Will there be a 6GB Samsung Galaxy Note 7 with 128GB of storage?

Looks like China’s getting a tricked-out Note 7 with more RAM and internal storage. So what does that mean for the rest of us?

Over the past year there’s been growing chatter among Android fans as to whether Samsung’s Galaxy Note line has become just another smartphone. It started back with last year’s Note 5, which on the inside was essentially a Galaxy S6 with an extra gig of RAM and a slightly bigger battery — a baby step forward compared to the huge leap we’d seen from Galaxy S5 to Galaxy Note 4.

And there are even more striking similarities between the Galaxy S7 series and the new Note 7: Same processor, same RAM, a small bump in internal storage, USB-C and a new iris scanner feature of questionable value. Notably absent was Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 821. And as smaller rivals like ASUS and OnePlus pushed forward to 6GB of RAM, Samsung stayed at four.

Now, the Note 7 is still a far cry from being a disappointing phone. The company is building on a great platform — the Galaxy S7 — and providing a hearty upgrade for Note 4 and Note 5 owners. And yet, considering Note’s origins as a power-user device, it was a little surprising to see Samsung not go completely all-out with its specs.

Chinese consumers get the option of a premium 6GB/128GB Note 7, or a cheaper 4GB/64GB model.

Only now it looks like it might do just that in one market. There’s mounting evidence that Chinese buyers will get a Galaxy Note 7 variant (SM-N9300) with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device passed through China’s TENAA regulatory body last month, and now whispers on Chinese social network Weibo suggest two models will go on sale — 4/64GB for 5688 yuan ($854) or 6/128GB for 6088 yuan ($914) — on Sept. 2. At present there’s no indication that this tricked-out Note will make it to any other regions, and understandably this has led to some enthusiasts in the West feeling short-changed. Even right-wing British tabloid the Daily Express is getting in on the outrage.

So why China alone? It’s likely the move reflects the more spec-conscious nature of buyers in that country, where local phone makers like Oppo, ZTE, LeEco and Lenovo are already pushing to 6GB. A device with 4GB of RAM might well be seen as passé next to the ZTE Nubia Z11 or Lenovo ZUK 2 Pro. In Europe and North America, by comparison, most normal people buying phones don’t care what’s inside as long as it’s fast enough. And as the Galaxy S7 proves, 4GB is more than enough for a smooth Android experience, even with all the extra software Samsung brings to the table.

There’s an outside chance a 6GB Note 7 could land on Korean shores at some point.

It’s highly unlikely we’ll see a wider release of the 6GB/128GB model in territories where the Note 7 has already been announced — with one exception, perhaps. In the West, a souped-up Note 7 would only cater to power users — exactly the sort of people from whom there’d be a backlash if Samsung were to drop an upgraded model only weeks or months after launch. But Samsung has a track record of releasing iterative upgrades in its home market of Korea. One example would be the hilariously named Samsung Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A — dubbed the “S5 Prime” by some — which packed a higher-res screen and faster CPU as well as quicker 4G networking. And in late 2014 the firm launched a souped-up Note 4 with support for 3X carrier aggregation. Neither saw a wider international release.

So it could happen, just don’t expect it anywhere in the West. And if you absolutely must have a 6GB Note, expect some serious trade-offs in an imported Chinese model — no bundled Google services, and incomplete LTE band coverage, meaning it might not work on all carriers in your home country.

Ultimately, the Note 7 still stands a chance of being the best Android phone of 2016, however much RAM it has — a result of the diminishing importance of specs for most consumers. Where it sells the Note with 4GB, there are surely financial advantages for Samsung — less RAM costs less money — and the company should benefit from economies of scale using largely the same internals as the GS7.

And if you absolutely must have 6GB of RAM right now? Well, it’s not like there aren’t other options.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 hands-on preview
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
• Here are all four Note 7 colors
• Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
• The Galaxy Note 7 uses USB-C
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

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Circular ASUS ZenWatch 3 coming soon, IFA unveiling likely

Latest Android Wear device outed by FCC filing ahead of launch.

It’s not often that a good old fashioned FCC filing gives the game away anymore, but that’s exactly what’s given us the first reliable info on the unannounced ASUS ZenWatch 3. Diagrams first found by Ausdroid reveal a circular design and a handful of minor technical details.

