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 Office 2008 Update Brings Speed Increases and New Features
Microsoft today announced that it will be releasing Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Service Pack 2 later today, a free update bringing speed enhancements and other new features to the application suite. The update is scheduled to launch at 10:00 AM Pacific Time and will be available on Microsoft's Mac download page and through the Microsoft AutoUpdate application. Microsoft Corp.'s Macintosh...
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Apple Estimated to Account for 20% of Cellphone Industry Profit
The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) on research from Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Modoff showing that Apple and Research in Motion together accounted for approximately 35% of the cellphone industry's total operating profit in 2008 while only representing 3% of total unit sales. Apple's share of industry profits clocked in at approximately 20% while holding only just over 1% of ...
WWDC 2009 Session Videos Now Available for Purchase
Apple today notified registered developers that session videos from Apple's 2009 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) are now available for purchase and download. Individual iPhone and Mac packages are available for $299 each, with a combined package of all videos priced at $499. The packages offer videos of the presentations and Q&A portions of each session, along with corresponding slides ...
Apple Disables Promo Codes for App Store Applications with Mature (17+) Ratings
TUAW reports that with the introduction of age-based ratings for App Store applications in iPhone OS 3.0, Apple has taken the step of preventing developers of applications carrying mature (ages 17+) ratings from issuing promo codes for the affected applications. Developers are typically allowed to distribute up to 50 promo codes for any given application release, allowing developers the...
Apple to Release Q3 2009 Financial Results on July 21st
Apple today issued a media alert announcing details for the July 21st release of its financial results for the third fiscal quarter and second calendar quarter of 2009. The results will cover sales from March 28th, 2009 through June 26th, 2009, and will be released at the close of trading (4:00 PM Eastern / 1:00 PM Pacific) on Tuesday. Apple's conference call discussing the results will follow at ...
Apple Releases iMovie 8.0.4
Apple today released iMovie 8.0.4, improving overall stability and addressing several specific issues. This update improves overall stability and fixes a number of other minor issues. The issues addressed include:
- Fixed a problem with incorrect rotation when working with video created by iPhone 3GS
- Resolved instability when adding multiple beat markers in some languages
- Corrected an...
"Comcast Mobile App" Hits the App Store
U.S. cable TV and Internet provider Comcast has released Comcast Mobile App [App Store, Free], offering integrated access to the company's Digital Voice, Digital Cable, and High-Speed Internet services on the iPhone. Macworld provides an overview of the application's package of features. The Comcast Mobile App lets you access your Comcast e-mail, manage your Digital Voice account, peruse...
Palm Opens Up Mojo SDK to All App Developers
Palm today announced that it has released the Mojo Software Development Kit to all interested developers, opening the door for a broader offering of applications for the Palm App Catalog. The initial response to Palm webOS apps -- from both developers and customers -- has been enthusiastic. Even in its initial beta stage, over 1.8 million apps have been downloaded from the beta App Catalog since...
Google Brings "Search With My Location" to Safari on iPhone 3.0
Google yesterday announced that it has added the ability for iPhone users to utilize the device's built-in GPS to set their location as part of the customization of the Google homepage. Setting their location allows users to receive search results specifically tailored for their location. As of today, when you visit www.google.com from Safari on your iPhone 3.0, you can choose to turn on My...
Research Firms Offer Conflicting Views of Apple's Second Quarter Mac Shipments
Research firms Gartner and IDC have both released preliminary reports details U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the second quarter of 2009, and the two firms offer conflicting pictures of Apple's performance during the quarter.
According to Gartner's report, Apple maintained its fourth place ranking for U.S. shipments with an 8.7% market share on unit growth of 2.5% over the year-ago...
Steve Jobs Makes Appearance at Coldplay Concert
One of Coldplay's roadies reports that Steve Jobs attended the band's concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on Monday night and made a backstage visit to chat with some of the band members and other VIPs. I'll be honest with you folks, the only thing that mattered to me tonight was the presence of one Steve Jobs. I'm a confirmed Apple devotee and I really cannot imagine...
Microsoft Targeting Apple Stores With New Retail Store Concept
ZDNet reports that Microsoft is planning to open a number of retail stores in close proximity to existing Apple Stores later this year. While the stores will reportedly be designed more to "showcase" Microsoft products and build brand awareness than to serve as retail distribution points, the move continues the aggressive attacks on Apple by Microsoft begun with its recent "Laptop Hunters" and Zu...
iPod Classic's Future in Doubt Due to Shrinking Market for 1.8" Hard Drives?
iPodNN reports that Samsung and Toshiba, the only remaining manufacturers of 1.8-inch hard drives, are having difficulties finding substantial markets for their drives. The issues are casting doubt on the future of Apple's iPod classic, which utilizes 120-GB versions of the drives. A new 250GB Samsung drive has failed to find significant sales, despite being deliberately marketed at builders of...
Apple to Break O2 iPhone Exclusivity in the UK, But Not for the 3GS?
Mobile reports that Apple will begin offering the iPhone 3G to wireless carriers Orange and T-Mobile in the UK later this year, while retaining exclusivity for the new iPhone 3GS for longtime partner O2. The move is set for as early as September and will end Apple's two year exclusive deal with O2.
Crucially, the manufacturer will continue to give O2 exclusivity for the new, faster 3GS version, ...
iTunes 8.2.1 Reportedly Breaks Palm Pre Syncing [Updated]
Earlier today, Apple released iTunes 8.2.1, describing the update only as providing "a number of important bug fixes and addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices." The notice regarding device verification has led to speculation that the update breaks the ability for the Palm Pre to sync directly with iTunes.
According to a posting at PreCentral and a report in our own forums,...
Apple Releases iTunes 8.2.1
Apple today released iTunes 8.2.1 via Software Update and the iTunes download page. The new update "provides a number of important bug fixes and addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices."
The update weighs in at 79.3 MB for OS X...
Apple Progressing Toward iPhone Release in China?
SinoCast Daily Business Beat reports that Foxconn, Apple's Taiwanese manufacturing partner for the iPhone, has begun production of a China-specific iPhone lacking Wi-Fi connectivity. Two production lines in the Foxconn Shenzhen plant are producing 90-coded mobile phones, device that looks like iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, said one source.
The mysterious products might be the very model designed...
Apple to Bring Back Matte Displays as an Option on More Macs?
AppleInsider reports that Apple is considering bringing back matte antiglare displays in the form of an option on more of the company's Mac offerings. Currently available only as a $50 option on the 17" MacBook Pro, the report speculates that the 13" and 15" MacBook Pros are the most likely candidates for future inclusion of the option. The transition towards glossy displays appears to have been...
OS X Snow Leopard 10A411 Brings a Few Minor Changes
Yesterday's release of OS X Snow Leopard Build 10A411 to developers has sent those with access to the new version searching for changes since the last update. Given that the previous seed had occurred only five days earlier, the changes found so far in the latest build are unsurprisingly minor for the most part. Here are a few of the changes observed so far:
QuickTime X Interface: QuickTime...
Apple Seeds OS X Snow Leopard Build 10A411 to Developers
Close on the heels of the iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 2 developer release today, Apple has also seeded OS X Snow Leopard Build 10A411 to registered developers. The new seed comes just five days after the release of Build 10A402.
The new update weighs in at about 750 MB, considerably smaller than last week's 1.3 GB update. Specific changes in the latest build have not yet been revealed. This Snow...
