Motorola’s releasing a Star Wars Moto Mod, but only in China

The force is strong with this Style Shell.

You can do a lot of different things with Moto Mods, but my personal favorite are Motorola’s Style Shells. Attaching a projector or 360 camera is cool and all, but being able to change up the look of a phone on the fly is something that appeals to me a lot more.

Motorola already has a great selection of Style Shells to choose from, but in honor of the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi film, the company will be releasing a special Star Wars-themed one.

First spotted by Tech Droider, this Style Shell showcases Darth Vader holding his iconic red lightsaber with the word “Sith” behind him and the Star Wars logo plastered near the bottom. It’s an odd choice to showcase Vader rather than one of the newer characters, but that doesn’t stop the Style Shell from looking any less awesome.

Motorola will likely launch the Shell in a few weeks as we get closer to the release of The Last Jedi, and when it is available, it should only cost around $20 USD. Unfortunately, just like the special Moto Mods released around the time of Transformers: The Last Knight, this Star Wars one will only be available in China.

For our readers in India, don’t forget to check out the even more awesome Star Wars edition of the OnePlus 5T.

Moto Z2 Force

• Moto Z2 Force reviewl
• Moto Z2 Force specs
• This is the Moto 360 Camera Mod
• The ultimate guide to Moto Mods
• Moto Z2 Force vs. Galaxy S8
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Best To-Do Apps for Android

Keeping track of everything you need to get done is easy with these to-do apps!

We all have busy lives. Whether you’re trying to remember to hit the gym, grab that present for your coworker, and still make it to the doctor, keeping track of everything that needs to get done is sometimes easier said than done. That’s where these to-do apps come in, from tons of features to a pared-down UI there is something here for everyone.

These are our picks for the best to-do apps available on Android!

Todoist: To-Do List

Of the many to-do apps that are available, Todoist easily rises to the top. It uses Material Design to deliver an intuitive and easy to navigate UI that offers plenty of options for your tasks. You can separate your lists out by project and use filters to only see the lists that you need access to in a pinch.

It also delivers a calendar that lets you see your tasks for the upcoming week, as well as a daily tab. It even delivers a profile that allows you to take a look at the tasks you have completed recently, which can help to keep you on task and track your progress towards goals. If you choose to upgrade to a premium membership, which will run you $28.99 a year, it gives you expanded access to your history, and delivers new features like the ability to tag your lists. With premium, you can also access your lists across your phone, Android Wear smartwatch, and PC so that you always have access to your to-do list.

Download: Todoist (Free with in-app purchases)

Google Keep

Google Keep is primarily a note-keeping app, but it does have pretty awesome to-do features baked right into it. It should be no surprise that it’s well designed and easy to use since it is Google’s own product. This also means that you may have it installed on your phone already and not even realize it.

You can easily create new lists from the add menu at the bottom of your screen, but to edit existing lists you’ll need to find them within the app. Once you’ve completed a task on your list you can cross it off by editing the list and tapping that item. It will then appear with a slash through it. This makes it easy to keep an eye both on what needs to be done, and what you have already completed.

If there is a list that has priority tasks on it, you can pin it. This will ensure that you can easily find and edit the list while you are out and about. In addition to typing in items for your list, you can also add media. If you have a photo for a project, you can add it to your list to make it easier to find when you need it.

Download: Google Keep (Free)

Any.do

Any.do is an app that aims to keep you organized through to-do lists, and delivers a beautiful experience while doing just that. You can build multiple lists, and customize each one with the tasks you need to complete. Any.do will also link up with your Google Calendar if you sign up using your Google Account, which means everything is in one place.

When you add items to a list within Any.do, you get access to a range of features that are handy no matter what you’re doing. You can add subtasks to list items, move task items between lists, add reminders, add notes with media attachments, and share list items with colleagues and collaborators. All of this together lets you have real power over everything on your to-do list. Clearing items when you finish a task is easy as well. All you have to do is swipe right across your screen to strike through completed items.

