October 17, 2011

2 Min Read
Whither that Replaced iPhone?

After more than three and a half years of service, my first iPhone (a 3G) has been relieved of duty. As it's sleeker, shinier, speedier replacement beams up at me on my desk, I'm left with the dilemma of what to do with my now redundant handset. Here are some possible options for those who are or in the same boat, or will be in the near future:

  1. Turn it into an iPod Touch. Even though you no longer pay for a cellular connection for it, the iPhone can still stay connected via wifi, making it an excellent mule for music and apps.

  2. Bequeath it to your kids. More and more kids are walking around with high-end electronics these days. Give them your old device (where it effectively becomes a great portable gaming device) and you'll worry less about them breaking or losing it.

  3. Give it to an iPhone-less friend or relative. Even though you may have moved on to the latest and greatest, someone who's never had a smartphone will likely be thrilled with your castoff equipment.

  4. Sell it on eBay or Craigslist. A popular route. You'll likely turn a bigger profit than if you use a recycling service (see below), but it's also more of a hassle. Just make sure you thoroughly cleanse it of all of your personal data.

  5. Send it to a reuse/recycling service. Services like Gazelle pay you a flat rate for your used electronics, send you a box to ship it in for free, and then determine the best fate for it. Some items are refurbished and resold. Some are stripped for parts. Some are simply recycled. They'll also wipe the data for you.

If you've found a clever way to make use of an old cell phone, be sure to let us know in the comments section!

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