Tips on Buying Used Cellphones

Buying used cell phones is quite cheaper way to get your favorite handheld device, with all the necessary applications. Usually a second hand phone is priced almost 50% lesser than the new one irrespective of the features and functions provided by it.

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Before going for a used cellphone, it is important to check a few pointers so that you don't end up getting into a bad deal and repent considering your choice. I've known some of my friends who've got the best handheld devices at smartest prices, just because they did their homework well, followed certain essential points and got the best deal. So, let us check out some of these pointers below:

1) Always check the age of the phone: 
You might have fallen in love with a cellphone some 5 years back, and seeing it being sold second hand in the list of cell phones for sale might excite you a lot into buying it. But, it is important that you check whether the phone is still there in the market or not, before you decide on it. The reason - in case of any wear and tear, it might be extremely difficult or kind of impossible to find the phone's parts. So, make your choice wisely and choose the phone models that are just around 3 years old.

2) Current physical condition of the phone:
If you are going for a used cellphone, don't expect it to come in shiny glossy finish to you. It is perfectly normal for the phone to have minor scratches or marks with peeling cover etc. However, the point is to see if the phone has experienced any physical damage, that may reduce its lifetime. Always ask your seller to send the latest pic of the phone taken from all the angles. If you are lucky enough to get face to face and see the phone in person, check the display screen properly, keypad (whether all keys are working fine or not), and camera lens (if the phone has camera)

3) Features offered by the phone that are working fine:
While buying a used phone, it is important that you carefully check the working features of the phone. It might happen that one or two features of the phone may not work. Always make a point of enlisting the features that are most important for you. For instance, if the speaker of the phone isn't loud enough, or the phone doesn't support headphones anymore, etc. Consider your priorities and decide accordingly.

4) Check the reviews of the phone and also other alternatives: 
Compare the models, prices and resale value of the phones well and go for the deal that best suits you.

5) Always buy your used cellphone from a reliable store.
You can always check various reliable websites that give deals and sell used cellphones at amazing prices. For instance certain websites give good offers and put verizon cell phones for sale. Always ensure that your transaction and point of contact with the website is secured and trustworthy.

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Latest news and updates on smart phones

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Excellent Growth of Smartphones in the market.

Smartphones stood first in the overall market for mobile phones.Before smartphones, people used their mobile phone to make a call to a particular phone number, to answer the call and to store the phone numbers and customer service numbers. Smart phones changed that by acting as an all in one device that is why smartphones are significantly growing day by day. Experts predictions says that CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 24.9% for the period 2011-17to reach 1.7 billion units. Android and Apple’s iOS are going to play the most important role in smartphones market. However, together their share will reach to 75% in 2017.

New iPhone may come with a new look

Apple announced WWDC (Worldwide developer’s conference) which led to lot of rumors about the new device. The upcoming version of iPhone may look different. The new iPhone may be longer and thinner than previous models. Based on the naming structure of recently launched iPad, everyone is expecting the similar change in the naming of iPhone. The new iPhone can be named as just “new iPhone” instead of iPhone 5.  There are also rumors that Apple is going to release low cost iPhone “nano” this year.

Samsung is emerging as No.1 

Samsung is emerging as No.1 in the world of smartphones taking over the lead from Apple. The greatest advantage of Samsung is that it is having different sizes. Samsung is having more than 13 different sizes ranging from 2.8 inches replenish to 5.3 inches the Galaxy note while Apple is offering only a 3.5 inch display on two of  its iPhones. Samsung releases number of models every year with a hope that one or more may hit. Apple always believes in limited number of models. Samsung also took over the lead from Nokia, the world’s biggest maker of all kinds of phones from a period of 14 years.

Nokia’s latest and upcoming smartphones

·         Nokia 700  is a slim, smart and a speedy device with atouchscreen ofsize 3.2 inches, 5 mega pixel camera, 47h maximum music playback time and 6.9 h of maximum video playback time

·         Nokia 701 is a fast and colorful smart phone with a touch screen of size 3.5 inches clear black LCD display, dual flash camera with 8MP EODF,71.4 h maximum music play back time and 8.9 maximum video playback time

·         Nokia Lumia 800 comes with curved 3.7 inch AMOLED clear black glass touch screen, Carl Zeiss Optics, 2x LED flash HD video camera of 8MP Auto Focus.