There is also the option to upgrade to a premium membership. You get perks like location-based notifications, allowing more attachments to your lists, customizable colors, and access to a daily planner called Any.do moments.

Download:Any.do (Free with in-app purchases)

Out of Milk

Some of us are just plain bad at remembering what we were supposed to get at the grocery store. Whether it’s forgetting everything on your list, not recalling when you’ve run out of something at home, or keeping an eye out for deals, picking up food for the week is something on just about everyone’s to-do list.

Out of Milk aims to make picking up groceries as easy as possible, while also offering a full to-do feature list. With options to add specific items to your shopping list with barcodes, zip code based deals, and the ability to add a reminder for specific items on your to-do list, there is plenty here to love.

Download:Out of Milk (Free)

Microsoft To-Do

Not everyone needs a productivity app overflowing with tons of features. Sometimes you want something sweet and simple, and that’s exactly what Microsoft To-Do delivers. You can easily add new items to your list, and create multiple lists for separating today’s errands from long-term goals.

Microsoft To-Do syncs between your phone and PC, and offers suggestions the longer that you use it. There is also the option to add reminders for important items on your list, use it as a note-taking app, and you can organize your lists by day so that you never miss anything that needs to get done. Best of all this app is absolutely free.

Download:Microsoft To-Do(Free)

What’s on your list?

There are plenty of apps out there that can help keep you on track with your to-do list. Not all of them are created equal though, and this was a collection of the best to-do apps available on Android. Each one has its own pros and cons, but there is definitely an app out there r everyone. is your favorite on your list? Or is there an app that we should have included here? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Update, December 2017: We’ve updated this post with all of the best to-do apps available on Android!

Google starts cracking down on Android apps handling personal data

It’s important to keep your personal data safe, and Google’s helping to make this as easy as possible.

In our world of phones, computers, apps, and more, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ensure that your privacy is as well protected as possible. Mobile applications are notorious for collecting data and information that it shouldn’t, and Google recently announced a couple new measures it’ll be putting in place to help crack down on this.

These new moves are part of Google’s Unwanted Software Policy, and the main goal of them is to provide users with warnings on apps that are trying to collect any of their data.

With the first update –

Apps handling personal user data (such as user phone number or email), or device data will be required to prompt users and to provide their own privacy policy in the app.

Along with this, Google also announced –

If an app collects and transmits personal data unrelated to the functionality of the app then, prior to collection and transmission, the app must prominently highlight how the user data will be used and have the user provide affirmative consent for such use.

Google says it’ll be applying these new rules to apps in the Play Store and in markets where the Play Store isn’t available, and the effects of said rules should start to be seen in 60 days. If apps are discovered collecting personal data without your consent, you’ll get a warning via Play Protect.

These are all the Android devices updated to fix KRACK Wi-Fi vulnerability

Best Phone For Seniors

• Best overall
• Best for less
• Best for cheap

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy S8

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The Galaxy S8 is one of the most well-rounded phones on the market, and it’s a great choice for power users and first-time smartphone owners alike.

From outstanding build quality and a gorgeous design to one of the best cameras on the market, the Galaxy S8 leaves little to be desired, but its long list of features can feel overwhelming to someone who’s new to smartphones entirely. Luckily, the Galaxy S8 has an Easy Mode that lowers the bar for people who are transitioning from an older feature phone, or who needs a bit of extra guidance. Samsung also has a number of intuitive accessibility features that go above and beyond the average Android device.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S8 packs everything and the kitchen sink, and includes Easy Mode to make its myriad of features more approachable.

One more thing: Samsung’s Easy Mode can be activated from anywhere, but once you get the hang of it, it’s also simple to turn off!

Why the Samsung Galaxy S8 is best

The Galaxy S8 is the best phone for seniors because it’s the best phone for most people, and has plenty of options for those who need a bit of extra help.

