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
Digital Strength Drives First Growth in Music Sales Since 1999 as File Sharing Declines
AllThingsD points to a report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) revealing that 2012 saw the first growth in the music market since 1999, a milestone made possible by the strength of the digital music market.Global recorded music industry revenues rose by an estimated 0.3 per cent to US$16.5 billion in 2012, the first year of industry growth since 1999. Digital...
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Staples Begins Selling Apple Accessories in U.S. Online Store
In line with last week's confirmation from Staples executives, the office supply giant has now begun offering Apple accessories in its U.S. online store. While the chain has long sold Apple products internationally, this marks the first time it has been able to reach an agreement with Apple for U.S. distribution.
Products available through the online store are currently limited to...
U.S. Mac Sales Surge in January as iMac Orders Pick up Steam
Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster today issued a new research report sharing data from research firm NPD covering Apple's U.S. Mac sales for the month of January. According to NPD's data, Mac sales were up a strong 31% year-over-year for the month.
Munster attributes the strong performance to Apple finally being able to roll out orders of the new iMac, even as the company remains significan...
iPad 5 Cases with Mini-Inspired Designs Begin Hitting Chinese Marketplaces
Following the leak of several "iPad 5" cases late last week supporting claims that the device will take some design cues from the iPad mini to become significantly narrower and slightly shorter than the current models, AppleBitch notes that these cases and a several others are now available for order through multiple distributors on Chinese e-marketplace Alibaba.
All of the cases contain...
HP Reenters Tablet Market With $169 Android-Based 'Slate 7' as LG Acquires WebOS for TVs
Two years ago, HP was viewed as potential major tablet competitor for Apple and the iPad, with the company's 2010 acquisition of Palm allowing it to debut its webOS-based TouchPad in early 2011. The TouchPad turned out to be a flop, however, until the company lowered pricing to $99 in order to clear out stock, and HP quickly decided to exit the smartphone and tablet markets and turn webOS into an ...
After Meeting With Apple CFO, Analyst Believes Lower-Cost iPhone Makes Good Sense
Following recent meetings with Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty today issued a research note sharing some of her takeaways from those discussions and her views on Apple's future plans.
While she did not disclose any specific information shared by Oppenheimer, Huberty did come away feeling that Apple will be working hard to expand carrier...
New Retina MacBook Pro Processor Bumps Offer Minor 3-5% Performance Improvements
Following last week's introduction of new processors for the Retina MacBook Pro lineup, Primate Labs has analyzed benchmarks coming in from the new machines through the company's popular Geekbench 2 software.
Unsurprisingly, the benchmarks reveal a roughly 3-5% increase in Geekbench scores for each of the processor bumps. For the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro lineup, Apple bumped each of the...
Apple Seeds iOS 6.1.3 Beta 2 to Developers with Fix for Passcode Lock Bug
As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple has seeded iOS 6.1.3 beta 2 to developers. In line with our suspicions following the launches of iOS 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 emergency bug fixes released over the past two weeks, the original iOS 6.1.1 beta track has now been relabeled as iOS 6.1.3 with this second beta.
Release notes for the original beta version had indicated that it focused on Maps improvements for...
Possible Photos of Second-Generation iPad Mini Rear Shell Surface
Mobiles Pie points to a forum thread [Google translation] at Chinese site WeiPhone sharing a number of photos of what may be the rear shell of the second-generation iPad mini.
The photos show a shell very similar to that of the current iPad mini, although from some angles it does appear to be slightly thicker. It is difficult to tell, however, whether the apparent increased thickness is a...
Apple Hit with 'Planned Obsolescence' Lawsuit in Brazil over Fourth-Generation iPad
Brazilian newspaper Jornal do Comércio reports [Google translation, via MacMagazine.com.br] that Apple has been hit with a class action lawsuit over its introduction of the fourth-generation iPad in the country. The lawsuit, led by the Institute of Politics and Law Software (IBDI), reportedly alleges that Apple's deviation from its usual yearly product update cycle amounts to "planned...
