We live in a world of innovative products and tech-savvy software, which also means a number of electronic appliances are constantly being revamped. With this in mind, more and more of us, especially those at the forefront of technology, are choosing to invest in the most advanced products. Many will even make this investment as and when the products are released.

However, just because we are prepared to buy into the latest tech-savvy devices, this doesn’t mean our older, unwanted products instantly disappear. The truth of the matter is, they are usually stuffed into a drawer somewhere and forgotten about.

There are however many online money-making methods available when it comes to unwanted gadgets. One method includes sending your old electronic devices to a website such as Music Magpie. Many websites such as this will offer a free post service and will pay via PayPal or check so that you can sell iPad models and other devices for cash.

Regardless of the price on offer, it is better to gain a little for unwanted products as opposed to letting them gather dust in a drawer.

How it Works

Selling gadgets for money is easier than you may think and requires the consumer to follow only a few simply steps. They must begin by sourcing the gadgets they wish to sell — this may be an old phone, a tablet, a laptop, a camera or another unused electronic item. The consumer must therefore source a site that offers cash for gadgets. Once they have done this, they will be asked to type the product’s name and exact specifications into the search box.

If they are unsure of the make and model, a gadget library is readily available on many sites. This will allow the consumer to pinpoint the make and model of the gadget they wish to sell.

Once they have sourced the specifications of the product, they must then describe its current condition. The item may be in perfect condition, it may have a few scratches here and it could also, in the worst-case scenario, be quite badly damaged.

Once the seller has confirmed all the details, they can then proceed to the checkout and select a payment method. They will usually be presented with a variety of options including that of PayPal, check or bank transfer.

Thanks to Robert Orange for this guest post. He is a regular financial blogger, offering tips on how to save money. Turning his attention to the world of technology, he regularly reviews systems which allow consumers to sell iPad, iPhone and other gadgets online via recycling sites.

This article will also discuss how easy it is to repair and upgrade your iPhone from the comfort of your couch at home. Forget about going to repair shops or mailing your device away when there are more options to repair your device at home than ever before. You will also learn how you can replace certain parts of your phone or change it’s outer appearance for a customized look no one else has. If you are interested in finding out how this is possible, then continue to read the rest of this blog and you will be wishing you knew about these options earlier!

First of all, if you are like many people, then you may think that many components of your iPhone cannot be fixed if it breaks, but this is untrue. There are many iPhone replacement parts that you can get if certain components of your phone need to be repaired or replace. You will find that these iPhone screen replacement kits are quiet popular due to the fragile nature of the glass screen that is inherent in iPhones. Best of all, there are more options than ever before!

There are customizable toolkits and DIY kits that you can get to help you repair your phone screen, and just about every other major component. These toolkits make it very easy to fix your phone, especially when it comes to opening the case. Whether you need to replace your iPhone’s screen, frame, speaker or even the sensor/power button, you will be able to do so with your very own do-it-yourself kit or customize kit. A do-it-yourself kit is one of the best ways to get your phone fixed, especially because they are so cost effective. You will not have to bring your phone to a technician of any sort, because you will have what you need to repair your iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S or 5.

The reason why kits make it very easy for you to repair your iPhone because there are tools that come with these kits. These tools allow you to open up your iPhone, which will allow you to open up your phone and replace the parts that you need to replace. Many people are actually surprised at how easy it is to open their phone up and replace the component that needs to be replaced. Not only is replacing parts easy to do, but it also saves you a lot of money, because you will not need to bring your phone to a technician who will have to look at it and then replace the parts.

It is also worth noting that repair kits do not cost a lot of money, nor do the replacement parts. If you thought that it was expensive to repair your iPhone, then think again. There are different toolkits you can order or you can customize your iPhone as they come in a variety of awesome colors. You can purchase a Color Swap Kit for your iPhone that not only includes brand new touchscreen components, but also includes front and back shells in fantastic colors that you can choose from.

[Photo via]

Editor’s Note

When it comes to iPhone repair and upgrades, Michael Sanduso is an industry expert! He has repaired many of his own gadgets with Apple repair parts and loves customizing his gadgets and can help you change your iPhone color for a look no one else has. You can e-mail him by clicking here.

