eBay will be offering up some pretty good trade-in deals for your used iPad 2 via their Instant Sale trade-in program. Regardless whether your iPad is in working condition or not, eBay has something for you. These values are only valid for a limited time and you'll need to lock in by Saturday, March 10.

While iPads aren't the only tablets eBay is taking, this may be of particular interest to users who want to upgrade to the new iPad but need to get rid of their existing tablet before shelling out the cash.

Values vary greatly depending on whether your iPad is in working condition or not. A good condition 64GB AT&T iPad 2 with wifi and 3G will get you $475. As long as you lock in a trade-in by March 10th, you'll get that amount as long as you have it postmarked by March 20th.

After securing their guaranteed eBay Instant Sale trade-in value anytime between today and Midnight PT on Saturday, March 10, customers have until Tuesday, March 20 to postmark their tablet for trade-in using the free shipping label provided. Customers will receive payment in the amount of the trade-in value they initially secured once the tablet is received and its condition is verified, even if values decline from the time the customer locks-in their offer to when they ship the item. 

If you're looking for a quick way to off your old tablet, this may be it. If you're a bit more patient, you can probably get quite a bit more selling it on your own on eBay or Craigslist.

Hit the link below for a list of values.

Source: eBay Instant Sale

"Checking for water damage is pretty simple and something everyone should do before forking over your hard earned cash for a second-hand iPhone 4."

If you're trying to save some money and are in the market to purchase a used iPhone 4 from either Craigslist, eBay, or some other local or online seller, one of the first things you'll want to do is check for any signs of water damage. I see several people in my office each week that purchased used iPhones that mysteriously quit working after a few days. As much as we'd like to believe there aren't people out there who would sell us broken or water damaged devices, it happens every day.

While online-only iPhone purchases are convenient, I highly recommend meeting up with someone locally, for example, someone off of Craiglist, before turning to eBay or any other online broker. This allows you inspect the iPhone device before you actually commit to purchasing it, and gives you a chance test it out and check for water damage yourself.

If you can't meet someone locally and need to buy online, request that the seller inspect for water damage and send you images that allow you to see that the water sensors are still intact and that the internals have not suffered any damage or corrosion.

Apple has placed 4 sensors inside the iPhone 4 that make it pretty easy to tell if any part of the device has come in contact with liquid. These sensors are placed exactly the same in the GSM iPhone 4 and CDMA iPhone 4. You want to make sure the sensors are white as opposed to red. If you see a sensor that has turned red, that's a sign it's come into contact with liquid or heavy humidity.

How to check external iPhone water sensors

The easiest thing to check are the two sensors you can see without removing the back of the iPhone 4. I recommend bringing a small pocket or keychain flashlight with you in order to get a good look at the sensors.

Headphone jack sensor

The easiest sensor to check in an iPhone 4 for water damage is the one at the bottom of the headphone jack

Your first sensor is located inside the headphone jack at the bottom. It's the easiest sensor to find and inspect. Shine a flashlight into it and make sure you don't see anything but white. (Red is bad.)

As a side note, this sensor can come out or become dislodged occasionally. If you don't see one, just move on and check the next sensor. I wouldn't take it as a sign that the seller is trying to be dishonest (yet).

Dock connector sensor

The white part I've emphasized in the image is where you'll want to look for the water sensor in the dock connector

The next sensor is a square sensor in the dock connector. To see it, hold the phone screen down in your hand and look inside the dock connector towards the middle. On the upper side you will see a tiny white square (or red square if the device has come into contact with liquid). Make sure this one is white.

If both sensors are white, it may not be necessary to proceed any further. The device most likely has never been subjected to water damage. If the headphone jack sensor was missing or you couldn't find one of the sensors, you may want to continue to the next section.

How to checking internal iPhone water sensors

It may seem silly to bring a screwdriver with you to check out an iPhone but it'll seem a lot less silly when it saves the lost money and headache you'd get for buying a water damaged iPhone 4.

There are two sensors on the inside of the iPhone 4 that are easily visible once the back is removed. You can pick up a security screw driver online and a #00 Phillips screwdriver from your local hardware store for a few bucks. You'll need one of the two in order to remove the back.

If you're buying a CDMA iPhone 4 off of someone, you'll most certainly need the security screwdriver. Older GSM models still have standard #00 screws while newer ones have security screws. Remove the 2 screws holding the back plate on and gently push the back up and pull it off. This will give you a clear view of the last 2 sensors and a lot of the internals of the device.