Easy Mode doesn’t have to be a negative thing, and Samsung has done a great job making its Android software simple and intuitive. Even without it, the Galaxy S8 is one of the most accessible Android phones, with plenty of ways to make the software more user-friendly.

Features like Always-On display show you notifications even when the phone is off, while wireless charging support means you don’t have to fumble for a USB-C cable in the dark.

The Galaxy S8 is also one of the best-selling Android phones on the market, so it’s easy to find someone who can help if you can’t figure out a certain feature. Finally, even though it’s a relatively compact device, the Galaxy S8 manages excellent battery life.

Best for less

LG G6

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Like the Galaxy S8, the LG G6 is very easy to pick up and begin using. It has a large display in a relatively small body, excellent performance, and great cameras. It also has convenient features like wireless charging and support for microSD expansion.

Also like Samsung’s latest, the G6 has an intuitive Easy Mode, enlarging home screen icons and text while simplifying navigation. Its large display also leaves plenty of room for a large keyboard, and its dual cameras around back take fantastic photos. The G6 may be cheaper than the Galaxy S8, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it.

Bottom-line: The LG G6 offers a similar range of features and accessibility as the Galaxy S8, at a much lower price.

One more thing: The price of the G6 fluctuates heavily depending on where you buy it from. At the moment, it’s cheapest at Sprint for $480, though there’s an Amazon Prime version with ads for even less, totalling at $400.

Best for cheap

Moto G5 Plus

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You can’t do much better than a $230 phone that performs like a much more expensive phone. The Moto G5 Plus combines fast and fluid performance with useful features like Moto Display, all while retaining the simplicity of near-stock Android.

No one makes cheap phones like Motorola, and the company improved every aspect of its Moto G line this year, from the camera to the battery life.

Bottom line: The Moto G5 Plus is an outstanding value with simple software, and it comes unlocked out of the box so you can use it on most carriers around the world.

One more thing: If you don’t mind seeing ads from Amazon in your lock screen and notification panel, you can pick up the Prime Exclusive Moto G5 Plus at a $45 discount.

Conclusion

The Galaxy S8 is the best choice for seniors because it is the best choice for most people. Compact, affordable, and extremely easy to use, the phone’s Easy Mode is a great example of Samsung broadening the appeal of its phones as they grow more popular.

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy S8

See at Samsung
See at Verizon
See at AT&T
See at T-Mobile
See at Sprint

The Galaxy S8 is one of the most well-rounded phones on the market, and it’s a great choice for power users and first-time smartphone owners alike.

From outstanding build quality and a gorgeous design to one of the best cameras on the market, the Galaxy S8 leaves little to be desired, but its long list of features can feel overwhelming to someone who’s new to smartphones entirely. Luckily, the Galaxy S8 has an Easy Mode that lowers the bar for people who are transitioning from an older feature phone, or who needs a bit of extra guidance. Samsung also has a number of intuitive accessibility features that go above and beyond the average Android device.

Bottom line: The Galaxy S8 packs everything and the kitchen sink, and includes Easy Mode to make its myriad of features more approachable.

One more thing: Samsung’s Easy Mode can be activated from anywhere, but once you get the hang of it, it’s also simple to turn off!

Update, November 2016: The Galaxy S8 is our new best overall recommendation, and the Moto G4 was replaced with the Moto G5 Plus.

UK watchdog has to remind MPs not to share their passwords

With the number of computer-based attacks steadily rising in the UK, Britons have been warned over and over again to use strong passwords, to ensure they’re not recycled and to never disclose them to a third party. So when three Conservative MPs came out over the weekend admitting to sharing their credentials with interns and other members of staff, it’s easy to see why the UK’s data watchdog is none too pleased.

