Apple to begin a trade-in program for your old iPhone...finally!

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple has teamed up with BrightStar Corporation, a mobile-phone distributor, to begin an in-store trade-in program, according to an unnamed source. The program will help users with aging iPhone handsets transition to the more recent iPhone 5.

This isn't the first recycling program from Apple. Apple runs a Web-based recycling service in conjunction with PowerOn Services Inc., a company based in Roseville, CA. The company offers cash for used iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The program with BrightStar, however, will be available at Apple’s retail locations so that consumers will receive their money quickly and avoid having to deal with packaging and shipping products, as is standard with some other trade-in services. This tactic will also help ensure that the consumer sticks with Apple rather than taking the money and spending it with another company’s mobile platform. Each iPhone that is bought back will reportedly be resold in emerging markets.

BrightStar set up its trade-in shop over a year ago and will hit the 15 million mark later this year for devices that it has bought and resold. The company takes about 80 percent of used devices in the US and resells them to distributors in 50 countries. BrightStar also handles trade-ins for companies like AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as several other unnamed carriers and device makers.

By offering money for the aging smartphones, Apple and other companies can enable customers to upgrade to the latest hardware while also profiting from resales of the handsets. This is positive news for customers who might be holding on to old phones since most carriers only subsidize handsets with new contracts.

Both BrightStar and Apple have declined to comment to Bloomberg about the trade-in program and there's no word on when it will begin.

Or you can try Gazelle.com.  Pretty good service, free shipping and a decent price for your iphone or any other electronic gadget you have sitting around

Windows 8.1 Preview Video now available

If you want to know what the Start button will look like in Windows 8.1 when it ships later this year, Microsoft now has a video to show you.

The video highlights a bunch of the user interface changes that Windows 8.1 makes. In it, Jensen Harris of the Windows User Experience Team demonstrates the richer customization options, the better All Apps view, and the more flexible multitasking.

In addition to making the division between applications in the side-by-side multitasking view flexible (as distinct from Windows 8's fixed sizes), Windows 8.1 also uses the split view automatically in some circumstances. For example, Harris demonstrates opening an image attached to an e-mail. The image does open in the photo viewer. But rather than completely obscuring the mail app, it instead shrinks the mail app to a narrow strip with the picture occupying most, but not all, of the screen.

Most of the video's time is spent on Windows 8.1's search, which is set to receive a fairly substantial reworking. Basic search results are now shown directly below the search box in a strip lining the right hand side of the screen. Full screen search results are possible, but these are now rich results that show a mix of local and online content.

A preview release of Windows 8.1 will ship on June 26, and Microsoft has given some details on how this will work. It will be distributed through Windows Update and when the final 8.1 release is available, that too will come out on Windows Update. If you install the preview, however, there won't be any good way of updating to the final version. While installing the final release will preserve data and user accounts, all applications (both Metro and, on x86 Windows, desktop) will have to be reinstalled.

However, if you skip the preview, you'll be able to install the 8.1 update as a straightforward upgrade. This won't require reinstallation of any applications.

Installing the update will take about 4GB of disk space, but the installed size should be a little smaller than that of Windows 8 due to smarter use of compression and removal of temporary files.

Clean a clogged port

Over time, ports on your electronic equipment can become clogged with dust and other debris. And if you're having trouble getting USB or other devices to work with your computer, cleaning any grime from the connecting ports is a good first step.

Dirty PC! Here are the areas to checkTurn off the hardware first. If you can see that the port is severely clogged--say, with peanut butter or another thick, child-friendly substance--gently dig the gunk out with toothpicks. But remember: Ethernet, serial, and other jacks rely on fragile pins, so try to move in and out on the same path instead of swirling around the sides. Spray air to clean.For less sticky situations, use a can of compressed air (actually pressurized gases) to blast out loose bits. These cans sell for $5 to $10 at any computer store. (Keep them away from children: The gases are dangerous to inhale and come out extremely cold.) Fire at the target in short bursts. Swab to clean.Finish cleaning with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or electronics cleaner. Leave the device turned off for a couple hours to dry.

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Clean a spill on a laptop...fast

When liquids meet electronics, you can't waste time. Conductive liquids cause most of the initial damage. Immediately unplug the laptop from its power cord, and pull out the battery. Don't bother closing programs or saving data. Tilt the laptop to let the liquid out.Working quickly, remove all cables and attachments, plus any swappable optical drive or PC card. Tilt the laptop to get most of the liquid out the same way it came in, but be careful as you turn the machine over. Keep liquid away from the LCD. If liquid is on the surface, however, dab the outside with a clean towel. Remove the laptops battery.Depending on your available tools and disassembly skills, remove more parts. Unscrew the outer case, and remove the plastic shell to expose the internal circuits. You can disassemble parts even further, separating individual components to help them dry. Do as much of this as you are comfortable with. If you can, remove the keyboard.If advanced disassembly unnerves you, consider taking the laptop to a good local repair shop at this stage. But even without further assistance, your first aid may save your system.

If you do disassemble the PC (find some hints on the process here), consider cleaning the affected parts with electronics circuit cleaner. (See "Dry a Submerged Phone.") If all you spilled was a little water, this step is likely more trouble than it's worth. Other drinks are more conductive and corrosive. However, if you've spilled a lot of liquid--more than a quarter of a cup--dab the parts with a fresh towel full of circuit cleaner. Work with rubber gloves in a ventilated area.

Swab, and spray compressed air.Now wait for your system to dry. Leave the laptop disassembled or open and upside-down for a couple of days. Wait even longer if you can. Avoid using a hair dryer to speed up the process. Instead, leave the laptop in a warm room, next to a windowsill or in another dry location. Reassemble the laptop and turn it back on. If the keys are sticky, turn the system off; disassemble the keyboard for fine cleaning with electronics cleaner.

Get Dad something he might actually use..

Father's Day is only a couple of weeks away, and one way to celebrate the occasion is by getting your dad a gift. You could go with a tie (again) or some other piece of clothing, take him out to dinner, or wait for us to finalize our gift guide (hang tight, it's coming). One of the items that has a high chance of making the list is Amazon's Kindle Fire HD, and if you' don't procrastinate, you can save yourself $20 with the purchase of one.

From now through June 8, 2013, Amazon is offering $20 off its Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 4G models when you use promotional code DADSFIRE at checkout. It's good while supplies last.

The Kindle Fire HD line starts at $199 for a 16GB model with "Special Offers" (home screen ads, basically). The 32GB models runs $229. Add $15 to each one to remove the Special Offers function. Pricing for the rest of the lineup looks like this:

• Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 16GB: $269 ($284 w/o Special Offers)
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 32GB: $299 ($314 w/o Special Offers)
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 32GB 4G: $399 ($414 w/o Special Offers)
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 64GB 4G: $499 ($514 w/o Special Offers)

The $20 off promotional code works with any of the above eight models.

Learn about Two Factor Authentication - It's important

Twitter announced on Wednesday that they've started supporting two-factor authentication, joining a growing list of major Web services that offer the more secure login method.  Two-factor authentication, or 2FA as it's commonly abbreviated, adds an extra step to your basic login procedure. Without 2FA, you enter in your username and password, and then you're done. The password is your single factor of authentication. The second factor makes your account more secure, in theory.  For more, check out the link to the left under What's New or click here.