Do you feel that your life in a mess? Get the solution and simplify your schedules taking help from a gadget you love to hold in the palm of your hand all the time.

If someone asks me, name the only thing that you couldn’t live without, it would be my iPhone. Here I want to share some of the best iPhone apps that have organized not only mine but specially my family’s life. This modern invention has brought more management to my life than I dreamed possible and is now what I rely on a daily basis to tackle the routine activities. Well of course, you don’t need to have an iPhone to enjoy the benefits of these apps; almost all of the below mentioned apps are available to any smartphone user. Following are top ranked apps to assist you manage your life. Best of all; 5 are free! Let’s get to it…

1.) Cozi (free app) – Say goodbye to conflicts regarding scheduling, the amazing Cozi allows you organize the family calendar by toting up appointments and setting reminders for everybody to see. The app is compatible with iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and the web. Additionally, it will send texts or emails to your loved ones so they don’t forget about your dinner date!

2.) Grocery IQ (free app) – No need to fret about sending your hubby to the grocery store. Grocery IQ manages shopping by aisle and can organize lists for two or even more stores. Have a last-minute product to append? Just do so and the app automatically syncs and updates your hubby’s list, even if he’s already left for the shopping. The wonderful Grocery IQ is available for Android and iPhone.

3.) Chore Hero ($2.99) – To get the Chore Hero app, you have to fork over a few bucks but if you have kids, trust me, it’s worth it. Chore Hero is produced to answer the question “Who’s turn is it to do this chore today?” Doing chores is always fun, rewarding, or maybe enforce a slight competition. In the app, your spouse or kids get badges and points for successfully completing their chores. With this app, you can assign tasks to family members or allow the app arbitrarily assign tasks – either way, dad doesn’t always get stuck cleaning the plates.

4.) Family Organizer (free app) – The idea behind Family Organizer app is similar to Cozi — shared to-do lists, grocery and calendars lists. The app provides email or text reminders and let you to sync to your PC to share the information with your loved ones.

5.) Remember the Milk (free app) – This app is compatible with all platforms including Android, iPhone, email etc. and produces smart lists based on precedence level, category and due date. Share your lists with contacts and you will never fail to remember the milk.

6.) 52 Organizing Missions ($9.99) – Would you like it, if every task in your life only took thirty minutes to be completed? That’s the mission of this wonderful app. 52 Organizing Missions changes your life from chaos to order — in only thirty minutes a week. From bit-by-bit directions on how to de-clutter your home office to the 5 steps required detoxing your kitchen, this iPad app gives you assurance to simplify and organize everything in only half an hour.

7.) Astrid (free app) — Round up the troops, this amazing app assists crossing of items on to-do lists easily, by appointing others. Through Astrid you can demonstrate to your family members what has been done and what’s missing to do, by using weekly status updates. Astrid is the perfect to-do list, a personal assistant you have always required.

Editor’s Note

Curtis Taylor is aspiring to be the lead public technical advisor throughout the world for all things in personal electronics. He has a passion for gaming, his dog Ralph, and playing pranks on his co-workers. Curtis’s desire to uncover and understand the technical aspects of devices is shown through his projects sited on every major tech site on the web. Curtis is head of research and development for RepairLabs, which is a device repair facility and an influential tech blog. Repairlabs is on a mission to change the world through its charitable program Operation Hero (help each repair over come). Follow him: @repair_Labs. You can e-mail him by clicking here.

Roads are getting increasingly complex, not to forget congested. For those of you who end up traveling a lot every day, you sure could use a hand getting to places sooner and with lesser hassles. So, let your smartphone become your guide around town with these five fabulous mobile apps and find your way through any city or town:

Waze

This free app is community-based and provides you navigation assistance as well as traffic updates. With over 30 million existing users, it keeps you updated about the traffic conditions and issues alerts about roads. It works in real-time, so you know just what the road ahead would look like and how much time it will take for you to get to your destination. Use Waze to know just how well in advance you will have to leave for your next crucial meeting!

Inrix Traffic

Like Waze, Inrix Traffic also gives you the latest updates about traffic and road conditions. In addition, it tells you what the live traffic situation is and predicts how traffic could be by the time you reach a particular road. The app also features an Incidents tab, which will tell you about any disruptions on your route.

