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 Ends $100 Printer Rebate Program for New Mac Purchases
Since at least 2004, Apple has offered a rebate program that has typically offered users a $100 rebate when they purchase a new Mac and an eligible printer directly from Apple. The program was typically offered as a three-month program that was consistently renewed upon expiration, although in recent years the company shifted toward a perpetual program while reserving the right to discontinue it ...
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Robust Market for Used iPhones Benefits Users, Carriers, and Apple
AllThingsD reports on new research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) analyzing the impact of the secondary market for the iPhone, the portion of used iPhones that are resold or given away when users upgrade to the latest models. The survey looked at customers purchasing new iPhones beginning with the iPhone 4S launch last October, finding that 53% of those users had returned...
iPad 3 Media Event Planned for Early February?
Apple's education-focused media event isn't until Thursday, but Japanese blog Mac Otakara reports that Apple is already making plans for an early February event to introduce the iPad 3 ahead of an early March launch. The event is said to potentially also feature iOS 5.1, which is currently in developer testing.According to asian supplier and a source in United States, Apple seems to prepare to...
Display Panel Shipment Plans Suggest Apple Will Offer iPad 2 Alongside iPad 3
The question of whether Apple will continue to offer the existing iPad 2 as a lower-cost option alongside the forthcoming iPad 3 has been the subject of a fair amount of rumor and speculation, but if new display panel shipment plans provided to Digitimes are correct, it appears that the iPad 2 will indeed live on.
According to the report, production of the "Retina" resolution iPad 3 display...
A Look at AT&T's Throttling for High-Use Unlimited iPhone Data Customers
Late last year, AT&T began throttling the data speeds of its highest-use unlimited data customers, knocking down the ability of the top 5% of its users to consume data for the remainder of a billing period once they hit certain thresholds. While AT&T no longer offers unlimited data plans, it did so for several years with the iPhone, and users who had previously signed up for the unlimited have...
Apple Files New German Lawsuit Targeting Ten Samsung Smartphones
Bloomberg reports that Apple has filed a new lawsuit in Germany against Samsung, seeking to ban sales of ten different smartphone models over alleged design infringement.Apple Inc. (AAPL) filed another suit in Germany, seeking to ban sales of Samsung Electronics (005930) Co.’s smartphone models, including the Galaxy S Plus and the S II.
The suit targeting 10 smartphones was filed in the...
Scott Forstall Profiled as Apple's 'CEO-in-Waiting'
As we noted last September, Fortune's Adam Lashinsky has written a new book entitled Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired -- and Secretive -- Company Really Works, an unauthorized look at the inner workings of Apple. The book is due for release on January 25.
Fortune offers one tidbit from the book today, profiling Senior Vice President for iOS Software Scott Forstall as Apple's current...
iTunes Match Launches in 19 New Countries: Latin America, Baltics, Netherlands
Earlier today, we noted that iTunes Match had begun going live in Netherlands, following last week's news of an agreement between Apple and Dutch copyright oversight group Buma/Stemra.
But as Apple now details on its iTunes Match availability page, the service actually launched in 19 new countries today, focusing on Latin America, the Baltic states, and the Netherlands.
The full list of new ...
More on Apple's Textbook Plans for Thursday's Media Event
The Wall Street Journal takes a look at Apple's plans for its education-focused media event scheduled for this Thursday, and while the report is a bit short on specifics, it does examine some of the possibilities and demonstrates how the textbook industry is ripe for a shakeup at the hands of Apple.
Among the more specific claims included in the article is a brief discussion of the company's...
iTunes Match Goes Live in the Netherlands
Less than a week after Dutch music copyright organization Buma/Stemra announced that it had struck a deal with Apple regarding iTunes Match, the service has now gone live in the Dutch iTunes Store.
An iTunes Match link is not yet showing up on the front page of the Dutch iTunes Store, but Apple has updated the iTunes Store terms and conditions in the Netherlands with new text covering the...
'Immense Pressure' Leads to Cancellation of Steve Jobs Figurine
Earlier this month, we reported on Hong Kong company In Icons, which was attempting to release a realistic-looking Steve Jobs figurine. According to reports, Apple was at the time threatening legal action over the posable figurine, and PC World now notes that production on the figurine has been halted.
In Icons has posted a statement on its website acknowledging that while it does not feel...
HzO 'Talking to Apple' About Water Blocking Technology for Future iPhones
Pocket-lint reports that Utah company HzO, which was showing off its "WaterBlock" technology for providing water resistance to mobile devices at last week's CES, has said it is talking to Apple about the possibility of including the technology in future iPhones and other devices. Samsung is also reportedly "excited" by the technology."We showed the Samsung Chairman the technology with a Samsung...
Apple Moving Forward with New Retail Stores in France and Switzerland
ifoAppleStore reports on an article from French magazine Aix en Dialogue noting that Apple is preparing to build an interesting new store in Aix-en-Provence, France. While the store appears to be a relatively small one by Apple's standards, the striking design sees the store set back on a plaza and constructed almost entirely of transparent glass with the exception of the rear wall hiding the...
iPad 3 with LTE, Quad-Core Processor and Retina Display Set for March Launch
Bloomberg briefly reports that Apple's manufacturing partners have indeed begun on production of the iPad 3, with a ramp-up to full capacity taking place by February ahead of a March launch for the device. The report corroborates circulating rumors that the iPad will offer a quad-core processor and sport a high-resolution "Retina" display. The iPad 3 is also said to offer 4G LTE support for...
iTunes Store Adds Pop-Up Windows for Quick Access to Content Details and Previews
Italian site iSpazio notes [Google translation] that Apple has made a small but helpful tweak to the iTunes Store when accessed from a computer, now allowing users to access information on content such as songs, albums, videos, apps, and books via a pop-up window rather than needing to click through to a separate page within the store. The new option, which appears in most locations within the...
Tim Cook's Email to Apple Staff Regarding Supplier Responsibility Report
Earlier today, Apple released its 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, an annual report that was supplemented for the first time by a public list of over 150 companies that supply components and manufacturing services to the company.
As related by French site MacGeneration, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent the following email to company employees today addressing the developments on the...
Apple Expands iPhone and iPad Recycling Program to UK, Germany, and France
Last August, Apple expanded its recycling program in the United States to allow customers to turn in their used iPhones and iPads for Apple gift cards.
As noted by Macworld UK and Macerkopf.de [Google translation], Apple has once again expanded its recycling efforts by bringing a similar initiative to the UK, France, and Germany. But rather than offering payment in the form of an Apple...
Apple Releases 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report and Supplier List
The stream of environmental and labor rights news from Apple continues today with the company's release of its annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report for 2012. The report details efforts to oversee working conditions and environmental responsibility at its suppliers around the world, and notes that the company conducted 229 audits during 2011 for an 80% increase over 2010's auditing...
Apple Partners with Labor Group to Monitor Workplace Conditions at Suppliers' Factories
Bloomberg reports that Apple has agreed to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to access its suppliers' facilities to monitor workplace conditions in the wake of publicity surrounding worker suicides at Apple's primary manufacturing partner Foxconn.The world’s most valuable technology company joins Nike Inc. (NKE), Nestle SA (NESN) and Syngenta AG (SYNN) in turning to the Fair Labor...
Apple Stepping Up Environmental Friendliness with New Halogen-Free Cables
The London Evening Standard reports (via GigaOM) that Apple is requiring cable supplier Volex to spend up to $6 million retooling its production lines to eliminate halogens from the power and USB cables used in the company's products. The move will make the cables less toxic to the environment upon disposal.Apple is the biggest customer of Volex, 23%-owned by billionaire financier Nat...
