Dell Profits Slump 79% As Buyers Opt for Tablets and Smartphones

May 19th, 2013Curious Stuff, Electronics Industry Chatter, Tech News No Comments

The laptop is by no means dead. We buy laptops and plenty of other personal computer staples that prove folks are still looking to have a personal computer that does the heavy stuff. Who wants to sit around trying to use Photoshop on a Microsoft Surface tablet? Bottom line, sometimes nothing beats a laptop or a PC.

Try telling Dell that.

The former no.1 of the personal computer industry recently reported a 79% drop in profits in three months – February to May –  to £85 million on revenue of £14 billion (down 2%) The hardware giant blames people making the switch from PCs and laptops to smartphones and tablets.

Personal computing means something different to everyone. To our Money4Machines order processing teams it means whatever hardware does to the job quickly and efficiently, but to our CEO and the folks who run about a lot it means something portable, light, efficient and practical. And this is where Dell is falling short. Folks who once had no other option than the smallest laptop they could find now have access to hundreds of smart devices that fit the bill a lot better.

Dell is currently going through an in-house tangle between shareholders and Dell founder, Michael Dell, over whether to take the company private. Mr Dell says he can save the company’s PC division, which is performing poorly in contrast with the 12% rise in profits from the new technologies and software arm of Dell. Some shareholders insist new management is all that’s needed to make a difference.

Want to sell laptop hardware using our sell for cash service? Dell laptops are well-made, numerous and still a big brand name, so we try to keep great rates an option for folks looking to make a bit of cash on their old laptop.

No Webcam Snooping for FBI Says Texas Judge

April 26th, 2013Curious Stuff No Comments

We kind of wish Texas Judge was some kind of superhero. Alas, today’s Money4Machines blog titles merely refers to a recent US court case where a Texas Judge ruled against the FBI’s request to install web-cam take-over software on the laptop of a fraud suspect to find out where the sneaky crook has fled to.

Despite this kind of malicious software being pretty common elsewhere in the world of technology (it’s not uncommon to find the odd example when we run data erase software on the computers you send in once you’ve decided to sell laptops!), it seems the official watchers are yet to make lawful use of web-cam spy software.

Is the Texas case a one-off? According to the presiding judge, the FBI have little information on the target. They know that he (or she?) hacked an email account and tried steal a big bag of cash from the account holder using his stolen identity. The warrant for malicious search software could only be granted for the laptop used, not the individual. The Texas judge decided this was too general as far as search parameters go, saying,

“What if the Target Computer is located in a public library, an internet café, or a workplace accessible to others? What if the computer is used by family or friends uninvolved in the illegal scheme? What if the counterfeit email address is used for legitimate reasons by others unconnected to the criminal conspiracy? What if the email address is accessed by more than one computer, or by a cell phone and other digital devices? There may well be sufficient answers to these questions, but the government’s application does not supply them.”

When you sell laptop, mobile phone or tablet devices, we always run tough data erase software to make sure NO data is left on the device. Want to know more about privacy before you sell your mobile? We’re happy to answer your questions!

HP Computers to Get Gesture Control Feature

April 17th, 2013Curious Stuff, Tech News No Comments

It’s not lazy to wish you could do stuff on your computer using just gestures. We’ve got those nifty clapper gadgets to turn the lights on and off, so how long before we can use voice and gestures commands to control our PCs?

Leading motion control software and hardware development company, Leap Motion, has struck a deal with HP to embed aspects of their gesture control technology in HP computers. The move comes as Leap Motion is looking to commercialise it’s products.

Speaking to the BBC, Leap Motion head dude, Andy Miller, was quick to point out the technology is not a toy, even if the gaming community and entertainment sectors are initially being targeted. Leap Motion say various deals are in the pipeline with car manufacturers and firms within the medical industries.

What can you expect from the technology as someone looking to sell laptop or PC computers to upgrade to the HP? the external controller can follow the movements of ten fingers at once, making things like design exceptionally fluid in terms of complicated gesture controls. The external device is currently available as an HP accessory with software downloads online. HP and Leap Motion say PCs with the hardware built in will be out by summer this year.

So, would you sell Macbook or Sony laptops to get your hands on the latest HP offering? Most folks sell laptop and PC devices to Money4Machines to upgrade, but going from an old Macbook G4 to an HP PC? That’s quite a leap of faith!

Attempted Cyber Attack Hits WordPress

April 15th, 2013Electronics Industry Chatter, Tech News, Tech-y Life Advice No Comments

Everyone loves a good blog. But that’s not really what a giant botnet of thousands of individual computers was after when it began to attack WordPress users with the login name “admin” last week. So, what was the aim of the insidious army? Well it’s not to read your latest “I’m going to sell my iPhone 5 to fund a weekend away with my mates!” blog entry! According to could hosting company, Cloudfare, the massive botnet was probably trying to access your home PCs to use as tools in their next botnet caper. Scared? Read on.

