Telecom companies across North America deal with a lot of competition in the fight for market share. With new technology arriving on the technological landscape at an unprecedented pace, the giant telecoms must stay on the forefront of innovation to keep their business successful.

Brand Finance, a brand valuation consultancy, rates the world’s brands and determines how each brand fairs on an annual basis. In 2012, the top brand globally was Vodafone, which recent rumors hint that US-based Verizon is interested in, with the North American Giants coming in at close second. See which telecoms make the list in highest brand value in their industries.

1.AT&T

AT&T comes in at number one, with a brand value of $30.4 million. Providing cell phone service to 275 million people, claiming the largest Wi-Fi network in the US and offering AT&T UVerse TV service, AT&T covers the telecom market. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, AT&T is the 17th largest company in the world. With roots dating back to 1885 and the Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell, AT&T has the experience in telecom to back its leading position

2. Verizon

Verizon comes in 2nd place reaching a total brand value of $27.6 million. The Verizon brand was created from a merger between Bell Atlantic and GTE Corp in 2000, who coined the name from the Latin word veritas and horizon, and is headquartered in New York, New York. Verizon been providing exceptional wireless service ever since, today serving 290 million with its 3G and 4G networks. Verizon, today, also provides customers with FiOS video (4.7 million subscribers) and FiOS Internet (5.4 million subscribers).

3. Comcast

Comcast, based on brand value, is in 3rd place at $12.5 million. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, Comcast was founded by Ralph Roberts in 1963 in Tupelo, MS.  Today, the telecom has a variety of business models including owning 51 percent of NBC Universal. Telecom services by Comcast include Xfinity and Comcast high speed Internet (18.582 million customers). Comcast as an organization serves 24.1 million customers and employs 100,000. Comcast has been dealing with the trials of a poor customer service reputation for a couple years, something the company hopes to rectify.

4. Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable takes the 4th spot and its brand value totals $9.1 million. Like Comcast, Time Warner Cable’s holding company Time Warner operates in a variety of industries including TV networks, film and TV entertainment, publishing, and telecom. Its cable division, which got its start in 1968, is the second largest cable provider to the United States. Providing 15 million customers with video (12 million customers), high speed data (10.9 million customers) and voice services (5 million customers), Time Warner Cable serves 29 states.

5. Bell

Bell Canada ends the list in 5th place with a brand value of $5,258. Canada’s largest telecommunications company, Bell Canada provides customers with high-speed Fibe Internet, Fibe TV, Satellite TV, Bell Mobility wireless network, Virgin Mobile Canada, and home phone. Headquartered in Montreal, QC, Bell, like AT&T, has roots back to 1885 and the Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell, AT&T being the resulting company from the American division and Bell Canada the resulting company from the Canadian division. One of two major leaders in Canada’s telecom industry, Bell Canada has seen success from operations.

Offering the BlackBerry Q10 are Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility and Telus. Wireless customers will be required to sign a three- year contract to acquire the device at the discounted price of $199. The smartphone will also be available at additional retailers including, Walmart Canada and Future Shop.

The first country to get the BlackBerry will be the UK. The Company has yet to provide an exact date for the launch, but only that it will be available for purchase in April. The launch for the US is yet to be specified as well, with a tentative launch date for the end of May. The BlackBerry Q10 will be priced at $249 with a two-year contract at mobile carriers in the US.

The BlackBerry Q10 is the second device from the Company run the Blackberry 10 software. The first was the BlackBerry Z10 that is a touch-screen device launched in February 2013. The Q10 has the same operating system but includes a physical QWERTY keyboard, a physical attribute most closely associated with BlackBerry devices.

A notable controversy associated with the BlackBerry Z10 is the phones ability to instantly share with friends and family what you’re watching on the web, which could potentially unmask some embarrassing content that you don’t want anyone to know about. The report scattered through the web two weeks ago. Because the Q10 holds the same software users need to make sure to turn this feature off. To make sure the feature is off; visit the settings app and “show what I’m listening to” should be disabled. 

BlackBerry announced today its plans to bring the BlackBerry 10 OS Balance solution that separates work and personal data on BlackBerry devices to third party platforms. Secure Work Space will be available on iOS and Android managed by BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, a multi-platform enterprise mobility management solution.

The BlackBerry Secure Work Space ensures complete separation between work and personal data with secured client applications for email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, secure browsing and document editing.

“With BlackBerry® Balance™ technology, we offer the industry's only true compromise-free separation of work and personal data and applications,” said David J Smith, EVP, Enterprise Mobile Computing. “With Secure Work Space for iOS and Android devices, we're extending as many of these features as possible to other platforms, critical in today’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) world. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 offers administrators a single, intuitive platform enabling them to effectively and securely manage a variety of devices while protecting their corporate assets and at the same time providing employees the flexibility they desire."

Through the Secure Work Space system, BlackBerry saves business time and money as they no longer have to set up VPN infrastructures to allow employees access to applications behind corporate firewalls. Secure Work Space is BlackBerry’s provision of a secure and reliable solution for businesses and Government entities that need to ensure security in BYOD policies.

“The vast majority of smartphones on the market aren’t adequately secure for corporate or government work,” said Robert Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. “Currently BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 combined with BlackBerry Balance or Secure Work Space has the only volume solution which has been designed from the ground up to provide the security most IT departments require.   With this announcement BlackBerry is expanding beyond their own top to bottom approach to security to address this need on other platforms.  With this product BlackBerry is showcasing their security legacy by providing a stronger cross platform security solution than anyone else can in the market.”

BlackBerry’s Secure Work Space will be available at the end of the second quarter 2013. More information will be announced at the BlackBerry Live conference in May 2013. 

The BlackBerry Z10 will be launched in the US on March 22nd by AT&T. Available for $199.99 USD, AT&T will start accepting pre-orders March 12th.

“AT&T customers were the first to experience BlackBerry smartphones and services in the U.S. and we are thrilled to bring the next evolution, the BlackBerry Z10, to the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices and Developer Services, AT&T Mobility. “Customers who have grown to love the tried and true BlackBerry experience will continue to enjoy the easy typing and the secure platform they expect with a fresh platform that lets them get more out of their smartphone with easy access to all their messages in BlackBerry Hub.”

