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
Refurbished 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Models Appear in Apple's Online Store
Apple today added the new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro to the refurbished section of its online store, giving prospective customers the opportunity to save 15% compared to brand-new machine. Currently available models include:
- 2.5 GHz Core i5 with 128 GB storage: $1439, compared to $1699 new
- 2.5 GHz Core i5 with 256 GB storage: $1699, compared to $1999 new
- 2.9 GHz Core i7 with 512...
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Apple Researching Removable Mobile Device Clip with Tactile Trackpad Controls
Patently Apple highlights an interesting Apple patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today. The application describes a removable clip for a mobile device such as an iPod, with the clip integrating tactile or trackpad like controls to be used either while attached to the device or as a remote control.In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a body having a bend and ...
Sprint to Launch Total Equipment Protection Plan for iPhone on January 25
Engadget reports that Sprint will finally begin offering its Total Equipment Protection (TEP) plan for the iPhone beginning January 25. The TEP plan offers coverage not only for device failures that occur outside of Apple's standard warranty but also loss, theft, and damage.
The TEP plan consists of two parts, an $11 monthly fee for the service and then a significant $150-$200 deductible...
Amazon Optimizes MP3 Store for Mobile Safari to Attract iOS Device Users
Amazon today announced that it has optimized its MP3 music store for Safari on iOS devices, marking yet another step in the company's effort to eat into the iTunes Store's dominant position in the digital music market.“Since the launch of the Amazon Cloud Player app for iPhone and iPod touch, a top request from customers has been the ability to buy music from Amazon right from their devices....
Apple and Amazon Ordered to Enter Settlement Talks Over 'App Store' Trademark Issue
Earlier this month, a court threw out Apple's false advertising claim against Amazon in the dispute over the "App Store" trademark, leaving unaddressed the question of trademark infringement. The two companies have been battling over the issue for nearly two years, with Apple claiming that Amazon's use of the "Appstore" name to describe its marketplace for Android apps infringes upon Apple's App ...
Apple's 2013 Product Roadmap Predictions: Multiple iPhones, Retina iPad Mini, All-Retina MacBook Pros
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a very good track record in predicting Apple's product plans, has issued a new research report outlining his expectations for Apple's 2013 product launches. Kuo believes that Apple will focus its launches on the third quarter of this year, with a number of updates throughout the company's various product families.
- iPhone: Kuo expects that Apple ...
iPhone 5S Reportedly Slated for March Production with June/July Launch
Following up on his report from last month, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek has released a new research report indicating that Apple's iPhone 5S is still in line for a launch in June or July of this year, with production beginning to ramp up in March.Our checks indicate that preliminary builds for the iPhone 5S will start in March for a launch in June/July. As word of the earlier production...
Apple Looking to Establish R&D Center in Beijing?
BrightWire reports on an article from Chinese web portal Tencent claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed during his visit to China last week the company's plans to establish a research and development center in Beijing. The report includes several other items of information pointing to Apple's continued efforts to strengthen its presence in the rapidly growing Chinese market.- At a meeting...
Thunderbolt Adoption Reportedly Slowed by Intel's Licensing and Certification, But Improvements Coming
Last July, Ars Technica took a look at the state of the Thunderbolt standard developed by Apple and Intel, noting that adoption remained slow amid high pricing some eighteen months after the standard's introduction. The report did, however, suggest that pricing could begin to improve in 2013 as the next generation of Thunderbolt chips hit the market.
Ars Technica has now published a follow-up ...
Apple Thunderbolt Display Supplies Begin Running Short at Third-Party Resellers
AppleInsider notes that inventories of the Apple Thunderbolt Display have begun running short at third-party resellers such as Amazon and MacMall, perhaps providing the first hints of an upcoming redesign. The display remains in stock at the company's online stores, but shortages tend to show up at third-party retailers first as Apple prioritizes shrinking supplies for its own outlets.
One...
Apple Maintains Third Place in U.S. PC Sales for 4Q 2012
Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary personal computer shipment data for the fourth quarter of 2012, showing a mixed market for manufacturers. Overall, Gartner saw a 2.1% year-over-year decline in PC sales in the United States, compared to a 4.9% decline on a global basis.
Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q12 (Thousands of Units)
In the...
Oracle Updates Java 7 to Address Security Vulnerability
On Friday, we noted that Apple had taken the rare step of using its anti-malware tools in OS X to disable existing installations of the Java 7 browser plug-in due to a major security vulnerability that was being actively exploited in the wild. Apple's anti-malware system is capable of enforcing minimum version numbers for plug-ins such as Java and Flash, and Apple simply updated its blacklist...
Apple Slashes iPhone 5 Part Orders Due to Weak Demand
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has slashed component orders for the iPhone 5 this quarter, responding to weaker-than-expected demand.Apple's orders for iPhone 5 screens for the January-March quarter, for example, have dropped to roughly half of what the company had previously planned to order, two of the people said.
The Cupertino, Calif., company has also cut orders for components ...
Apple Blocks Java 7 Plug-in on OS X to Address Widespread Security Threat
As noted by ZDNet, a major security vulnerability in Java 7 has been discovered, with the vulnerability currently being exploited in the wild by malicious parties. In response to threat, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has recommended that users disable the Java 7 browser plug-in entirely until a patch is made available by Oracle.Hackers have discovered a weakness in Java 7 security...
Next-Generation iPad and iPad Mini Rumored for March Launch
Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White today released a new report highlighting some of his observations from this week's CES in Las Vegas, noting that "checks" at the show suggest that Apple is looking to launch the next-generation versions of the iPad and iPad mini in March.Our checks at CES indicate Apple will release the iPad 5 and the second-generation iPad mini this March. The iPad 5 is ...
Apple Adds Streaming Movie and TV Service Watchever to Apple TV in Germany
As noted by The Next Web, Apple has added support for new movie and TV streaming service Watchever to the Apple TV in Germany.Essentially a German version of Hulu launched by Vivendi this month, it offers local, European and international movies and TV series for €8.99 a month. Key features include the ability to choose between a German dubbed version of international movies, or the original....
Reuters Pulls Story on Phil Schiller's iPhone Comments Following 'Substantial Changes' to Source Article [Updated]
Yesterday, a report from the Shanghai Evening News including comments made by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller about Apple's refusal to build "cheap" devices was widely re-reported throughout both the Apple-focused rumor scene and in mainstream media.
Schiller's comments were viewed by some as a direct rebuttal to recent rumors from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg that Apple is...
Xerox CFO Luca Maestri Joining Apple as Corporate Controller
Xerox today announced that Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri is leaving the company to take the position of Corporate Controller at Apple. The move will be effective February 28."Luca is a stellar finance executive whose contributions have brought great value to the transformation of Xerox into a services enterprise,” said Ursula Burns, Xerox chairman and chief executive officer. "He's...
Phil Schiller Says Apple Wouldn't Sacrifice Quality for Market Share in a Cheaper iPhone
Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller is accompanying CEO Tim Cook on his trip to China, and the Shanghai Evening News has published an interview [Google translation] with Schiller in which he addresses recent rumors of a cheaper iPhone. The report was first brought to our attention by Macerkopf.de, but The Next Web has since obtained a better translation and confirmed with Apple that the report...
Yields of 27-Inch iMac Displays Expected to Improve Next Month
Apple's 27-inch iMac continues to be in short supply, with Apple quoting 3-4 week shipping estimates for new online orders, compared to shorter but still substantial 7-10 day estimates for the smaller 21.5-inch models. Even before launch, the new iMac was projected to be in short supply into 2013, due in large part to issues with Apple's new display assembly process that includes laminating the...
