What to do with old gadgets and hardware
Over at earth2tech, they point you in the direction of five sites that can help you get rid of that old hardware or gadget. The five sites are dedicated to reuse of electronic products that can help curb the consumption bug when it comes to gadgetry.
When electronics become obsolete or outdated, it is easy for consumers to trash their old gadget when they replace it with something new. Obviously, you have no use for something you just replaced, but tossing these items in the garbage shouldn’t be the first thing you do.
I agree with Jerry and have found SecondRotation to be the most viable of the sites that earth2tech recommends. The site offers you a market value for your used gadgets. They give you a step-by-step process to estimate the value of what you are trying to unload and then you mail it into them for free. They then review your product and send you a payment.
You may also want to reconsider tossing out electronics that aren’t working properly. The site FixYa offers a community of users to help get your electronics back in working condition. Tips range from simple troubleshooting to part replacements.
Rather than simply heading out to purchase a new electronic device at the drop of a hat, you may want to look at these options before you buy. Be sure to check out our first post on this topic for even more ideas.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Casualties of the format wars
It is always a risky decision to make when competing formats are at each other’s throats for market dominance, but what if your early adoption choice is on the wrong end of the format wars? If you don’t know what I’m referring to here, you probably haven’t made a choice between Blu-Ray or HD DVD. Recent developments have basically put the nail in HD DVD’s coffin, so it looks like HD DVD will go the way of Betamax.
What should one do with the HD DVD player and discs that are basically going to become relics of the latest format wars of home entertainment? Well, you could try and return all of your HD DVD merchandise if you have the receipts and are within the return date cut off. But, what if that ship has sailed? Are you supposed to hold on to this dying format only to pull it out in 20 years to impress your technophile friends with this short-lived format?
Should you resort to listing it on eBay or Craigslist? It seems that a lot of people already have that idea. Could you use the discs as coasters for your drinks? Not really a great idea either. Unfortunately, I think you just admit that it’s time to move on and buy a replacement Blu-Ray player. If you choose to dispose of your old player, be sure to read our post on disposing electronics first.
I’m going to hold off buying a new DVD player for a while and rely on digital distribution for my HD movie viewing pleasure. Services like Amazon’s Unbox and my cable provider’s On Demand make this relatively simple. It is definitely the most uncluttered of all the options, and I’m in no hurry.
For those of you who have all the hardware needed to convert HD DVDs to Blu-Ray, Wired has a tutorial on how to do just that.
Popularity: 30% [?]
Unitasker Wednesday: The StockCast
Do you like to keep your eye on the stock market? Well, how about picking up the StockCast Wireless Stock Market Tracker? The StockCast may take up a bit of extra space on your desk, but how else are you going to keep track of the Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500? That information is nearly impossible to come by these days.
Wireless stock market tracker delivers updated information for the DOW, NASDAQ and S&P 500. Get daily stock market activity wirelessly, with updates every 15 minutes from the Ambient wireless network—no PC, wires or subscription needed. Easy-to-read numbers and icons clearly show market gains and losses. Built-in, self-setting clock provides amazingly accurate time. Display on desk, table, refrigerator or other metal surface (stand and magnet included). Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included).
Now if you can come up with a better way than The StockCast to keep track of the stock market, I’m all ears.
**Unitasker Wednesday posts humorously poke fun at the single-use items that manage to find their way into our homes.
Popularity: 9% [?]
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