This launch marks BlackBerry’s entrance back into the smartphone market after its hiatus due to pushbacks of the release of the Blackberry 10 OS. Highly anticipated, BlackBerry 10 could be a sink or swim situation for the faltering technology company. The US launch is an important initiative for BlackBerry and the company hopes the new OS will prevent its imminent demise. With Google and Apple’s strong hold on the smartphone market, the BlackBerry 10 will have to excel to gain back market share.

The BlackBerry 10 was launched in Canada on February 5th and the company claims it had the best launch day ever in BlackBerry history, specifically performing 50 per cent better than any other launch.

It’s obvious Canada still supports BlackBerry and its new BlackBerry OS, but the US is a much more skeptical market. For BlackBerry to survive, the BlackBerry 10 OS launch in the US needs to see success.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) announced today the plans of a Joint Antenna System Sitting Protocol to determine through cooperative collaboration where wireless antenna systems will be situated.

“The purpose of the protocol is to ensure there is notification and meaningful local consultation on the location and visual aesthetics of antenna systems before they are installed, and that Canadians continue to have access to the wireless services they need to support their businesses and stay connected with their families,” said Karen Leibovici, President, FCM.

This collaboration will resolve the challenge of building Canada’s digital infrastructure “while respecting local land use preferences and community concerns.”

The Joint Antenna System Sitting Protocol establishes communication and consultation procedures while emphasizing the importance of municipal standards and restrictions in the design of new antenna systems.

“Canadians expect reliable, high quality wireless service wherever they are. By working together, communities and the industry can guarantee there is enough critical infrastructure in place to keep Canadians connected to the devices and technology they love, and keep our economy strong,” said CWTA president Bernard Lord.

As the Canadian citizenship’s usage of mobile devices grows 5 per cent per week, it is clear that telecommunication carriers must continually expand coverage. This new protocol system will ensure that carriers expansion plans keep in mind municipal considerations. 

Written by: By: Fran Rosch, Senior Vice President, Mobile, Symantec 

Successful technology adoption requires managing the drawbacks while maximizing the benefits, and few trends today illustrate this better than mobility. We’re seeing a wide variety in the degree to which organizations are allowing employees to use mobile devices for business, as well as the amount of control they are exerting over devices and applications. To see the results of these different philosophies and determine how organizations can get the most out of their mobile deployment, Symantec surveyed more than 3,000 organizations globally - including Canada, from SMBs to large enterprises.

Innovators and Traditionals

We asked the businesses about their level of involvement with mobility, and noted two distinct groups among the respondents. The first group is the innovators. These organizations are willing to be the early adopters of new technology, taking an active approach to try new things that can benefit the business. On the other hand, there is also a group of traditional organizations that are more resistant to change until circumstances pressure them to react.

The two groups have different attitudes when it comes to mobility. The innovators are motivated to adopt mobility because of business drivers, with 84 percent rating them as important. In Canada, 52 percent of organizations rated business drivers as important. On the other hand, the traditionals that adopt mobility are being influenced by user demand and they take a reactive approach. These attitudes may be influenced by different perceptions of risk – two-thirds of innovators feel that the benefits of mobility outweigh the risks, while three-quarters of traditional feel that is not the case. Organizations in Canada differed slightly, with 37 percent agreed that the benefits of mobility outweigh the risks.

Mobility Adoption and Management

The differences are affecting the rate at which these groups are taking advantage of mobility. About 50 percent more employees use smartphones in innovator companies compared to traditional, and the innovators also more frequently purchase the devices for them. We’re seeing a similar trend related to mobile apps as well, with innovators more commonly using mobile devices for business apps. In addition, 83 percent of the innovators are considering creating corporate app stores, compared to 55 percent of traditionals. In Canada, 52 percent of organizations said they were discussing creating corporate app stores, leading us to believe there may be more traditionals in Canada than innovators. 

In addition to the use of the devices themselves, the innovators are also more likely to manage mobility through policies, and implementing tools to protect information. The use of technology is different among the two groups as well, with innovators nearly twice as likely to enforce policies through technology, as opposed to traditional who prefer a manual approach.

The Costs and Benefits of Mobility

As with early adoption of any technology, mobile innovators are seeing more costs than traditionals. In fact, they’re experiencing nearly twice as many incidents such as data or productivity loss, as well as direct financial costs. However, they are also experiencing far more benefits, explaining why the majority still feel that it is worth it. These benefits apply to the employees as well as the organization as a whole. The innovators are experiencing greater overall productivity, happier employees and better employee retention. The business as a whole sees improved brand value and customer happiness, making them more competitive and able to make better business decisions.

The innovators are also seeing dramatic improvements in revenue, showing significant separation from the traditionals. On average, they are seeing a nearly 50 percent increase in revenue growth and profits. Canadian organizations show an average of 66% revenue growth and 21% profit growth.

Recommendations

As organizations from SMBs to enterprises look to effectively implement mobility and enjoy the benefits with minimal risks, Symantec recommends the following actions:

1. Being cautious about mobility is okay. Being resistant is not. Start embracing it.
   Taking an intelligent approach to mobility is more effective than trying to put off adopting it.
2. Start with the apps with greatest productivity benefits for employees.
   Whether it is simply email, or document sharing, maximize immediate benefits by starting with the most important apps, branching out as you work through any challenges that arise.
3. Learn from the innovators – get the benefits while minimizing the risks.

             a. Ensure secure access to apps – Focus on identity management through measures such as strong password policies.

             b. Protect your apps and data – Application management, as opposed to whole-device    management, can be effective at delivering security where it is needed.

             c. Put in place effective device management – Ensure that mobility policies are consistently followed for all devices, following all applicable regulations, to keep information safe wherever it is used.

             d. Implement comprehensive threat protection – Cyber criminals are shifting their focus to mobile devices, and it’s becoming increasingly important to protect against rogue apps, unsafe browsing and external attacks.

             e. Supply secure file sharing – The productivity of sharing files in the cloud also introduces additional risks that need to be guarded against.

A new survey published by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) in association with BSI has revealed that 65 per cent of organizations are extremely concerned or concerned about a cyber-attack in 2013.  

The survey also reveals that 71 per cent see the use of the Internet for malicious attacks as a major trend that requires a business continuity response with 42 per cent seeking to manage the prevalence and high adoption of Internet-dependent services, such as the cloud, within their preparedness activities. 

The Horizon Scan 2013 Survey Report is based on a survey of respondents from 730 organizations in 62 countries including USA, UK, India, China, South Africa, Egypt and Brazil. It concludes that the level of concern across sectors and geography over a cyber-attack is a major challenge for public policy makers and board rooms. More needs to be done to gain a better understanding of the threat and underlying trends that drive the vulnerability to ensure that a proportionate business continuity approach is in place.