Inrix Traffic relies on Smart Driver Network, which collects information through road sensors and has partnerships with traffic providers and other similar sources to give you the most accurate assistance on road.

Car Minder

How often does it happen that you have had to park your car at a considerable distance from where you need to go? And how often has it happened that you have spent precious time trying to locate your parking spot and get moving again? With Car Minder, you never need to worry about spending time looking for your car — your smartphone will do that for you.

This app will not only lead you to your car’s parked location, but can also track the number of miles you have done in your car and when you need to change your engine oil. Car Minder also helps you log your car’s mileage and fuel economy and e-mail this data.

Hopstop

This app is a useful app for those who prefer to use public transportation to get to places instead of using their own vehicles. Feed in your desired destination and Hopstop will help you find the best route to get there using all forms of public transportation available, including rail, subway, cab, bus, bicycle or on foot.

It will also tell you when you need to change services and how often you need to do so to reach your destination. It is currently available across hundreds of cities in USA, Canada and Europe.

iNextBus Realtime Bus Tracker

Like Hopstop, this one too is meant for those who prefer riding the bus than driving themselves across town. The app provides information on the location of every bus that operates within your city and even lets you track their movements in real-time. You can also use this app to find the best bus route to choose to get to your destination and even save this information.

Editor’s Note

Vishal is the founder of Appsquare.com.au, an app development company in Australia that creates innovative apps, provides part funding for selected app ideas and also helps app developers get funding through its network of Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors.

Whether you own a business or are a salesperson, your online reputation is crucial to your success. Think about it — if you want to try out a new restaurant, see a movie, purchase a new product, hire a contractor, or change doctors — what do you do?

Most likely, you go online and do your research. If a restaurant has mostly bad reviews, you’ll try their competition instead. If a doctor has poor reviews, you’ll find someone else. If you have a bad rep online, you’re going to lose business. It’s as simple as that. The internet is the front-runner to how successful a business or person will be. You want your online reputation to be good, and that starts with knowing where you stand and monitoring it daily. Luckily, there’s an app for that.

Reputation.com

Formerly known as Reputation Defender, Reputation.com has an app that’s used to help you improve your online reputation. It creates a positive image for you or your company by removing negative content found online. You will be alerted of any mention of you or your business online, as the app monitors the web night and day for new information. Reputation.com also focuses on privacy, unlike smaller competitors, which is what makes it one of the top apps for monitoring your internet reputation.

Social Mention

Social Mention is a free app that allows you to monitor what people are saying about you or your company in real-time. It monitors more than 80 social media sites – like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google, and more – and compiles it into a single stream of information that allows you to see what’s being said about your business or product.

Google Alerts

Another free app is Google Alerts, and it isn’t something you’ll want to skip out on. Google Alerts sends you email updates of the latest Google results based on your individualized queries. You can get results once a day, once a week, or as they happen. Google Alerts is a great way to monitor developing stories of both yourself and your competitors. With Google Alerts, you can keep tabs on your competitors and even keep track of your favorite celebrity or sports team.

Trackur

With monitoring plans for individuals or companies, Trackur finds what’s being said about you and organizes the information into a Dashboard. Founded by one of the leading reputation management experts, Andy Beal, Trackur scans hundreds of millions of a variety of different websites constantly and alerts you if anything matches your pre-selected keywords.

BrandsEye

BrandsEye is the perfect tool for those that have a specific brand they’re looking to sell and grow. It monitors any and all mentions of your brand online and alerts you of what’s being said. You’ll receive regular notifications on what people are saying about you, and you can make customized reports to review over time. Affordable and accurate, BrandsEye is one of the best apps out there for internet reputation monitoring.

Though there are hundreds of apps out there — both free and ones that cost money but provide more in-depth and up-to-date information — the best way to make sure you have a good online reputation is by being a good business. If you always do the right thing, look to correct problems instead of avoiding them, and maintain a good reputation offline, your A+ online reputation will follow.

Editor’s Note

Sarah Brooks is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of topics from small businesses and reputation management to food and nutrition.