The ZenWatch 3 will also feature Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n on 2.4GHz, charging at 5V/2A and a stainless steel back. The “input” reference in the graphic suggests it’ll charge directly over physical contacts, like previous ZenWatches, as opposed to Qi wireless charging like some rivals. The graphic also references “customized keys,” suggesting that like LG’s second-gen Urbane LTE there’ll be multiple keys on the side of the watch.

It’s no coincidence that Android Wear 2.0 includes a complete UI redesign to better accommodate circular displays.

The move to a circular display comes after two generations of decided square watches from ASUS — both the ZenWatch and ZenWatch 2 featured rounded rectangular designs. But with the notable exception of the Apple Watch, that’s the direction most smartwatches are heading. And it’s surely no coincidence that the upcoming Android Wear 2.0 release features a complete UI redesign built around better accommodating circular screens. A round ZenWatch 3 would be right at home on the new platform.

ASUS has an press conference scheduled for Aug. 31 in Berlin, ahead of the IFA trade show. For what it’s worth, we’ve also got pressers from Huawei and Lenovo on our pre-IFA calendar, so could this new ZenWatch have a refreshed Moto 360 and Huawei Watch to face off against? We’ll have to wait and see.

The Canadian Galaxy Note 7 runs a Snapdragon 820 chip, not Exynos

In a reversal in strategy from its Galaxy S7 and S7 edge counterpart, Android Central has learned that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will ship with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor in Canada instead of the Exynos 8890 that powered all Galaxy S7 variants outside the U.S.

In a statement to Android Central, and as first reported by MobileSyrup, Samsung Canada said the decision was made to “better align with the U.S. market,” which has been the case in previous generations of Galaxy S and Note launches. A representative went on to say that the Snapdragon 820 has been carefully optimized for the Canadian market — it powers many in-market products, including the HTC 10 and LG G5 — and is ready to facilitate carrier aggregation schemes by carriers like Bell and Rogers.

While the quad-core Snapdragon 820 is considered a slightly more powerful chip than the Exynos 8890 powering international Galaxy S7 units, it is also known for being slightly less efficient, which could negatively impact overall battery life of the Canadian Note 7. Samsung Canada assured Android Central that users will see little to know difference between a Note 7 running a Snapdragon 820 and a Galaxy S7 edge powered by Exynos, but some Reddit users decried the decision as being anti-consumer, since the Exynos chip has traditionally been easier to root, in addition to having slightly longer uptime (though rooting has become considerably less important to many Android users over the past few years).

The worst part for U.S. users? They no longer have the option of importing an Exynos-powered flagship from north of the border.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 hands-on preview
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
• Here are all four Note 7 colors
• Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
• The Galaxy Note 7 uses USB-C
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

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AT&T
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Best OnePlus 3 tips and tricks

How do I make my OnePlus 3 better, faster, and more productive? With these tips and tricks!

The OnePlus 3 is one of the best phones you can buy for $399. Featuring a fantastic metal chassis, a 1080p Optic AMOLED display, Snapdragon 820 SoC, 6GB of RAM, 64GB storage, and a 16MP camera, the phone undercuts traditional flagships by a few hundred dollars while providing a similar user experience. Hardware prowess has always been OnePlus’ forte, but this time around the software has also picked up much-needed polish in the latest version of OxygenOS, which offers a stock Android experience layered with several customizations.

Here’s how you can get the most out of your OnePlus 3.

Alert Slider

The three-stage Alert Slider made its debut last year, and is one of the best features on the OnePlus 3. The slider lets you quickly toggle between different notification modes — all notifications, priority, or silent. You also have the option of customizing what types of notification alerts are allowed when the phone is in priority or silent mode.

With the slider all the way down, you’ll receive all notification alerts. The middle stage is for priority alerts, and you can put the phone in silent mode by pushing the slider further up.

How to configure the Slider on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Navigate to Alert slider, located under the Device category.
Toggle media, alarm, reminder, event, and message settings for Priority and Silent modes.

Change the button layout

With the OnePlus 3, you have the option of using the built-in capacitive buttons or software navigation buttons. The capacitive buttons are enabled by default, but you can easily switch over to on-screen navigation keys by heading into the Settings.