The 730 organizations that participated in the survey were from sectors as diverse as financial services, public administration and defence, retail and manufacturing.

Further findings from the report, now in its second consecutive year, include:

• The leading threat of concern in 2013 is unplanned IT and telecom outages with 70 per cent of organizations surveyed stating they were extremely concerned or concerned about this threat in 2013. This was followed in second place by concern over a data breach at 66 per cent.
• Supply chain disruption and the underlying trend of increasing supply chain complexity figure prominently in the overall results and are lead concerns in manufacturing and retail sectors.
• 60 per cent of respondents see the influence of social media as a major trend affecting reputation management and crisis communications, the second highest rated trend in the survey.
• Investment in business continuity is robust, in spite of difficult economic times, with 22 per cent seeing increased investment in 2013 and 54 per cent stating that investment will be maintained at appropriate levels.  Fourteen per cent expected investment to be cut, thereby limiting the scope or effectiveness of the programme.

“For the first time, we see a study that brings together short-term threats with the underlying trends that drive disruption. This provides business managers with both an immediate term focus and insight into the longer term needs for capability development,” said Lyndon Bird FBCI, Technical Director at the Business Continuity Institute. “The dominance of technology and Internet-related threats and trends in this year’s survey mirrors events we have seen in the real world recently with for example PayPal, RIM, O2 and RBS.  The high level of concern over a cyber-attack may well be misplaced but it demands a considered independent analysis of the threat to avoid hype and disillusionment and ensure a proportionate response is in place.  The BCI is willing to bring its unique view on disruption and preparedness to the debate”.

“This latest report shows that businesses need to be more prepared than ever for every type of risk,” said Gary Robinson, Commercial Director, BSI Canada. “The top five threats highlight that the digital age is continuing to bring new challenges to organizations around the world.  In order to counter this, cyber resilience must become part of an organization’s wider business resilience strategy.  Businesses can benefit from an integrated implementation of standards in areas such as business continuity management (ISO/IEC 22301) and information security (ISO/IEC 27001) to identify, prioritise and manage these threats.”

A copy of the report is available on request to research@thebci.org or can be downloaded from the BCI website, www.thebci.org(registration required).

About the Business Continuity Institute

Based in Caversham, United Kingdom, the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) was established in 1994 to promote the art and science of business continuity management and to assist organizations in preparing for and surviving minor and large-scale man-made and natural disasters.  The Institute enables members to obtain guidance and support from their fellow practitioners and offers professional training and certification programmes to disseminate and validate the highest standards of competence and ethics.  It has over 8,000 members in more than 100 countries in an estimated 3,000 organizations in private, public and third sectors. 
For more information go to: www.thebci.org

About BSI

BSI (British Standards Institution) is the business standards company that equips businesses with the necessary solutions to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. Formed in 1901, BSI was the world’s first National Standards Body and a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Over a century later it continues to facilitate business improvement across the globe by helping its clients drive performance, manage risk and grow sustainably through the adoption of international management systems standards, many of which BSI originated. Renowned for its marks of excellence including the consumer recognized Kitemark®, BSI’s influence spans multiple sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare, IT and retail. With over 65,000 clients in 147 countries, BSI is an organization whose standards inspire excellence across the globe. 

BlackBerry announced today that through the launch of the anticipated BlackBerry 10 smartphone, the company saw its best launch sales day ever in Canada.

“In Canada, yesterday was the best day ever for the first day of a launch of a new BlackBerry smartphone.  In fact, it was more than 50% better than any other launch day in our history in Canada,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry.

Even further, BlackBerry reported successful BlackBerry 10 sales performance in the UK.

“In the UK, we have seen close to three times our best performance ever for the first week of sales for a BlackBerry smartphone,” continued Heins.

BlackBerry did not release any specific figures, but there have been reports of Canadian retail stores that are sold out of the new phone.

BlackBerry released the BlackBerry Z10 in the UK last week and in Canada on February 5th retailing for approximately $149.99.

The US smartphone market is still waiting for the BlackBerry 10 OS to hit shelves, with rumors that it will be available late February or early March. This will be BlackBerry’s true test for its new OS. With the fact that BlackBerry’s reputation fell steadily in the last few years, will the US market be open to accepting them as reputable competition again? If the US follows in Canada and the UK’s footsteps, good things could be coming to the technology giant and its profit margin, something that would be a benefit to the Canadian economy. 

Layer 7 Technologies, a Canadian company headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., is a company that is growing—fast. Named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for the second year running in 2012, Layer 7 experienced its fourth year of profitability, had 500 per cent growth and doubled its employee headcount across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

The growth has been driven largely by the explosion of the app economy, a phenomenon that a Canadian technology group found is employing more than 51,000 Canadians. The proliferation of apps has revolutionized how Canadians are making purchasing decisions, interacting with brands and completing tasks in the workplace.

Layer 7, as a leading provider of security and connectivity tools for enterprises, has seen the demand for its products skyrocket, as businesses seek to compete in this new app economy.

The challenges and opportunities of an app economy

Increased adoption of smart devices is allowing people everywhere to access apps (and subsequently data) anywhere and at anytime, driving two trends for enterprises. First, these companies need to provide their data for consumer apps, so that they can tap into new market channels. Second, enterprises are grappling with figuring out how to provide their employees with enterprise apps that allow them to use their smart devices at work.

For both trends, enterprises often use application programming interfaces (APIs), which allows applications to access their data and re-use application functionality, but the challenge then arises as to how they can expose this data in a secure way that is still easy for developers to access. This is where Layer 7 steps in, providing API management tools that allow enterprises to securely expose their APIs to both internal and external developers and manage who is accessing their data.

With the explosion of consumer apps, the way in which Canadians make purchases, complete bookings and review services is dramatically changing. Consumers no longer need to walk into a retail store to make a purchase, or into a rental office to hire a car – they just need to look on their mobile device.  Just like having a website was new and necessary to survive 15 years ago, having an API and catering to app developers is now essential for businesses to survive today.

Many organizations look to well-known companies like Twitter, and question whether having an API program will work for them. A popular tactic for clients of Layer 7 is to selectively expose APIs to approved developers, both inside and outside the enterprise. This allows organizations and API program managers to exercise greater control over the types of apps that are being developed, and ensure they align with the organizational and marketing objectives of the company. The apps themselves become new marketing channels that allow users to easily discover new and existing services that are highly relevant to them.

