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-Liquidmetal Collaboration Awarded Patent on Process for Mass Production of Amorphous Metals
Back in 2010, Apple signed an agreement with Caltech spinoff Liquidmetal Technologies, giving Apple exclusive access to the firm's unique metal alloys for consumer electronics applications. Liquidmetal's "amorphous metal alloys", sometimes referred to as "metallic glass" due to their non-crystalline molecular structures, offer several advantages over many other metals, including superior strength ...
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Sketchy Report Claims iPhone 5S Delayed Until Late 2013 Over Switch to 4.3-Inch Display
Bloomberg highlights a new report from Taiwan's Commercial Times claiming that Apple may be pushing back the launch of the iPhone 5S to the end of this year in order to increase the size of the device's display from the current 4 inches to 4.3 inches.Apple Inc. (AAPL) may delay the introduction of the iPhone 5S until the end of the year after the design was changed to feature a bigger 4.3-inch...
OS X Users Hit by Ransomware Websites Posing as FBI Notices
Malwarebytes takes a look at a method cyber-criminals have begun using to target Mac users with "ransomware", hijacking the user's browser with a notice demanding payment of $300 in order to release control of the application. While similar malware has affected Windows systems for a number of years, Mac users have only rarely seen such efforts targeted at themselves.The ransomware page is being...
Apple Launches Logic Pro X with Virtual Drummer and Flex Pitch
Apple today announced the launch of Logic Pro X, the next-generation version of its professional audio software. The release brings a completely revamped Logic Pro application including a new virtual drummer and integrated pitch editing, as well as an iPad companion app.Apple today unveiled Logic Pro X, the most advanced version of Logic Pro to date, featuring a new interface designed for pros,...
Apple Looking to Acquire PrimeSense, Israeli Firm Behind Kinect's Original 3D Body Sensing Technology
Israeli business newspaper Calcalist reports [Google translation, via 9to5Mac] that Apple is in early-stage negotiations to acquire 3D body sensing firm PrimeSense, with any deal likely to command a price in the range of $280 million. PrimeSense is the firm that developed the original technology behind Microsoft's Kinect motion sensing and control system.
The report indicates that a...
'Angry Birds Star Wars II' Launching September 19 Alongside 'Telepods' Interactive Toys
Rovio today announced the Septmeber 19 debut of "Angry Birds Star Wars II", building on the success of the original partnership between Rovio and Lucasfilm.The new game will tackle the prequels, introducing a wide roster of never-before-seen Angry Birds Star Wars characters. The best part? You’ll get to play with over 30 of them!
At this point we will not comment on rumors or speculation...
Apple Pledges Investigation After Chinese Woman Reportedly Electrocuted Using a Charging iPhone 5
The Next Web summarizes a series of reports from out of China relating an incident in which a 23-year-old Chinese woman was allegedly electrocuted while answering a call on her iPhone 5 as it was plugged in and charging. Details on the incident are somewhat sketchy, but the woman's family insists that the iPhone was purchased from Apple in December and that the woman was using Apple's official...
'Almost Bezel-Free' Redesign for iPad Mini Coming, but Still No Retina Until Early 2014?
In the wake of continuing reports suggesting that Apple's Retina iPad mini may not be ready to launch until early next year, Digitimes has now added its thoughts on the matter, claiming that Apple will be releasing a slightly redesigned non-Retina iPad mini later this year before launching the Retina iPad mini early next year.
According to the report, the Retina iPad mini will see an...
Apple Reportedly Signs Deal with Samsung for 14-nm A9 Chips Starting in 2015
The Korea Economic Daily reports that Apple and Samsung today officially signed an agreement that will see the two companies working together on future A-series chips for Apple's iOS devices, with the deal specifically covering A9 chips based on a 14-nanometer process node starting in 2015. The claim comes just weeks after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) confirmed a deal with Apple to...
Apple 'Aggressively' Hiring for Smart Watch Project, Looking Toward Late 2014 Launch
Financial Times reports that Apple is "aggressively" hiring new employees to help with its smart watch effort, suggesting that the company needs additional expertise to tackle the project's challenges. Sources also indicate that the "iWatch" may not appear until late next year, as has been previously rumored.The company has begun hiring “aggressively” for the project in recent weeks, say...
