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December 15, 2017 by Greg Underwood

The Technical Side of Smartphone Recycling: More Than Meets the Eye

We are all aware that protecting the environment today will have a massive impact upon future generations. In the past, the concept of recycling was generally limited to items such as paper, glass and metals. The rise of the smartphone within our daily lives has slightly modified this observation. There are now countless ways to recycle these handy gadgets. Whether referring to the Google Pixel XL, the iPhone 6S or an older Samsung Galaxy, the average lifespan of a mobile phone is 4.7 years. Companies are willing to pay consumers cash in exchange for outdated models. However, the process of recycling itself is quite interesting and in order to appreciate such a unique approach, it is wise to examine the main steps that companies will employ.

Collection and Transportation

The first step obviously involves the collection of any older phones or those which have encountered unrecoverable damage. There are two main ways in which this can take place. The first involves taking the phone to a physical drop-off point such as a community centre. Companies will visit these locations on a regular basis and procure any unwanted devices.

The second option involves leveraging the power of the online community. There are many websites which offer consumers liquid cash for their phones. The phones are simply shipped to the middleman and once received, funds will be transferred into the desired account.

How Does Mobile Phone Recycling Work?

Once the smartphone has arrived at the recycling centre, several steps will need to take place before the act of recycling begins. First, the phones are physically sorted by employees. This is generally intended to remove any extraneous debris that may have inadvertently been included within the batch. This is the only process directly supervised by human contact.

The next step involves breaking down the phones into their core components through the use of mechanical devices such as shredders. In order to maximise the amount of recoverable materials, the pieces of the phone will be separated into several different categories such as:

  • Batteries
  • Plastics such as the outer casings
  • Display screens
  • Printed circuit boards
  • Any metals

This is still a rather crude initial step. The true magic involved with smartphone recycling is the ability to separate specific metals into their own categories. Many consumers will be surprised to learn that phones contain an appreciable amount of gold within their circuitry. While it is normally not economically viable to extract at home, the fact of the matter is that processing thousands of handsets per day will help to recover a sizeable portion of this metal. The same holds true for other materials such as silver, copper and rare-earth elements including rhodium.

Post-Extraction Processing

Once valuable metals and other materials have been removed and sorted, they tend to be shipped off to other processing plants. In fact, some of these plants could be located thousands of kilometres away from the initial recycling centre. Metals, plastics and other substances will all be melted down and subsequently sold to other firms. They can then be used in the creation of other products. So, the gold within your phone today could very well have existed within the handset of another consumer located on the other side of the world!

From the modern Google Pixel XL to a traditional push-button Nokia model, the importance of recycling cannot be minimised. If you are looking to help the environment while earning a bit of extra cash, consider this option before you upgrade.

November 21, 2017 by Greg Underwood

5 Productive Habits to Incorporate into Your Daily Smartphone Usage

Smartphones have become a ubiquitous portion of our daily lives. From browsing the latest social media posts to checking our email accounts, it seems as if we cannot live without these clever devices. However, we also need to keep in mind that more productive options literally exist at our fingertips. What are five interesting choices and how can these fill your time with additional activities other than snapping the occasional selfie?

  1. Searching for Online Shopping Discounts

The prevalence of the Internet signifies that countless retail outlets from around the world face a stiffer amount of competition than ever before. This often directly translates to online discounts, QR coupon codes and similar rebates. As opposed to spending your time at a local cyber cafe posting memes, why not perform a quick search for the latest deals?

You can also sign up for mailing lists. This enables you to stay one step ahead of the game and to save a great deal of money along the way.

  1. Your On-the-Go Organiser

Many of us spend a good deal of time stuck in traffic when driving to and from work. Use this window as an opportunity to schedule any upcoming tasks as well as to wrap your head around additional projects with the help of an organiser. There are countless free versions available and each will enable you to prioritise what needs to take place in the near future.

  1. Work Remotely

Working remotely is a growing trend within many industries. In fact, some even believe that the days of the traditional office may soon be coming to a close. Thanks in part to 4G connectivity and partially as a result of amazing processing power, it is now possible to work while out and about. Still, we are not necessarily referring to filing large orders or closing a million-pound sale via a single handset. Many professionals utilise their smartphones to take care of more laborious tasks when they have the time. Some examples include:

  • Looking over a potential marketing campaign.
  • Creating a customer-based mailing list.
  • Sorting through junk emails.
  • Replying to client queries.

Completing these duties will allow you to focus your efforts one more engaging projects.

  1. Accessing the Online Currency Markets

Why not earn a bit of extra liquidity with the help of your mobile phone? One increasingly popular method is to access the Forex marketplace. It is estimated that more than $5.1 trillion dollars changes hands within this world of currencies on a daily basis. It is therefore understandable why even novice investors wish to obtain their small piece of such a large pie. Modern online providers such as CMC Markets are equipped with all of the necessary tools to enact lucrative trades within only seconds. With experience and foresight, the potential to accrue appreciable profits is well within your reach.

  1. Brainstorming

Inspiration often comes to us at the most unexpected of times. This is when a smartphone can indeed come in handy. Nearly every phone is equipped with some type of notepad. Use these digital applications to jot down any ideas that you may have; regardless of how odd they might initially appear. You can always come back to them at a later date to flesh out such concepts.

These are only a handful of worthwhile concepts to keep in mind the next time you decide to access your smartphone. With so many useful resources at your fingertips, there is simply no reason to not take advantage of their more useful options.