Organizations are also starting to realize that with the growth of smart devices and applications, employees are bringing their devices to work, increasing demand for access to internal systems through these devices.  This poses obvious data security concerns that many organizations are turning to Layer 7 to help with. By providing API Gateways that allow organizations to implement fine-grained security policies, Layer 7 is helping businesses provide employees with secure productivity apps that allow them to complete their jobs more efficiently. Field staff can access apps on tablets and enter data directly into the organization’s database, reducing processing time and inaccuracies. Employees can access real-time data on their mobile phones allowing them to make faster and better decisions. And when an employee leaves their company, IT departments are able to restrict access to data and ensure employees are unable to access private information.

The way companies do business has changed fundamentally with the growth of the app economy. Layer 7 is helping companies manage both the challenges and opportunities, to stay competitive and secure. 

Brother Canada recently provided me with the MFC-J4510DW printer, a part of its new Brother Business Smart Series launched in November 2012.  An inkjet all-in-one printer, professionals and consumers alike should be able to benefit from the printer’s sleek compact design, touchscreen, and WiFi printing capabilities.

Although its compact size may seem limiting, Brother Canada has consumers covered with the multitude of options it provides. Set up was simple and fast, practically plug-in and the printer was ready to go. Set up was also easy to navigate, with cartridge installation troubleshooting available directly from its touchscreen.

A couple of unique features that I particularly enjoyed are the printer’s pop-out touchscreen for better viewing, easily accessible USB and memory card ports located directly on the front of the printer and its WiFi accessibility in which you can print straight from your phone with one of the following apps: AirPrint™, Google Cloud Print™, Brother™ iPrint&Scan, Wi-Fi Direct™ & Cortado Workplace.

The paper tray fits sizes of up to A4, but the Brother MFC-J4510DW printer, although compact, can actually even print legal 11” x 17” size through a manual feed slot in the back.

The only drawback I saw was in the way the scanner lid felt a bit loose. This was due to the fact that below the scanner are your connector ports for telephone, USB and fax (ports I was not using during the review) and the printer had incorporated an adjustable hinge to fit the expected wiring. This would probably be fixed if I had set up the telephone line or connected to my computer through USB rather than utilizing my office’s WiFi.

“This new inkjet series is a game-changer for the printing industry because it delivers the ultimate combination of form and function,” said Dwayne Filipchuk, Director of Product Planning in an official press release. “In today’s small to medium business environments, entrepreneurs need technologies they can rely on, coupled with a range of features that fit their limited workspaces and budgets. The Business Smart™ series offers a striking design and most models also include intuitive swipe TouchScreen display controls to complement their other technologies such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.”

Let's get down to tech specs. The MFC-J4510DWutilizes Colour Inkjet Technology and has built in networking with 802.11b/g/n. The printer utilizes a 4 cartridge ink system, reaches 35 ppm in black print speed and 27 ppm for colour. The MFC-J4510DW can hold up to 150 sheets of paper and its copy output resolution can reach up to 1200x1200 dpi. The printer has media card and USB flash memory card slots, connects via USB 2.0, and Ethernet as well.

 Another interesting feature was its Landscape Print Technology, something that differentiates itself from typical printers. Brother’s landscape printing results in small, sleek design in which the company claims can be up to 35 per cent smaller than other models.

I would definitely recommend this printer and see it as a good solution for consumers who want to use it for their business printing capabilities or personal. The MFC-J4510DW is available from Brother Canada for $199. 

After a holiday season that introduced a slew of new electronics to households across Canada – including the iPhone 5, Microsoft Surface and Wii U – many Canadians are now finding themselves stuck with older devices they no longer need or want.   

In fact, a recent survey conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of eBay Canada found that 68 per cent of Canadians who expected to get a new smartphone or tablet this holiday season already had one or both of these devices.

The survey found consumers are at odds with what to do with their old devices. Only seven per cent say they typically resell them, while five per cent tend to throw them out instead of recycling them.  Another 18 per cent say they keep their dated devices in the ubiquitous junk drawer. Considering that, on average, smartphones and tablets sell for more than $200[i] on eBay that is a lot of value to tuck away and leave unrealized. 

But, rather than simply ditching devices or stashing them away indefinitely, eBay Canada is reminding Canadians that it’s easy to sell those surplus gadgets to recoup some holiday cash.

“While we are great at buying up new technology, we sometimes don’t know what to do with our unwanted electronics,” said Andrea Stairs, country manager for eBay Canada. “eBay empowers Canadians to sell their excess tech gear – quickly and simply – and pocket the proceeds. In as little as 60 seconds, we can all make some money, de-clutter, and give our old devices a second life.”

This holiday season, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to getting rid of their unwanted items: listing items on eBay using the eBay mobile app, receiving instant cash offers through eBay’s online Instant Sale program, and, for the first time, recouping cash in-store with the help of Staples Canada.

Making selling mobile

Selling that old tech item is easy! The eBay Mobile app allows Canadians to list almost any item in less than 60 seconds.

“Using eBay’s mobile apps, Canadians can quickly research what their item is worth, create a listing by adding pictures from their phone, and offer their device for sale from virtually anywhere,” said Stairs.  “eBay’s quick and intuitive mobile apps allow sellers to sell how they want, when they want.”   

eBay helps Canadians sell their old electronics – instantly

eBay’s Instant Sale program, an electronics trade-in program powered by Staples Canada, is another easy and convenient alternative for Canadians looking to unload a spare smartphone, laptop, tablet, or gaming system.

Using eBay’s Instant Sale, Canadians can get up to $583 for an iPad (3rd Generation), and $337 for an iPhone 4S. With a catalogue of more than 550 devices, it only takes four quick steps – and less than a minute – to obtain a cash offer. 

Here’s how:

1.     Identify the device at instantsale.eBay.ca.

2.     Get an offer based on the device and description, instantly.

3.     Accept the offer and receive a free shipping label to ship the device.

4.     Once the device is received and assessed, the money is deposited into the seller’s PayPal account.

For more information on eBay’s Instant Sale program, visit https://instantsale.eBay.ca

Instant Sale In-Store at Select Staples Locations

This year, for the first time, Staples Canada will accept unwanted electronics (excluding gaming consoles/video games, laptops or desktops) in select Greater Toronto Area (GTA) stores. Starting January 3, consumers can simply bring a device to a participating Staples location where an associate will evaluate the item and issue a merchandise credit on the spot for the assessed value. 

