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CeX hack puts as many as 2 million accounts at risk
Second-hand gaming retailer CeX has been left red-faced after being forced to admit that an "online security breach" may have put as many as two million customer accounts at risk. In an email to customers, the company said that personal information -- including first names, surnames, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers -- were stolen. Financial information was also pilfered "in a small number of instances", but CeX confirmed that the encrypted data included only expired credit and debit cards up to 2009.
CeX begins trading in Bitcoin at stores across the UK
Technology swap shop CeX has today become the first UK retailer with a far-flung high street presence to widely support Bitcoin. Earlier in the year, CeX briefly experimented with the cryptocurrency at one of its Glasgow locations, which also became home to Scotland's first Bitcoin ATM, shortly before it started supporting the virtual tender on its website. And from today, 32 CeX stores across the country will now happily accept payment in Bitcoin, as well as credit you in the cryptocurrency for anything you'd like to trade in. All being well, CeX plans to roll out support to more branches in due course, as well as install additional in-store Bitcoin ATMs at select locations -- because petty thieves can't live on Bitcoin alone now, can they?
UK retailer GAME opens pre-owned focused line of stores
GAME looks to be dipping its feet further into the pre-owned pool with a new line of stores focused heavily on trading used games. As MCV and The Lincolnite report, the UK retailer re-opened two of its oulets as "Gametronics" stores today, with an aim to focus not just on trading second-hand games, but also consoles, gaming accessories, and other electronics like smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs. GAME has been buying and selling used games for some time, but as MCV notes, these new stores look to rival CEX, a growing second hand goods chain in the UK with a strong arm in used games and consoles. As if to underline that, the Lincoln Gametronics is sat right next door to a CEX store. However, according to MCV the Gametronics stores will also stock a selection of new items. [Image: @ichambersuk]
More iPhone and iPad trade-in suggestions
After posting about Apple's PowerON partnership for trade-ins, I was contacted by several parties who hoped I could give their services a mention (all prices are USD). Sarah Hahn of Allison PR represents Glyde, a service she says pays out up to $460 for a 64GB 4S versus the max $345 available through PowerON. That's a huge difference, and we recommend caution when dealing with any vendor whose prices seem too good to be true. Ashley Halberstadt of Blast Media points to NextWorth, which offers both cash and gift-card trade-in options. Their price lock guarantee will extend through October 1st. Their 64GB 4S trade-in is going for $351. TUAW readers also chimed in with thoughts and advice. Reader mindflayer writes that he sold his to GameStop. "Cash in hand, more money offered than Gazelle." Chris Braden went with eBay instead. "I had a great experience with eBay instant sale when the new iPad came out," he wrote. "They ran a promotion where I got a lot more money than anywhere else, and I did the whole transaction with my phone." Smythe Richbourg used NextWorth. "It worked like a charm, and I got a decent price. Looking at what they're paying now, however, the prices are not too good. eBay is much better, since you get what the market will bear. I've sold both my original iPad 16 GB ($200 - sold in less than 2 minutes!) and an iPhone 4 32 GB ($400 - sold in a few days) there in the past few months, for about twice what the buy-back sites were offering." James Winder had some advice for UK readers. "I live in the UK and for the last couple of years I've mostly used a company called CEX (Computer Exchange) to sell old iPhones to. You can get a price for your particular phone straight away online and then go into the store and receive cash for it. I usually buy a new iPhone first, set it up and then when I'm happy with it I wipe and cash in the old one." He mentions that, at least in the UK, independent pawn shops give much better prices for iPhones than the larger companies and carriers. He adds, "Oh and a lot of friends always pop up on Facebook offering phones for sale around the time a new one comes out and usually don't have trouble selling them to other friends." Got some trade-in/reselling advice? Drop a note in the comments.
