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Samsung's Galaxy S20 buyback scheme promises half your money back
Samsung has launched a buyback program for the Galaxy S20 that would make it quite a steal -- provided you take care of it. Here's how it works: If you buy any of the Galaxy S20 phones on Samsung's store, you can return it any time within 24 months. Provided you've kept it in good shape with "no damage beyond normal wear and tear," Samsung will credit 50 percent of the full retail price to your payment account.
Exclusive: iCracked will buy your old iPhone from you while you're in line for your iPhone 6
If you're planning on standing in line at an Apple Store for an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus tomorrow morning, you might be able to actually sell your old iPhone while you wait and have money available to buy the new device. iCracked has a brilliant idea they're trying out tomorrow. They'll have techs on hand to look at your old device, make an estimate, and if you accept, they'll hand you a debit card that you can use to pay for your new iPhone. iCracked is an international company that employs 677 "iTechs" to do iPhone and iPad repairs on-site. The company also buys used equipment, and is known for its "do it yourself" repair kits as well. Of course, not every Apple Store will have someone on hand, but we have the list of iCracked locations available here. If you use the service tomorrow, be sure to tell your tech that you read about this on TUAW. Arizona Phoenix, Biltmore Scottsdale, Scottsdale Quarter California Berkeley, 4th Street Burlingame, Burlingame Canoga Park, Topanga Glendale, The Americana at Brand Irvine, Irvine Spectrum Center Los Angeles, The Grove Los Gatos, Los Gatos Modesto, Vintage Faire Newport Beach, Fashion Island Northridge, Northridge Palo Alto, Palo Alto Pasadena, Pasadena Rancho Cucamonga, Victoria Gardens Roseville, Roseville Sacramento, Arden Fair San Francisco, Chestnut Street San Francisco, San Francisco San Luis Obispo, Higuera Street Santa Barbara, State Street Santa Monica, Third Street Promenade Thousand Oaks, The Oaks Colorado Boulder, Twenty Ninth Street Denver, Cherry Creek Littleton, Aspen Grove District of Columbia Washington, Georgetown Florida Miami, The Falls Miami Beach, Lincoln Road Illinois Chicago, Lincoln Park Massachusetts Boston, Boylston Street Nevada Reno, Summit Sierra New Jersey Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill Marlton, Sagemore New York New York, Fifth Avenue New York, Grand Central New York, SoHo New York, Upper West Side New York, West 14th Street Oregon Portland, Pioneer Place Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Walnut Street Pittsburgh, Shadyside Texas Austin, The Domain Dallas, Knox Street Utah Murray, Fashion Place Salt Lake City, City Creek Center Virginia Richmond, Short Pump Town Center Washington Seattle, University Village Spokane, River Park Square
Sprint and T-Mobile fight to buy back your old devices
With the new iPhone making its debut later and other phones coming out in the next few months, you're probably already looking for the best way to trade in your old device for a new one. Sprint and T-Mobile both want your business really badly, it seems, so now they're trying to one-up each others' -- and everyone else's -- buyback programs. While the Now Network has long paid up to $300 for old gadgets, the company will now start matching any higher trade-in price you get from the other three major carriers, in an effort to offer the best deal possible. But Big Magenta won't go down without a fight: in case you get a better buyback pricing from another carrier, the company will not only match it, but also add $50 on top of the total amount to make the deal sweeter.