To find a participating Staples location in the GTA, please visit http://ebay.ca/instantsale/staplesinstore/

About the survey

The data featured in this release was conducted by the integrated Consumer, Retail & Shopper Insights Team of Vision Critical. Results are based on a national online study conducted among 1,503 Canadian adults aged 18 or over across Canada on December 3, 2012. The margin of error, which measures sampling variability, is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada.

About eBay

Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. connects millions of buyers and sellers globally on a daily basis through eBay, the world's largest online marketplace, and PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely, easily, and quickly send and receive online payments. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay Classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000 cities around the world. eBay was visited by more than 8.3 million Canadians in September 2012 (comScore Media Metrix).                                                                

About Instant Sale in Canada

eBay’s Instant Sale program in Canada is powered by Staples Canada. It allows consumers to get cash for their unwanted electronic devices in four easy steps.  Based on the device and its description, the system will generate an offer – instantly. If the offer is accepted, sellers will be able to ship their device to Staples for free and once the item is evaluated, Staples sets the price and pays the buyer.  If in good condition, Staples will resell the item and if not, the item will be recycled responsibly. For more information and to try Instant Sale, visit https://instantsale.eBay.ca

With only four shopping days left before the holiday season, Staples, the world’s largest office supply company and second largest Internet retailer, is helping shoppers with a top-five list of items under $30.

“The holidays are busy and sometimes coming up with the perfect gift is difficult,” said Pete Gibel, vice president of merchandising at Staples Canada. “The top five gift ideas under $30 relieve the stress of thinking of a great present, while also helping shoppers stay on budget. There’s a gift for everyone on your shopping list.”

These gift ideas from Staples are cool, practical and won’t break the bank:

1.      Darth Maul Mimobot 4GB USB Flash Drive - $12.98, or Peter from Family Guy 8GB USB Flash Drive - $19.98

·         Fun USB characters store and transfer documents, photos, videos, music and more (available in a variety of characters).

2.      Road Mice Wireless Shelby GT500 Mouse - $29.98

·         Perfect for any car enthusiast. These automobile replicas, available in a variety of models, with working headlights turn this mouse into an experience.

3.       Moshi iGlaze Case for iPhone 5 - $29.29

·         This case is ideal for those who want to accentuate the unique look of the iPhone 5, while protecting it from damage such as shock and scratches.

4.      Adonit Jot Pro Stylus - $19.07

·         The precision disk provides accuracy turning this Stylus into a desired product for anyone who enjoys taking notes or drawing on touch screen devices. It is compatible with tablets, smart phones and laptops, and because it’s magnetic, the Stylus can cling to your device.

5.      Panasonic ErgoFit Noise Isolating Stereo Earbuds - $9.99

·         These earbuds create high quality sound, have a tangle-free cord slider, while also providing the ultimate in listening comfort.

About Staples Canada

Staples, Canada's largest office products company is committed to providing Canadians with a wide choice of office services and products. Serving all types of business - from the small home office to large enterprise - Staples makes it easy for customers to operate their offices efficiently and affordably by offering an extensive selection of office supplies, technology, electronics and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and maintenance, and copy and print services. Operating as Bureau en GrosMC in the province of Quebec and Staples Canada in all other provinces, the company employs over 15,000 associates at 330+ stores and at their head office inRichmond Hill, Ontario. Ranked as one of Canada's top ten Canadian companies in Marketing Magazine's Marketing/Leger 2011 Corporate Reputation Survey, Staples/Bureau en Gros is dedicated to offering customers the highest level of service, whether they choose to shop in-store, by catalogue or online. Staples Canada/Bureau en Gros also is invested in a number of corporate giving programs that actively support environmental, educational and entrepreneurial initiatives in Canadian communities from coast to coast. Visit www.staples.ca for more information, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @StaplesCanada.

Edited by: Kristin Craik

Ever been in Vancouver, Calgary or Montreal on business and wondered which restaurant would be the best choice for dinner? You’re not the only one. Finding the best restaurants in a foreign town as a tourist can be a pain, even more so when you’re hoping to impress clients.

Eat Canada, a new mobile business app, can provide a solution. Launched in early December, Eat Canada highlights the best restaurants and bars/pubs chosen and reviewed specifically by critics. Utilizing the expertise of Canada’s restaurant critic elite, Eat Canada reviews local restaurants and shares the eatery’s cuisine style, noise level, private room options, price ranges, which credit cards are accepted, hours, websites, alcoholic beverage selection, corkage and whether there is outdoor dining.

Eat Canada offers food and drink recommendations for 11 of Canada’s largest cities including Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. Johns. Each City features 20, critic-chosen restaurants and/or beverage places located nearby the city’s downtown business core. Eat Canada has a total of 200 highly recommended restaurants to date.

New to the area and don’t know the city’s layout? Eat Canada provides interactive elements such as a full mapping and directions feature so users don’t get lost.

The Eat Canada app, available on the iPhone and iPad, can be purchased through the Apple App Store for $9.99.

Critics reviewing Eat Canada’s restaurants include:

• “Karl Wells (St John’s): restaurant critic for The Telegram, an accredited chef and host of the Rogers TV show, One Chef One Critic.
• Bill Spurr (Halifax): features writer and restaurant critic for the Halifax Chronicle-Herald.
• Robert Beauchemin (Montreal): restaurant critic for La Presse and college instructor on culture and food.
• Anne DesBrisay (Ottawa): restaurant critic for the Ottawa Citizen for 19 years and author of Capital Dining, the definitive guide to dining in the Ottawa area.
• James Chatto (Toronto): restaurant critic for over 25 years, editor of Harry Magazine and National Culinary Advisor for Gold Medal Plates and the Canadian Culinary Championships.
• Christine Hanlon (Winnipeg): has written about food and culture for Style Manitoba, Western Living and Fodor’s Canada.
• CJ Katz (Saskatoon/Regina): culinary host of CTV’s Wheatland Café, restaurant writer for the Regina Leader-Post, publisher of Savour Life Magazine and author of the newly released TASTE: Seasonal Dishes from the Prairie Table. 
• Mary Bailey (Edmonton): publisher of The Tomato Food & Drink, certified sommelier and wine instructor Art Institute of Vancouver, and co-author of two National Best-Sellers on Alberta food.
• John Gilchrist (Calgary): CBC Radio restaurant critic for 32 years, restaurant writer for The Calgary Herald, author of ten National Best-Sellers on dining in the Calgary-Banff area, and instructor of food and culture programs at the U of C.
• Andrew Morrison (Vancouver): editor of Scout Magazine, restaurant critic for the Westender newspaper and instructor of food writing at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.”

