5 best sites to trade in your iPhone

Trade in that old iPhone for the new one you've been waiting for

With the impending Apple iPhone launch, you're probably scrambling to get rid of your old iPhone to make sure you can get your hands on the new iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C, right?

It involves a bit of research and we know you don't have time for that, so we've created a list of the best sites to trade-in your iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 with estimates of the most recent maximum values for 64GB AT&T devices.

Since prices fluctuate according to the market and may change on you, we figured our estimates will give you a good idea of the prices you're getting.

If your phone is in great to good condition, you're bound to get a better deal - but if the phone is cracked, or has water damage the price won't be as high. Some sites may also give you better (or worse) prices depending on your carrier and model.

Hopefully we've saved you the trouble of researching the best sites for trade-in deals so you can better spend your time scouring our site for the latest iPhone news (iPhone 6, anyone?).

1. Amazon

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Being the biggest internet e-tailer out there, it's no surprise Amazon has a trade-in program for just about everything including Apple phones.

To participate, just look up your device in the Amazon search bar, then look for the "Trade in" button on the righthand side of the page, sign in to your account and provide answers about the quality of your phone.

One thing to remember is that Amazon pays in gift cards, not cash.

Amazon's recent prices:

iPhone 5 around $441 (about £280.87, AUD$477.74)

iPhone 4S around $253 (about £161.14, AUD$274.08)

2. Gazelle

They'll give you a run for your money

Gazelle is a great trade-in site that is currently offering a 30-day price lock guarantee to up to 50 days for orders placed before Sept. 10, or the day of Apple's announcement.

If you act fast, you can get today's price for your old iPhone but still keep it until the new iPhone is released, with Oct. 15 being the last day you can send in the old phone.

Simply head to the Gazelle site and select the phone you have to get an estimate. Gazelle pays with a check, Amazon gift card or PayPal.

Gazelle's recent prices:

iPhone 5 around $350 (about £222.92, AUD$379.16)

iPhone 4S around $220 (about £140.12, AUD$238.33)

3. BuyBackWorld

A world of good deals

Another site with superb prices, BuyBackWorld's trade-in process is just as easy as Gazelle.

In fact they look pretty similar but that's fine - as long as you're getting a good price for your phones, we're happy.

Search the site for you iPhone or choose the iPhone category, select your carrier and model - then figure out if your phone is in excellent condition to get the best price.

BuyBackWorld's recent prices:

iPhone 5 around $415 (about £264.31, AUD$449.57)

iPhone 4S around $250 (about £159.23, AUD$270.83)

4. Best Buy

Your best trade-in

Best Buy has a surprisingly good program for trade-ins, though the site isn't nearly as nice to look at as the other ones.

However, it gets the job done and gives you decent prices for your old, Apple phones so it's definitely worth checking out.

Type "trade in" into the Best Buy search bar, select mobile phones and look up your iPhone model and carrier.

Like Amazon, Best Buy only offers store-exclusive gift cards.

Best Buy's recent prices:

iPhone 5 around $420 (about £267.50, AUD$454.99)

iPhone 4S around $241 (about £153.49, AUD$261.08)

5. Nextworth

What's your iPhone worth?

Nextworth is another website similar the other buyback sites, and organizes its products into easy-to-find pages.

The site probably has the most efficient estimate system with only two questions you have to answer.

Nextworth pays through PayPal instantly, a mailed check, or a Target gift card. You can even get the Target gift card immediately by bringing your device into a participating Target store.

Nextworth's recent prices:

iPhone 5 around $410 (about £261.13, AUD$444.16)

iPhone 4S around $245 (about £156.04, AUD$265.41)

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/5-best-sites-to-trade-in-your-iphone-1179484

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Samsung shores up its internet usage lead among devices vs Apple

Samsung continues to grow in emerging markets (credit: StatCounter)

Hurry up and launch that iPhone 5C already. Samsung has extended its lead vs Apple when it comes to internet usage on their respective devices, particularly in emerging markets.

Samsung mobile devices captured 25.7 percent of global internet usage in August, leaving Apple with 23.4 percent, according to web analytics firm StatCounter.

