Hasta La Gadget!

It was rumored back in August that Apple was going to launch an iPhone trade-in program of its own. Third party retailers had offered such programs for quite some time, this was believed to be Tim Cook’s move to increase iPhone sales being made at the company’s own retail stores. Apple launched the program that month, allowing customers with older models to trade-in their smartphones. Up till now the program has been exclusive to stores in the U.S., though a new report suggests that the program might soon be expanded into the UK and Europe.

Apparently Apple has started preparing training materials for retail store staff in the UK to get them up to speed with the iPhone trade-in program. Training has reportedly begun in a small number of outlets, complete roll out is expected over the next couple of months. The entire procedure is quite simple, customers take in their old iPhone and are offered a value based on the condition of the device. Retail store employees will look at a number of factors such as water damage, screen quality and hardware damage. Once the customer accepts the value for their old iPhone, they’ll be given a gift card of the same value which must be put toward the purchase of a new iPhone. Customers can’t use the gift card for anything else being offered for sale in the store, they have to purchase a new iPhone. No word as yet exactly when Apple intends on launching the program beyond U.S. borders. The UK is a logical place to expand into next, given the fact that after the U.S., it has the highest number of Apple Retail Stores.

Apple Reportedly Expanding iPhone Trade-In Program Beyond The U.S. original content from Ubergizmo.

T-Mobile’s uncarrier announcements started off earlier this year, when the carrier decided to shun conventional two year contracts and also decided to allow its subscribers to jump their upgrade cycles. In New York City this evening, Magenta is scheduled to make its third uncarrier announcements. Nothing has been officially revealed about this announcement as yet, other than the fact that Shakira is going to be there. A Facebook fansite for Shakira has posted a teaser image which reveals details about the announcement, whether or not the details are true, is an entirely different story. Its not like an image such as this is hard to fabricate.

As per the image, apparently T-Mobile subscribers’ data plan will essentially have a “passport,” affording them the luxury to have global data coverage in more than 100 countries. What’s enticing about this is the possibility of subscribers not being required to pay any extra charges for this privilege. The teaser image doesn’t mention if data service is going to be capped, which countries are going to be included and what price the subscribers will have to pay in order to get this data passport. We’re looking forward to the T-Mobile uncarrier announcement tonight, international data coverage being announced with an international star, blends together, does it not? [Image via Droidlife]

T-Mobile’s Next Uncarrier Move Might Bring Global Data Service Without Extra Charges original content from Ubergizmo.

Getting to one destination and then having to input your next destination manually? Who has the time? Years of your life have been wasted with this arduous task. But now, finally (or, rather, once again) you can add multiple destinations all at once in Google Maps.

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We’ve seen Chromebook prices get cheaper and cheaper, but the majority opinion appears to remain the same: they’re nice laptops in theory, but they don’t cut it in the real world. Interesting, then, that Google’s marketing the new HP Chromebook 11 as the laptop “for everyone.” One thing that we …

Back in May the internet search giant gave us a preview of the new Google Maps. With the feedback it has received since then, it has added more new features to make the user experience even better. Google says that one of the most requested features was directions for multiple destinations, the feature has started rolling out today. Users simply have to choose a starting point and then click ‘+’ to add stops along the route by either type the place in the search box or clicking on the map. New Google Maps will generate directions for all of those destinations.

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New Google Maps Gets More Features original content from Ubergizmo.