How to toggle on-screen navigation buttons on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Navigate to the Buttons section, which is located under Personalization.
Toggle the on-screen navigation bar.

In addition to switching to on-screen buttons, you can alter the layout of the back and recent buttons if you’re more comfortable with having the back button to the right. If you’re sticking with the capacitive buttons, there is an option to assign secondary functions to each button, including different actions for long press and double tap. For instance, you can configure the home button to launch the camera with a double tap. Here’s how to assign secondary actions.

How to assign secondary actions to capacitive buttons on OnePlus 3

In Settings, navigate to the Buttons section.
Under Home button, assign a function for Long press action.
Assign a function for Double tap action.

You can also disable the backlight for the capacitive buttons.

Go dark

The OnePlus 3 has a dark mode that switches white and grey UI elements to black, including the notification shade, settings, and app drawer. The dark mode looks great on the AMOLED screen, and you can also customize accent colors that contrast the black background. Here’s how to enable dark mode.

How to enable dark mode on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Navigate to Customization under the Personal category.
Toggle Dark mode.

The phone also comes with a night mode that effectively acts as a blue light filter. If you’ve experienced eye fatigue after starting at your phone’s screen for an extended duration after dark, harsh blue spectrum light is likely to blame. Thankfully, the OnePlus 3’s system-wide night mode alters the display’s color temperature so that it shows warmer tones, making it easier on your eyes particularly at night. You can adjust the strength of the yellow tint as well.

How to enable blue light filter on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Head to Display, located in the Device category.
Toggle Night mode.
Adjust intensity with the slider.

Customize the display

Don’t like the way the display looks on the OnePlus 3? The screen is calibrated to show cooler colors out of the box, but you can tweak the white balance to show warmer hues.

How to adjust white balance on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Head to Display.
Use slider to adjust color balance.

While you’re tinkering around with the display settings, you should enable ambient mode, which wakes up the screen for a few seconds every time you receive a notification (à la Moto Display). There’s also proximity wake, which lets you switch on the screen by waving your hand over it.

Shelf

Shelf is a panel that sits to the left of your home screen. By default, it highlights your frequently-used apps and contacts as well as weather information for your current location. There’s also a basic note-taking client, but the best part about Shelf is the ability to stack widgets vertically. To add a widget, select the floating action button on the right hand corner, and choose your desired widget. It’s as easy as that.

If you’re not keen on Shelf and are looking to disable the custom screen, here’s how you do it.

How to enable Shelf on OnePlus 3

Tap and hold anywhere on your home screen.
Select Customize from the bottom right.
Toggle Enable Shelf.

Change icon and app drawer size

OxygenOS allows you to easily change the size of icons as well as the app drawer. If you feel that the standard icons are too large (or small), here’s how you can adjust their size without using a third-party launcher.

How to change app and icon size on OnePlus 3

Tap and hold anywhere on your home screen.
Select Customize from the bottom right.
Swipe left twice to get to the Icons card.
Select between small, standard, and large.
Swipe left once again to alter the size of the app drawer.

Customize quick toggles

You can quickly arrange the layout of the quick toggles. Here’s how.

How to change quick toggles on OnePlus 3

Swipe down from the home screen to pull up the notification shade.
Tap the Edit icon located at the top right corner.
Rearrange the tiles to your liking.

Get a different battery icon

Don’t like the default battery icon? You can change it.

How to change battery icon on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Head to Battery from the Device section.
Tap the battery icon in the top right corner.
Choose your desired icon.

Use gestures everywhere

OxygenOS has gestures for various functions, such as opening the camera, controlling music playback, and switching on the flashlight. The one I like the most is double tap to wake the screen, which should be a standard feature across all Android phones.

How to enable gestures on OnePlus 3

Open Settings from your home screen or app drawer.
Navigate to Gestures in the Personal category.
Select the gestures you want to enable.

Use the camera’s manual mode

The OnePlus 3 has a great manual mode for the camera that lets you adjust the ISO, white balance, exposure settings, and much more.

How to access manual camera mode on OnePlus 3

Open Camera from your home screen or app drawer.
Tap the menu at the top left corner.
Select Manual mode.

