Find out about recycling Android mobile phones.

Contents

• Recycling Android Mobile Phones
• Recycling Android Phones Regardless Of Software Version

Recycling Android Mobile Phones

It is possible to recycle Android mobile phones via companies that operate mobile phone recycling sites, for a set fee regardless of condition.

Recycling Android Phones Regardless Of Software Version

Android phones have been on the market for a long time now, and many were shipped with older versions of the operating system.

When it comes to updating the OS, many people are really not technically minded enough to be able to do it.

Because of the excellence of the software, users can make use of many of the phone’s features, but updating the OS might prove to be beyond them.

In actual fact, there are many models of phone that will not accept an update to the OS.

These users might decide to sell mobile phone technology that doesn’t live up to what they want to do.

The problem for them is moving this older technology on to people who want it.

This may leave them asking “How can I sell my mobile phone technology that is out-of-date?”

One option is eBay, but even this is not a reliable option with many auctions failing to reach the reserve price or failing to be sold at all.

The more reliable option is to send the phone to a company that operates a recycling option that can give a guaranteed fee for a certain type of phone, regardless of its condition.

So long as the phone is in operational condition then, the cosmetic look of the phone is often overlooked.

Even some of the older Android phones can fetch £20, regardless of the version of the software that is installed.

What this actually says is that the phone has a lot of life left so long as the electronics do not have any damage.

Free guide to the different types of external hard drives.

Thinking of buying an external hard drive?

External hard drives are great for backing up data, photos, videos, music, etc – or just providing extra space to keep all your media.

Read our free guide to the different types of external hard drives available to buy.

Contents

• Desktop External Hard Drives
• Portable Hard Drives
• Encrypted / Secure Portable Hard Drives
• Videos

Desktop External Hard Drives

Desktop external hard drives usually sit in the same place, in a home office or desk set-up.

Desktop external drives can come in a variety of sizes and with various interfaces including USB, e-SATA and firewire.

Desktop external hard drives are usually SATA based hard disks, but you can pay extra to get an SSD (Solid State Drive) model for increased speed.

Make sure you get USB 2.0 at the very least in terms of connectivity. Ideally it would be good to get better than this, depending on the connectivity options on your laptop or similar.

Desktop or Portable External Hard Drive?

Desktop external hard drives provide the best value in terms of storage for your money.

However if you are on the go a lot, or think you may be putting the hard drive under the regular stress of travel, you may want to think about a more portable alternative.

Portable Hard Drives

Portable hard drives can be either SSD or disk based.

Some portable external hard drives are more rugged/destruction proof than others, whereas some just look really beautiful.

Portable hard drives may not always be as fast as desktop alternatives, but look out for an SSD drive and find one with good connectivity and you may still achieve good speeds.

Encrypted / Secure Portable Hard Drives

Some users look for portable hard drives with extra security. There are various manufacturers and specialist websites providing encrypted / secure portable hard drives.

This means that if found, it would be near impossible for anyone to access the contents of the hard drive.

Good if you want to feel like James Bond.

Videos

Really cool video that looks at some of the latest portable hard drives and what you will want to look out for.

Click here to read our guide to different types of hard drives.

This article will look at the range of different types of hard drives available.

Contents

• Types of Hard Drives
• Serial ATA (SATA)
• SSD
• External Hard Drives
• Laptop Hard Drives
• Brands
• Videos

Types of Hard Drives

This article looks at standard internal hard drives, external hard drives and other types of hard drive.

Standard internal hard drives measure 3.5 inches (the most common) or 2.5 inches in width.

Serial ATA (SATA)

SATA (“Serial ATA” or “Serial Advanced Technology Attachment”) hard drives are the most widely used internal computer hard drives used at present, designed to replace PATA/IDE drives.

The later SATA 2.0 (or SATA II) and SATA 3.0 (or SATA III) allow for a high amount of bandwidth/speed.

There following types of SATA hard drive are currently available:

SSD

Solid State Drives are superior in terms of their speed, although are more expensive than SATA drives.

SSDs are favoured by gamers, web developers, designers and creatives for the increase in performance the drives provide.

