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 Set to Deploy FairPlay Digital Rights Management on iPad eBooks?
The Los Angeles Times reports that Apple is planning to bring back its FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) technology for use on eBooks made available through its iBookstore for the iPad. Veteran iTunes customers will recognize the locks as FairPlay, a digital rights management software that once limited how many times digital songs can be copied onto different computers. (Apple phased out...
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Meebo Brings Dedicated App to iPhone
Popular multi-protocol instant messaging service Meebo has released a free dedicated iPhone application that appeared in the App Store yesterday. Meebo allows users to connect to nearly all of the major IM services, including AOL/AIM, Yahoo!, MSN/Windows Live, Gmail/Google Talk, Facebook, and MySpace.
Meebo's iPhone application offers push notifications, seamless shifting between EDGE, 3G...
3G-Enabled 'SlingPlayer Mobile' Appears in App Store
Sling Media today announced that an updated version of SlingPlayer Mobile adding the ability for users to stream media to their iPhones via 3G has appeared in the App Store. The update comes less than two weeks after AT&T announced that it would allow Sling Media's application to stream over the carrier's 3G networks. "We're delighted the SlingPlayer Mobile App now has 3G capability," said John...
Microsoft, Samsung Take on Apple With New Smartphone Announcements
Windows Phone 7 Start screen
As predicted, Microsoft today unveiled Windows Phone 7, the next-generation smartphone operating system serving as the successor to and rebranding of the company's Windows Mobile software. One of the software's key features is the use of integrated "hubs", offering content views based on content rather than specific applications. Hubs will include People,...
Average iPhone Consumer Data Usage Pegged at Five Times That of BlackBerry
Consumer Reports announced this week the results of a study it commissioned assessing the monthly data usage for customers of Apple's iPhone and other smartphones. The data, obtained from over 1,000 consumer accounts linked to online bill analysis firm Validas, reveals that iPhone users consume an average of 273 MB of data per month, five times that of BlackBerry users and nearly twice that of ...
Microsoft Set to Demonstrate Windows Mobile 7 Next Week
Bloomberg BusinessWeek and The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) report that Microsoft is set to demonstrate its next-generation smartphone software, to be known as Windows Mobile 7 or Windows Phone, at next week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. According to BusinessWeek: On Feb. 15, Microsoft will unveil its latest effort to get back into the game. The renamed Windows Phone...
iPad Cited in Huge Spike in New App Store Application Development
Mobile analytics firm Flurry today released a report revealing trends seen in its user data for the month of January. Among the more interesting developments discussed in the report was a nearly three-fold surge of new App Store applications registered with Flurry to integrate its analytics into the applications. Such increases have typically been seen in advance of new device launches, and...
Apple Rolls Out 'Countdown to 10 Billion Songs' Promotion
Apple today unveiled a "Countdown to 10 Billion Songs" promotion via the iTunes Store, offering the contest winner a prize of a $10,000 iTunes gift card. A counter on the main iTunes Store page and Apple's home page currently displays in excess of 9.8 billion downloads.
According to the official contest rules, participants may make up to 25 entries per day either by purchasing/downloading...
Apple Releases Software Update Addressing Audio-Related Mac Pro Heat and Performance Issues
Apple today released Mac Pro Audio Update 1.0, addressing heat and performance issues experienced by users of Apple's Nehalem-based Mac Pros when processing audio. This update is for Mac Pro (Early 2009) computers running Mac OS X v10.6.2. This update reduces processor utilization during audio activities, such as playing or recording music.Full details on the update, which weighs in at 1.64 MB and ...
Apple's Deal With Google for iPhone Search Pegged at Over $100 Million Per Year
Silicon Alley Insider reports on information from a source claiming that rumors of Apple looking to develop its own search engine are untrue and that Apple's current deal with Google to provide default search functionality for the iPhone is currently worth over $100 million per year to Apple in revenue sharing. Our source tells us "there's too many options" for search on the market, so there's no...