Written By Mike, Catch me @thetechlegend

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Advantages of using Banana Plugs in Speaker cables

If you are a music lover and like to customize your audio settings to suit your auditory demands then you might at some point of time consider making speakers yourself. Though there are lots of guides available now that can facilitate in making your very own speakers in an easy way, there are certain things that you might want to consider on your own, which the guides may or may not tell.

As much as is the importance of good speakers, so does their connection matter too. Once you are done following your speaker making manual, and are ready with your speakers, you can make use of connectors for wiring. If you want to have fixed speakers and other audio devices at fixed locations then you can use a binding post for the connection. A binding post connector generally offers two ways to connect the wiring. It usually has a pair of black and red small knobs for each channel. On unscrewing the knobs, you can see a small hole through which a bare wire can pass. Once you’ve tightened the knob on the wire, the connection becomes secure.

However, if you want a more flexible connection, so that you can switch and plug your speakers and audio devices at different locations and for different purposes, you can make use of banana plugs.

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A banana plug an easily fit into the center of a binding post, and the reason why it is called a banana plug is because it is a bit fatter to the middle as compared to the end, just like a banana. Every wire of your speaker cable can have banana plugs at each ends. You can place red and black plugs at the ends of a wire to determine the polarity. Banana plugs are also quite widely used in hi-fi speakers and receivers, so you can always get them from electronics and music stores and audio shops. Since your connection now starts and terminates using banana plugs, it is advisable to invest in high quality banana plugs with good sound conductivity from within and insulation from outside to receive high quality audio and avoid any loss of sound.

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Benefits of getting a Custom built Gaming Computer

If you are an ardent gamer then you'd definitely realize how much the specifications like resolution, speed, graphic effects and performance of a particular game matter. With the current advancement in PC games and the specifications they offer, it is really important to pay attention to what your computer can handle, if you really want to enjoy your best gaming experience on your machine. Majority of the top games in the market offer loads of features that our usual computers can not cater to, and you might end up getting frustrated with slow and sluggish performance and poor graphical effects.

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So, what could be a suitable solution to these problems? Well, the answer is getting a custom built gaming computer. Now, what is so amazing about a custom built gaming computer and how is it anyway different from what you get in the market?

If you love to play your games with high quality and perfection, then custom built gaming computers can be an excellent investment for you. Obviously, you can get such high performance and quality from readymade computers too, but at a price which is quite high. Custom built gaming computers in turn give you a freedom and chance to get high configuration at much lower price. If you are looking for an amazing gaming experience within budget then custom built gaming computers can be the best thing for you.

It gives you an opportunity to design your machine with your own particular specifications. You can customize the speed and quality according to your needs and your games' standards. You can choose the right hardware that can suit your gaming requirements and get them assembled to your perfection.

Let us now look at some of the benefits that a custom built gaming computer offers:

1) The first and the foremost benefit is of saving the cost. You can decide the price of your machine according to your budget, analyze the components, pick them up as per your needs and get them assembled.

2) Generally, custom built computers offer the components that are mostly non-proprietary and of higher quality.

3) You'll achieve a good performance from your gaming experience at much lesser price.

4) Getting a custom built computer definitely will help you learn a lot about various technologies and hardware designs, as you browse through them and pick the ones that suit you the most.

There are various makers in the market now, who can build a custom built gaming computer for you as per your requirements. You just need to contact them and specify the components you want and that’s it - you are done.

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Tips to Choose your Electric Knife Sharpener

If you are amongst the lot who love to display their culinary skills, then you might be well aware of how much importance does a sharpened knife have in a kitchen! There are many modern and conventional means to sharpen the knives, but these days electric knife sharpeners have become quite popular as compared to the traditional water stones, oil stones, ceramic stones and diamond stones.

If you are considering getting one Electric Knife Sharpener for your kitchen toolkit, there are certain things you must consider before buying one. Let us look into some of the tips below:

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What are Electric Knife Sharpeners?