Most high-end / luxury / gamer computer systems now include an SSD drive to run the OS/Windows, as well as a larger SATA hard drive for storage duties.

External Hard Drives

There are various different types of external hard drives.

Desktop external hard drives are designed to sit in a home/office location, providing extra storage.

Portable external hard drives are designed to be more hardy, and can survive being moved from location to location.

Click here to read our guide to the different types of external hard drives.

Laptop Hard Drives

Laptop hard drives are often very flat and compact, and may fit particular models of laptop.

Brands

There are many different hard drive manufactures.

Here are a list of some of the main manufactures:

• Seagate
• Western Digital
• Samsung
• Hitachi
• Intel
• Toshiba
• Corsair
• OCZ
• Crucial
• Mushkin

Videos

A really interesting video looking at the different types of hard drives available. Physically looks inside the different drives. Includes SCSI and IDE hard drives.

This video shows you how to find out what type of hard drive is installed on your computer. A lot of people ask questions like “What type of hard drive do I have?”, “Which hard drive do I have installed?”, “How to tell the difference between SATA and IDE hard drives” etc. This video goes a good way at helping you work out the answers.

As the LG Prada 3.0 there are currently not many suitable cases. This should change in the near future and more types of care should become available.

Dicota Lov Protective Sleeve

Available in pink/grey and black/blue.

A high quality mix of wool/acrylic mix.

Includes a credit card slot for keeping cards.

Buy / Find out more (Pink/Grey) or Black/Blue

Guide to the different types of LG phones available in the UK.

LG produce beautiful looking and have always had a great line of smart phones.

Contents

• LG Prada 3.0
• LG Optimus 3D
• LG Viewty Snap
• LG Cookie Lite

LG Prada 3.0

Released in the UK in February 2012, the LG Prada 3.0 is, as the name suggests, the third in the range of LG’s Prada phones, and continues the super-stylish look with a flawlessly beautiful new phone.

The phone which runs the Android os has a fairly snappy 1ghz dual core processor, 8GB storage (expandable via a microSD slot) and a decent 8 megapixel camera capable of 1080p video recording.

On the connectivity front, the LG Prada 3.0 features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, DLNA, NFC and MicroUSB.

For style conscious individuals looking for a smartphone with something a little different, this may be the ideal choice.

LG Optimus 3D P920

The LG Optimus 3D is one of the first 3D phones to hit the market, and is certainly a novel phone.

Pictures taken with the onboard camera are automatically converted into 3D photos.

Powered by Android, it is a capable smart phone, but is not as powerful as some similarly priced models.

The LG Optimus 3D has a large 4.3″ WVGA display. Has a HDMI 1.4 connection, and is DLNA certified.

LG Viewty Snap

The LG Viewty Snap is a budget/low-end phone, available from as little as £80.

The LG Viewty Snap is a touch-screen phone, with a fairly nice façade for the money.

The phone comes with a 5 megapixel camera, music and basic internet functions.

If you are looking for something simple, this phone could work. If you are looking for a high-powered smartphone – look elsewhere.

The phone also lacks Wi-Fi and 3G, making it a poor choice or anyone thinking of connecting to the internet regularly.

LG Cookie Lite

The LG Cookie Lite is another entry level/budget phone. Small in size, with an equally small touch-screen.

Has a pretty low spec 1.3 megapixel camera.

A good budget buy if you really aren’t interested in flashy phones.

Read our free guide to cases for the new iPad (iPad 3).

The new iPad is slightly larger than the previous iPad 2, so some older cases may not fit. Most iPad 2 cases will fit the new iPad 3, but always check first.

We have pulled together a list of some of the best, most attractive and most popular cases that will designed for and compatible with the new iPad.

Maroo II Nylon Series KAUMATA iPad Folio

Stylish and unique high quality iPad cover.

Built in stand allows for multiple angles.

Activates the built in on/off sleep sensor.

Buy / Find out more

Belkin Verve Folio Case for new iPad

A sleek, thin and lightweight new iPad case.

A durable outer layer protects against scratches and damage.

Folds into a stand with multiple viewing angles.