Nokia, the former leader as of last December, has faded to third place at 21.7 percent.

The interesting thing is that while Apple still dominates in key areas like the U.S., U.K., and Australia, it's being lapped in entire continents like Asia, South America and Africa.

iPhone 5C could make all the difference

Samsung vs Apple stats breakdown

Apple is doing just fine in the U.S., maintaining its lead of 52.2 percent vs Samsung's 19 percent of internet usage among devices.

Nokia's numbers, previously propped up by feature phones, have fallen to a measly 1.5 percent in the U.S.

In the U.K., it's almost the same deal. Apple users are surfing the web at a rate of 46.8 percent compared to 21.5 percent for Samsung. Nokia is holding onto 3.7 percent.

But when it comes to emerging countries like India, Samsung is more than making up for these losses with a 26.7 percent share of internet usage.

Apple has a paltry 1 percent share of India's mobile usage, according to StatCounter.

iPhone 5C to the rescue

Apple could blunt the impact that Samsung and its Galaxy devices have had on the iPhone by launching a cheap iPhone model alongside the iPhone 5S.

"Over the past 12 months Apple has increased its share in the US and UK but globally there is an on-going battle taking place between it and Samsung," said StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen in a press release today.

"Should the rumors prove true, it will be fascinating to see if a less expensive iPhone will help it increase market share against lower cost competitors in global markets."

Another factor the web analytics firm pointed out was Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's handset business, bringing more weight to the third-place contender, which still leads in Asia and Africa.

• Sure enough Apple may be delivering low-cost iPhones to China Mobile

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-shores-up-its-internet-usage-lead-among-devices-vs-apple-1179473

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Best portable chargers: 14 we recommend

The best portable chargers for your smartphones, tablets, gaming devices and more

With the massive amount of email checking, texting, mobile gaming and internet surfing everyone does, a reliable, portable charger has become essential to avoid that inevitable dead battery.

Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, going camping or simply out of the house all day, you'll probably need something that isn't too cumbersome and has enough juice to power your mobile devices.

Based on amount of usage we were able to get, weight, size and overall functionality, we tested a variety of chargers by mixing around charge times with an iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPad 4 in different situations to create a list of the best portable chargers - though most of the external batteries are compatible with an assortment of phones, tablets, cameras and handheld gaming devices.

Generally, the portable chargers are on the pricey side but you'll definitely get your money's worth for large mAh capacities and moderate to heavy form factor, or decent capacities and lightweight portables.

We've also added a few chargers that even smaller making them more suitable for a day out rather than a long trip away, just in case you're just looking for a quick backup charge.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/other-devices/best-portable-chargers-14-we-recommend-1178873

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IFA 2013 wrap-up: what made waves at this year's show

With the latest annual IFA trade fair coming to a close, it's come time for us to wrap up our own coverage.

But before we say goodbye to Berlin for yet another year, let's take a look at all of the new mobile announcements that took place in Germany's largest trade show.

Samsung

Samsung's update of its Note line came as a surprise to no one, the updated hardware design of the new Galaxy Note 3 phablet, however, did. The Galaxy Note 3's imitation leather back panel was the talk of the town, and it really feels like the real thing. Check out our coverage of the UNPACKED announcement event here, complete with a 3-page hands-on of the Note 3.

Another surprise was the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Gear - a 1.64" smartwatch that could end up triggering a whole new market of tech devices. The Galaxy Gear is meant to be a companion device to the newly-announced Note members, and can be configured to start calls, read SMS message, and even locate your Note from a distance. Be sure to check out our Galaxy Gear hands-on.

Finally, Samsung dropped its numbered naming convention with the latest Note tablet, calling it the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition (hands-on). The largest improvement is the 2560 x 1600 display resolution for its 10.1" screen, complete with slimmer screen bezels.

Sony

Despite the countless number of leaks it had prior to the show, the new Xperia Z1 aka "Honami" flagship from Sony still had many people talking about its slick design and IP58 water and dust-repelling certification. We were able to get our hands on it, and even snap a few photos and videos with its impressive 20MP camera. Check them all out here.