Here are some basics listed about electric knife sharpener, before we get into the details. As the name suggests, electric knife sharpeners are knife sharpeners operated by electricity. The biggest advantage of an electric knife sharpener is that it is automated, easy to use, takes less time and gives great results, provided you use it carefully. Majority of the electric knife sharpeners use an abrasive surface that rotates rapidly, thereby wearing away the knife’s damaged edge and bring out the sharper one. The abrasive surface can be anything from a wheel, a belt to an array of disks.  You just need to plug in the device, turn it on and draw the knife through the slots (one slot for each side of the knife), so that the abrasive disk can spin against the edges. Most of the electric knife sharpeners come with a fixed angle, but are quite versatile and can sharpen the knives at various stages of dullness.

Since, electric knife sharpeners work at extremely high speed, there are chances of over-sharpening the blade. Even few more seconds of usage can grind away too much of your knife’s blade thereby leading to extra wear and lesser life. Also, an electric knife sharpener takes more space and weight as compared to the other manual sharpener stones, so you need to have sufficient storage space for it. Though, I don’t think that could be a problem, seeing the convenience it gives and moreover, you won’t need to use it on regular basis.

Another disadvantage of using an electric knife sharpener is that it creates a lot of noise even for 30-40 seconds of usage.

It is always advisable to go through the instruction manual of your electric knife sharpener to get the best results out, without causing any possible damage to the knife.

Now, as we know what comes with an electric knife sharpener, let us get into the details of what you must ask before shopping for one.

What to look for in a sharpener?

Irrespective of any knife sharpener you are planning to buy – manual or electric, you must check for the following things from the retailer:

-         Strength and weaknesses of the particular models

-         Durability (e.g. ceramic rods are quite prone to easy breakage)

-         Is the knife sharpener easy and intuitive to use? Can it be folded and carried off?

-         Easy storage.

Knife sharpeners are something that you won’t use on a daily basis, so it is important to see if the sharpener is compact enough to store easily.

Once you have decided on the above points, ask about the angle, number of stages and the abrasive of the knife sharpener. (Note: You can always carry a dull knife with you to see the demo)

Abrasive

A knife sharpener’s abrasive can decide how effective is the sharpener in removing the metal and polishing the edges. For instance, tungsten carbide and diamond trim off a lot of metal rapidly, and might leave a rougher finish. Ceramic abrasives on the other hand grind a bit slowly but give a finer edge. Steel abrasives almost remove no metal at all. They are usually used for final polishing after the real sharpening is finished. Some sharpeners are equipped with two or more materials together in one single unit.

Angle

A lot of models might not declare their angles, although you might find the “Standard angle” written on their model description details. This usually means around 20 degrees and a bit more or less, which is considered to be standard for European knives.  If you get a sharpener with adjustable angles, then it can be a plus as you can customize the edge according to your needs. If you own a Japanese style knife, go for the sharpeners that are built particularly for the Asian knives that sharpen at smaller angle.

Number of Stages

Generally, the sharpeners that have two or more stages are considered to be more versatile and efficient on dull knives. The first stage usually works with a harsher abrasive at narrow angles and delivers thin edges. The further stages use finer abrasive to smoothen out and polish the edges.

Apart from the above mentioned points, you should always check online reviews of the sharpener you are considering. You can also check for the top rated products mentioned at various product review websites and blogs and go for the one that suits your needs the best.

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Review: Samsung Series 9 notebook

All of us who are gadget freaks always get tempted by any device that is slimmer than what we own at the moment, even though the functionalities offered by the new one might not cover all our needs.

 

About Samsung Series 9 Notebook

Samsung's new Series 9 notebook however, also has the performance to go with the looks. It comes in an all-black duralumin (an alloy used in airplane construction, twice the strength of aluminum), is lightweight (1.3kg) and durable. On the left side is a USB 2.0 port, microSD card slot, 3.5mm audio port and on the right side is a USB 3.0 port, mini HDMI and a proprietary port to connect the Ethernet adapter (the only adapter in the box). The ports are hidden under pull down covers much like the ones on the first gen Apple MacBook Air. The notebook has a 13.3-inch widescreen display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

Pros:

- Samsung's Superbright Plus technology in it makes the display stand out with vivid colors, pin-sharp clarity and super-high brightness levels which are the highest.