While you're checking the last 2 sensors it's always a good idea to look closely at the internals and make sure everything looks ok. You'll want to avoid any devices that show signs of the following:

• Obvious corrosion
• Torn cables
• Missing screws
• The battery tab is torn off
• A large amount of debris or dust inside the device

If all those seem good, you'll just need to make sure the water sensors check out okay.

Battery sensor

Check the sensor directly above the battery to make sure it hasn't turned red

The first sensor is placed directly over the clip that holds the battery down. Again, just make sure it's white and move on the to next and final sensor. If it isn't white but all the rest are, I'd probably still advise against buying the device as the battery or other internal parts could have come into contact with liquid at some point.

Logic board sensor

Never purchase a used iPhone 4 if the sensor over the screw holding down the logic board has turned red

The final sensor is located on a screw holding the logic board in place. If this sensor is white, you're in the clear. If it's not, you'll definitely want to stay away from purchasing the device. This sensor is the closest one to the logic board. If it's red, odds are the logic board has liquid damage and will eventually go out.

Wrap up

Checking for water damage is pretty simple and something everyone should do before forking over your hard earned cash for a second-hand iPhone 4. I would personally consider buying an iPhone 4 if only the headphone jack or dock connector sensor was triggered. If the rest of the device is in perfect condition and the inside has no sensors triggered, I'd say you're okay. A lot of things including living in a humid climate can cause external sensors to be triggered. Apple will actually honor a warranty swap if only one external sensor is triggered due to these factors.

Just make sure if one external sensor is triggered or missing that you check the inside ones. As long as those are okay, the decision really lies with how comfortable you feel and how honest you think the seller is. If they seem irritated or worried about you checking out the device, find another one.

Interested in other DIY, repair, and modding info? Check out the resources below or if you ever decide certain repairs are beyond your skill level, contact PXLFIX regarding mail-in repairs and pricing.

Additional resources

• How to choose quality iPhone 4 color kits
• All DIY, repair, and mod guides
• Mod and DIY repair forums

Itching to purchase a new electronic gadget or accessory and wish you could shop from the comfort of your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? Whether you're looking to buy a bigger screen TV, some speakers, or even a brand new iPad, there are a ton of apps for just exactly that. Here are some of our favorites.

Amazon Mobile

Everyone who is familiar with online shopping knows that Amazon is one of the primary for just about anything, including electronics. With Amazon Mobile, you can shop for your latest gadget with ease from your iPhone or iPad. Additionally, you can shop for a friend or family member's a wish list or add items to your own.

Out and about and wish to compare the price of an item in a retail store with Amazon? Scan the barcode with Amazon Mobile to instantly search for the item. Once you place your order, you can also track its status in anticipation for its arrival.

• Free - App Store link

Apple Store

The Apple Store, online or retail, should be your first stop when shopping for Apple products, and the Apple Store app should be your first tap when shopping from your iPhone. In addition to online shopping, you can reserve items for in-store pickup, track your orders, and schedule appointments at the Genius Bar.

While visiting an Apple Store location, you can even purchase accessories on your own with EasyPay, request help, check in for reservations, and meet up with a Specialist at the store. Unfortunately, the Apple Store app is not a universal app, so there's no optimized version for the iPad. (Get on that, Apple!)

• Free - App Store link

Best Buy

If you have a Best Buy nearby, I'm sure it's one of your primary locations for picking up anything related to electronics. With the Best Buy app, you can do your shopping from the comfort of your iPhone. Now, if you need an HDMI cable for your Apple TV, you may be wondering why you'd want to shop for that with an app and wait for shipping when you can just drive a few miles down the road and pick it up now. Well, with the Best Buy app, you can verify that your local store has the item in stock, purchase it ahead of time, then head into the store and pick it up in person. You can also look up the Best Buy trade-in value for your Wii, Xbox, Sony and other video games. Shop smarter, not harder.

• Free - App Store link

Ebay

With the eBay apps for iPhone and iPad, you can can bring the word's largest marketplace with you wherever you go. And as all eBay shoppers know, this can be an essential asset to eBay shopping because you will receive instant alerts when you are outbid or when auctions are ending. In addition to shopping with the eBay app, you can sell your own items and upload photos directly from your iPhone or iPad's camera.