Sony also outed a pair of camera lens attachments that enable you to get a capable lens and sensor for your smartphone. Take a look at the QX100 and QX10 here.

Finally, Sony also showcased its own SmartWatch 2 companion device, which attaches to smartphones via NFC and Bluetooth, enabling you to see notifications and incoming messages without having to pull out your phone or phablet. Take a look our hands-on.

LG

Although it was revealed before IFA officially went underway, LG gave the G Pad 8.3 an official announcement at the show. Although the 8.3-inches may sound like a lot, the tablet handles comfortably in a single hand, and has great build quality thanks to an aluminum unibody and an impressive 1920 x 1200 display. Go here for more on the G Pad 8.3.

Acer

Acer was among the first manufacturers to get the IFA festivities under way with its new Liquid S2 flagship. Outed as the first smartphone with 4K video recording, the great build quality and impressive specs sheet marks Acer's entry as a serious player into high-end smartphones. Go here for our hands-on.

Asus

Asus made its presence felt with updates to its tablet ranges across the board. Go here for our full coverage on the 10.1" Transformer Pad TF701T, 8-inch and 10-inch variants of the MeMO Pad refresh, and the Fonepad 7 and Fonepad Note 6.

Lenovo

Lenovo announced several nice-looking devices at this year's IFA. The Vibe X is a very slick smartphone, with a slim 6.9mm waistline, stylish glossy metallic accent running along the perimeter, and 5" 1080p display.

The S5000 is a 7" tablet made after the Vibe X, featuring similar design elements. It's not as thin as the Vibe X, and features a lower-resolution WXGA screen, which is also quite reflective.

Finally, the Yoga 2 Pro convertible ultrabook was also debuted at IFA, featuring the same 360-degree hinge while coming in lighter and thinner than its predecessor.

More info on all three devices can be found in our Lenovo IFA hands-on.

Archos

Several new tablets were introduced by Archos - the 10.1" Archos 101 XS 2, 9.7" Archos ChefPad, and 8" Archos 80 Xenon. For a look at all three, go here.

Alcatel

The One Touch Idol Alpha was Alcatel's most notable offering, with its curved aluminum unibody, 7.5mm frame and transparent LED strip below the display.

Panasonic

Last but not least, Panasonic outed a massive 20" Windows 8 tablet, boasting an impressive 4K screen resolution of 3840 x 2560, complete with Anoto Live Pen stylus support. Check out the hands-on here.

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/ifa_2013_wrapup_what_made_waves_at_this_years_show-news-6754.php

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WP8 GDR3 update caught on Nokia Lumia 920 Dev Edition

Some guy that chose to remain anonymous, claims he has bought the AT&T's Developer Edition of Nokia Lumia 920 from Craig's List and it was running on the upcoming WP8 GDR3 Bittersweet Shimmer update.

He shot a video of the new features, while wearing a PSY mask with a hateful message to Apple. Anyway, the new features he found so far include the added notifications on the Glance screen (the one that always shows the clock on AMOLED Lumia phones).

The next major features is the option to close apps in the task switching interface.

Other major update supposed to come with the GDR3 firmware is the support for quad-core processors and 1080p displays.

Here is the video:

The Bittersweet Shimmer update is supposed to hit the compatible WP8 Lumia smartphones by the end of the year. Let's hope Microsoft will speed those updates a little bit after the Nokia acquisition.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/wp8_gdr3_update_caught_in_nokia_lumia_920_dev_edition-news-6755.php

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Samsung Galaxy Note sales pass the 38 million mark

We doubt that when Samsung took gamble with Galaxy Note phablet back in 2011, it imagined it will become quite the success it is today. In fact, the company has managed to sell more than 38 million Galaxy Note I and II devices already, making the once nice product the supreme ruler of what is now a huge market.

The announcement of the remarkable achievement comes from Samsung Mobile Communications chief JK Shin, who also reckons that the recently announced Galaxy Note 3 will "surpass its predecessors". Shin expects the Galaxy Note 3 to sell well over 10 million units, but he didn't specify how long will it take for the target to be reached.