Feeling connected for work or leisure has become an essential part of everyone's life, especially when travelling for business. This is why Canadian transportation providers such as VIA Rail are working to give its clients the most reliable access possible to web and mobile services throughout their travel experience.

“Our research has shown that Canadians want a simple and seamless travel experience that covers the entire trip, from planning to post-trip. It is also critical for customers to always stay connected," explained Chad McLarnon, Manager, Business solutions for VIA Rail, who, in response to this research and growing customer demand for mobile services, recently launched its first ever mobile booking engine.

Accessible on any mobile device, all you need to do is type m.viarail.ca on your mobile web browser and you can buy ticket or rail passes in a secure environment, access real-time departure and arrival time updates for Montreal-Windsor corridor trains and develop a traveller profile to make ticket purchase easier and quicker.

Once booked, business travellers can, on the date of departure, show the agent at the boarding gate the e-boarding passes that appear on their smartphone and have their ticket scanned and validated, bypassing the ticket office and making it ideal, especially for people in the remote communities that VIA serves.

Once aboard, aside from the comfort, safety, and of course the views, business class on VIA Rail offers the ideal conditions for work or play: optimized lighting, seats equipped with power outlets and fold-out table for your portable computer or tablet, a delicious meal, exclusive access to the pre-departure and on-board lounges and, most of all, the world's fastest Wi-Fi system on rails.

Since January 2011 all train sets running in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor that include a business class car have been equipped with VIA's second generation Wi-Fi system and are successfully keeping passengers connected with a 99.5 plus per cent coverage rate.

So what makes VIA's Wi-Fi the “fastest on rails”?

The system carries eight antenna receptors on the roof of one of the front-most cars of each train set (known as the “brain car”) to ensure more “hit” points, which translates into fewer dropped signals and faster downloads. Also VIA aggregates not just one, but three wireless providers that service the corridor to ensure the system is constantly scanning the signals and choosing the strongest in any given area resulting in virtually no “black holes” along the route.

Business travellers can count on a system that rarely disappoints, and an opportunity for long stretches of productivity – or leisure - on their trip. More information on business travel is available at www.viarail.ca.

-- News Canada

The Philips hue system starter pack includes three LED bulbs that work with current existing lamps, and a bridge that customers can plug into their Wi-Fi routers. Philips is releasing hue in Apple stores only, starting on October 30th.

“Philips hue can be setup in minutes. The intuitive app allows you to remotely control your home lighting to help secure your home, personalize your home lighting experience with custom settings and program timers to help manage your daily schedules, all through the convenience of a smart device. An intuitive and seamless system, Philips hue is upgradeable and future-proof, with the potential for more features to be downloaded and enjoyed in the future,” said Philips in an official statement.

Philips hue gives its users a multitude of options from allowing the ability to chose shades and colours to utilizing a photo as a color palette and memory storage of preferred settings per room. Additionally, with the mobile app, hue allows consumers to control and monitor lights remotely, set timers  as well as allow lights to be used as a wake up alarm.

“Philips hue is a game-changer in lighting – a completely new way to experience and interact with light. In the way phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionized by digital technology, now we can also personalize light and enjoy limitless applications.  Philips continues to redefine the possibilities of LED technology, and hue pushes the boundaries even more, not only in offering great light quality, but in how lighting can be digitized and integrated with our world to further simplify and enhance our lives,” said Jeroen de Waal, Head of Marketing & Strategy, Philips Lighting.

The app for Philips hue also includesLightRecipes, four available lighting settings created from Philips’ research surrounding the biological effects of lighting on one’s body. The program will set the optimum brightness of white light  to help users relax, read, concentrate and/or energize. 

hue - Master Video from Philips Color Kinetics on Vimeo.

There's no question that cloud computing usage has exploded and will continue unabated. 

1. Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that cloud computing is not only becoming increasingly popular in general but that it is growing in the education market, normally a slow adopter of new technology. Two, criticalmotivating factors are catalyzing educational institutions to investigate the cloud concept as an option since cloud computing can:

• Substantially reduce hardware, software licensing and personnel costs. This also saves on space, repair, and electrical costs.
• Provide new capabilities as they come to market without the incremental costs for equipment or support. The cloud now makes “keeping current” a much more viable option. This might include collaborative efforts such as allowing multiple admissions personnel to view the same student application simultaneously. 

            To these reasons, one might add the explosion in mobile devices that pressures IT departments - including those in the higher education environment - to provide 24/7 computing that is accessible from anywhere with no downtime. To top it off, there is also the ever- increasing avalanche of data that needs to be stored and analyzed. Given their shrinking budgets and increasing applicants, schools do have a major incentive to investigate cloud computing as a cost containment solution - certainly a simpler, much more affordable and practical option than attempting to undergo major expansion and rehab of technologies they already have in place.

Cloud computing can be used for business continuity planning, or storing archived copies of data off to a cloud storage area - even students' papers and music that can be stored and retrieved whenever they want. 

In the specialized areas of financial aid, enrollment, and admissions, the cloud has proven to be particularly beneficial. In the face of rising applicant pools, these areas need processes completed faster, better and cheaper methods to keep up with the competition, as well as meeting their own budgetary goals.  The cloud helps higher education move up on the cost benefit curve because it's not dumping more work on an already beleaguered IT staff, it’s rather simple to implement, and the benefits can be significant. The cloud can deliver high-end functionality very quickly without significant investments in hardware, integration, administration, and consulting.

Before jumping in with both feet, though, some basic questions must first be answered. One of the primary concerns is how does a cloud vendor deliver an agile business solution to a higher education institution which traditionally has focused on other priorities.

Secondly, there is a litany of questions, mostly related to issues of security, reliability, confidentiality, and regulations at both the state and federal level. Most cloud vendors have addressed the security and intrusion issues at least at the level that most colleges would have addressed for themselves, if not more.  In reality, security is less about the nuts and bolts of how to protect the data than the idea that administrators must determine who actually owns the data and who has access to it.