-  It also has a backlit chicklet-style keyboard with the function keys doubling up as keys for adjusting brightness, volume and switching between various power modes.

- It comes with keys with dual functions like the Wi-Fi /F12 key and function lock that have blue LED indicators to show that they are active, which is very helpful.

- Right below the keyboard is the touchpad with integrated mouse buttons -a responsive affair with multi-touch capability. The keyboard and touchpad are very comfortable, though the design and style is directly lifted from Apple's MacBook.

- It supports second generation Intel Core i5 1.4Ghz processor , Intel HD 3000 graphics and 4GB of RAM (up to 8GB RAM is supported).

- It does away with a standard notebook hard drive in favour of a 128GB SSD drive (for speed, spacesaving and weight saving) and comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. It scored 4.7 on the Windows Experience Index with the lowest score for graphics performance.

- Perfect for day-to-day work - browsing, working on documents, music, videos and playing online games.

- Closing the lid puts it into sleep mode where no power is consumed, thus extending battery life. Also, thanks to the SSD and Samsung's 'Fast Start' technology, it takes just about 3 seconds to be fully functional from sleep mode.

Con:

- High price

- Actual Battery life of 5.5 hours as compared to the 7 hours claim.

- Because of its slim design it doesn't have any optical drive and sports very less number of ports.

Overall verdict: A truly impressive design with good performance and functionalities. However, the high cost may keep it limited amongst the luxury users only.

Rating: 4/5

Check more details about this notebook here >>>

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Microsoft's Top 10 Epic Failures

Microsoft's gargantuan market share is the result of clever products and ruthless business tactics. Most of the products it sells are ubiquitous and well-received, but have some proved far less popular and were met with more than a smattering of negativity.

From their doomed foray into child-friendly interfaces to bizarre and unlikely gadgets, here is the money.co.uk list of Microsoft's most notable failures (in order of terribleness).


10. Windows CE 1996 - Present

What is it?
A buggy operating system


Why so awful?
The name alone is enough to make you WinCE. This lightweight operating system was supposed to be a pocket-computing epiphany in 1996, allowing PCs to become truly personal. Rather than just a slim version of Windows, it's an operating system and kernel in its own right, making it ideal for mobile devices.
At least, it is on paper; in reality, forums are filled with developers and users expressing (in strong language) exactly what they think of it.


Any saving graces?
In its defence, it has survived for fifteen years and has recently been released with dual-core CPU support and advanced touch input.


9. Zune 2006 - Present

What is it?
An MP3 player nobody has heard of


Why so awful?
Apple's iPod dominates this arena and the Zune accounts for just 3% of the standalone MP3 player market. It doesn't look quite as pretty, its battery life is below average, there's no Mac support, it's completely awful from a technical point of view and compatibility can be problematic. However, while it's marginally less impressive than the iPod it arguably deserves more of the marketplace than the 3% it currently enjoys. This is unlikely to change, however.


Any saving graces?
Unlike the iPod, it doesn't scratch in long grass and comes with an FM tuner.


8. Internet Explorer 1995 - Present

What is it?
A dying web browser


Why so awful?
Feature-packed and simple to use, Internet Explorer was the most popular browser in the world by 2001 with a 95% usage share. Upon realising this, however, Microsoft made the mistake of resting on its laurels, and the world's hackers and script kiddies set to work targeting its ubiquitous software, making it dangerously vulnerable by 2004.


By the time Microsoft got around to releasing IE7, competitors like Opera and Mozilla's Firefox had already started to gain an advantage and left the mortally wounded browser with less than a 50% usage share.


Any saving graces?
The later versions are actually rather good, but not good enough to reverse its heavy fall from grace.