• Free for iPhone - App Store link
• Free for iPad - App Store link

Newegg Mobile

Looking to build a new PC or upgrade your iMac's ram? Newegg is likely your first stop for computer hardware or software purchases. With Newegg Mobile, you can shop from your iPhone - read reviews, view photos, and make purchases. You can also keep up with the latest deals, even when out and about.

• Free - App Store link

Your favorite electronics catalog?

So there you have them, our top 5 best electronics shopping apps for iPhone and iPad. Be sure to check out our other Top 5 picks, our Picks of the Week, and iPhone App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites leave them in the comments below!

eBay has updated its iPad app and it now includes a new feature for its U.S. users called “Watch with eBay”. Watch with eBay lets you easily find items related to what you are currently watching on television.

Watch With eBay is a new and fun way to discover items from the wonderful to the unexpected, all based on what you're watching on your television. After a few quick setup steps, you can browse and view eBay search results based on any television program currently playing in the United States*. You may find DVD sets, signed photographs from your favorite actor or athlete, movie scripts, coffee mugs, jerseys, collectible pieces, and more!

The update also includes one or two bug fixes as well as the Watch with eBay feature. eBay says that the Watch with eBay feature is U.S. only due to current program data constraints. It does say it may bring the feature to more countries later on.

[App Store link]

Stop us if you've heard this story before, but a sketchily sourced bit of rare Apple kits hits eBay -- say an iPhone 4 prototype similar to the one Gizmodo got their hands on last year -- and people start to bid crazy amounts of money for it... before Apple legal ultimate has it removed from auction. (And no doubt sends post-cog commandos crashing through some skylights, somewhere.)

It's right now at $70K and climbing. No doubt that's for the lulz, with bidders figuring no one will be held accountable when Apple legal has it pulled. So enjoy the spectator sport while it lasts.

Who's selling it and how long it will take Apple to start issuing demand letters we don't know. All we know is that Google probably isn't one of the bidders. The amounts are far too even. No non-linear or squares of negative numbers in the bidding history, far as we can tell...

[@pytey via This is My Next]

Yesterday, WWDC 2011 sold out in a record 10 hours and now one of those tickets has popped up on EBAY with a Buy It Now price of $3,500. That's $1901 more than the original $1,599 price set by Apple. The seller claims that this ticket was purchased for a colleague who ended up not being able to make the event.

We expect Apple will put an end to this auction in a heartbeat. The last thing Apple wants is for people to snatch up tickets and turn them over for a profit.

What do you think? Are you angry at this dev for trying to make a buck off this "extra" ticket?

[TUAW]

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Instapaper: 3.0 is a huge updated that brings social features, a new browser, and more! [$4.99 - iTunes link]

• VocaLive: A suite of 12 real-time professional vocal effects along with a capable recorder for studio quality sound. For best results, use with iRig Mic. [$19.99 - iTunes link]

• YellowBrick: A location based social network for moms and dads. Earn virtual stickers and real world coupons and discounts! [Free- iTunes link]

• Retrollect: Assemble the highlights of your experiences and create a visual mash-up of your life. [Free - iTunes link]

• eBay Mobile: Update allows the ability to browse eBay items by category, allows sellers to reserve price on auctions, adds tracking and shipping information when sold items are shipped, and more! [Free - iTunes link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think!

Want to know the ins and outs of how to sell your old iPad now that iPad 2 is hitting the shelves? There are a number of things you can do with your old iPad -- from using it as a spare to handing it down to family or friends -- but if you're looking to get some quick cash then there are a few things to know before getting started. Today we're going to show you how to throw out the old and bring in the new using a number of great services, just hit the jump to find out how!

Pre-sale prep

When Apple announced iPad 2 would be available this very month, a bunch of original iPads probably started feeling a little nervous. If you're planning to upgrade here are a few quick tips to think about before putting your original iPad up for sale:

1. Condition: It kind of goes without saying that you'll get more money if your device is in better condition, but this counts even more when it comes to the iPad. If your device is in excellent shape, you're going to be able to ask for a higher amount. It might only be $50 or $70 more but cash is cash.
2. Wipe your data: Before you end up selling your old iPad you absolutely have to you run a full data wipe on your device to make sure none of your data is available to the lucky new owner. We've done a quick How-to post to help you with the process.

Selling your old iPad

Now that we're passed the basics and you're ready to put your iPad up for sale, it's important to take a look at all the options you have before making a decision on which service to use.

There are a ton of great online services out there to help you sell your old iPad and we won't be able to go through them all, so we've filtered down the list of services for you. We'll start with the most familiar of them all...

