Tag Archives: upgrade

Out with the old! Amazon trade-ins and upgrades for your tablets and ereaders

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It’s that time of the year when Amazon offers some of its best prices on new Kindle e-readers and Fire Tablets. The just released all new Kindle Paperwhite makes this season’s sales look especially appealing.

Amazon’s Trade-in program makes it easy to make a few dollars and save money on an upgrade your device at the same time.All you have to do is select the model of your device, answer a few questions about condition, and you’re given an estimate of the trade-in value to accept or reject. They even give you a label and pick up the shipping costs to send it back to Amazon. When Amazon receives your item, it is checked for condition and the value of the trade-in is applied to your account as a  gift card.

The program does accept certain items that no longer work, hold a charge, or that have cracked screens. While the payout is very small for these items, an upgrade discount is generally included. Also, Amazon does pay for the shipping and it does get broken device out of the house. Amazon does the recycling and you score one for decluttering!

Trade in your e-ink Kindle

While the first Kindle ereader was introduced in 2007, Amazon has released a new model or an upgrade every year since 2009. Many of the older models are either still around. You can now trade in your old e-ink ereader for Amazon credit and possibly get a hefty discount off the purchase of a new one. Currently, Amazon is accepting trade-ins on models ranging from the first generation Kindle up to the last year’s model of the Kindle Oasis. There is a section on the page to help you figure out your model if you are not sure what it is.

Trade in your Fire tablet

Amazon seems to bring out new tablets with even more frequency than it does its e-ink readers. Because tablets have hardware limitations which can make updates difficult or even impossible as they age, all tablets have a certain built in obsolescence (and people ask the “how much is my Fire tablet worth?” question a lot). That makes the idea of trade-ins for Fire tablets even more welcome. Only certain tablet models are eligible for trade in, and many of the older models like the first generation Kindle Fire are not currently listed on the page.

Want to trade-in another brand of tablet? Amazon also accepts trade-ins of Apple iPads and Samsung tablets.

Trade-in other electronics:

Amazon’s trade-in program is not just for e-readers and tablets any more. They also accept trade-ins of Echo devices and other Bluetooth speakers including Bose, Sonos and Jawbone Bluetooth speakers

You can also trade in Roku, Apple TV, or Chromecast streaming media players. Interestingly, Amazon is not accepting trade-ins of its own Fire TV devices at this time.

Amazon also has other trade-In categories, including textbooks, cell phones, video games, systems and controllers.

One of the things that Amazon does to make it easier to trade in items you no longer need is located on the main Trade-in page. Amazon shows you a list of items you have purchased that are currently eligible for trade in. Trade-In eligible items also have a yellow Trade-In button on the product pages.

A few things to note:

Amounts for items in trade-in offers does change and sometimes certain device models are not eligible for trade-in. Check the trade-in page for the most up to date trade in values and discount offers.

It is important to realize that you are not going to get the maximum value for your items through Amazon’s trade-in program. Depending on the item and its condition, you may be better off selling it through eBay, Craigslist or other online trade-in programs. What Amazon does offer is a quick, easy way to get rid of items that is ideal for someone planning on updating to a new Amazon product. Payment is a gift card or credit to your Amazon account and many trade-ins also include a generous upgrade discount.

I have personally used the program to trade in several devices and everything went very smoothly. (At this point, I have run out of friends and family to give devices to….)

But to be on the safe side, here’s a pro tip for online trade-in on any site: Make a note of the model and serial numbers of the device you are trading in. Take pictures to document the device’s condition. Don’t send boxes and other accessory items unless these are requested as part of the trade-in.

The bottom line: If getting the most bucks for your item is your priority, the Amazon trade-in programs is not your best choice. However, if  you are looking to upgrade or your device is DOA or doesn’t have a lot of value of the secondary market, an Amazon trade-in can be a win.

Deadline looms for free Windows 10 upgrade

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windows-upgradeIf you have been holding off on upgrading to Windows 10, you are almost out of time to get the free upgrade. The deadline for reserving your copy is July 29, 2016. You are supposed to be able to reserve a copy, even if you don’t install it.(Here’s how to do it.) After the 29th, the upgrade will set you back $120.