7. Kin Born and died in 2010

What is it?
A half-baked phone


Why so awful?
Microsoft withdrew this failure after just 48 days on sale. It was almost a good idea - a mobile aggregator with constant connections to social networks like Facebook and Twitter - but some estimates suggest it sold as few as 500 units in its first week.
It was late onto the market having been converted from Sidekick to CE, and there were some clear holes in functionality; it didn't support reTweeting on Twitter, there were no instant messaging packages available, its GPS was only for geotagging photos, and there was no way to transmit contact details between devices.


Any saving graces?
It still sells in the US, albeit as a 'feature phone' rather than a smartphone and at a much reduced price.


6. Windows ME 2000 - 2003

What is it?
Another failed operating system


Why so awful?
Possibly the most unpopular operating system ever released, 'Millennium Edition' served as an ineffective stop-gap between Windows 98 and Windows XP. PC World referred to ME as the 'mistake edition', given that it crashed more often than not, offered no real improvement on Windows 98 and would constantly 'help' by restoring deleted malware.
It lasted thirteen months before being usurped by the NT-based XP.


Any saving graces?
None that we can think of.


5. Comic Sans MS 1995 - Present


What is it?
An irritating font

Why so awful?
This much-maligned font was created for use with Microsoft Bob, another critically unpopular output from Microsoft HQ. Times New Roman looked too severe in the cartoonish speech bubbles of Bob's drawn world.
It was completed too late for inclusion in the software, but debuted in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker before being released as part of every Windows OS since. Criticised - along with Papyrus - for relentlessly inappropriate use, the "Ban Comic Sans" movement is several thousand strong in the USA.


Any saving graces?
While it's a monument of technological unpopularity, it hasn't lost Microsoft any money (though it hasn't made them any either).


4. MSN Smart Watch 2004 - 2010

What is it?
A gaudy watch with email support


Why so awful?
This tacky-looking creation was supposed to connect to the MSN network wherever the wearer needed to read his or her e-mails.
The screen was basic, less than an inch wide and made of the same liquid crystal as mobile phones circa 2000. What further dissuaded potential buyers as the prohibitively high data fees at the time of its release making it too expensive for most people to run.
It soldiered on for some time with the last subscriptions being taken out in November 2010, but the service will be discontinued next January.


Any saving graces?
Email on the go was fairly advanced back in 2004.


3. ActiMates 1997 - 2000

What is it?
A terrifying children's toy


Why so awful?
Sold as educational toys, Actimates were capable of giving positive affirmation for correct answers to questions. The idea sounded good, but their failure stemmed from the inherent creepiness.
With the dolls modelled on popular children's TV characters (the Tellytubbies, Barney and the anthropomorphic gang from Hey Arthur) and would suddenly come to life if they heard their own programme or theme tune in the background. The eeriness lead to poor sales and Actimates were pulled altogether in 2000.


Any saving graces?
Intentions were good.


2. Microsoft Bob Born and died in 1995

What is it?
A bona fide disaster


Why so awful?
Microsoft Bob was released in 1995 and was met with almost universal scorn. Even Microsoft themselves, who aren't very vocal about their failures, admitted Bob was a disaster.
Ostensibly a user-friendly version of Microsoft's Windows, it featured a household whose various accoutrements represented the programmes likely to be needed by a nineties computer user - for instance, if you clicked on the grandfather clock it would tell you the time, and if you selected the stack of envelopes you could send an e-mail. In reality it was a completely unworkable mess.


Any saving graces?
Not only were there no positives with Microsoft Bob, but it also saw the origins of the worst Microsoft flop of all time. Speaking of which...


1. That Damned Paperclip 1997 - 2007

What is it?
A public hate figure


Why so awful?
What can be said about the Microsoft Office Paperclip that hasn't already been written before? The 'assistant', nicknamed Clippy, was designed to offer help on a wide variety of tasks but instead was intrusive and never seemed to get the hint that nobody wanted his help with writing a letter.
Microsoft were essentially press ganged into removing him due to a wave of criticism and bile, and it remains the most hated feature we're yet to see on any operating system or program.


Any saving graces?
They did kill him eventually, albeit 10 years too late.


A guest post by Money.co.uk; Article Source: Money.co.uk 
Image sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10, 11

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