Ebay

Selling your iPad on eBay is a pretty simple process. If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell your iPad. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:

1. Only ship to the buyer's confirmed Paypal address if using Paypal.
2. Price competitively if using Buy It Now as an option.
3. Make sure the pictures you use follow your description and are good quality -- post pictures of any physical blemishes on the iPhone and be up-front in your description.
4. Use a fast shipping service and make sure you include that in your item description.
5. Use keywords in your title and in your item description to attract more potential buyers.

You may also want to consider insuring your item in case anything goes wrong during shipping. Watch out for low-feedback buyers and also keep in mind that Paypal charges processing fees as well.

Craigslist

Selling on craigslist is location based, so you'll be making a face-to-face exchange with someone in your area. I've used Craigslist to sell a number of things around the house, and always follow a few basic rules:

• Don't ever put your personal or home address in an ad. Ever!
• I'm usually fine with putting my personal phone number in an ad, but that's up to you. Some find it easier to text rather than email.
• Meet in a public place, preferably in the daytime.
• Watch out for email scams, something Craigslist is notorious for.

It's always a good idea to use caution when dealing with Craigslist. I've heard some pretty crazy stories of people getting robbed or worse when meeting with people for a transaction, so bring a friend and meet in an open, public area to avoid those types of situations.

Gazelle

Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your iPad and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way. It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item, and the service will check for any water damages before giving you a quote.

The process takes about a week, and although you're not getting as much money in the end it's a great service if you don't want to deal with a lot of hassle. You can have your payment delivered through Paypal among other methods, and you can also submit multiple items if you're looking to get rid of a few more things while you're at it.

SellYourMac.com

SellYourMac.com offers a similar service to Gazelle by letting you send in your old iPad for payment with little to no hassle involved. In a nutshell, they'll buy your old Mac or iOS device. You're required to provide pictures along with a serial number next to your item description and condition. Once SellYourMac.com receives your iPad they clean it, inspect it and verify that it's in working condition before they turn around and sell it on eBay. Users can receive payment via Paypal and SellYourMac.com even says they give higher quotes than competing services like Gazelle, so you'll definitely want to compare before making any final decisions.

Bonus Tip: If you're going with Craigslist or eBay, another tip worth mentioning is to include all packaging, cables and adapters if possible. If you have any extra cases or accessories you want to throw in the deal it can usually net you a higher selling price as a bundle instead of trying to sell them individually.

Now that the iPad 2 is finally here, the time to start planning on how to dump your old iPad is now. So whether it's eBay, Criagslist or any other method for selling your old iPad we hope this article will help you along the way. As always, let us know if you have any questions or additional suggestions in the comments below!

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Want to know the ins and outs of how to sell your old iPhone? Were you one of the iPhone users who switched to Verizon now that it's finally available? Not sure what to do with your old AT&T iPhone? There are a number of things you can do with your old iPhone -- from using it as an iPod Touch to handing it down to family or friends -- but if you're looking to get some quick cash then there are a few things to know before getting started. Today we're going to show you how to throw out the old and bring in the new using a number of great services, just hit the jump to find out how!

When Apple and Verizon finally announced the iPhone would be available under the nation's largest network, Verizon subscribers across the country rejoiced. The same can be said for a hefty number of AT&T subscribers too, as a recent ChangeWave survey suggested a significant number of AT&T iPhone users would jump ship to Verizon once they had the iPhone.

So if you were one of the many AT&T subscribers who decided to go the Verizon route then here are a few quick tips to think about before putting your AT&T iPhone up for sale:

1. Jailbreak/Unlock: The iPhone usually sells for more money when it's jailbroken or unlocked, meaning you have the additional options of running restricted apps through Cydia or getting service on another carrier (like TMobile). If you are new to jailbreaking we suggest checking out the jailbreak forums, and we've also written up a few posts on how to jailbreak your iPhone on 4.1 firmware using Greenpois0n, Limera1n and PwnageTool.
2. Condition: It kind of goes without saying that you'll get more money if your device is in better condition, but this counts even more when it comes to the iPhone. If your device is in excellent shape, you're going to be able to ask for a higher amount. For example, an iPhone 3GS in 'fair' condition with wear and tear can get you around $230 while a 3GS in 'perfect' cosmetic condition can get you as much as $300. I've seen a wide range of pricing on the iPhone 4 and 3GS based on condition, so make sure you research prices and price competitively.
3. Wipe your data: Before you end up selling your old iPhone, we highly suggest you run a full data wipe on your device to make sure none of your data is available to the lucky new owner. We've done a quick How-To post to help you with the process.