Apple Reportedly Buys Into a Chip Fab, Looking to Produce Its Own Chips
SemiAccurate reports that Apple is ramping up its efforts to control its own supply chain, seeking to produce its own chips and buying into a chip fabrication facility to accomplish that goal.Apple has just done something that SemiAccurate has been expecting for months and entered the fab industry. No we are not joking, Apple just bought into a fab, and not in a trivial way either.With the...
More Claims of No Retina iPad Mini Until Early 2014
Taiwan's Economic Daily News reports [Google translation] that shortages of Retina display panels for Apple's planned second-generation iPad mini have forced the company to push back its internal launch plans into early 2014. The company reportedly had been planning to launch the device during the fourth quarter of 2013, in time for the holiday shopping season.
The report also appears to...
Verizon Could Face Up to $14 Billion in Unsold iPhone Purchase Commitments for 2013
Bloomberg yesterday reported on a research note from analyst Craig Moffett pointing out that Verizon could potentially face a massive bill from Apple of up to $14 billion this year based on current iPhone sales rates and the carrier's commitment to purchase a minimum number of iPhones from Apple.Under a multiyear deal signed with Apple in 2010, Verizon Wireless is obligated to buy $23.5 billion...
U.S. PC Shipments Continue to Slide in 2Q13 as Apple Lags Overall Market
Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary calculations of PC shipments for the second quarter of 2013, finding that worldwide shipments fell by 11% over the year-ago quarter, the fifth straight quarter of year-over-year declines. According to Gartner's numbers, the U.S. market held up significantly better than the global market, but still declined by 1.4%. Gartner continues to...
Enhanced Google Maps App with iPad Support 'Coming Soon'
At its Google I/O conference back in May, Google showed off enhancements to its mapping services, announcing an all-new desktop experience as well as significant improvements to the company's mobile apps, including an iPad app.
Early today, Google announced that the revamped mobile map experience is now rolling out to Android smartphones, with the iOS updates "coming soon". Among the...
Apple Found Guilty of Conspiring to Fix Prices in E-Book Trial [Updated]
Reuters briefly reports that a U.S. federal judge has found Apple guilty of price fixing in the lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and state governments.A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Apple Inc conspired to raise the retail prices of e-books, and said a trial for damages will follow.
The decision by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan is a victory for the U.S....
iOS 7 Leverages Retina iPhone App Assets to Improve '2x' Mode on Non-Retina iPads
One of the more subtle changes surfacing in Apple's iOS 7 beta 3 released to developers yesterday is a move to leverage the Retina assets included in iPhone-only apps to improve the viewing experience in "2x" mode on non-Retina iPads such as the iPad mini and the iPad 2.
Since the launch of the iPad, Apple has supported the use of iPhone-only apps on its tablet platform, allowing users to...
Apple's In-Car Technology Ambitions Revealed in 'Digital Dash' Patents
Earlier today, the U.S Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent to Apple (via AppleInsider) addressing in-vehicle navigation and information systems based on touchscreens offering tactile feedback. The feedback would allow users to operate their vehicle's systems in a safer manner while keeping their eyes on the road.The disclosed invention, including co-pending applications incorporated by...
Next-Generation 15-Inch MacBook Pro Shows Up in Benchmarks
Last month, a new entry in the results database for popular benchmarking tool Geekbench 2 appeared to reveal Apple's next-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro. Many observers had expected the update to come at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last month, but Apple has yet to release the new machines.
A new Geekbench result posted earlier today now appears to reveal Apple's next-generation...
Apple Seeds iOS 7 Beta 3 to Developers
Exactly two weeks after releasing the second beta of iOS 7 to developers, Apple has just pushed out a third beta version for testing. The update is arriving as both an over-the-air update to existing beta testers and through the iOS Dev Center.
The new beta arrives as build 11A4414e, up from the second beta at build 11A4400f. Apple has also released a third developer preview of Xcode 5.
A ...
