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
Microsoft Releases New "Laptop Hunters" Commercial
Microsoft last night released the fourth in its series of "Laptop Hunters" commercials taking aim at Mac prices. In the latest commercial, "Sheila" is in search of a laptop suitable for video editing that is within her budget of $2000. Sheila briefly looks at the entry-level MacBook Pro, but finds its 2 GB of RAM unacceptable. She ultimately settles on an HP HDX 16t, an upgraded version of the...
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Cooliris for iPhone 1.4 Released
Cooliris has released Cooliris for iPhone 1.4 [App Store, Free], a significant update to its slick application for viewing images and video on the Web via a "3D wall" interface. The update brings a revised user interface, Twitter support, and support for syncing favorites between a user's computer and iPhone, among other changes. - Complete overhaul of the user interface with larger, more...
Former Blizzard Employees Land $4.5 Million iFund Investment
Macworld reports that Booyah, an iPhone-focused startup founded by three former employees of game publisher Blizzard Entertainment, has landed a $4.5 million investment from the iFund program offered by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB). While details of the new venture are scarce, Booyah's three founders carry impressive credentials from their time at Blizzard. Lee,...
OS X 10.5.7 Build 9J58 Seeded to Developers
Earlier this week, Apple seeded a new version of OS X 10.5.7, termed Build 9J58, to developers. World of Apple publishes the seed notes, which list only a pair of changes related to compatibility fixes between the CFNetwork framework and VPN, iChat, and Safari. Apple has also added iChat to the list of focus areas upon which developers are being asked to concentrate their testing.
As with...
Apple to Introduce Cheaper Macs?
AppleInsider reports that Apple is preparing to introduce cheaper Macs as soon as this spring. The move reportedly comes in response to consumer buying patterns shifting toward cheaper computers, including those in the netbook category. Still, people familiar with the matter say Apple's move towards more affordable Macs isn't so much a response to Redmond's marketing antics as it is an interim...
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 Mac Version Due in June
Engadget reports that a version of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 285 graphics card for the Mac Pro will be released in June.
Image from Engadget
The GTX 285 is currently NVIDIA's fastest single-processor GPU, offering 240 processing cores and 1 GB of video memory. AnandTech recently reviewed the PC version of the GTX 285 and found that it consistently outperformed the ATI Radeon HD 4870, whose Mac...
Microsoft Xbox Strategy and Marketing Executive to Join Apple?
MCV reports that Richard Teversham, Microsoft's senior director of business, insights and strategy for Xbox, is departing the company to take a position at Apple. Teversham reportedly will take on an "education-related" role in Apple's European office. Focused on EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), Teversham had been at Microsoft for the past 15 years and worked on business aspects of...
Apple Researching Carbon Fiber Composite Materials for Exterior Shells
A patent application from Apple filed in October 2007 and published today reveals that the company is researching the use of carbon fiber composites for use in the exterior shells of electronic devices. Specifically, the patent application relates to the use of a "scrim" layer on the exterior surface of the carbon fiber laminate allowing for an "improved cosmetic surface."
In the...
Another AMD Graphics Executive Headed to Apple?
The Inquirer reports that Raja Koduri, currently Chief Technology Officer of the Graphics Product Group at AMD, will be joining Apple. The rumor comes on the heels of the discovery just two days ago that Bob Drebin, Koduri's predecessor in the position at AMD, has already joined Apple. Between PASemi, Bob Drebin and other things we can't talk about yet, Apple is building up some serious hardware...
'Simplify Music 2.0' Brings Upgrades to Popular iTunes Library Streamer
Simplify Media was one of the early App Store hits, allowing users to stream their entire iTunes music library to their iPhone or iPod touch via Wi-Fi, 3G or EDGE. The application also allowed users to stream from up to 30 of their friends' libraries.
Simplify Media has now released Simplify Music 2.0 [App Store, $2.99], bringing several new features to the application. - Search: Search by...