It’s also advisable to evaluate applications and infrastructure for vulnerabilities and ensure that security controls are in place and operating properly.  Setting up an active monitoring program that uses services such as intrusion prevention, access and identity management, and security event log management to identify any security threats to the cloud implementation is a must.

Once these hurdles are cleared, there are baseline technology questions that must be considered.  This includes the infrastructure vendors they select, the maintenance agreements that they have in place, and technology questions regarding storage, networking, computing capacity, and integration.

From the business side, there is a big impact on the user community; how big depends on the equipment and systems already in place. There are campuses that are still using green screen terminals off of a mainframe to do their work.  In moving to the cloud, these schools are changing from older PC-based platforms to more up-to-date ones capable of running browser sessions and multiple windows.

Regarding the legal process, lawyers are always involved in the procurement of any software or services, so they certainly have a role.  But with cloud computing, it does shift the kinds of protection they might look for in the contract.  There are questions about the viability of the system, how often it is updated, how long the data is stored, is the data deleted when the vendor says they're going to.  In essence, when buying software on a campus, it's all about the license agreement; with a cloud vendor, the focus shifts to the service agreement and the protection of privacy, records, and information.

Switching to a cloud-computing scenario can begin with "baby steps" in order to allow the school to become comfortable with the change. The big payoff is in the more comprehensive enrollment management areas where the value proposition for admissions and financial aid can include a major improvement in operational efficiency enabling a dramatic impact on incoming class demographics and a compelling ROI.  

###

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Burke is president of FolderWave, Inc., a cloud-based company offering products and services designed to significantly improve complex, high-volume time-dependent process and data management operations in many operational areas in higher education.  Bob can be reached at bob@folderwave.com.

Written by: Sean Forkan, Country Manager, Symantec Canada

A question I get asked a lot is if SMBs need to worry about data security. My answer is always the same: Absolutely.

Targeted attacks aren’t just aimed at the big guys anymore.  The June Intelligence Report from Symantec found that SMBs are not too small to escape the notice of sophisticated attackers. In fact, 36 per cent of all targeted attacks (58 per day) during the first half of this year were directed at businesses with 250 or fewer employees. This is up from the 18 per cent reported in December 2011.

We’ve tracked three distinct trends that make SMBs a prime target: 

• Being at the forefront of innovation in their industry
• Malware authors can target an SMB in order to gain access to a larger enterprise –SMBs often supply goods and services to companies and organizations that are highly prized by attackers
• Possessing high value assets that may be intangible in nature

Despite this, SMBs don’t believe they are at risk. Almost half (49 per cent) of Canadian SMBs do not feel they are a target for threats, and 66 per cent of Canadian respondents do not lock down machines used for online banking to protect its company bank account.

The best way Canadian SMBs can protect themselves is to be prepared. After all, downtime (whether from an attack, breach or natural disaster) equals lost business. Of Canadian small businesses, 34 per cent reported lost revenue and 57 per cent lost productivity due to a typical outage, according to Symantec’s 2012 SMB Disaster Preparedness Survey. As a small business, is this a risk you can afford to take?

We understand that for many small business owners, securing your company may appear to be a difficult and confusing task. But IT doesn’t have to be hard. Here are a few tips to help you better protect your small business:

Plan to grow: Consumer software is not meant to protect SMBs and the massive amount of information they accumulate. We recommend that an SMB with 10 or more employees use an SMB focused product (Symantec offers Endpoint protection SMB edition and Backup Exec SMB edition, to name a few). It’s also important for an SMB with fewer than 10 employees to plan to outgrow consumer software as the company grows. Recently SMBs told us that information accounts for 40 per cent of their organization’s value, and as a result a data breach or lost information can have disastrous consequences for an SMB.

Educate employees:  Develop Internet security guidelines and educate employees about Internet safety, security and the latest threats. Encourage employees to follow the BYOD trend (bring your own device) but establish guidelines to keep your infrastructure safe. All mobile devices should be password protected and have security installed, lost or stolen devices should be immediately reported and avoid opening email or text messages from unknown senders – as with PCs, malware can infect  mobile devices through such messages

Assess your security status:  SMBs are facing increased risks to their confidential information so safeguarding data is critical.  For an SMB, one data breach could mean financial ruin and loss of customers. Secure your website with an SSL (secured sockets layer), this will ensure that information passing through your website will remain private and secure by creating an encrypted link between a web server and browser. This will allow your customers’ private information to remain secure throughout a transaction. It’s important to understand your risks and security gaps so that you can take steps to protect your information.

Take action:  Be proactive and develop a security plan. Consider items such as password policies, endpoint protection, the security of email and Web assets, and encryption.  You should also evaluate whether on-premise or a hosted service would best suit the needs of your organization.  Symantec’s Endpoint Protection solution can easily take you from an on premise to a hosted solution. It’s important for SMBs to take advantage of technology trends like the cloud and virtualization that can enhance their efficiency. 

If you’re a small business owner looking to upgrade your existing IT equipment or buy new computers for your expanding operations, it’s important to take the time to make the right decision. Purchasing too little computing capacity can hinder your employees’ ability to work, while too many just waste resources.

Here are a few key computer specs to keep in mind when deciding what kind of hardware you really need:

For most common business tasks—internet use, word processing, spreadsheets etc.—you likely don’t need a lot of processing power. Look for a processor with speeds of around 2 to 4 GHz and a dual-core (or quad-core). If your company is heavy into image or video editing, on the other hand, you will need to invest a little more to pick up a quad-core or beyond. Make sure the software you’re using can take advantage of multi-core processing

• Processor – The processor handles all computing tasks, no matter how simple or complex—your computer can only go as fast as your processor will allow. Choosing the right one is not a simple matter of finding the fastest operating frequency, however. You should consider whether the processor in question is single- or multi-core and whether the system comes with an appropriate cooling method to keep the temperatures safe.
• RAM – Random access memory (RAM) plays another huge part in computer speed. RAM is short-term memory that is used to load software and manipulate data. Having more RAM allows your computer to work faster by reducing the number of times that the computer must read from or write to the hard disk in order to complete a task. It’s a good idea to get as much RAM as you can afford, with 4 GB becoming the standard. Keep in mind that the more applications you run, generally the more RAM you’ll need—buy enough memory to keep up with the demands of your business growth.
• Storage – Storage is relatively inexpensive, so in general, it’s a good idea to get the largest hard drive that you can so you don’t have to worry about software installations or downloads later on. On the other hand, if your business uses a centralized storage network, you may consider only getting just enough space for essential applications in order to encourage use of the network.
• Graphics card or other components – Unless you’re buying a gaming laptop for your company’s break room or you need powerful visuals for computer-assisted design, you’re probably fine with the standard graphics card and other components.
• Desktop or laptop – Finally, you should decide whether you want to invest in a desktop or laptop. A laptop offers your employees more mobility, but you generally get more bang for your buck with a desktop.