Report: Yamauchi family to sell shares in Nintendo buyback
Nintendo will put into effect a 114.2 billion-yen ($1.1 billion) share buyback program tomorrow – the first instituted response to lackluster Wii U sales lowering the company's bottom line. Nintendo will seek to reacquire as many as 9.5 million shares (7.4 percent) of its outstanding stock at 12,025 yen ($119) each and, according to a report on Bloomberg, the Yamauchi family will be among those selling. Hiroshi Yamauchi, who served as president and CEO from 1949 until 2002, is credited with Nintendo's transition from playing card company into video game powerhouse. Yamauchi left his near 10 percent stake in Nintendo to his four children when he passed away last September. Nintendo has not said if Yamauchi's heirs plan to sell all of their stock or just a fraction. Whatever the intentions of this buyback initiative, it's clear that Nintendo has been thinking a lot about its future. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata outlined plans last week that included bringing DS games to Wii U and researching non-wearable health tech as means to turn back on the cash printer. [Image: Nintendo]
Dell officially goes private, says focus is on you
Michael Dell's acquisition of his namesake company is now complete. The purchase under Dell and investment firm Silver Lake Partners was valued at $24.9 billion and, as Dell said during a September investor's call, the company is committed to innovation and customer service as a newly private company. He reiterated that point in a statement today, saying, "Our 110,000 team members worldwide are 100 percent focused on our customers and aggressively executing our long-term strategy for their benefit." In the lead up to the deal, Dell seems poised to re-focus the business around emerging markets, enterprise R&D and acquisitions, and the PC, tablet and virtual computing space. The move to privatize comes after multiple quarters of dwindling profits and lackluster tablet sales for one of the World's biggest PC makers. Credit: Getty Images
Activision Blizzard now free from Vivendi
Back in July, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick led a charge to buy the company back from parent company Vivendi. After a few bumps in the road, the share buyback is complete and Activision Blizzard is now (mostly) free of Vivendi. $5.83 billion of stock is owned by Activision Blizzard, while Kotick and his partners hold on to $2.34 billion. Vivendi's not completely out of the loop yet, but its shares have been cut down to 12%. After five years under Vivendi's wing, Kotick says he is excited to "get back to focusing on making great games," according to a recent interview with Bloomberg.
Activision Blizzard completes buyback from Vivendi Universal in multi-billion dollar deal
Activision Blizzard recently bought back a controlling stake in itself from Vivendi Universal. The reacquisition was a joint effort by the company itself and an investment group that includes Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and Chairman Brian Kelly. When the dust settled, Activision Blizzard picked up 429 million shares and other assets for around $5.83 billion, while the investment group snagged 172 million shares -- an almost 24.7 percent stake -- for approximately $2.34 billion. The deal leaves a majority of the remaining 690 million shares in the hands of the public, while Vivendi is hanging onto 83 million shares, or about 12 percent. For his part Kotick is optimistic about the firm's independence, even stating that he expects that the company's developers will benefit from a "focused commitment to the creation of great games." Let's just hope that this newfound concentration bodes well for the company's historically doomed subsidiaries.
Activision completes purchase of itself from Vivendi
Activision's buyback of $8.2 billion of its own shares from Vivendi has been completed, the publisher announced today. It was just yesterday that the Delaware Supreme Court overturned a September ruling that halted the purchase, which followed a lawsuit by an Activision Blizzard shareholder in August. The shareholder alleged a "breach of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment" on Activision's behalf. The publisher's purchase from Vivendi amounts to 429 million of its own shares for $5.83 billion. Additionally, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick and Co-Chairman Brian Kelly purchased 172 million shares for $2.34 billion in a separate transaction. Activision is now officially an independent company, majority owned by its shareholders. "The shares Activision Blizzard purchased in the transaction will no longer be treated as outstanding, leaving the majority of the remaining 690 million shares in the hands of public shareholders," Activision noted in today's announcement. Activision said yesterday that it expected the purchase to be completed on October 15. The transaction came about four days ahead of schedule, as someone must have sprinted to the bank this morning.
Icahn's AAPL buyback advice could benefit Apple quickly, significantly
An analysis by Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore shows a potential US$50 billion stock buyback would boost Apple's earnings per share by as much as $4.25 in 2014, AppleInsider reports. This comes in the wake of a meeting last week between Tim Cook and investor Carl Icahn where the possibility of expanding the company's share buyback program was discussed. Icahn made headlines last week when he reportedly invested over $1.5 billion in the Cupertino-based tech giant. This strong vote of confidence had a rather dramatic effect on AAPL, boosting it by over 20 points in less than a day. Of course, the most important factor in further pushing Apple's stock upwards is the continued announcement of innovative products, and with an iPhone event reportedly scheduled for September 10, we won't have to wait long on that front.