A lot of people have been put off by Microsoft’s aggressive (and sneaky) push to get users to install the new version. Some computer experts likened Microsoft’s deceptive actions to malware. I know it took over and installed itself on my husband’s laptop, without permission. We had to roll back immediately because much of his specialized music software would not work on Windows 10.

When my computer hard drive died on me last month, I bought a new Windows 10 machine as replacement. Much of the software I’d been running on the old machine would not work on Windows 10. I am still scrounging for replacements for voice recognition, photo and video editing software. I am still trying to get one of my scanners to work properly. So your choice to upgrade may be strongly influenced by the software and peripherals you use.

Be aware that the new OS is also a privacy nightmare. Thanks to Microsoft’s new freemium model, I found out that you can’t even play a game of solitaire on the new system without being logged in and tracked. 😦

If you do upgrade, or if you already have, you should also note that Microsoft is making some changes to Windows 10 with its upcoming Anniversary update. One of the most disturbing changes is that you lose the ability to turn Cortana off. Since I prefer Google to Bing as a search default, this is probably going to be a big deal for me.

If you have decided not to upgrade your present computer, the good news is that after July 29th, Microsoft has promised that it will turn off the update nag screens (and presumably the sneaky installs). Microsoft has promised that this is the last version of Windows, making it a sure thing that if you buy another Windows machine, sooner or later, you’ll be running Windows 10.

Daily Links and Deals: Fans to Amazon: Either Leave “Perfect” Kindle Alone or Make It an iPad

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daily_links_1In today’s links, fan reactions to the upcoming new Kindle, a library program that lends musical instruments, phone upgrade fees and more. In deals, you can find savings on SanDisk memory products and oodles of Kindle sales still going on.

Daily Links for day, April 1, 2016:

Fans to Amazon: Either Leave “Perfect” Kindle Alone or Make It an iPad (Inverse) A look at the various reactions and speculations about the upcoming new Kindle.

Toronto Public Library creates city’s 1st musical instrument lending program (CBC News)  This is a wonderful idea for a program! Here’s to a library of things!

Hyperlinking to unlawfully published copyright images is still legal, says top European judge (PC World) And sanity prevails…. Making linking illegal would be insane.

AT&T charging $20 upgrade fee even when you bring your own phone (Ars Technica) Um… This is just a tad bit greedy, don’t you think?

Call Sweden’s national number and talk to a random Swede now (Engadget) I am checking my Skype credits right now. I want to talk Nanne Grönvall songs. Who knows the words to  Håll om mig?

Cookie Monster Bemoans Lack of Apple Watch in Commercial ‘Outtakes’ (ReCode) These outtakes are better than the original commercial! 

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Bird Box: A Novel by Josh Malerman for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, there’s a Yamaha TSR-5790BL 7.2-Channel AV Receiver w/4K Ultra HD and Bluetooth offered via Woot. Also featured is a promotion on SanDisk memory cards, sticks and drives. 

There are still plenty of Kindle and Fire deals as well: You can still save on the Fire HD 6, pre-owned Fire tablets,  15% off Fire TV models, and the great  Kindle Deals for customers with Amazon Prime. The 16 GB version on the 7″ Fire is $59.99! (That up $5 from yesterday, but still less than the original price of $69.99.)

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown for $1.99. (A note about this book: This is a cookbook geared towards people on tight budgets, particularly those on SNAP/Food Stamp benefits, where one is expected to eat on $4 a day. For every copy purchased, a copy is given to someone in need. She also offers a shorter, free PDF version on her website for those who need it. You’ll also find recipes and more information about the Good and Cheap project.)  The Romance Daily Find is Married ’til Monday (Chapel Springs Series #4) by Denise Hunter for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Born of Shadows – The League (Book #5) by Sherrilyn Kenyon for $2.99.

In case you  missed it, Kobo is running several promotions. Through April 11, get 3 ebooks for the price of 2 (terms and conditions apply). You can get free shipping on any Kobo e-reader through April 13, 2016. And, until April 18, select Romantic Times winners & nominees are on sale for under $3.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Lady Macbeth by Susan Fraser King for $1.99. This is an interesting take on Lady Macbeth’s side of the story.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

There’s a New Kindle Trade-in Offer

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trade-in_2Back in January, I posted news on an Amazon Trade-in promotion that allowed you to trade in older Kindles in both working and non-working condition. That program is coming to an end on March 31st. As I mentioned in that post, I was thinking about trading in several of my older Kindles. Of course, given work, tax prep and a lot of Kindle updates, I never got around to actually completing the process.