Foxconn Says Current Hiring Freeze Due to Strong Returning Workforce, Not Waning iPhone 5 Demand
Financial Times reported earlier today that Foxconn has enacted a hiring freeze at most of its Chinese facilities due to reduced demand for the iPhone 5.“Currently, none of the plants in mainland China have hiring plans,” said Liu Kun, a company spokesman at Foxconn’s largest manufacturing facility, in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen across the border from Hong Kong.
Human...
Apple Releases iOS 6.1.2 to Address Exchange Calendar Bug
In line with a report from last week, Apple has just released iOS 6.1.2. According to Apple, the update addresses a Microsoft Exchange bug but sources had indicated that it also addresses a lock screen passcode issue.
Fixes and Exchange calendar bug that could result in increased network activity and reduced battery life.The update arrives as Build 10B146 for most devices, with the exception...
Apple Catches Up to Demand for iPad Mini, Now 'In Stock' in Many Countries
Apple appears to have finally achieved supply-demand balance on its popular iPad mini, with the company's online stores for the United States, Canada, Australia, and a number of other countries now showing all models as "in stock" for immediate shipment. European customers are still being quoted 1-3 business days for new orders, although these will likely move to "in stock" relatively shortly.
...
Try the 5-Inch iPhone Experience with this Printable Papercraft Model
There have been a growing number of reports that Apple is working on a larger form factor iPhone, presumably to better compete with the wide variety of Android devices currently available. Based on those rumors, there have been also been a number of speculative articles on exactly how Apple might adapt iOS to handle the increase in screen size.
The predominant theory suggests that Apple...
Apple Hiring Software Manager and Engineer to Build 'Next Generation Features' for Apple TV
As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple has posted a job listing seeking a new software engineering manager focused on "next generation features for Apple TV".The Apple TV team is looking for an experienced engineering manager to help deliver the next generation features for Apple TV. Bring your creative energy and engineering discipline, and help us bring the Apple experience to the Living Room. [...]
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Claims of Apple Putting New Hires to Work on 'Fake' Projects Questioned, Found Unlikely
Just over a year ago, a LinkedIn Q&A session with Inside Apple author Adam Lashinsky generated some attention for an exchange with a former Apple employee in the audience who reported that new Apple hires are sometimes placed on "fake" projects during a probationary period. The audience member's comment was sparked by Lashinsky's discussion of employees being hired into "dummy positions" where...
iOS 6.1.2 to Address Exchange and Passcode Bugs Reportedly Coming Early Next Week
German site iPhone-Ticker reports [Google translation] that Apple is planning to release iOS 6.1.2 early next week to address both the Exchange bug and lock screen passcode issue affecting iOS 6.1 users. According to the report, iOS 6.1.2 is likely to arrive before Wednesday, February 20.
Like iOS 6.1.1 released for the iPhone 4S earlier this week, iOS 6.1.2 will be a limited update...
Apple's New TV Effort May Kick Off This Fall with Focus on Third-Party Apps
TechCrunch's MG Siegler reports that Apple indeed appears to be moving closer to making a major push into television, perhaps leveraging the existing iOS-based Apple TV to pursue gaming as a focus point for the initiative.
Xbox founding engineer Nat Brown had noted earlier this week that he believes Apple could destroy the traditional console gaming business by opening up the Apple TV platform ...
Apple Acknowledges iOS 6.1 Passcode Bug, Fix Coming in Future Software Update
Following today's significant publicity surrounding a bug in iOS 6.1 that allows users to bypass the iPhone's passcode lock to access the device's phone functions and contacts, Apple has issued a brief statement to AllThingsD acknowledging the issue and promising a fix for it.Reached for comment, Apple said it is hard at work on a fix. “Apple takes user security very seriously” spokeswoman...
Apple Releases Shorter 0.5-Meter Lightning to USB Cable, Tweaks In-Ear Headphones
Following its move to introduce a shorter Thunderbolt cable last month, Apple has made a similar move in launching a new 0.5-meter Lightning to USB cable.
The new cable is half the length of the standard Lightning to USB cable and provides an option for users looking for less cable clutter in more confined spaces. Interestingly, there is no price difference between the two cable lengths,...