Your turn

How are you liking your OnePlus 3? What kinds of tips and tricks do you have for a better experience? Let us know in the comments!

OnePlus 3

• OnePlus 3 review: Finally, all grown up
• OnePlus 3 specs
• OnePlus 3 vs. the flagship competition
• Latest OnePlus 3 news
• Discuss OnePlus 3 in the forums

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Kyocera Duraforce PRO doubles as a wide-angle action camera

The new Duraforce PRO is a unique waterproof phone with a wide-angle action camera!

Kyocera has announced the Duraforce PRO, its latest rugged phone that has a built-in wide view action camera. Mainly known for its waterproof and shockproof devices, this will be the first time that Kyocera adds an action camera into its phone to combine the best of two worlds into one. Sporting a 5-inch 1080p display, the Duraforce PRO features 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. On the back you’ve got a 13MP camera, and the front has a 5MP shooter for capturing those selfies. The rear camera features a number of new modes, such as underwater mode, sports mode, slow motion, time-lapse and other camera filters/applications.

With its 3420mAh battery, you should get all-day battery life and solid recording time on the action camera. The phone will be available later this fall, but no word on pricing yet.

Press release:

Kyocera Goes Pro with New Duraforce PRO, the First Rugged Smartphone with a Built-in Super Wide View FHD Action Camera

The Only Rugged Smartphone All-In-One Super Wide View FHD Action Camera

SAN DIEGO – – Kyocera International Inc., the North American leader in rugged mobile solutions, today announced the new Kyocera DuraForce PRO – the only rugged 4G LTE smartphone with a Super Wide View FHD (1080p) Action Camera. The latest in Kyocera’s leading portfolio of military-grade rugged, waterproof devices, DuraForce PRO offers an affordable, durable and dependable smartphone for both business users and consumers. Complementing the phone’s 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, the new Super Wide View Camera offers functionality once reserved for dedicated action-camera devices, including underwater operation mode, and the phone can be integrated with popular action-camera mounts. DuraForce PRO will launch nationwide in the coming months.

DuraForce PRO was designed by Kyocera to be rugged for a reason—to provide businesses and consumers with a dependable smartphone that can withstand the harshest environments and mishaps, all with the peace of mind of a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty. For an industrious worker, an adventurous thrill-seeker or a parent on the go, DuraForce PRO incorporates cutting-edge technology and features designed to function in life’s most demanding moments. It is equipped with a large 5-inch Full HD display and a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ octa-core processor (1.5GHz x 4/1.2GHz x 4) with X8 LTE and multi-mode to ensure fast connections on diverse global networks.¹

The phone is shockproof, drop-proof, and dustproof, with certifications to IP68 (waterproof up to 30 minutes, up to 2 meters deep) and Military Standard 810G for protection against dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, blowing rain, low pressure, solar radiation, salt fog, humidity, immersion, temperature shock and icing/freezing rain. Enabling seamless one-to-one or one-to-many communications, DuraForce PRO also includes a dedicated side button for Push-To-Talk (PTT) that can also be programmed by non-PTT users for one-touch access to a favorite feature or application.

“Kyocera’s new DuraForce PRO provides consumers and businesses with industry-leading rugged technology and is the only rugged smartphone with a built-in high-definition action camera, enabling users to stay connected and capture the content they love no matter the circumstance or environment,” said Chuck Becher, senior division vice president of sales, marketing and product at Kyocera International’s Communications Equipment Group. “With the breadth of durable features our customers have come to expect from Kyocera, DuraForce PRO delivers peace of mind, unmatched durability and rugged design, all at a price point consumers will love.”