Buy / Find out more

iPad Smart Cover

The official iPad Smart cover available from the Apple Store and many other online and local stores fits the iPad.

The iPad Smart Cover is available in 11 different colours, and is made of a polyurethane material.

SD TabletWear Stand and Type

Well reviewed cover, designed to allow comfortable typing or to be used as a stand to watch videos.

Relatively cheap to buy at £15.95.

Available in black, white, purple, green, red and pink.

Buy / Find out more

Hama Felt Case for new iPad/iPad 2

Made from a soft felt material.

Held secure by a stylish button.

Buy / Find out more

SwitchEasy Canvas Case for iPad 3 / iPad 2

High quality protective case.

Magnets enable auto on/off feature.

Triangle stand for hands free viewing.

Buy / Find out more

Marware MicroShell for iPad 3

Marware MicroShell for iPad 3 is a ultra-sleek shell designd to protect your iPad from scratches and damage. Both slim and light-weight it is an ideal cover.

Buy / Find out more

Griffin CinemaSeat for iPad 3/iPad 2

Use to mount iPads to the back of car seats.

Perfect for long journeys and easily bored children.

Buy / Find out more

Guide to the different types of new iPad (previously known as the iPad 3 or iPad HD).

The new third generation iPad was first announced March 7th 2012.

The new iPad features a “Retina Display” HD screen, 4G, faster dual core processor and a 5MB camera for high quality photos and 1080p video.

Read our guide to the different types of new iPad available to buy.

Contents

• Wi-Fi
• Wi-Fi + 4G
• Colours
• Black
• White
• Sizes
• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB
• Videos
• iPad Cases

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi only version is cheaper than the 4G version. It has all the exact same features, is available in black and white, and memory sizes.

Wi-Fi + 4G

The Wi-Fi + 4G version can connect to 4G and 3G mobile internet. 4G is the latest technology standard, and isn’t properly available yet in the UK. The 4G version is £100 more than the Wi-Fi only version.

Colours

The new iPad is available in two colours, black and white.

Black

The black version of the new iPad is available in both Wi-Fi only and with 4G, and in all the memory sizes.

White

The super-beautiful white version of the new iPad comes in both Wi-Fi only and with 4G, and in all memory sizes.

Sizes

The new iPad comes in three sizes in regards to memory, and as usual the memory cannot be expanded.

16GB

The smallest version of the new iPad, the most affordable also at £399.00 in Wi-Fi only.

32GB

The well sized middle version of the new iPad, available at £479.00 in Wi-Fi only.

64GB

The largest size new iPad, starting at £559.00 for the Wi-Fi only version.

Videos

An Official video from Apple for the new iPad. A great introduction to the new iPad.

Read our guide to the best types of iPad cases for the new iPad/iPad 3.

This article lists the different types of iPad available, including information on the new iPad.

Contents

• What is an iPad?
• New iPad
• Retina Display
• 4G
• Types of new iPad
• Wi-Fi Only
• Wi-Fi and 4G
• iPad 2
• Colour
• Wi-Fi / 3G Connection
• Memory
• iPad 1
• Useful websites
• Videos

What is an iPad?

The iPad (pronounced “eye-pad”) is a type of tablet computer, produced by Apple. They are basically a larger version of the iPhone or iPod touch.

New iPad

The new iPad (third generation – referred until now in the media as the “iPad 3″) was unveiled on March 7th 2012 by Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The new iPad features various improvements including a ground-breaking HD quality “Retina Display”, 5 mega-pixel camera and faster dual core A5X processor.

Click here to read more about the new iPad.

Retina Display

The new iPad features a 2048 by 1536 pixel “Retina Display” screen. The screen is so powerful that it is reported to have over 50% more pixels that a standard 1920 by 1080 pixel HD TV.

The screen sets it apart from the pack in terms of quality, setting a new standard in tablet computing.

4G

The new iPad is 4G enabled, meaning it can connect to super-fast 4G broadband – though that the capability is as yet reported to be unavailable in the UK.

Types of new iPad

There are six different types of the new iPad, with a Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G; and a black and white version of each size.

