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TECHNOLOGY Friday 15 September 2017

Got old phones? Here’s how to reuse, recycle or sell them

By BARBARA ORTUTAY Once new models come
AP Technology Writer out, older ones will flood placement.
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s natu- onto eBay and other re- WHAT UPGRADE?
ral to get the phone-up- sale sites, so it might make Of course, there’s no rule
saying you must upgrade
grade itch when the likes sense to wait a little.
of Apple, Samsung and How much money you can your phone each year, as
much as manufacturers
others keep coming out make off your old phone
with newer models. And depends on the brand and would like you to.
Is your phone still in fairly
sometimes your old phone how much wear and tear
is just kaput. it’s seen. good condition? Could
you, perhaps, get that
But what do you do with a The resale site Gazelle, for
serviceable but outdated example, is offering $140 cracked screen fixed, de-
lete some videos and apps
gadget? Rather than rel- for a Verizon-ready Sam-
egate an old phone to a sung Galaxy S7 in “good” to free up memory, and
clean out accumulated
desk drawer, consider reus- condition.
ing, recycling or reselling it. What does “good” mean? pocket lint in the charging
or headphone port? You
Of course, there’s also the The phone has no cracks
option to donate. on the screen or body, In this Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, file photo, Lisa Gao compares a can try a toothpick or use
canned air, but be careful
Here’s a guide for figur- powers on and makes black iPhone 7, right, with her iPhone 6 at the Apple Store on
ing out what you might do calls, and is free of major Michigan Avenue, in Chicago. Associated Press using something made of
metal like a paper clip —
with last year’s model (or scratches or scuffs.
even older ones). A “flawless” phone that games and hand it down rible happens to your main you could damage your
phone.
DONATE TO CHARITY looks like it’s never been to your children. phone. An old phone can
Several charities accept used will land you $15 Or just keep it as a backup tide you over until you can Then you’d really have an
excuse to upgrade.q
old phones as a donation. more. A 128GB iPhone 7 in case something hor- manage repairs or get a re-
But these groups probably in good condition, mean- Asian businesses mull tech solutions to fight modern slavery
won’t physically give your while, will get you $305, at
old phones to people in least for an AT&T version.
need. Instead, they’ll often For a Sprint-ready phone, By TERESA CEROJANO from 45 Indo-Pacific coun- en when they reach their
sell your phone to recyclers it’s $275. Associated Press tries and territories known destination, Goledzinowski
and keep the money. EBay is a bit more compli- MANILA, Philippines (AP) as the Bali Process that also said.
A nonprofit group called cated. If you’re already — Asia Pacific business aims at ensuring compa- “And very quickly you are
Cell Phones for Soldiers will a seller in good standing leaders are working on nies’ supply of materials trafficked, in fact, you are
take your “gently used” and meet certain stan- recommendations to pro- are not tainted by unethi- in debt bondage,” he said,
phone and sell it to a recy- dards, you may qualify for tect migrant workers from cal employment. expressing hope that busi-
cling company. It will then a “price guarantee” pro- modern day slavery and to Participants agreed at the ness leaders agree that
use the proceeds to buy motion that will get you ensure companies’ supply meeting in Perth, Australia, “migrant workers should
international calling cards $515.26 for the above AT&T sources are free from such to submit specific recom- not have to pay for their
for soldiers so they can talk 128GB iPhone. unethical employment, mendations to govern- own recruitment.”
to their loved ones back Otherwise, eBay says you according to Australia’s ments next year. The recommendations will
home. can get $280 through the ambassador for people “We are hoping they will cover employment ethics,
The National Coalition company’s “quick sale” smuggling and human traf- come up with the recom- transparency standards
Against Domestic Violence program. ficking. mendations for how to and safeguards for victims
works in a similar manner. The video game retailer One idea might be to cre- better manage the recruit- and whistle-blowers.
About 60 percent of the GameStop also accepts ate a regional website that ment of migrant workers Some will be classed as
phones it collects are re- old phones for trade-in, of- rates employment recruit- and the protection of mi- minimum standards, and
furbished and resold. The fering either store credit or ers — something already grant workers” he said in an some as more ambitious
money goes toward sup- cash. being done in Vietnam, An- interview Wednesday. targets.
porting the coalition. The REUSE, REPURPOSE drew Goledzinowski said. He said the measures also “There’s a lot that can
remaining 40 percent of Even without cellular ser- Another idea could be to aim “to manage supply be done which actually
the phones are recycled, vice, you old phone will be designate a common tele- chain transparency so that is quite easy but it only
according to the group’s able to get on Wi-Fi, so you phone number as a region- businesses are not just re- works if everyone does it,”
website. It pays for ship- can use it to stream music, al hotline, similar to what sponsible for what happens Goledzinowski said.
ping if you are mailing post on Facebook or do the sportswear company in their business, but also The Bali Process started in
three or more phones. The pretty much anything else Adidas provides to its fac- who they buy from.” 2002 and includes repre-
group also accepts other you want provided you tory workers in China and Migrant workers often end sentatives from the U.S.,
electronics such as lap- are in Wi-Fi range. Keep elsewhere. up dealing with recruiters China, India, Japan, Af-
tops, video game systems it for yourself, give it to a Goledzinowski suggested they do not know, being ghanistan, North Korea
and digital cameras. broke friend, or load it up the ideas at a forum of of- charged high fees and and countries in Southeast
SELL SELL SELL with kid-friendly apps and ficials and business leaders having their passports tak- Asia.q