quattro Wireless.
According to the report, Apple has hired Theo Theodorou, previously a director of digital sales at publisher Hachette Filipacchi, as head of sales for the Europe, Middle...
Audio Processing Causing Heat and Performance Issues for Nehalem Mac Pros
Ars Technica reports on growing complaints from users of Apple's Nehalem ("Early 2009") Mac Pro models regarding heat and performance issues when performing audio processing tasks. The problem manifests as what has been described as excessive increases in power use and processor core heat when playing songs in iTunes, watching videos via Quicktime, or even when keeping USB or FireWire-based audio...
More Details on Verizon's iPad and iPhone Negotiations Reportedly Surface
Earlier this week, a report briefly mentioned that Clayton Morris of FOXNews.com, who offered several reports about the iPad coming to Verizon in the weeks leading up to the device's introduction, had spoken to a Verizon source who claimed that Apple and Verizon are continuing to work on an iPad deal despite AT&T having been the only announced partner at Apple's media event. Morris has finally...
Google Nexus One Software Updated to Offer 'Pinch-to-Zoom' Multi-Touch Capabilities
Google yesterday announced that it had begun to deliver over-the-air software updates to users of its Android-based Nexus One smartphone, offering a number of enhancements. Most notably, the update enables pinch-to-zoom multi-touch functionality in several core applications. Pinch-to-zoom functionality: devices will now include a new pinch-to-zoom mechanism in the phone's Browser, Gallery and...
Apple Receives Patent for Touch-Sensitive Bezel for Portable Devices
Patently Apple reported yesterday that Apple has been granted a patent regarding the use of touch-sensitive bezels in electronic devices, primarily focused on portable devices. While the content of the patent is not new, having been previously disclosed with the publication of the initial patent application in October 2006, the technology has gained renewed interest as the granting of the...
Taiwanese Industry Sources: Next-Generation iPhone Manufacturing Deal, USB 3.0, iPad Suppliers
DigiTimes today offers a series of reports involving Apple, revealing a number of claims from industry sources in Taiwan regarding the next-generation iPhone, Apple's possible plans for USB 3.0, and iPad component suppliers.
One report claims that Taiwanese firm Pegatron Technology, a two-year old company created as part of a restructuring of ASUS, has landed a contract with Apple to...
Textbook Publishers Strike Deals to Bring Content to iPad
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that major textbook publishers have struck deals with Apple to bring their content to the iPad. According to the report, textbook publishers will rely on the technology of ScrollMotion, which already has experience developing such content for the iPhone. Though Apple didn't outline its strategy to target the educational sector with its iPad...
Internal Model Numbers for Next-Generation iPhone and iPod Touch Reportedly Surface
Engadget reports that an internal model number for Apple's next-generation iPhone ("N89") has apparently surfaced in the the new iPhone SDK 3.2 that was released alongside the introduction of the company's iPad tablet device. Buried way inside the platform simulator lies a set of folders dedicated to specific models of iPhone OS-ready devices, including the iPhone 3GS, second generation iPod...
Apple Refutes Claim Regarding Halted Production of 27-Inch iMac Models
In a statement to The Wall Street Journal regarding ongoing shipment delays for the company's 27-inch iMac models, an Apple spokesman has apparently refuted earlier claims that the company had halted production of the 27-inch iMacs as it has worked to address several issues related to flickering and yellow tints in its displays. An Apple spokesman said again this week that "the 27-inch iMac has...
Gameloft Reports Nearly $25 Million in iPhone Revenue for 2009
TechCrunch reports that French game developer Gameloft reported its 2009 financial results today, specifying "iPhone revenue" of 17.6 million Euros, or about $24.5 million. That number was up 231% over 2008, and was responsible for approximately 14.5% of Gameloft's total revenues for the year. Gameloft's iPhone revenue was even more impressive when considered only under the fourth quarter of...
Apple Releases iPhone OS 3.1.3: Addresses iPhone 3GS Battery Level Accuracy, App Launching Issues
Apple today released iPhone OS 3.1.3 for all iPhone and iPod touch models, addressing several specific bugs as well as offering fixes for a handful of security issues. This update for the iPhone and iPod touch contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:
- Improves accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
- Resolves issue where third-party apps would not launch in...
Last-Minute iPad Photo Leak Reportedly Included Image of Prototype Next-Generation iPhone
Just prior to Apple's media event introducing the iPad last week, Engadget posted several photos of what did turn out to be the iPad, bolted down to a table and covered with a black cloth as Apple has been rumored to do with tightly-guarded pre-release products. One of the images shows an iPhone sitting on top of the iPad, offering a size comparison between the two devices.
AppleInsider...
Mac Pro Update With 6-Core Xeon Gulftown Processors Due Soon? [Updated]
Hardmac reports that Intel's new 6-core Core i7-980X is due to become widely available in March, leading to speculation that Apple may once again be able to gain early access to the new processors and release updated Mac Pro models as early as later this month. The name of this hexacore CPU is now know, Core i7-980X, another cheaper (and slower) model should also be available, Core i7-970....