Wi-Fi Only

The Wi-Fi only version does not have 4G connectivity, but can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi.

It is available in black and white versions in the following sizes:

• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB

Wi-Fi and 4G

The new iPad with both Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity. Available in black and white in the following sizes:

• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB

iPad 2

The iPad 2 is the second generation of the device, unveiled March 2nd 2011, and released internationally on the 25th of March 2011.

The iPad two is 33% thinner and has a faster dual core Apple A5 processor. A new self-cleaning iPad case was also launched by Apple, available in a range of colours.

Colour

The iPad 2 is available in two colours:

• White
• Black

Wi-fi / 3G Connection

The iPad comes with two types of connectivity:

• Wi-fi only – Connect to the internet by wi-fi only.
• Wi-fi & 3G – Connect via wi-fi, or via a 3g connection.

In the UK 3G connections are available from:

• Vodafone (external link)
• 02(external link)
• Orange (external link)
• 3(external link)

Memory

The iPad 2 has 3 different standard memory sizes:

• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB

iPad 1

The iPad was discontinued March 2nd 2011, but is still available from many places.

Useful websites

Some useful websites for anyone wanting to learn more about the iPad:

• iPad @ Official Apple UK website
• iPad @ Currys
• iPad @ Wikipedia

Videos

Official Apple trailer for the new iPad. 5:33 long and goes into a good amount of detail on the new iPad.

A quick side by side video review of the new iPad vs the iPad 2.

The close up of the two screens shows visibly the difference in quality.

Not very heavy on the talking/analysis point of view, though as the new iPad reaches general circulation there will be many more reviews available.

A nice video that shows some of the differences between the original 1st generation iPad and the later 2nd generation iPad. This video could be useful for anyone who wants to compare the two different iPads. The video presenter makes a good point that some people may want to find out whether it is worth saving a bit of money and buy the original iPad.

Another nice side by side comparison of the iPad vs iPad 2. This video gives you a really nice quick lay-mans overview of why the second iPad is a fair bit better.

Both video reviewers seem to really be convinced that the iPad 2 is a better investment than the original 1st generation.

Images copyright Apple.

This article lists and describes the different types of iPhones available.

The iPhone was first released in the USA June 29th 2007.

There are currently 4 main types of iPhone: the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4 and the latest model the iPhone 4S.

Contents

• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPhone 3G
• iPhone
• Videos

iPhone 4S

The iPhone 4S is the latest iPhone available from Apple.

The phone is identical in design to the iPhone 4, but features a more powerful Dual-core A5 processor and the groundbreaking voice-recognition app Siri.

The iPhone 4S features an improved 8 mega-pixel camera and 1080p HD video recording.

The iPhone 4S is available in both black and white, in the following sizes:

• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB

iPhone 4

The iPhone 4, the fourth and most recent version of the iPhone series was introduced at the WWDC on June 7th, 2010.

The phone started shipping on June 24th, 2010. The white version of the iPhone 4 began shipping 28th April 2011.

The iPhone 4′s features includes the Apple A4 processor, a higher definition 960×640 326 ppi ‘retina’ display, a higher spec 5 megapixel back camera with LED flash, a VGA front-facing camera and a gyroscope which provides greater motion sensitivity.

It ships with the newest iOS version: 4.0.

The iPhone 4 is available in both black and white, in the 8GB size.

Find an iPhone 4 phone deal below:

iPhone 3GS

The iPhone 3GS was first announced in June 2009 by Apple for release shortly afterwards in June/July/August 2009.

The iPhone 3GS is available in two sizes:

• 16GB
• 32GB

As well as two colours:

• Black
• White

The iPhone 3GS has an on-board compass allowing for advanced navigation, as well as improved performance and camera.

iPhone 3G

The iPhone 3G was  released on the July 11th 2008.

It is still available in one size:

• 8GB
• 16GB (Discontinued)

With one colour:

• Black

iPhone

The iPhone was originally launched in two sizes: 4GB and 8GB, though the 4GB model was later discontinued, and a 16GB was launched.