In the space of the last few days, Nadine Dorries MP, Nick Boles MP and Crispin Blunt MP claimed that they share passwords with fellow office workers in order to perform tasks on their behalf. Ms Dorries said that her team logged into her computer using her details “everyday,” which was a message that was later echoed by Mr Boles in a tweeted reply. Mr Blunt later explained on Channel 4 News that he allowed such actions because “we don’t live a life where we are actually able to spend lots of time sitting in our office browsing our computers.”

My staff log onto my computer on my desk with my login everyday. Including interns on exchange programmes. For the officer on @BBCNews just now to claim that the computer on Greens desk was accessed and therefore it was Green is utterly preposterous !!

— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) December 2, 2017

The admissions came after claims that First Secretary of State Damian Green should be held responsible for viewing pornography on his work computer. Mr Green denied doing so and has since been urged to step down.

Today, the Information Commissioner’s Office acknowledged that it had been made aware of reports that MPs are happy to pass around their logins and passwords and has begun talking to the “relevant parliamentary authorities”:

We’re aware of reports that MPs share logins and passwords and are making enquiries of the relevant parliamentary authorities. We would remind MPs and others of their obligations under the Data Protection Act to keep personal data secure. https://t.co/FLPeP8M7c8

— ICO (@ICOnews) December 4, 2017

Sharing logins isn’t illegal but the House of Commons Staff Handbook categorically states that party employees should not share their passwords. However, MPs are allowed to decide for themselves how they interpret such instructions.

The common reason for interns and other staff members to access MP computers appears to be to update calendars and respond to emails on a minister’s behalf, tasks that could be handled remotely via a shared inbox or grouped computer policies.

As a nation, politicians aren’t expected to be cybersecurity experts, but they are expected to be aware of basic online and computer protections. That’s why today’s warning, while embarrassing, is totally necessary.

Via: BBC News

Chrome for Android will soon get HDR video support

Google Chrome for Android is about to join YouTube and Netflix among the apps that can support HDR playback. Two recent updates on the Chromium Gerrit (spotted by XDA) gave the game away. For those in the dark, HDR (high dynamic range) amps up the color and contrast significantly compared to standard dynamic range to offer a more realistic picture.

Of course, you’ll require a HDR-capable smartphone to try it out (see LG and Samsung’s flagships, Sony Xperia XZ1, and Sony Xperia XZ Premium). Oh, and you’ll also need to be on the lookout for video carrying the HDR tag, which is sorely lacking at present. At least with the future Chrome update, you’ll be able to scour the entirety of the web for content.

Via: XDA

Source: Chromium Gerrit (1), (2)

Android will flag snooping apps that don’t warn users

Google, a company that known to keep uncomfortably close tabs on users, is taking new measures to ensure that other Android apps don’t do the same without proper warning. The company’s Safe Browsing team has unveiled stricter enforcement of its “unwanted software policy,” warning users off apps that collect your personal data without consent. Google’s search engine will even scare users away from websites that offer up apps violating its policies.

Google will flag bad apps with warnings on Play via Google Play Protect, or with the dreaded red boxes that discourage Search users from proceeding to bad sites. To avoid ending up on its naughty list, apps that use personal user data like your phone number, email or location data “will be required to prompt users and to provide their own privacy policy in the app,” Google says. You must also provide consent each time an app transmits personal info “unrelated to the functionality of the app.”

The search giant is cracking down hard on privacy issues, having recently banned apps that display ads in your lock screen, for instance. That’s a noble effort, but Google itself has been conspicuous lately for violating user trust. It was found to have been tracking users’ cellphone tower positions and relaying the data back to its servers, ostensibly to improve messaging speed.

It has since halted the practice, but this was happening regardless of whether you had opted in, even if you switched off your cellular service. Since it was neither informing users nor respecting their intentions, Google itself would have been in violation of its new privacy policy.