Shareholder sues Activision Blizzard over buyback from Vivendi
Activision Blizzard shareholder Todd Miller has filed a lawsuit over the company's recent purchase of Vivendi's 85 percent majority stake in Activision, Courthouse News Service reported this week. Miller's lawsuit against Vivendi, Activision and its board of directors, including CEO Bobby Kotick, alleges a "breach of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment," the report states. The lawsuit also recalls Kotick's investor group's purchase of 172 million shares for $2.34 billion. Miller claims the sale granted the group a 10 percent discount on Activision's closing price and saved them $644 million, a move that served "no apparent business purpose ... other than to aggrandize defendants Kotick and [co-chairman] Kelly and provide billions of dollars' worth of Activision stock to the insider investor group at a discounted price." Miller requests that the court overturn the purchase and force Activision to take measures that "prevent future one-sided self-dealing."
Sprint tacks on Buyback option to web, offers trade-in credit while online shopping
Sprint's Buyback program has been up and running for a bit, but now the wireless carrier is offering trade-ins alongside online purchases. While selecting your brand spanking new smartphone of choice, the outfit will automatically guide you through the process to determine how much your old handset is worth and keep track of the total credit for multiple devices -- with a $300 maximum for the account credit. After the tech is tallied up, a pre-paid shipping label will be emailed out for shipping. Of course, the exact amount of the Buyback deal won't be confirmed until Sprint receives your package and gives its contents the once over.
Apple extends recycling program across the UK
In a move that's sure to please Apple's critics at Greenpeace, Apple has now taken its popular US recycling program across the Atlantic to the UK, where it will be known as the Reuse and Recycling Programme. The project provides a way to take your old Mac, PC, iPod, iPhone or iPad -- working or not -- and send it to a company where it will be properly recycled. What's really nice is that in many cases, your recycling effort results in cash in your pocket. In some cases that amount can be minimal (£7 for an original 8 GB iPhone) or nonexistent, while others can end up with quite the wad of spendolas (£550 for a Mac Pro 3.33 GHz). For our friends in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Great Britain who might want to trade up to a newer model and keep their old unit out of the rubbish tip, head on out to this page on the Apple UK site and see how much your old kit is worth. [Awesome Steptoe and Son image courtesy of Engadget]
GM considers new battery for Volt, offers to buy back hybrids from pyrophobic customers
Still freaked out about that whole Volt catching fire thing? Well, GM wants you to know it's taking your concerns very seriously. The company is considering a redesign of the battery in the hybrid, possibly delaying the release of the Opel-branded version in Europe. What's more, for those not satisfied with being able to pick up a loaner, the company will buy the vehicle back from you. That is if you're too much of a pansy to keep your combustible car.
Sprint buyback ad deems HTC Arrive too old, iPhone page lightly suggests you chuck it (update: official response)
Ready to trade in that phone you just got? Sprint thinks you are, teasing you from its iPhone landing page to "go green and get green" by recycling your probably still in-contract HTC Arrive. Sure, its $73 buyback kickback might help you subsidize something fresher, but you aren't tired of Metro already, are you? Update: We just received word from Sprint, mentioning that the HTC Arrive was chosen at random and that no actual connection exists between it and the BuyBack program.
T-Mobile trade-in program gives used phones new life, puts cash in your pocket
Those cellphone recycle bins are starting to feel pretty lonely, as trade-in programs become all the rage. We've seen Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon (among others) get into the mode of helping customers save money and clean up the environment by using this method, and now T-Mobile's hopping on the bandwagon as well. The carrier will rely on The Wireless Source, a third party that focuses on phone recycling and trade-in programs, to do the heavy lifting here. With the program becoming an incentive for customers to purchase new equipment, you'll be hard-pressed to find a store rep willing to initiate the process without setting up new service or upgrading your phone first. Makes sense, though -- after all, it's called a trade-in program for a reason, right? Once you've made the purchase, you'll get a pre-stamped bubble pack with shipping label attached; use this to ship the phone back, and presto, a check arrives in the mail for the agreed-upon value of the used device within a few weeks. If you're even remotely curious to see how much that ol' RAZR rotting in your basement is worth, give the source link a look.