• 4GB (Discontinued)
• 8GB (Discontinued)
• 16GB (Discontinued)

Colour:

• Black

Videos

iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS – a comparison of the iPhone 4 vs the older 3GS from PhoneArena.com.

Another comparison of iPhone 4 vs iPhone 3GS. More technical than the other video.

Article updated 30th April 2011 to include the iPhone 5.

"Immersed in Thinking" - Students learning in the corridor. Photo by sherrattsam

This article lists the different types of learners.

Contents

• Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic Theory
• Hemispheric Dominance Theory
• Experiential Learning Style Theory
• Planning for Learning Styles
• Useful Websites and Resources
• Videos

Each student is a unique package, but they can be grouped according to their learning styles.

There are three major theories about learning style to consider.

Each theory has value and offers helpful ideas, so teachers should consider all possibilities and combinations when planning lessons.

Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic Theory

This familiar theory tells us that students learn best by seeing, hearing, moving or a combination of the three.

When teaching visual learners, teachers need to provide posters, digital displays, books or handouts with graphics.

Use color, size and position to highlight information.

For auditory learners, present information through discussion, lecture, reading aloud or recorded interviews.

Kinesthetic learners will appreciate experiments, demonstrations and videos.

Hemispheric Dominance Theory

The notion of being “right-brained” or “left-brained” comes from the Hemispheric Dominance Theory.

This theory holds that language, logic and seeing the whole are the province of the left side of the brain and creative thought, insight and intuition come from the right side.

One side or the other is usually dominant, and this impacts how students learn best.

Teach right-brained students by giving them lots of facts and information.

Their dominant way of thinking will help them connect pieces into a whole idea.

Teach left-brained students by presenting the whole and allowing them to analyze and pick apart the pieces.

Show them connections and ideas and they will be able to understand the big picture more fully.

Experiential Learning Style Theory

The Experiential Learning Style Theory explains learning preferences in terms of two sliding scales.

The perceptual scale tells how students like to take in information.

Learners may prefer to get their knowledge by directly observing things or by spending quiet time reflecting and thinking about their world.

The processing scale tells how they like to work with information.

Some have a pronounced preference for direct, active experiences and others prefer reflecting and observing.

Both aspects are based on sliding scales, where learners are judged to be more like one end or the other, but few are completely described at either extreme.

Put the scales together in a cross form, and you can categorize learners into four groups based on which ends of the two scales are more applicable.

Divergent learners like to feel and watch.

Try brainstorming, cooperative learning, and imaginative techniques.

Assimilating Learners like to think and watch.

They move from details to larger concepts, so models, experiments and projects are effective.

Converging learners like to think and do.

Use problem solving, application and independent work to teach this group effectively.

Accommodating Learners like to feel and do.

Discovery learning and trial and error techniques can be most effective.

Planning for Learning Styles

Of course, groups of students will contain all of these types of learners.

Furthermore, most people are not clearly at any extreme but rather have tendencies and preferences to one type or another.

Stress, interest, experience and group dynamics can also impact students’ learning styles.

So how does one manage to meet all of these divergent needs within the same classroom and lesson?

The answer is to use a multitude of presentation techniques to help students understand the information and to offer a range of response pathways to cement learning and demonstrate mastery.

Present information with hands-on techniques such as demonstrations or models, use visual prompts and cues like posters, banners, and graphics, lecture while using Smartboard or Powerpoint presentations, and so forth.

Provide practice opportunities and assessment by allowing students to choose from an array of assignments including projects, reports or presentations, problems to solve, webquests, interviews and so forth.

Evaluate student progress by setting goals and objectives for each teaching unit then grading with a rubric-based system.

Useful Websites and Resources

These websites provide additional information about learning styles and how to use the information to design effective lessons.

There are also quizzes and tools to help teachers and students discover more about their personal learning styles.

• http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/kolb.html
• http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/art/kmg/learningstyles2.html
• http://frank.mtsu.edu/~studskl/hd/learn.html
• http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/styles/honey_mumford.html
• http://njaes.rutgers.edu/learnbydoing/weblinks.html

Videos

The following videos may be useful for anyone that wants to learn more about the different types of learners.