In addition to the Super Wide View FHD Action Camera, DuraForce PRO also integrates the following features:

• Leading security features, including a fingerprint security sensor on the phone’s power button for biometric authentication and FIDO® Certified for simpler, stronger authentication to support popular mPayment/ mCommerce protocols
• Cutting-edge connectivity, including enterprise-grade Wi-Fi with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/r/k, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Mobile Hot Spot (for up to ten devices), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, Miracast and USB 2.0
• Enhanced camera features including underwater mode, sports mode, slow motion, time-lapse and other camera filters/applications
• Leading-edge performance with a Snapdragon processor and 32GB/2GB of ROM/RAM memory capacity
• Survivability with waterproof, shockproof, dropproof and dustproof capabilities, certified to Ingress Protection (IP) and Military Standard 810G standards for environmental hazards
• Extreme-environment protection, including protection against dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, blowing rain, low pressure, solar radiation, salt fog, humidity, immersion, temperature shock and icing/freezing rain
• Impact-resistant 5″ FHD (1920×1080) display designed to survive falls with a hardened, impact-resistant touchscreen
• Continuous productivity across environments with Glove and Wet Touchscreen Operation to allowing the device to be functional even when wet or used with gloved hands
• Longer battery life with a large 3,240mAh non-removable battery, Wireless Charging support and Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 2.0, a comprehensive suite of battery-management technologies that lets devices charge up to 75 percent faster than conventional charging methods
• Enhanced audio experience through 100+dB dual front speakers for improved sound, particularly in noisy environments

For business and enterprise users, Kyocera is collaborating with leading enterprise application and solution providers. DuraForce PRO supports Android for Work, along with industry-leading security, device-management and productivity apps. It is currently being certified for Common Criteria for government agencies and other entities with that requirement. Kyocera also works with a wide array of accessory manufacturers, creating hardware solutions to customize the device for specific industries. The device is certified for use in hazardous locations where concentrations of flammable gas, vapors or mists are not normally present in explosive concentrations but may exist (Non-incendive Class I, Division 2, Group A-D, T4).

Selling your Android phone or tablet: the ultimate guide

How do I sell my Android phone or tablet for the most amount of money? With these tips and tricks, you’ll get the best return!

So a new Android phone has caught your eye — maybe the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 — and you want to get on the boat as soon as possible. You’ll need to sell your old phone in order to make up some of the money you’re spending on that new device, but luckily there are a wealth of options available. We’re going to get you through some of the best practices out there for preparing your Android phone or tablet for sending off, and some places for sale that would best suit your needs.

Remove SIM and SD cards

First up, you’ll want to take out the SIM card and SD memory card from your phone. These are important pieces of hardware that you don’t want to forget in your phone when you ship it off to your buyer. Your SIM card is what enables your phone to take calls at your number and is associated with your data plan. You’ll need it for your new phone, anyway. Often you’ll need a paperclip or similarly slim poking implement to open a SIM card tray, but sometimes it will be behind the rear casing of your phone by the battery. The exact method will vary by device.

Not every phone or tablet will have an SD memory card slot, but you’ll often find them alongside your SIM card slot. Memory cards will often store your photos and music, though the device itself has its own storage too. Use either your phone’s native file manager or a third party one (I like Astro to look into folder where downloads, music, and photos may have been saved. From there, you should be able to copy them to your SD card before taking it out. You’ll want to check to make sure all of your important files are saved, so be sure to back up your data as well.

Back up data

Assuming your data is associated with your Google account, your contacts, calendar, and e-mail will already be fully backed up in the cloud. That means as soon as you fire up your new phone, that important information will be there as soon as you log into your Google account. Many manufacturers will offer their own similar cloud backup utility that encompasses contacts and calendars. More storage-intensive content such as music and photos can be backed up wirelessly with Google Drive, or third parties like Flickr and Dropbox.

Your Google account, your contacts, calendar, and e-mail will already be fully backed up in the cloud.

If you’d rather not go through the cloud, your device manufacturer should have desktop software that would allow you to back up your data with a USB cable. Again, that process will vary by who made your phone or tablet.

More: Backing up your Android phone: the ultimate guide

Unlock your phone

Strictly speaking this part is optional, though it certainly adds value. Unlocking your phone means SIM cards other than those of the original carrier can be used. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean the phone’s antenna will necessarily play nice with the new network, but unlocking at least gives it a chance to try. In the U.S. this is only really of interest to T-Mobile and AT&T customers, but is quite important to international sellers and buyers.

Everything you need to know about unlocking your phone

So where do you go to unlock your phone? Your current service provider may be willing to do it after some wrangling. You can go with an online service too, like CellUnlocker.net. Cost is usually in the ballpark of $15 to $25. depending on phone model. The unlock is accomplished by generating a code based on your IMEI number. Your IMEI number can be found under Settings and About device, or by entering *#06# in the phone dialler.