Best Buy extends free Buy Back promotion on smartphones and tablets to February 26th
Didn't get around to taking advantage of Best Buy's new Bieber / Ozzy-promoted Buy Back program before the post-Super Bowl free-for-all period expired on February 12th? Then it looks like you're in luck -- the company's just announced that it's extending the free offer until February 26th. Unlike like the previous promotion that applied to a whole range electronics, however, this latest extension only covers smartphones and tablets, although you can obviously still purchase Buy Back coverage for other devices (a laptop or netbook will run you $69.99). Those that opt for it will be able to sell their devices back to Best Buy for "up to" 50 percent of the original purchase price, which they'll naturally receive in the form of a Best Buy gift card. Better than eBay? Maybe not -- but it's not the worst option to have while it's free. Head on past the break for the complete press release.
Best Buy Buy Back becomes official, free through February 12th
Best Buy's gadget repurchase program has become official during the Super Bowl, courtesy of a silly commercial starring Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber. The ad's actually a lot less cringe-inducing than it might have been, though the content of the program still doesn't seem to make much fiscal sense to us. You have to buy into it at the time of purchasing a gadget -- that requirement is set aside until this Saturday as a sort of grace / enticement period -- and Best Buy depreciates at a very aggressive annual rate, arguably cutting more of your trinkets' value than the incumbent options like online auction sites. Skip past the break to see the two gentlemen at opposite ends of their careers selling their souls to the almighty dollar, along with Best Buy's full press release and Buy Back Program details.
Best Buy's Buy Back Program to be made official during the Super Bowl... by Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne
We heard about this during the news avalanche that was CES early last month, but today Best Buy has started making its new Buy Back Program official in emails sent out to valued Reward Zone customers. The gist of the scheme is that Best Buy will offer you set "Buy Back" prices for goods you purchase from its stores, advertising it as a reassurance that your electronics won't depreciate too much during your ownership. The leaked info we saw in January showed that you'll have to pay an extra fee at the point of purchase to enroll into the Program and Best Buy's highest re-purchase offers were capped at 50 percent of the initial price, so don't expect this to be any great favor to you, Mr. Consumer. For more info, keep your eyes locked on the Super Bowl this Sunday, when Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne (no, seriously) will do their best to explicate Best Buy's new venture. [Thanks, Jeff and John]
Best Buy's Buy Back Program will let you trade in old tat for new hotness
Best Buy's crafty ploy for the new year has seemingly been uncovered by BGR's tipsters. According to those knowledgeable sources (and the paperwork they've passed along), Best Buy intends to roll out a new Buy Back Program, which will guarantee a given trade-in value for your gadgets, depending on how old they are. Thus, any laptop, tablet, or smartphone you buy from the retailer will be tradeable for 50 percent of its original price within six months of purchase, 40 percent before the first year passes, 30 in the 12- to 18-month period, or 20 in the dying embers of a two-year ownership period. That's pretty hefty depreciation and you'll have to pay an up-front fee to get enrolled in the Program, but hey, if you upgrade like mad, maybe there's some way to make this a financially appealing proposition for the consumer. Maybe... though probably not.
Sprint offering instant credits for phone trade-ins
Saying that it hopes to boost the practice of phone recycling (with customer conquests a welcome side effect, we're sure), Sprint is now expanding its Buyback Program to cover over 900 devices with an instant credit when you trade them in to any of over 1,000 participating corporate-owned retail locations. Naturally, Sprint isn't about to hand you a wad of cash for these things, but the credits -- ranging from $5 to over $300 depending on the model, apparently -- help cut the bottom line on your account balance, and you can take advantage of the service up to three times per active line every 12 months. Unfortunately, it might not be that great of a deal: in the press release, they specifically call out the Bold 9700 as having a $161.05 -- and considering you can flip a used, locked Bold 9700 on eBay for well over $300, this looks more like a new revenue stream for Sprint than anything else. And who's recycling a Bold 9700 already, anyway?