The Samsung executive didn't break down the sales between the two devices. As a reference, the Samsung Galaxy Note II needed just two months to hit 5 million sales. Samsung's successful market performance is certainly in no smart part due to the wide availability of its devices. For example, the Galaxy Note II is available in 128 countries and the Note 3 will certainly match that, if not better it.

Source | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_and_note_ii_sales_pass_the_38_million_mark-news-6753.php

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Working iPhone 5C handled in a short video

CTech already published a specs sheet for the iPhone 5S, but it seems the site has also gotten hold of a 15 second video showing the cheaper iPhone 5C (recognized by its colored plastic sides) that shows the device being unlocked, a quick peek at the app launcher and then the browser.

Not that iOS 7 is in any way new – you can read our review here. It is possible that Apple will put some exclusive features that are available only on the new generation of the iPhone. Anyway, here's some footage of an operational iPhone 5C (rather than just photos of the chassis or packaging that have flooded the Web).

Apple's event is scheduled for tomorrow and will certainly bring the iPhone 5S. There's a very good probability that the 5C will appear and only an outside chance that the cheaper smartphone will be China-exclusive (for carriers like China Telecom and China Mobile) and appear at Apple's September 11 event. We'll be covering tomorrow's event when we'll get the definitive truth from Apple itself.

Thanks to Arjan for bringing the video to our attention!

Via (in Dutch)

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/working_iphone_5c_handled_in_short_video-news-6752.php

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Alleged iPhone 5S specs show only minor changes

The much awaited Apple event is tomorrow, so it's time for final leaks. Chinese site CTech has dug up the specs of the iPhone 5S, the higher end of the two models expected to be announced tomorrow, and compared it to previous iPhones.

Now, we can't read Chinese (and since it's in an image, Google Translate isn't very helpful) but the gist is pretty clear – the dimensions are exactly the same and so is the screen. The camera is still an 8MP shooter, but now has a wider aperture, F/2.0 (instead of F/2.4), which should have a positive effect on low-light shots. And so would the dual-LED flash.

Alleged iPhone 5S specs

There's a reference to video framerate being bumped to 120fps from 60fps though we're not sure what that's about (the iPhone 5 can't shoot 1080p @ 60fps). Other than that video recording and the front-facing camera are the same.

The rumored fingerprint sensor is mentioned and the battery life is marked as improved to 250 hours of standby, up from 225 hours. The battery capacity is the same, so this is presumably due to the new chipset. The chipset (quite as expected) has been bumped to Apple A7, but there are no details what that entails (quad-core? higher clockspeed?).

Of course, there's no way to confirm any of those specs but since all of them are evolutionary steps, we'd say they are probably close to the truth (or at least not widely inaccurate). You can join us tomorrow and find out the true specs of the next iPhone(s).

Thanks to Kshitiz for sending this in!

Source (in Chinese, note: site is down at the moment) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_iphone_5s_specs_show_only_minor_changes-news-6751.php

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Vodafone offers everyone 4GB of free 4G data

Ultrafast and extra data

The 4G war is heating up in the UK and Vodafone has mobilised its troops in an attempt to win more custom, offering an extra 4GB of data every month to pre-existing and new 4G customers.

Its "4GBonus" promotion (see what they did there? Clever) will give anyone currently on a Vodafone 4G plan an additional 4GB on top of the allowance already provided in their contract.

If we look at the SIM-only plans that means you'll now get 6GB for £26 per month, 8GB of data at £31 per month and a whopping 12GB if you are prepared to splash out £36 for 12 months - trumping EE and O2 at every price point.

Get in there soon

For those of you not currently a 4G Vodafone customer you'll need to sign up to a 12 or 24 month plan before the end of the October to take advantage of the offer.

Currently Vodafone's 4G rollout has only hit London making the service pretty limited and the smallest out of the trio of networks, but from September 28 it will arrive in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield.

We can't help but think the timing of this announcement is a little coincidental, considering a certain Cupertino-based firm is said to be launching a couple of new handsets (the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C if you've been living under a rock for the past months) tomorrow.