November 20, 2017 by Greg Underwood

EARN A FORTUNE FROM YOUR PHONE WITH THESE APPS

This text takes you through some of the most useful mobile applications that you can use to earn a decent amount of money online. Some apps pay you for doing nothing while others let you do what you enjoy and still earn from serious business or part-time hustles. Here they are.

CMC Markets App

CMC Markets helps you trade online by giving you relevant financial information for online trading and investments. CMC Markets has got a dedicated CFD Android and iOS mobile trading application which is able to provide mobile alerts, has powerful charting technology and also provides live streaming of prices. With the app, you can trade on a wide range of markets from anywhere. The markets you can trade on include thousands of CFD instruments that have competitive margins and spreads on forex, shares, treasuries, commodities and indices.

Acorns

This free app will help you start investing. Once you download the app and link your bank account you get a $10 bonus as you continue spending your money the normal way you do. It does not matter whether you have an MBA, the app is easy to use and anyone can pick up quickly and understand how to invest in it. Once you link your bank account, leave the rest of the work for Acorns. The app will round up your payments to the nearest dollar then automatically invest your digital change in the stock markets. Though you might not consider it as a proper way to save for your retirement, it is still a great app for setting aside a fortune for the future.

Swagbucks

With this app, you can accumulate their SB points as you search the web, watch videos, complete surveys, shop in malls attached to it, complete special offers, find swag codes among other activities. You can redeem the points you earn on gift cards from stores such as Target and Walmart. You can also redeem the points for PayPal cash. The app is available for both iOS and Android users.

Clashot

If you want to earn from selling your images, then this app is one of those that let you do so. Using Clashot is simple; you download it, take photos then upload them. The Clashot team will then moderate the photos and upload them to Depositphotos website for sale. You will get a percentage of the final sale once your photos sell. It would be necessary to promote your photos in order to sell better. You can also get invitations to upload photos with specific themes and if you do it right you increase your earnings. The app works best on Android but fairly on Apple devices. Other apps you might consider selling photos with include Foap, Snapwire, and Stokimo among others.

SurveysOnTheGo

This app pays you between $1 $5 on the go for various surveys. The offers are regular, easy to complete and includes topics on politics, graphics and issues of the day among others. They are focused only on mobile surveys. You can instantly cash out with PayPal if you a have a minimum amount of $10. The app is available in the App Store but other similar apps include iPoll, Mobee, NPoll, and Toluna.

Ibotta

If you are a coupon clipper then look for Ibotta. You can earn cash back as you shop online and submit receipts- you can also link a loyalty account when you download this app. When shopping online, you first need to unlock cash rewards on the app by completing tasks given. After you have shopped, you scan your product barcodes then send photos of your receipts to verify your purchases. You only need to enter your phone number or scan your card if you are using your loyalty card. Other related apps include Snap by Groupon, Receipt Hog, and Ebates.

Tapporo

This is one of the oldest and among the most reliable apps on Google Play Store. It offers lucrative referral rates of $0.60 for each signup. Though it could be hard to earn money through other means, you can focus on making more referrals to earn more due to the high reward. Rewards include mobile accessories, Amazon vouchers, and PayPal cash among others.

November 20, 2017 by Greg Underwood

Taking the Mystery Out of Saving Money on Confusing Broadband Deals

Deciphering the different broadband deals on the market and encountering the most appropriate package can be challenging at best and downright frustrating at worst. With so many providers on the market and due to an increasing amount of competition, it seems as if every company is now offering the best bundle at the lowest price. Of course, this is simply not the case. As a consumer, it is important that you know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Let us take a look at some general guidelines as well as a handful of specific metrics to address before committing to a specific provider.

Your Data Usage Requirements 

Although this may already seem to be completely obvious, many consumers are lured into purchasing plans with massive amounts of broadband data per month. The fact of the matter is that many consumers will require far less than what a contractual package offers. The remainder simply goes to waste. This is very much akin to throwing hard-earned money down the digital drain. So, try to calculate how much data you require per billing cycle. If you utilise the Internet for basic tasks such as checking the weather or watching the news, the chances are high that you will not require the most robust package. Those downloading HD films or watching streaming videos are more likely to leverage the power of high-end broadband deals.

Hidden Fees and Surcharges

In the past, ISPs were not required to quote line rental costs into the price of a broadband plan. This has all changed thanks to the recent actions of the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority). The ASA has ruled that business-oriented Internet service providers are obligated to make these prices clear from the onset. The ultimate goal is to provide consumers with a more transparent perspective so that they will be capable of making informed decisions. Still, be sure to check the fine print associated with any plan before committing.

Online Comparison Portals

This next piece of advice cannot be stressed enough. It can be difficult to navigate to different web pages and contrast what each is offering. Therefore, take advantage of the objective reviews provided by third-party portals such as Broadband Choices. All of the most trusted companies are rated in terms of price, customer service and the types of packages that they have to offer. Navigation is easy and in the majority of cases, you will be able to walk away with a clear opinion. It is then much easier to contact the most appropriate broadband firm.

The Myth of “Unlimited” Broadband

It is important to clear the air in reference to this topic. There is simply no such concept as “unlimited” broadband in today’s digital world. This very same concept is applicable to online storage systems such as Dropbox and Google cloud services. It is therefore ironic that many providers continue to use such a term to describe a specific deal (particularly in the case of smartphone packages). Always take this claim with a grain of salt.

Ask Questions

In the event that any terms and conditions are not made entirely clear from the beginning, never be afraid to contact a customer service representative. Not only will you be able to address any grey areas, but robust client support is one of the signs of a reputable firm.

All of these suggestions should be employed if you hope to find the most amenable broadband provider. You will also save a great deal of money along the way!

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