Source: Google Security Blog

The best Xbox One games

The Xbox One has come a long way since its 2013 debut. Microsoft has fixed the console’s hardware flaws with the One S and the recently released One X, but now it has a different problem to address: a dearth of compelling games you can’t play anywhere else. In recent years the company has relied on timed third-party exclusives that eventually make their way to other platforms or are also available on Windows and Steam.

It happens on PS4 as well, but the difference there is that Sony has a wide assortment of games that you can only play on its console. That’s not to say there aren’t exclusive games worth playing on Xbox; it’s just that they’re buried among annual Forza racing games, middling modern Halo releases and the testosterone-fueled Gears of War franchise. Microsoft has promised to break out of that predictable release cadence, though, so the future could be brighter than you may have come to expect. As it stands, these are the best Xbox One games you can play right now.

AAA vs indie darlings

Microsoft proved that indie games could have an audience on consoles when it published Braid on the Xbox 360 in 2008. Fast forward nine years and the landscape has changed quite a bit. The Nintendo Switch is increasingly becoming the home for niche titles, and PlayStation’s selection of blockbuster tentpole games grows with every trade-show Sony attends. Faced with this harsh reality, last month Xbox chief Phil Spencer admitted that his team hadn’t invested as much in original games as it should. Next year, he’s going on a shopping spree for games and development studios to make up for the ones he cancelled and closed.

The company trotted out Capybara Games’ Below in the lead-up to the Xbox One’s launch in 2013, and since then it’s been delayed indefinitely. For a while it looked like Cuphead would face a similar fate, but as luck would have it Studio MDHR released the game this September after repeated delays. Fullbright’s Tacoma had similar misfortunes on the road to release. Limbo studio Playdead’s haunting sophomore effort Inside was only exclusive to the Xbox One for a few short months before appearing on PC and PS4. Same goes for Oxenfree.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, a good game is a good game regardless of where you play it. Case in point: Minecraft, once the biggest indie game in the world, which is now owned by Microsoft. The thing is, until Microsoft proves it can dream beyond Forza, Gears of War and Halo though, indies are your best bet for interesting, inventive ideas on Xbox.

Minecraft

Since purchasing this blocky freeform building game in 2015, Microsoft has drastically upgraded its graphics (while retaining the game’s lo-fi charm). Just as important, it unified nearly every version of Minecraft, allowing people on disparate platforms to play together. Surprisingly, the game didn’t lose its soul in the process. It’s as charming and soothing as ever, while fancy visual tricks like HDR and detailed textures add some overdue modern flair next year. Combine those additions with Minecraft’s addictive building and survival gameplay and you’ve got a game that just about anyone can appreciate.

Inside

Playdead’s follow-up to its macabre debut Limbo shows what’s possible when a studio keeps it simple. Inside is a haunting physics-based platformer that follows a young boy on his journey to, uh, get inside a research facility. As compelling as the game mechanics are, your primary motive for pressing onward should be the game’s narrative. While “dystopian sci-fi” starring an adolescent might bring The Hunger Games to mind, Inside’s story is more Black Mirror than YA fiction. By the time the credits roll, the frustration of repeatedly getting caught by sentry guards should be a distant memory thanks to one of the craziest endings in modern video games.

Overwatch

If you’re playing Blizzard’s hero shooter on a console, Xbox One is where you should do it. Playing with friends online feels effortless thanks to the way Xbox Live is baked into every facet of the console. Adjusting the balance between party chat and game audio, adding new friends to your group and even broadcasting your session via Mixer is dead simple on Microsoft’s hardware. The game was first released last year, and is showing no signs of getting stale. The team at Blizzard keeps the game humming by regularly releasing new heroes, maps and modes, for free. Just remember, if you’re going to play, there are never enough people moving the payload toward the objective. Your team will be grateful for the help.

