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
Active Storage Announces 'ActiveSAN' Replacement for Xserve
Late last week, we noted that Active Storage appeared set to introduce a replacement for Apple's Xserve, which is being discontinued as of today. The company followed through today with its introduction of ActiveSAN, a new metadata controller appliance to fill the void left by Xserve's departure. "On the day that Apple has formally stopped selling Xserve, we have exciting news. Until now,...
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iPad Snags 75% of Tablet Market in 4Q 2010 as Android Gains Momentum [Updated]
With the nascent worldwide tablet market still in a state of flux as Apple's game-changing iPad is starting to see competition from Android devices now making their way to the market, observers have been working to develop a picture of how things are shaking out in the fast-moving market. Research firm Strategy Analytics today announced the result of its survey of market data for the fourth...
Verizon Confirms iPhone Launch for Existing Customers at 3 AM ET on February 3rd
Verizon has sent out emails to existing customers and updated its iPhone information page to confirm that current Verizon customers will be able to order the iPhone 4 beginning at 3:00 AM Eastern time on February 3rd. Existing Verizon Wireless customers will have an exclusive online purchase opportunity before iPhone 4 is available to everyone else. Order iPhone 4 from our reserved quantity on a ...
No SD Card Slot in Next-Generation iPad?
A series of rumors over the past several months have suggested that the next-generation iPad could gain an SD card slot, making it easier for consumers to load photos directly onto the device without needing to resort to a dongle attached via its dock connector. Cases surfacing last week and claimed to be for the next-generation iPad suggested that the slot might make an appearance on the top...
Active Storage Prepping Replacement for Apple's Xserve?
With Apple set to discontinue the Xserve in just a few days, a number of observers noted earlier this week that Apple's shipping estimates for last-gasp orders are listed as "April". While the reason for the over two-month delay in shipping is unknown, Apple representatives have simply reported that the company is winding down manufacturing and that the "April" estimate is a worst-case scenario.
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Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over iPhone 4 Glass Breakage
LA Weekly reports (via The Next Web) that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple over the iPhone 4 and its claimed propensity for breakage. The lawsuit feeds off the "Glassgate" publicity that has seen the iPhone 4 judged to be more accident-prone than other smartphones due to Apple's use of glass on both the front and back of the device. Apparently fed up and pissed off,...
New Toshiba Hard Drives Could Boost iPod Classic to 220 GB
With all of the focus on Apple's flash-based iPod devices, it's easy to forget that the company still offers the iPod classic for users looking to carry around larger music libraries while on the go. Apple last updated the $249 iPod classic in September 2009, boosting the device's capacity from 120 GB to 160 GB, and some have wondered whether Apple will be discontinuing the device given the...
Apple Slips to Fifth in Global Mobile Phone Share as ZTE Surges
Worldwide Mobile Phone Sales in 4Q10 in Millions of Units (Source: IDC)
Research firm IDC yesterday released results for global mobile phone unit shipments in the fourth quarter of 2010, showing Apple slipping to fifth place behind Nokia, Samsung, LG and a surging ZTE. Apple had entered the top five in fourth place last quarter on the strength of the iPhone 4 release, garnering 4.1% of the...
Microsoft 'Looking At' Bringing Office to Apple's Mac App Store
All Things Digital reports that Microsoft is "looking at" the possibility of offering its Office productivity suite through the Mac App Store, a move which could be a tremendous boost the new marketplace for Mac OS X applications modeled on Apple's successful iOS App Store. "It's something we are looking at," Microsoft's Amanda Lefebvre told Mobilized. However, the company said its product is...
Apple Releases iTunes 10.1.2 With CDMA iPhone Compatibility
Apple today released iTunes 10.1.2, with Apple's download page details noting only that the update offers stability and performance improvements. About iTunes 10.1.2
iTunes 10.1.2 provides a number of important stability and performance improvements.A look at the release notes included with the actual download reveals, however, that the update also brings support for syncing the CDMA iPhone set ...