The botnet works by using thousands of different IP addresses and attempting to log in to WordPress using thousands of different passwords to match the login name “admin” If they get lucky and log in, they can use the doorway to access home PCs which can then be remotely used for further attacks. Each time they attack, the number of PCs in the army increases, making the attack stronger. It’s thought the current WordPress attack could be coming from tens of thousands of PCs. Bottom of the line, they want access to as many servers as possible.

But before you fling your PC away and sell Macbook Airs to us before skipping away to live off-grid, there are way you can minimise the chances of a successful attack on your PC.

  • Set your password to a seemingly random configuration of numbers and letters. Something like your pet’s birthday interspersed with letters from your favourite colour, perhaps? Just put the effort into memorising something that can’t be guessed.
  • If the option is there for two-tier logins, take it! WordPress now offers this feature. After the password login, you have to enter a unique numerical code of your choosing.

Still want to sell laptop and tablet devices and head off into the wild blue yonder to live off-grid? Don’t forget your Kindle -it’s dull out there in the land of no lolcats!

AVG Adults Flip Over Kids’ Hacking Capabilities

February 7th, 2013Curious Stuff, Electronics Industry Chatter, Tech News No Comments

A bit like in Home Alone when it turns out kids can be far more cunning, intelligent and self-preserving than all the adults in the film thought, AVG has published findings that children as young as 11-years-old are putting those hours behind the keyboard to good use creating malicious coding to hack the accounts of other gamers (the report makes a big fuss of how these kids are hacking their friends’ accounts, like we’re meant to think of them as inhuman monsters!)

According to AVG, the main aim of most of these nefarious little hackers is to steal whatever currency floats their boat in their favourite gaming universe. Most of programs have been presented as cheats for PC games that let unsuspecting users use free currency whilst the program steals personal data and sends it back to the source.

But before you sell Macbook Airs and PCs and whatever other computers your kids are using, it’s worth remembering that the AVG report assumed many of the hackers were children based on the kind of schoolboy errors prevalent in much of the code and the targeted games. Although they did trace at least one 11-year-old boy’s malware to his home in Canada, so we reckon his parents will being looking to sell laptop, console and maybe even smartphone devices as punishment!

The bottom line seems to be a dig at current IT education, which most kids seem to outgrow at primary school level! AVG wants kids to be taught coding from a younger age, along with the the moral and social implications of misuse. A change in IT education here in the UK is backed by the likes of Microsoft, who are keen to access the new generation of tech fans as early as possible, hopefully putting the UK on the map in terms of IT (because one day poor old Tim Berners-Lee won’t be around for us to trot out at awards ceremonies!

We’ll keep you up to date on any other information that pops up, but until then let’s do what we do best and help you sell mobile phones and tablets!

 

 

 

 

Could We See an iWatch from Apple in 2013?

December 31st, 2012Electronics Industry Chatter, Tech News No Comments

Is there any better New Year’s Eve news than a few Apple apple rumours? Of course not! We’re working right up to the bone of NYE to make sure you guys get your cash as soon as possible, and that also means our little research monkeys are busy scouring the web for the rumour goldfish in a pond of tech chatter!

Numerous developers have had a game stab at making a computer wrist watch a reality. But they’ve all ended up in the backs of cheap gadget catalogues promising to make you “feel like James Bond for £9.99!” and other such hollow claims. Tell us it could make us feel like Penny from Inspector Gadget and we’ll listen!

But according to sources in China, our favourite fruit monikered tech firm could be on the verge of releasing an Apple computer wrist watch fresh for 2013! Potentially named the iWatch, the device could be capable of browsing the web, sending and receiving emails, receiving social media alerts and sending and receiving text messages. Apple are also said to be developing a microphone and speaker system to boost the iWatch’s capabilities.

So, would you sell your iPad and switch to an iWatch? We asked the same question before the iPad came out – would you sell your iPod and switch to an iPad? – and from pretty mixed responses we saw that Apple’s customer base is exceptionally loyal and always excited to try new products (especially if it might mean being able to sell laptop, smartphone or tablet devices for a shiny new toy!)

Chinese sources say the iWatch has been tentatively lined up for a summer release.

Major Global Facebook Botnet Taken Down

December 26th, 2012Curious Stuff No Comments

A fraud ring worth around £525 million has been taken out of action by the joint efforts of Facebook’s own security team and local police forces in the UK, Peru, the US and a number of other countries.

The gang managed to steal the massive sum from Facebook users by secretly planting spyware on victims’ computers that would steal credit and bank card details. Along with financial details, personal information with worth on the black market was also lifted. It’s estimated around 11 million computers were infected by the ring’s spyware.

UK gadget company, Money4Machines, say it’s an ongoing battle between elite cyber criminals and their lawful counterparts.

“When you sell your iPhone to us, we will always run thorough data erase software on it. It’s the same when folks sell laptop or tablet devices. Clearing malware is always part of the job, and it’s pretty shocking how many people have things like spyware on their old laptop without knowing.