Cuphead

After a series of delays, Cuphead finally came out this year. And it was worth the wait. Studio MDHR’s challenging side-scrolling shooter calls to mind classics like Contra and Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, with retro visuals to match. Rather than pixel art reminiscent of the 8- or 16-bit era, though, Cuphead features hand-drawn animation inspired by cartoons from the 1930s. Keep in mind, this game isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll simultaneously have to memorize level layouts, enemy placements and bosses’ attack patterns if you want to succeed. That’s in addition to reminding yourself to duck incoming fire and not get distracted by the inventive audio and visual design. If that seems like a tall order, it is. But you like a challenge, right?

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo has been Microsoft’s golden goose since the original Xbox launched in 2001. But recent years haven’t been kind to the series, which has seen some duds. That’s why we recommend The Master Chief Collection (MCC), a greatest-hits collection of the franchise’s best releases, with upgraded visuals and unique twists like playlists that group campaign missions by theme. Want to play the opening level from each game in succession? Have at it. Same goes if you’d rather play nothing but vehicle-based missions. Additionally, MCC takes every map from the franchise’s multiplayer suite online. The player population has since migrated to Halo 5: Guardians, but if you want to recreate the experience of playing capture the flag on Blood Gulch at your first Xbox LAN party, this is your best bet.

Forza Horizon 3

Forza Horizon 3 isn’t just Microsoft’s most recent off-road racer — it’s the best entry in the Horizon series to date. And you don’t have to be a gearhead to have a blast tooling around the game’s Australian outback. Unlike the mainline Forza Motorsport series, the emphasis here is on pedal-to-the-metal, arcade-inspired fun that emphasizes silliness over simulation. But that doesn’t mean Horizon isn’t serious about accuracy; physics still matter, and you can of course upgrade and tune your favorite ride to your heart’s content. Need a break from the Outback’s beaches and jungles? The “Blizzard Mountain” expansion takes the terror out of driving in inclement weather, while the Hot Wheels add-on puts the toy cars and their trademark orange loop-de-loop tracks on your flatscreen.

Alan Wake

The Xbox One’s biggest advantage over the competition is that you can play a huge swath of the Xbox 360’s catalog on it. That includes Alan Wake, Remedy Games first Microsoft exclusive from 2009. If the recent Twin Peaks revival made you want to take a trip to the Pacific Northwest, consider this game about a horror novelist whose creations are coming back to haunt him. The sleepy town of Bright Falls is being corrupted by a dark presence that possesses people and inanimate objects, even turning wheelbarrows into fearsome enemies. You’ll need more than just firearms to defeat them, too; flashlights and flares are as important as firearms, as you need to “burn” the darkness out of an enemy before destroying it for good.

Ori and the Blind Forest

Ori and the Blind Forest will break your heart in the first 10 minutes. After that, things get easier — at least from an emotional standpoint. Ori follows the tradition of Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night by giving you a huge interconnected 2D world to explore, where secrets are hidden in plain sight and familiar areas give way to new ones as you unlock abilities for Ori. Gorgeous art and music complement the onscreen exploration; if you’re a fan of physics-based platforming à la Super Meat Boy, you’re in for a treat. Now’s the perfect time to try the game, too: Microsoft said earlier this year that it’s ordered a sequel. But with no release date in sight, you should have plenty of time to explore the game’s mysteries.

Killer Instinct

When Microsoft bought Rare Ware back in 2002, a big questions was whether the company would resurrect the long-dormant fighting franchise Killer Instinct. Eleven years later, a series reboot served as an anchor for the Xbox One’s meager launch lineup. In the four years since, development passed to Divekick studio Iron Galaxy. Meanwhile, Microsoft added Gears of War bad-guy General Raam, Halo’s third-fiddle protagonist The Arbiter, and Rash from Rare’s Battletoads series to the roster. The game now boasts almost 30 fighters, and its combo-based pugilism feels as satisfying as it did on the Super NES and N64. A quasi-story mode helps keep things interesting for solo players, and you can even fight against AI based off the fighting style of people on your friends list. Think of it like Forza’s Drivatar system, but for punching faces.