Analyst: 2011 Verizon iPhone Demand Could Reach 25 Million Units
With Verizon set to launch the iPhone in just a few weeks, analysts have been attempting to estimate just how many units Apple might be able to sell through the carrier during the first year, with many analysts projecting the number to be in the range of 10 million units and reports of Apple preparing for shipments of 25 million CDMA iPhone units worldwide suggesting that the estimates may at...
iPad Debuts in India
Apple today launched the iPad in India, bringing the company's popular tablet device to the country for the first time. Pricing begins at a tax-inclusive 27,900 rupees ($619) for the 16 GB Wi-Fi model and extends to 44,900 rupees ($983) for the 64 GB Wi-Fi + 3G models.
Apple executives noted during the company's quarterly earnings conference call last week that the iPad was available in 46...
News Corp and Apple's Eddy Cue to Launch 'The Daily' on February 2nd
The Loop reports that Apple and News Corp have issued invitations for a media event scheduled for Wednesday, February 2nd at 11:00 AM to introduce The Daily, a new tablet-focused news publication set to debut on the iPad.
According to the invitation, the event will be held at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and will feature Eddy Cue, Apple's longtime iTunes executive who currently...
AT&T Activates 4.1 Million iPhones in Q4 as Motorola and Nokia Slump
A number of companies either connected to or competing with Apple's iPhone have reported earnings yesterday and today, helping to paint a picture of the current status of the smartphone market.
AT&T, Apple's longtime exclusive iPhone partner in the United States, reported that it had activated 4.1 million iPhones during the fourth quarter of 2010, a figure that has historically included both ...
Skype 5 for Mac Exits Beta, Group Video Calling Now Premium Feature
Skype today announced that Skype 5 has gone gold, exiting the beta stage that began last November. The company has made a number of tweaks to the application based on user feedback from the beta period, primarily working to reduce the size of the application's window as it attempts to find the optimum layout for the new single-window interface. We've reduced the minimum window size, so that...
Apple TV Surpasses iPad in Netflix Streaming Popularity
As noted by Business Insider, Netflix today revealed in its quarterly earnings release (PDF) that the new Apple TV released at the end of September has already surpassed the iPad in terms of number of hours of Netflix content streamed. The devices with large installed bases - meaning Windows and Mac laptops, Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox, and Nintendo Wii - are the most popular devices for watching...
MacBook Pro Supplies Tightening Ahead of Potential Refresh
MacRumors has heard from several sources that supplies of Apple's existing MacBook Pro models, particularly the 15" and 17" sizes, are beginning to run low in Apple stores and at third-party retailers, suggesting that the company may be drawing down stock in advance of an update to the product line. At least one major retail chain has reportedly notified its branches that it has been unable to ...
Feral Interactive Creates Mac App Store Splash: 'BioShock', 'Borderlands', and More
Popular gaming firm Feral Interactive made a brief debut on the Mac App Store at the marketplace's launch earlier this month, offering its LEGO Harry Potter title for a very brief time before pulling the application, apparently due to issues with file corruption possibly related to the large download size. But Feral is now back in the Mac App Store in a big way: Besides restoring LEGO Harry...
AT&T Offering Unlimited Data to Keep iPhone Customers From Defecting to Verizon?
Associated Press reports that AT&T is quietly offering some of its iPhone customers the ability to switch to unlimited data plans as a means to keep them from defecting to Verizon, which is rolling out an unlimited data plan of its own for a limited time as the carrier launches the iPhone next month.
According to the report, AT&T's offer is being made to customers who had previously been on...
Verizon iPhone Listings Go Live on Apple's Site [Update: Removed]
With the Apple online store's downtime last night, the company appears to have rolled out full details of the options available for Verizon iPhone customers. With both 16 GB ($199) and 32 GB ($299) models available, customers will be required to accept a two-year contract while selecting from various options for voice, data, and messaging plans.
Individual voice plans begin at $39.99 per...