Unlocking your phone often adds value to your phone, since it can work on other carriers around the world.

Once you’ve received an unlock code from your service provider or third-party unlocker, put a different SIM card into your phone, and you’ll be prompted to put in that code. Be careful, you only get so many tries before you’re locked out entirely from your phone.

Factory reset

Once you’re sure your data is safe and secure, you’re ready to wipe it clean. The first thing you’ll want to do is turn off Factory Reset Protection (FRP), which is an extra security measure in case your phone or tablet gets stolen and the thief simply does a factory reset on it. FRP can be disabled by removing your Google accounts from the phone or tablet. Jump into Settings and find Accounts. You’ll see a list of various accounts you’ve set up on the device, but you want to tap on Google. Here, you’ll see your Google account(s), where you can tap on them, and see more settings to remove them permanently.

In the Settings section for most phones, you’ll find under Settings an option for Backup and Reset. If it’s not immediately visible, the settings menu should have a search bar to help you. You’ll want to double and triple check to make sure all of your important information has been recovered from the phone, because after this there’s no going back.

Gather official and third-party accessories

With your phone wiped clean, you’ll want to get all of the miscellaneous odds and ends you have lying around. If you still have the original box, receipt, and warranty, those are all good to include. Original USB cable, wall charger, and headphones are nice bonuses. If you want to put the real icing on the cake and increase your chance of sales, include any relevant third-party accessories. The case in particular you won’t have much use for after this anyway.

If you still have the original box, receipt, and warranty, those are all good to include. Cables and chargers are good, too!

Clean device and take pictures

Give your phone or tablet a good wipe down with a microfiber cloth, and get ready to take some pictures. Use a proper camera (i.e. not another phone) with a tripod, if you have one. Your top priority for taking pictures is good lighting. A lamp will cast a lot of shadow, but if you have a cool-toned halogen overhead light in the house somewhere, that should provide a nice even look.

Keep the background clean. Even if you’re just putting the phone on a white piece of paper, that’s fine. Get multiple angles, and if there are any particular scuffs or shows of wear, photograph them; being deceptive about the state of your phone will lead to poor feedback or outright refunds, depending how you’re going about selling.

Sell your device

With your phone wiped, cleaned, and the accessories all boxed up, you’ve got to figure out where to sell. Your venue of choice will often decide how much of a return you’ll get.

Sell via carrier trade-in

Finding a buyer can be a hassle, but all major U.S. carriers will offer you credit for your old phone. A resurgence in many guaranteed upgrade plans actually require you to hand your old phone back before being able to snag a new one. Though this is a pretty convenient solution, especially if you intend on sticking with your carrier for your next phone, the actual return on your phone will likely be less than other venues for sale.

• Verizon trade-in
• AT&T trade-in
• T-Mobile trade-in
• Sprint trade-in

Sell via Amazon trade-in

Amazon’s trade-in service applies for just about every type of phone, tablet, and electronic product. Amazon will pay for shipping your device out to them, but you’ll get paid with an Amazon gift card rather than proper cash, but that might not be an awful thing if you can find your next phone on Amazon (and you probably can). If you just want some cold, hard cash, or already have your next device ready to go, this route might not be for you.

Sell on Amazon

Sell via eBay

eBay is a massively popular way to sell your stuff. A rating system vets sellers, and you can pay in a number of secure ways. You’ll need to deal with additional fees and the hassle of shipping, but a much wider audience will see your device for sale here than just about anywhere. There are a few things to keep in mind before jumping onto eBay.

• Only ship to the confirmed PayPal address, if that’s how you’re getting paid. This ensures you keep PayPal Seller Protection.
• Price competitively. It’s easy to check other sales of the same item and see how much they’ve sold for. With a larger seller pool, it’s easy for buyers to find cheaper options.
• Be honest about the condition of your Android device. Shipping an item in the condition it wasn’t described as can earn you a poor review, and potentially lead to the buyer getting their money back.
• Use accurate keywords in the title and description. That means full market name, model number, carrier branding, memory denomination, and a mention of accessories included.
• Mention shipping details in your description. Usually the faster the shipping the better, even if it bumps up the cost of the device, and insurance isn’t a bad idea. Communicate regularly with your eventual buyer about the shipping status of the device.
• Avoid low-feedback buyers. Odds are it’s for a reason, and you can often drill down into their feedback profile to see any previous altercations a buyer has had on eBay.