O2 and Vodafone are currently in the tricky position which sees their 4G networks unable to support the iPhone 5, so the hope is the new iPhones will be more forgiving when it comes to frequency.

• Unsure on your mobile usage? Find out how much 4G data you really need

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/vodafone-offers-everyone-4gb-of-free-4g-data-1179283

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How much 4G data do you really need?

Now that everybody's rolling out 4G mobile data, it's time to compare data plans - and in particular, how much data you can use each month.

While Three promises all-you-can-eat data when it launches in December, the other operators will cap your downloads according to your data plan, even on the most expensive tariffs.

So which one's best, and how much data do you really need? Let's find out.

Who offers what?

To keep things simple we'll compare each provider's SIM-only 4G plans; if you need a 4G handset too you should of course expect to pay a little bit more.

EE's cheapest plan is £21 per month for 500MB, rising to £36 for 5GB and £61 for 20GB if you sign up before the end of October.

Vodafone's cheapest is £26, but you get 2GB. The most expensive plan is £36 per month and gives you 8GB.

O2's cheapest tariff is also £26, but the data allowance is 1GB. £31 gets you 5GB and £36 gets you 8GB if you sign up before the 31st of October.

Three says its tariffs will be the same as 3G, so that should be around £12.90 for unlimited data.

How much data do you need?

This is a bit of a "how long is a piece of string?" question, because the amount of data you use will of course depend on what you do. If all you use your handset (or tethered tablet or computer) for is checking email and browsing the web, you won't go through much data - but once you start streaming and downloading the numbers soon add up.

It's important to think about what data you might use rather than just look at the amount of data you use now: for example, you might barely bother with YouTube clips or HQ streaming on your current 3G phone because your connections isn't good enough.

Given a faster, more reliable connection, which is what 4G is all about, then your usage may change dramatically.

Here are some numbers to think about:

Music streaming (average quality, 160Kbps): 1.2MB per minute, 72MB per hour
Music streaming/downloading (320Kbps): 2.4MB per minute, 144MB per hour
iPlayer video: 50MB to 225MB per hour
Netflix video, SD: up to 0.7GB per hour
Netflix video, HD: 1GB to 2.8GB per hour
Photo uploading: 5MB per photo
Online gaming: 5MB per hour

[sources: Spotify, BBC, Netflix, Verizon Wireless]

What does that mean in practical terms?

Let's take a real-world example: you stream an episode of your favourite sitcom on the train (50MB), check Twitter whenever you're waiting for the lift (2MB), upload a photo of your lunch (5MB) and stream a few songs as you jog around the park for twenty minutes (24MB at average quality).

That's 81MB in one day. Keep it up every weekday and you'll go through 1,620MB (1.6GB) in a four-week month - and that doesn't include any incoming emails or smartphone app updates.

Maybe you're not so keen on streaming but you're a social media addict. You average five photo uploads per day (5MB each) and spend around fifteen minutes a day clicking on people's Facebook updates and photos (5MB in total). That's 30MB per day, which works out at 840MB if you do it every day in a four week month.

Perhaps you just want to use your 4G phone to tether your laptop, browsing around 30 web pages per day. The average web page is now 1MB, so that's 30MB per day or 900MB per month.

According to Vodafone's figures, which use slightly different numbers to ours, if you don't stream anything but make 12 social media posts, send or receive 12 emails and use 12 websites or apps every day, you'll use 510MB per month. Add 12 minutes of streaming music and 12 of streaming video and you're looking at 2.09GB.

Fancy busting through the 8GB barrier? To do that, Vodafone reckons you'd need to stream 36 minutes of video, 120 minutes of music, make 48 social media posts, send and receive 56 emails and look at websites or apps 30 times per day.

You can minimise those numbers, of course: you might download your music for offline listening, or use Wi-Fi wherever you can (EE, O2 and Vodafone all offer Wi-Fi minutes as well as mobile data). But the numbers give you a good indication of just how much data you might need for everyday activities. As you can see, you don't need to be downloading enormous amounts of data to exceed the cheaper plans' limits.