Now that we're passed the basics and you're ready to put your iPhone up for sale, it's important to take a look at all the options you have before making a decision on which service to use.

There are a ton of great online services out there to help you sell your old iPhone and we won't be able to go through them all, so we've filtered down the list of services for you. We'll start with the most familiar of them all...

eBay

Selling your iPhone on eBay is a pretty simple process. If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell your iPhone. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:

1. Only ship to the buyer's confirmed Paypal address if using Paypal.
2. Price competitively if using Buy It Now as an option.
3. Make sure the pictures you use follow your description and are good quality -- post pictures of any physical blemishes on the iPhone and be up-front in your description.
4. Use a fast shipping service and make sure you include that in your item description.
5. Use keywords in your title and in your item description to attract more potential buyers.

You may also want to consider insuring your item in case anything goes wrong during shipping. Watch out for low-feedback buyers and also keep in mind that Paypal charges processing fees as well.

Craigslist

Selling on craigslist is locally based, so you'll be making a face-to-face exchange with someone in your area. I've used Craigslist to sell a number of things around the house, and always follow a few basic rules:

• Don't ever put your personal or home address in an ad. Ever!
• I'm usually fine with putting my personal phone number in an ad, but that's up to you. Some find it easier to text rather than email.
• Meet in a public place, preferably in the daytime.
• Watch out for email scams, something Craigslist is notorious for.

It's always a good idea to use caution when dealing with Craigslist. I've heard some pretty crazy stories of people getting robbed or worse when meeting with people for a transaction, so bring a friend and meet in an open, public area to avoid those types of situations.

Gazelle

Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your iPhone and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way. It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item, and the service will check for any water damages before giving you a quote.

An average-conditioned 16gb iPhone 4 will currently grab you about $280 where a perfect-conditioned iPhone 4 will get you as much as $360. The process takes about a week, and although you're not getting as much money in the end it's a great service if you don't want to deal with a lot of hassle. You can have your payment delivered through Paypal among other methods, and you can also submit multiple items if you're looking to get rid of a few more things while you're at it.

SellYourMac.com

SellYourMac.com offers a similar service to Gazelle by letting you send in your old iPhone for payment with little to no hassle involved. In a nutshell, they'll buy your old Mac or iOS device. You're required to provide pictures along with a serial number next to your item description and condition. Once SellYourMac.com receives your iPhone they clean it, inspect it and verify that it's in working condition before they turn around and sell it on eBay. Users can receive payment via Paypal and SellYourMac.com even says they give higher quotes than competing services like Gazelle, so you'll definitely want to compare before making any final decisions.

Verizon Trade-in

Verizon is also offering an iPhone trade-in program for current AT&T corporate customers who want to switch over. Verizon is offering the following quotes for older iPhone hardward:

• iPhone 2G – 16GB: $60
• iPhone 3G – 16GB: $105
• iPhone 3Gs 32GB: $160
• iPhone 4- 16GB: $280
• iPhone 4 – 32GB: $360

To the best of our knowledge Verizon hasn't clarified if they'll be making this service available to all AT&T subscribers or just to corporate customers, so make sure you give your Verizon rep a call to get more details on the incentive.

Bonus Tip: If you're going with Craigslist or eBay, another tip worth mentioning is to include all packaging, cables and adapters if possible. If you have any extra cases or accessories you want to throw in the deal it can usually net you a higher selling price as a bundle instead of trying to sell them individually.

Now that the iPhone is finally on Verizon, the time to start planning on how to dump your old iPhone is now. So whether it's eBay, Criagslist or any other method for selling your old AT&T iPhone we hope this article will help you along the way. As always, let us know if you have any questions or additional suggestions in the comments below!

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Considering switching to a Verizon iPhone and wondering how to avoid an AT&T ETF?

Early termination fees are a necessary evil for most carriers. They allow the carrier to recoup some of the cost of a subsidized device if someone cancels early. It also makes the cost of switching to another carrier pretty painful. But there are a few ways to either get around an ETF or offset some of the cost to make the switch a little easier to swallow. Click through for a few suggestions.

Carriers are pretty hard up when it comes to waiving early termination fees. Especially when they know most customers are probably switching for a specific device. In this case, the Verizon iPhone 4. Back in June AT&T changed their ETF policies for smartphone users. The termination fee is not $175 any longer. It's now $325 and will drop by $10 for every month you carry service with them.