It’s great for gadget recycling companies like ours to know handsets and computers are being made safer – cleaner technology encourages our customers to sell mobile phones etc. without worrying about third party data contamination issues – but it’s definitely a cat and mouse game that’s unlikely to end. ”

Cyber security is big business across the world wide web. Back in 2001, German foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, estimated at least £24.7 billion was lost each year to similar schemes. These days, that figure could easily be quadrupled.

UK Teachers Need Better IT Support

December 3rd, 2012Curious Stuff No Comments

Changes in education are often slow and tough to implement. According to the BBC, a huge issue faced in our classrooms isn’t necessarily lack of resources, but lack of knowledge on the part of teachers.

A UK survey by tech firm, Logicalis, found around 23% of 13-17-year-olds are planning a career in IT. But researchers for the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta) say hardware often lies unused in classrooms due to lack of knowledge on the part of the teacher.

Nesta estimates around £1.4 billion is spent each year in the UK on school IT hardware like tablets, interactive whiteboards and educational software. But the report found many tech resources lie unused or are not used to maximum learning potential. It’s hoped Nesta will encourage schools to a) only spend on genuinely beneficial technology, b) provide teacher training to maximise the usefulness of hardware and software, and c) focus on the gradual implementation of practical changes like using tablets to take notes, video calling to access lectures from across the globe, etc.

UK gadget website, Money4Machines, said teachers need more ongoing support in IT education.

“As any teacher will tell, you’re on your own a lot of the time in terms of everything from cleaning paint pots to sourcing interesting assignments. Some of our team have worked in classrooms in the past, and they say top priority for the Powers that Be has to be providing continued support for teachers who aren’t tech savvy. A high school English teacher close to retirement should be afforded the same support to enhance lessons with technology as a young IT lecturer.”

The number of schools looking to sell laptop and tablet devices that are seldom used could increase if more support is not offered to struggling teachers. Money4Machines said,

“It’s never to late to learn how to use something like Evernotes on the iPad effectively. And you don’t need to sell iPad tablets or video conferencing equipment just because it involves educating the teachers responsible. Teachers need effective ongoing support and motivation to implement technology in the classroom.”

Older iPhones Still Flying Off the Shelves

November 2nd, 2012Tech News No Comments

 

 

iPhone 5s are breaking sales records around the globe, and Apple is pretty much selling them as fast as they can make them. But UK gadget companies like Money4Machines report a steady market for second-hand handsets and brands new older models, too.

Recycling and trading in gadgets like mobile phones is something that’s really seen a boost in popularity over the past few years. In the beginning folks were selling their old Nokia 3210 for £5, but these days you can sell mobile phones, especially smartphones, at great rates.

The iPhone smartphone range is one of the top performing smartphone product lines on the planet, and there are plenty of folks who would be happy just to get their hands on an iPhone 4.

Money4Machines said,

“When folks arrive at our website and say ‘I want to sell my phone, its an iPhone’, we know we’re going to be able to offer them a great rate, even if it’s an iPhone 3G or another older model. We buy loads of second-hand Apple products, and pretty much all of them command very favourable rates for the seller.”

So, what happens to your old iPhone? A Money4Machines spokesperson said,

“Every gadget company is different. Some prefer older phones that can be stripped for their raw materials, others like mid-range phones that can be sent on to growing markets in developing economies like parts of Africa and India. High-end handsets like the iPhone aren’t usually stripped, but tend to be traded within the EU so folks who couldn’t afford the new handset can access a healthy, properly managed second-hand market.”

Google Hits the Market with Low Cost Laptop “For Everyone”

October 24th, 2012Tech News No Comments

 

Billed as exactly what is says on the tin, the new £200 Chromebook laptop from Google (developed by Samsung) has been aggressively marketed as an elite machine with a budget price tag.

Despite share stock plummeting last week, Google has been able to claw back just over 1% in value after re-releasing figures for the third quarter of the year alongside an explanatory statement. But it appears last week’s teensy snafu hasn’t dampened the spirits of the tech firm.

The lightweight Chromebook is based on the groundbreaking search engine UI unveiled in 2010, Google Chrome. Interesting features include the lack of hard drive (data will be stored on Google’s cloud service) and increased reliance on an internet connection for things like applications and information. According to Google, the device will operate like a terminal that’s reliant on an internet connection to run.

Critics say the device will find it tough to win favour with consumers due to the non-traditional setup of the machine. UK gadget company, Money4Machines, said,

“Lots of people want to sell iPads (1st generations) because they’re too reliant on Wi-Fi. If consumers see the new Google laptop as too inflexible, they’re not going to buy it, simple as!

It seems a like the device is way too reliant on Google’s cloud storage service, Drive. What if you can’t access the internet and need a file? What if the cloud storage fails? Can you opt to back-up to an external hard drive? Most of our sell for cash customers still favour their smartphones and tablets for cloud storage, but want a physical hard drive for their main PC or laptop.

On the up-side, it could encourage novice users to try cloud storage, which lets you break or sell your laptop without worrying about the data stored within. Since Google is offering 100GB of free cloud storage, it could be worth a try since Apple’s Dropbox only offers 100GB limit for an annual fee.”

Older Entries