Microsoft Reportedly Considering iPad Version of Office
T3 reports that Microsoft Senior Product Manager Mike Tedesco revealed during the Office for Mac 2011 preview event at Macworld that the company is "looking at" the possibility of bringing its Office productivity suite to Apple's iPad tablet device. "Yeah, it's something that we're looking at," said Microsoft's Mike Tedesco, who is the Senior Product Manager for WindowsBU. "Obviously the...
E-mails From 2003 Reveal Microsoft Caught 'Flat Footed' by iTunes Music Store Launch
Over the weekend, Groklaw discovered a couple of interesting e-mails sent by Microsoft executives Bill Gates and Jim Allchin to other members of the Microsoft executive team revealing that the company had been taken by surprise by Apple's launch of the iTunes Music Store in April 2003. The e-mails were made public as part of an antitrust suit brought against Microsoft in late 2006 for which Grokl...
Office for Mac 2011 Previewed Ahead of Launch Scheduled for Later This Year
Microsoft today announced a sneak preview of Office for Mac 2011, set for release later this year. The preview, scheduled in conjunction with Macworld Expo in San Francisco, details several significant changes including the adoption of a "ribbon" interface similar to that introduced for Windows in Office 2007. We took your feedback and haven't completely rearranged what you know and love: the new ...
New Beta of Google Chrome for Mac Now Available
Google today announced the release of a new beta of Google Chrome for Mac, adding several new features such as extensions and bookmark syncing that were left out of the initial beta released in December while also focusing on a "snappy, safe, and simple browsing experience" for users. With this new version, you'll be able to install any of over 2,200 extensions (and counting!) currently available...
Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."
BNET's Brent Schlender recently spoke with Microsoft founder Bill Gates about Apple's new iPad tablet device in order to get a feel for the thoughts of the man behind Apple's longtime rival and whose company introduced the "Tablet PC" concept nearly a decade ago. According to Schlender, Gates remains relatively unimpressed with the iPad, especially compared to his feelings about the iPhone when...
Apple Reportedly Set to Test Lowering Prices for Some Television Downloads to $1
Financial Times reports that Apple is set to begin a trial coinciding with the launch of the iPad that will reduce the price of certain TV downloads through its iTunes Store to $1 from the current $1.99. The trial will reportedly begin in April. Financial Times first reported late last month that Apple was seeking to persuade television networks to go along with the plan, and at least some of...
Hulu Developing Non-Flash Player for Deployment on iPad?
TechCrunch reports that popular video site Hulu is working to bring its content to the iPad, despite the lack of support for Flash content on Apple's new tablet device. One rumor I've heard from an industry insider is that Hulu is working on an iPad-friendly version of its site that should be ready by the time the iPad hits the market. Hulu itself is still vague about its plans. When asked...
Apple Addresses Battery Life Issues on New Wireless Keyboards With Firmware Update
Apple today released 2009 Aluminum Keyboard Firmware Update 1.0, addressing battery life issues with Apple's recently-redesigned wireless keyboard when used with other Bluetooth devices. This firmware update improves battery performance of the 2009 Aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard when used in combination with other Bluetooth devices (example. Magic Mouse, Bluetooth headsets). The update appears...
Apple Releases Apple TV 3.0.2 Update
We have received multiple reports today that Apple has released an Apple TV 3.0.2 software update, but we have yet to learn the details of changes included in the update. Readers have so far not reported any obvious changes, so the update may simply offer some under-the-hood enhancements such as compatibility with Aperture 3, which was released yesterday.
Users who wish to force updates of...
iPad Component Costs Estimated to Begin at $219.35
Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports on new estimates from market research firm iSuppli detailing component costs for Apple's lowest-priced iPad at $219.35 plus an additional $10 in manufacturing costs, compared to a retail price of $499. While the component cost calculations do not include such expenses as research and development, software, marketing, distribution, and patent licensing, the tally...