Avoiding an ETF

• Watch for contract term changes. If rates go up, that typically will give you an out. Keep in mind the rate has to directly affect you. If text messaging rates go up a cent or two but you have unlimited texting, the change doesn't adversely affect you. You'd have a hard time arguing your way out.

• If you've recently moved and your service is noticeably worse than what it was before, this can be a way out as well. You'll need to be able to prove the service is pretty bad. Calling and reporting dropped calls can have a huge impact on their final decision. And when you talk to a rep, always get their name and make sure they notate on your account that you were calling about poor service coverage. This also works for people whose service has went downhill. I live in a huge Centennial acquisition area and we've had sketchy service for about the past year. I've seen a few people talk their way out of an ETF because of the degradation in coverage.

• Keep your cool. This is probably the most important point of all. You want the person on the other end to sympathize with you. If you have a bad attitude, odds are they probably aren't going to be too willing to help you out. Explain your situation thoroughly and with a level head. Reps are much more responsive to courteous customers than they are to those who just want to yell at them. Remember, the rep on the other line is a person too.

Offsetting the cost of an ETF

• A lot of you may already have an iPhone 4 on AT&T. They sell like hotcakes on sites like Craigslist and eBay. They're worth even more if they're jailbroken and unlocked (or at least on a firmware that can be unlocked). In my area (Chicago), a 16 GB iPhone 4 is currently going for anywhere between $400-550 on Craiglist. A 32 GB that is unlocked is fetching around $650. These prices may vary given your area, but I'm almost willing to bet a mint condition iPhone 4 will fetch you at least the amount of your ETF. I always recommend meeting face to face for cash if you can. I've upgraded to the newest generation iPhone every year this way. I unlock them and fetch almost what I paid. I haven't paid for an iPhone since I purchased my first gen.

• If you don't want to go through the hassle of listing your phone on websites, sites like Gazelle will take them off your hands for a reasonable amount. For a mint condition iPhone 4 with all the original accessories, the 16 and 32 GB models are being bought at $360 and $420 respectively. Enough to cover your ETF with AT&T.

• If you'd like to get rid of your entire AT&T plan, you can always use sites like CellSwapper. You basically unload your entire contract. The way it works is you list your plan and device and when someone wants it, they'll notify you. You'll go through a change of responsibility with the carrier. Keep in mind the person on the receiving end will need to pass a credit check just like you did.

• Find a family member or friend who wants an iPhone 4 and doesn't mind being on AT&T. Maybe they have better service in their area than you do. This is probably the easiest way. You'll need to call AT&T and tell them you want to do a change of responsibility. They'll need to verify information for both parties, so you'll both need to be on the phone call. They simply agree to take responsibility for the rest of your contract. Once they pass a credit check and pay their deposit (if there is one), you're free from the AT&T ball and chain.

These are some of the ways that I have found to be most effective for customers. You can also find more advice and experiences with escaping ETFs on sites like the Consumerist as well. If any of you have any luck getting out of your AT&T contract, let us know how you did it!

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to news@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward...)

What with that iPhone HD/iPhone 3G showing up on Gizmodo and now two prototype iPod touch devices temporarily showing up on eBay, we'd sure hate to be Apple's prop master right now.

Oh, you didn't hear about the iPod touch (with cameras!) yet?

Someone has put up two semi-working iPod touches WITH cameras and a development version of the iPod OS on Ebay. They are marked with 'DVT-1' and 'DVT-2', 'Apple Development Team' and one is running some sort of 'switchboard' OS window.

They've been pulled of course, which isn't unexpected, and they seem to look like that prototype from last year that got out shortly before the official, camera-free iPod touch G3 debuted in September.

So is this from the same 2009 batch or a new 2010 batch? We're thinking the former, and we're also wondering just who is losing all this secret Apple test gear?

Gallery after the break!

[9to5Mac]

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[via Security Now!]

UPDATED: YouTube pulled the previous video due to a copyright claim by Apple. Engadget is currently providing an alternate video. Get it while it lasts...

ORIGINAL: Dieter and I were just talking about the iPhone prototype up on Ebay, went to check the current price (previously over $2000), and found that it had been yanked off of auction. We're guessing this is in response to a take-down request from Apple, who might claim physical or at least intellectual property rights over the device.

The YouTube video is still up for now, so enjoy it (while it lasts?)