'Zillow Real Estate' Released for iPhone
Zillow, the popular real estate information and valuation site, has released a dedicated iPhone application, Zillow Real Estate [App Store, Free]. Zillow's database covers 88 million U.S homes (95% of homes in the country) and provides home details, transaction histories, and estimated home values known as "Zestimates."
In addition, Zillow provides for-sale home listings with details, photos...
iPhone OS 3.0 Beta 4 and iTunes 8.2 Pre-Release to Developers [Blu-Ray Evidence?]
Continuing a pattern of biweekly releases, Apple tonight seeded the fourth beta version of iPhone OS 3.0 to developers. Apple also issued a developer pre-release version of iTunes 8.2, which is required to activate the new beta. No new features in the fourth beta version have been revealed as of yet.
The iPhone OS 3.0 was first demonstrated at a media event in mid-March and will bring...
Microsoft to Launch iPhone Rival on Verizon Early Next Year?
In a brief report (subscription required), The Wall Street Journal claims that Microsoft and Verizon are in talks to launch an iPhone rival in early 2010. MarketWatch summarizes the report: The Microsoft phone, code-named "Pink," is expected to appear by 2010 and would extend the tech giant's Windows Mobile cellphone operating system, according to the Journal.Similar to Google's Android...
Truphone 3.0 Now Available in App Store
Truphone [App Store, Free], one of the most popular voice-over-IP phone solutions for the iPhone, has been updated to version 3.0. Among the new features are improved voice quality, instant messaging support, and improved performance. Truphone 3.0 release will provide Truphone users with:
- Superior voice call quality
- A slick, new instant messaging service (allowing you to IM and call...
Apple Personnel Moves: Former AMD Chip Executive Hired, Papermaster Finally Begins Work
The Inquirer reports that former ATI chip designer and executive Bob Drebin is apparently now a Senior Director at Apple. Drebin was formerly the Chief Technology Officer for the Graphics Products Group at AMD, assuming the position as part of AMD's acquisition of ATI in 2006. As detailed in his still-active AMD profile, Drebin brings extensive experience in graphics chip design. Bob Drebin is...
Apple Announces 24/7 MobileMe Live Chat Support
Apple today announced on its MobileMe News page that Live Chat support for MobileMe is now available in English 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you encounter an issue while using MobileMe and would like to address it immediately, simply go to MobileMe support. Click on the topics at the bottom left of the page to see if your question has already been answered. If it's not, click the Chat Now...
Apple Corrects 10-Q SEC Filing, Announces Shareholder Approval of 'Say on Pay' Proposal
Apple today announced that it has filed an amended Form 10-Q with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, correcting errors in the reported vote totals for shareholder-submitted proposals at its most recent annual shareholder meeting. Last week's filing incorrectly reported the voting percentages for shareholder-submitted proposals because abstentions were counted as "No" votes. Very shortly...
Snow Leopard QuickTime X Player to Offer Integrated Video Sharing Features?
AppleInsider reports that QuickTime X Player, slated for release as part of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard later this year, will feature integrated uploading of supported video files to YouTube and MobileMe. In particular, the application will let users take any supported video file and upload it directly to YouTube. Users will be prompted to enter their YouTube username and password, and QuickTime X...
Apple Reduces Retail Workforce by 10% Over Last Quarter
CNET notes that, according Apple's 10-Q document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in association with the release of its earnings for the second fiscal quarter of 2009, Apple reduced the number of employees in its retail store division from 15,600 to approximately 14,000 full-time equivalents during the quarter. The retail arm of the company now employs 14,000 full-time equivalent ...
Apple Announces Winner of 1 Billion App Contest
In a press release issued this morning regarding the App Store's one billion app milestone, Apple announced that the winner of the associated contest was 13-year old Connor Mulcahey of Weston, Connecticut. Connor, who downloaded Bump [App Store] as the milestone application, will receive a $10,000 iTunes gift card, a 32 GB iPod touch, a Time Capsule, and a 17" MacBook Pro. "The revolutionary App...