Interestingly, now that we have gone through all that work of updating our old Kindles, Amazon is offering us another shot at trading-in and getting a coupon good towards an upgrade. Trade-in values range from $5 to $50, depending on the model Kindle. You can trade in any model of e-ink Kindle, working or not, from the first-generation K1 to the 6th generation Paperwhite.

The process is pretty straightforward: You pick your Kindle model, check the box that describes the condition, and then accept the offer. You then print a pre-paid label and send the device to Amazon with seven days. Amazon checks the Kindle and, once the condition is verified, credits you account with a gift card in the amount of the agreed on value and your bonus coupon. Unacceptable device will be returned to you at no extra charge. There are a few terms and conditions that you can read here.

If you need help identifying your model, this post that I wrote may help. If all else fails, Kindle Customer service can help you determine your Kindle model.

This trade-in offer is good through the end of the year; you have until December 31, 2016 to complete the transaction. The $20 bonus coupon can be used towards the purchase of a new Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage or Kindle for Kids bundle.  The coupon must be used by February 28, 2017.

After having to update all those devices that I don’t really use, I had already decided that I was definitely going to have to get rid of some of these old e-readers. No excuses this time! This new offer means I don’t need to drop everything and get it done before the 31st. 🙂 Now, if Amazon would just make me an offer on my original NOOK First Edition or my Onyx BOOX Afterglow 2….

Did anyone take advantage of the last trade-in offer? How did the process work for you? Please leave a comment, we’d love to hear about it!

What’s Your Old Kindle Worth? (Updated)

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Kindle trade in

Amazon has a promotion going on encouraging you to trade in your old Kindle. It sounds pretty simple. You answer a few questions about your Kindle’s condition to get a trade in quote. Then, print the label and send it in. Amazon will verify the condition and apply a gift card to your account.  You also receive a $20 discount good towards the purchase of a new Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage or Kindle for Kids bundle.

You can trade in any of the following e-ink Kindles:

  • 1st Generation Kindle
  • Kindle 2nd Gen Free 3G
  • Kindle 2nd Gen U.S. Wireless
  • Kindle 5th Gen (black) Wi-Fi
  • Kindle 4th Gen (graphite) Wi-Fi
  • Kindle Touch Wi-Fi
  • Kindle Touch Wi-Fi + 3G
  • Kindle DX (white) 3G
  • Kindle DX (white) U.S. Wireless
  • Kindle DX (graphite) 3G
  • Kindle Keyboard (white) Wi-Fi + 3G
  • Kindle Keyboard (graphite) Wi-Fi
  • Kindle Keyboard (graphite) Wi-Fi + 3G
  • Kindle Paperwhite 6th Gen Wi-Fi
  • Kindle Paperwhite 6th Gen Wi-Fi + 3G
  • Kindle Paperwhite 5th Gen Wi-Fi
  • Kindle Paperwhite 5th Gen Wi-Fi + 3G

Have a broken one? No worries. Even non-working Kindles are eligible for trade-in.

There are limitations, terms and conditions to the offer which expires on March 31, 2015*. You can find out more info here.

I have several working 1st generation Kindles I need to decide what to do with. This might be worth checking into as an option, although the last time I checked the trade in values, they weren’t offering a lot. I think it would be a no-brainer for a non-working device or one whose battery doesn’t hold a charge anymore. It is a great incentive to recycle or upgrade a device.

Are you interested in trading in your old Kindle towards a new one?

*Updated to add that I think this may be a misprint as the promotion just appeared, but I am  checking with Amazon to verify.

*Update 2: I spoke to Kindle customer service and they assured me that this offer is indeed still valid. The CS rep I spoke to also thought that this was a typo (it is the first day of 2016) and that would be she would be initiating a support request for someone to check the web page copy. 

*Update 3: The first date was a typo. This offer ends on March 31, 2016.