Whenever it comes time to get a new cell phone you, obviously, have to retire your old one. Once you have transferred the data from the old device to the new one, it is (probably) best to either trade in the phone for a credit or recycle it. However, much like getting rid of an old computer, you should be sure to remove all personal data from your old cell phone.

The linked article has an extensive list of pieces which you should be sure to remove in the event they contain private information. Of course, each device is different so methods of removal will be vary. The article also provides links to several utilities which you may be able to use to delete the data easily, but if not then you might have to remove the data manually.

Going "niche" market means to be specialized to one particular product. And if the product you sell has enough of a following, it sells itself just by brand alone.

Selling a new PC is tough because you simply cannot compete with Dell. They will always be able to sell for less than you can. And if not Dell, some other big name PC maker will always have better prices than yours.

A vintage computer on the other hand is a collectible item, and selling collectibles eliminates having to fight with big PC maker corporations because that’s not their business.

Concerning yesteryear computers, there’s an ever-growing following for older computers, and in particular, 8-bit and early 32-bit systems. And its not just for the old folks either. People in their teens and twenties are seeking old computer gear because "retro" is "cool".

The best place to find what’s selling and for how much is to see the Apple and Vintage Computing Categories on eBay. To get there, go to Computers & Networking, and choose either Vintage Apple from Apple Computers & Components or the Vintage Computing category.

Check out what’s listed and see how much it’s going for. You’ll be surprised to find that some old clunkers command $500, and in some cases over $1,000. Take note of the ones that command higher prices.

Where do you find vintage systems on the cheap that you can resell for higher prices later?

The two best places are computer recycling centers and the tried-and-true good ol’ flea market.

Computer recycling centers will usually only sell what they can get rid of quickly and normally don’t deal with vintage stuff whatsoever. For whatever they receive that’s over 5 years old, that usually goes straight to destruction so it can be stripped of all its precious metals for reselling later. You will almost never see a recycling center post eBay listings for vintage computer gear.

You have to call the recycling center and ask specifically if they have any ancient computers. Most of the time they’ll say yes and will be more than happy to sell them to you just to get it off the floor, because they will make more off that compared to the metals. From there you just drive on over, walk the warehouse and see what’s there. Bring a truck or van, you’ll most likely need it. If what they have looks like something you could sell, take it.

And if you’re wondering where the computer recycling centers are, they’re in the phone book. Or just search on Google Maps for one local to you. They’re not difficult to find.

You will, without fail, always find vintage computers at flea markets. And some are in darn fine condition or can be restored easily. You will never find these vintage units at vendors specifically selling computers, but rather the guy or girl that is selling potpourri-style. You may find that sought-after VIC-20 in the box. What’s worth more, the computer or the box? The box, of course. This is back in the day when computers came in full-color print laminate boxes (see here for a photo of the one the VIC-20 came in).

Sometimes specific components are worth just as much, if not more

The best example I can give of where the component is worth more than the computer is the Commodore 1581 floppy disk drive. Sure, Commodore 64 computers are a dime a dozen. It was the best selling computer of all time (still to this day). But the 1581 drive is tough to locate. In mint condition they sell for around $200. If you see one at a flea market with its power supply for $15, grab that sucker.

Chances are you’ll make more cash with collectibles

With the right acquisition of vintage computer gear you know that sells (via eBay research), all you need to do is acquire the goods, clean them up, make sure they work and then sell them. Whether it’s entire systems or specific components, there’s a market for it. And you’ll probably make more from vintage computing than you ever would with building new units.

A big buzzword in any industry to do with electronics right now is “green”. Green, green, green. What does it mean, old bean? [/end corny rhyming here.]

It means anything that is less destructive to Mother Earth.

However there’s two parts to this. The first part is that the whatever-it-is must be less destructive now and less destructive as waste – which it will inevitably become.

Let’s take a look at how green a laptop can be.

Power Consumption

Green? Somewhat.

Whenever you’re running on batteries you’re not using power from the wall. This means you’re not needlessly using electricity from your utilities company and therefore is better for the environment.

When you are plugged in to the wall, a laptop’s power brick uses significantly less power compared to a standard PC’s power supply.

Most people would agree the bare minimum for an adequately powered computer requires a 300-watt PSU.

A laptop power brick ordinarily requires 65 watts or less. So even if you’re plugged in the wall you’re not using nearly as much juice as a standard PSU does.

The reason I label this as a “somewhat” green is because “gamer” laptops aren’t green. Some even require 120-watt power bricks just to power up and the battery life isn’t as good as standard laptops. Granted, it’s still far below 300 watt consumption, but if the goal is to be friendly to the environment, a 120-watt brick is wasteful.

If you want a better idea of what the watts means compared to other common household items, see this table.

Processor

Green? Yes.

Mobile processors are designed from the start to consume less power to extend battery life as much as possible. In addition they’re usually smaller which means less waste in the future.

Chassis/Case

Green? No.

If you own a laptop, there a high probability the chassis is plastic, and that plastic was made out of petroleum.

With standard PC cases you have the choice of the material its made out of, including steel which can be recycled later.

With laptops the most valuable thing in it to recyclers are its precious metals – but this obviously doesn’t include the chassis.

There are some rare instances where laptops have a chassis made from something other than plastic, but they are few and far between. One rare example is the current-generation Macbook which has an aluminum unibody.

Lifespan

Green? No.

This is the biggest knock against laptops in the green department. Full-sized PCs do last longer than laptops do (mostly because they’re not moved around). So even though you’ve got a much smaller footprint in power consumption and later e-waste, this may be all for naught if the thing dies too early.

Said in simpler terms: If you have to throw out 2 laptops in 5 years compared to only 1 standard PC in five years, the e-waste between each gets a little too close to a wash at that point. You’re still throwing out less overall bulk with the laptops but are needlessly using twice as much precious metals.

And yes I know there will be those that will say “My laptop has last x years just as long as a standard PC!” Good for you. But that still doesn’t eradicate the fact laptops bust quicker than full-sized computer boxes do.

End result – Is it green?

At the present state of the way most laptops are made, the short answer is yes. The long answer is “short term gain, long term loss”.

Short-term gain: Less power is used even when plugged in. Lower-powered CPUs are used. Laptop has far less of a footprint overall compared to a standard PC box.

Long-term loss: Plastic, plastic and more plastic. When the unit gets thrown out, the plastic and all its badness will go with it. And more laptops get thrown out than PCs do.

Hope for the future?

While most laptops still use too much plastic, they are being built thinner, lighter and more durable. The processors are also running cooler and faster at the same time. This makes the long-term result for Mother Earth not so bleak.

More information can be read here on e-waste and what it means to the Earth.