More SMB Computer Buying Tips

• Buy in bulk where possible – You can save a lot of money when buying computers in bulk—it’s usually better to upgrade your entire office at once or invest in hardware for the future. You don’t have to buy hundreds of units at once to take advantage of bulk pricing, either—often buying as few as three to five at a time can reduce your costs significantly.
• Save money on refurbished – Buying refurbished hardware can reduce your costs by a lot—they’re just as good as new components, and they have the added benefit of being looked at by the manufacturer and checked for quality before shipping.
• Set up buying agreements – Many vendors are willing to enter into buying agreements with small businesses to offer volume discounts and similar promotions. Check to see whether this is an option for you.

Buying new computers for your office can be a challenge, but one that you can accomplish with the right preparation. Good luck.

About the Author: David Malmborg works with Dell, and enjoys writing about technology. In his spare time he enjoys reading, the outdoors, and spending time with his family. If you would like to learn more about Dell computers, click here.

IT managers can’t get enough of BYOD, cloud computing and everything-as-a-service these days. In fact, they are so busy using these solutions to reduce costs and increase efficiency that they often forget that it’s possible to combat these worries with something as simple as printing.

InfoTrends research shows that organizations spend about three to six per cent of their annual revenues on print-related costs such as copying, faxing and output. These costs can be reduced with managed print services, or MPS, which allows a company to streamline its printing operations by hiring a printing provider to control and optimize the print environment.

But what is MPS, really? The only agreeable definition is that MPS provides consolidated billing, proactive maintenance of equipment and ongoing optimization. Yet, thinking of MPS this way is too simplistic – it’s more than staying on top of toner levels and finding ways to use less paper; it’s about proactively discovering ways to save time and labour and incorporating solutions that make the workforce more productive. So how does it work?

The most important aspect to consider when thinking of MPS is that it is a centrally managed service provided by a printing provider. This means that the print fleet is remotely monitored and any complications that arise are fixed automatically.

In addition to monitoring for any errors, the provider also tracks toner and paper levels, meaning that an organization doesn’t have to worry when it runs out of ink cartridges or letter paper. Even more impressively, printers have become more self-aware so they are able to keep an eye out on their own levels and inform a technician when changes need to be made. Allowing a provider to manage the maintenance process can provide significant cost savings.

Because the entire printing process is monitored, it becomes easy for the provider to offer governance during the print optimization process. For example, it is possible to monitor performance by office, region and location, to tell who in a company is printing the most and how much the fleet is outputting. This allows IT managers to find ways to reduce spending within the printing infrastructure.

The most unique way that MPS can solve printing needs is through the recommendation of software solutions that can streamline printing processes and ease the administrative burden. For example, if a company scans and files similar types of paperwork, the printing provider can recommend a solution that captures the information on the forms automatically, therefore eliminating hours of unnecessary paperwork.

Conducting a print assessment  can ensure the success of MPS in a given company. After asking questions such as “How many devices do you have in your fleet” and “How many pages do you print in a month?” the auditor is able to determine how to meet client needs in order to lower overhead. An entire office, not just the IT department, can run more smoothly with the help of MPS.

Even though MPS is not the latest and most flashy option for reducing cost and increasing efficiency – it makes a difference to the bottom line. IT managers should embrace MPS and not let their print fleet fall to the wayside if they are trying to save money and increase productivity. 

About the Author

Matthew Barnicoat leads Lexmark Canada’s Global Services division, which helps clients manage their print fleets through innovative solutions and services. Lexmark provides a consultative approach to MPS that encompasses fundamentals, optimization and governance in order to improve overall print efficiency and business process improvement. 

After Apple announced  the Apple iPhone 5 this morning, there’s no doubt many Canadians are preparing for the upgrade. But what will they do with their current mobile phones? Fortunately, eBay announced today a limited time offer for Canadians for their used smartphones. Through eBay.ca Instant Sale, Canadians will be able to trade-in their old smartphones, or other electronics, in exchange for cash.

“Canadians who lock-in their Instant Sale trade-in offer in the next 12 days will receive 20 per cent more on 36 smartphone devices, including up to $404.40 for their 64 gigabyte iPhone 4S,” said eBay.

eBay Instant Sale an online tool that allows Canadians to trade-in electronic devices for cash offers and has been available in Canada since January 2012. Operated by Staples Canada, trade-in devices turned in through the program are refurbished and then resold. The program , to date, has generated more than 10 million offers for used electronics worldwide.

“Just in time for the iPhone 5’s arrival eBay is offering top-dollar for smartphones,” said Andrea Stairs, country manager of eBay Canada. “We’re thrilled to give Canadians a reason to trade-in before they trade-up, while ensuring discarded devices end up in the hands of new owners.”

SEE RELATED STORIES FROM THE WDM CONTENT NETWORK:

• Apple Introduces the iPhone 5
• 10 Things You Didn't Know Your Laptop Could Do

Click here to see the latest issue of Business Review North America

Those interested in the service, especially in receiving 20 per cent more on trade-in value, need to get their guaranteed eBay.ca Instant Sale trade-in offer between today and September 24th at 11:59 pm ET. eBay provides Instant Sale customers with a free shipping label and customers hoping to cash in on this offer must send shipments postmarked no later than October 1st, 2012.

“Trade-ins makes sense economically and environmentally, and are an obvious step in the electronics lifecycle,” adds Stairs. “With Instant Sale, Canadians have a green way to dispose of their older devices while also offsetting the cost of purchasing the newest, must have, gadgets.”

See below for the maximum trade-in value you could receive on certain smartphone devices:

Device                              Maximum trade-in value

Apple iPhone 4S                    $404.40

Apple iPhone 4                       $218.76

Apple iPhone 3GS                 $105.00

BlackBerry Bold 9900           $214.20

BlackBerry Torch                   $180.60

Samsung Galaxy S III           $420.00

Samsung Galaxy Note         $336.00

Samsung Galaxy S II LTE    $252.00