Are the networks having a laugh?

Left to their own devices, companies will try to offer as little as possible for as much as possible - but once things get competitive, they're usually forced to raise their game or fall by the wayside.

There's already evidence of that happening: with rivals' 4G launches imminent, EE decided last month to double the data allowances on its £26 per month tariff and up its £51 per month plan from 5GB to 20GB for anybody signing up before the end of October.

As the various networks roll out beyond the initial handful of locations we'd expect competition to become more fierce - and we can't wait to see what happens if Three keeps its promises and offers 4G connections for 3G money come December.

One thing's for sure: the prices and plans available today will look fairly stingy years or maybe even months down the line.

Is it time to sign up? Let's ask consumer magazine Which? its advice: Consumers should "not upgrade" because coverage "is too limited" to make the cost worthwhile. Phone users should wait until "coverage improves outside big cities."

4G? Nope. 3G, in 2004.

• What's the best 4G network? We pitted EE against O2, Vodafone and Three to find out

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/how-much-4g-data-do-you-really-need--1176594

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EE's 4G network gains pace in the UK, hits one million customers

British carrier EE was one of the first to offer 4G LTE in the UK, and it seems that high speed network availability is in high demand among Brits. EE announced today that it was able to pass the one million 4G customer mark four months ahead of its stated deadline.

Arriving early to the LTE party is paying big dividends to EE, as rival providers Vodafone and O2 have only just launched their own 4G networks less than two weeks ago, while Three won't have theirs up all the way until December.

According to EE, more than 100 cities throughout the UK are able to take advantage of its 4G network, which is allegedly the fastest in Europe, and faster than those in the US and Japan. The UK also has some of the fastest global 4G adoption rates.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/ees_4g_network_dominates_in_the_uk_hits_one_million_customers-news-6750.php

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LG D820 is CDMA G2 model, not the Nexus 5

Three days ago we told you about an upcoming LG D820 that has already passed the FCC certification. Lots of people thought this might be the next Nexus 5 that is rumored to be manufactured once again by LG. It was even said to have leaked in a photo from the Android 4.4 KitKat announcement.

Unfortunately, according to the notorious evleaks, the D820 model is the CDMA version of the LG G2 flagship and not the next Nexus.

Sorry Nexus fans: LG D820 is just a CDMA G2 variant.

— @evleaks (@evleaks) September 9, 2013

The Nexus 5 is coming though and we'll probably see its announcement next month, but as it turns out D820 is not the model name we are looking for. Move along.

Meanwhile you are welcomed to check our in-depth review of the LG G2 right here.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_d820_is_cdma_g2_model_not_the_nexus_5-news-6749.php

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Nokia Lumia 1520 springs another leak, new photos gush out

Campaign to bring back the Bandit starts here (credit: The Verge)

While it may be on the road to Redmond, that's not going to stop Nokia launching its first Windows 'Phablet' in the form of the Lumia 1520 which has come out of hiding in a big way.

The Verge got its hands on an album's worth of photos of the thing, with the Lumia 1520 seemingly boasting a 6-inch screen capable of 1080p Full HD playback.

The tipster responsible also reckons the handset will come with 2GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 32GB of on-board memory and an SD slot to expand that out.

Camera talk

Peering at the photos reveals that traditional Nokia Lumia rounded-corner styling, an array of buttons on the edges of the handset, a front-facing camera of indeterminate megapixellage and a slightly protruding rear-facing PureView snapper too.

Credit: The Verge

That camera isn't expected to be quite as heavy on the megapixels as the Nokia Lumia 1020's 41MP sensor.

We've heard tell of the Lumia 1520 before too: the upcoming device was codenamed Nokia Bandit until scourge of mobile phone secret keepers @evleaks let slip that "Nokia Bandit = Lumia 1520" on Twitter.

No official word on when the Lumia 1520 will officially become official, but you might want to keep an eye on September 26.

• How will the Lumia 1520 measure up to the snap-happy 1020? Prime yourself with the Lumia 1020 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-lumia-1520-springs-another-leak-new-photos-gush-out-1179199

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