Quantum Break

Quantum Break is at once a cinema-inspired third-person shooter and an interactive TV drama where the choices you make in the game affect how each episode of the show plays out. Manipulating time goes beyond the game’s narrative and impacts how you solve puzzles and take out enemies. The game’s surreal vistas are particularly impressive. Thanks to a glitch in the space-time continuum, time itself is breaking down. Which means every now and again, everything in a given scene will go into still-frame, be it a shipping barge crashing into a suspension bridge, or a helicopter attacking an office building. It makes for some incredibly cool platforming sequences. And if you’ve just picked up an Xbox One X, Remedy went back over the game to make those “stutters” (and everything else) perform better on Microsoft’s new hardware.

Fru

Fru wasn’t just one of the last Kinect games — it was one of the best reasons to own Microsoft’s do-all sensor. Rather than use the camera array and microphones for clunky motion and voice controls, Fru takes advantage of a different aspect of the hardware: its ability to read silhouettes in real time. The game is a platformer at its core, and to cross certain gaps or find hidden treasures, you’ll need to position yourself in a way that allows the fox-masked protagonist to run along or inside your silhouette. You can make the game even more challenging by trying to play solo as you contort your body in front of the sensor. Or, you can tap your yoga-master best friend to hold their Vriksasana pose while you make your way ever rightward along the game’s 2D plane.

Apple to start paying Ireland the billions it owes in back taxes

Last year, the European Commission ruled that Apple’s sweetheart tax deal with Ireland was illegal and that the company owed around $14.5 billion in back taxes. But Ireland was rather slow to start collecting that cash, which led the Commission to refer the Irish government to the European Court of Justice in October due to Ireland’s non-compliance with the 2016 ruling. However, the Wall Street Journal reports today that the country will finally start collecting those billions of dollars owed by Apple and it may start doing so early next year.

Both Apple and Ireland have fought back against the ruling — Ireland has said that the European Union overstepped its authority and got some of the country’s laws wrong while Apple has maintained that the amount it’s being told to repay was miscalculated. Both are continuing to appeal the decision and the money will sit in an escrow fund while they do so. Ireland has said that negotiating the terms of that fund is what has held up its collection of the money but the European Commission said that the action it has taken against Ireland for failing to follow the 2016 ruling will proceed until the money is collected in full.

Paschal Donohoe, Ireland’s finance minister, said that Apple is expected to begin funneling money into the fund during the first quarter of 2018. We may get more information on the fund, its management and the timing of Apple’s payments during the company’s next earnings report in January.

Via: Wall Street Journal

Apple Classifies 2011 Mac Mini as Obsolete

Apple this week added all Mac mini models released in mid 2011 to its public-facing vintage and obsolete products list.

Mid 2011 models have officially been classified as vintage or obsolete as of November 30, 2017, according to an internal memo distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers and later obtained by MacRumors.

The distinction means that Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers will no longer repair or service the 2011 Mac mini, given over five years have passed since it was last manufactured, except where required by law.

The only regions exempted include California and Turkey, where customers may still obtain service for up to two additional years.

Apple repairs and services products for up to five years after they are no longer manufactured, and 2011 Mac mini models have now eclipsed that coverage period after being discontinued in late 2012.

2011 Mac mini models were the first with a Thunderbolt port, and the first without an optical disc drive for CDs/DVDs.

It has been over 1,100 days since Apple last refreshed the Mac mini, according to the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide. The computer is still powered by Intel’s dual-core Haswell processors, now five generations old.

When Apple announced plans for a modular Mac Pro, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller said the Mac mini “is an important product” in the company’s lineup, but he didn’t confirm if a new machine is in the works.

Apple CEO Tim Cook likewise said the Mac mini will be an “important part” of Apple’s product lineup going forward in a recent email.

Related Roundup: Mac miniTag: vintage and obsoleteBuyer’s Guide: Mac Mini (Don’t Buy)
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