Sell on eBay

Craigslist

Use Craigslist to sell your Android device locally, which cuts out the issue of shipping. Any potential buyer will want to check out the condition of your phone in person before handing over any money. Some sellers might not be comfortable meeting strangers and taking their money, but it’s fairly common occurrence. So long as you follow some simple guidelines, everything should go fine.

• It should go without saying, but don’t post your home address in the public Craigslist ad.
• Price competitively by monitoring how much similar devices are selling for. You’ll have a hard time moving yours if potential buyers know they can get a better deal.
• If interested buyers want to call on the phone, consider using Skype or a temporary phone number to maintain privacy.
• Meet in a public place during the daytime. Most buyers are going to be perfectly normal and friendly, but better safe than sorry.
• Shipping internationally or getting offers that are absurdly higher than your asking price are signs of a scam. Hold off for a legit offer.

Sell on Craigslist

Swappa

Swappa is a dedicated mobile device marketplace with established quality assurance. Buyers pay a $10 fee in the U.S., but what they’re buying is inspected and vouched for by Swappa. They even do a check to make sure there isn’t an outstanding balance on the device. The prices are decent, to boot.

Sell on Swappa

Gazelle

Gazelle is similar to Swappa, though they’re ultimately trying to do the selling for you rather than pairing you up with a buyer. They’ll buy your phone painlessly, though you won’t get as good of a price as you might from other services.

Sell on Gazelle

Friends and family

People you already know may be in the market for a new device and be willing to pay up-front for one. Assuming you’re on good terms with a buyer you already know, you can count on getting a good price, plus it’s convenient being able to hand off the phone to someone you might already see regularly anyway. Of course, you also get the warm-and-fuzzy feeling of knowing your well-loved phone is going to a good home.

Android Central forums

We have a whole forum dedicated to wheeling and dealing in used devices. Check in with our community members that are interested in buying, and you may have a sale before you know it. You can also check out our general help forums if you’ve got questions about how to go about selling your Android device.

Visit the Android Central Marketplace

Visit the Android Central General Help forums

Coolpad unveils Coolpad Mega, a nicely designed budget smartphone for India

Coolpad has unveiled the Coolpad Mega, its latest budget smartphone for India.

In a press conference in New Delhi today, Coolpad unveiled the Coolpad Mega, a lightweight, nicely designed affordable smartphone. Powered by the latest CoolUI 8.0 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Coolpad Mega supports dual SIM dual standby with VoLTE support and offers 4G LTE network.

The company claims that with the launch of Coolpad Mega, Coolpad aims to capture 13-15% of the online smartphone segment of phones priced under ₹8,000 – a growth rate of 100% YOY. In the first flash sale for Coolpad Mega, the company wants to sell 50,000 phones.

While the first phase of Coolpad Mega devices will be imported from China, later they will be manufactured in India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Coolpad Mega 2.5D Specifications

Operating System	Android Marshmallow 6.0 with CoolUI 8.0
Display	5.5-inch HD (1280 x 720) IPS LCD | 2.5D curved screen
Processor	64-bit 1.0GHz MediaTek MT6735P Quad-core processor | Mali-T720 GPU
RAM	3GB
Internal Storage	16GB; expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card
Camera	8MP front camera with 83.6-degrees wide-angle lens + 8MP rear camera with LED flash
Battery	2500mAh
Dimensions	153 × 76.8 × 7.85mm
Weight	143gms

Priced at ₹6,999 ($105), Coolpad Mega will be exclusively available on Amazon in gold, white, and black. The smartphone will go on sale starting August 24 via flash sale for which registrations have already begun. Coolpad has also teased a disruptive product before Diwali this year, without sharing any details of the same.

The Coolpad Mega is an elegant looking smartphone, and looks pretty good on the specifications sheet for a budget smartphone. Would you be interested in picking one up? Tell us in the comments.

See at Amazon