Instagram is testing personal fundraisers in the US, UK and Ireland

Starting today, some Instagrammers can run fundraisers for a cause that’s important to them, themselves, their small business or a friend. It’s effectively a take on GoFundMe directly within the app. Instagram is initially testing the Personal Fundra...

Microsoft blood bot helps recovered COVID-19 patients donate plasma

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Snapchat’s new lens helps users donate to the WHO’s COVID-19 relief fund

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Ask Engadget: Which charities give gifts to those in need?

The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fac...

“Amazon After” helps you sell, donate, recycle, or rent out your past Amazon purchases

Currently under development, this nifty service lets you practically host a garage sale on your phone. Titled Amazon After, this is an afterlife for everything in your Amazon cart. Done with an item you bought on Amazon? You can have Alexa sell it instantly with Amazon After. Or, have her give it away, donate it, upgrade it, rent it out, lend it, trade it, pawn it, revive it, recycle it or help you dispose of it responsibly.

Amazon After basically manages everything you buy on Amazon. Its dashboard tracks the value of your product over time, and at any point of time, you can pick an item you want to get rid off and the app lets you unload your belongings and cut the clutter. As a verified Amazon user, your items have Amazon history, and a verified authenticity. You can choose to temporarily unload an item by loaning or lending it out for a period of time (for which you will be paid), or sell or even donate it. The dashboard gives you an estimate of what your product is worth AFTER you’ve bought it, so you don’t need to struggle with computing the value of a used product. If your product is broken or damaged, Amazon After takes care of it too, by shipping the rest of the spare parts along with your product to the next user. Selling your camera? Amazon After can supply a new battery to the user, or an SD Card. The service fills in the blanks wherever necessary, giving you the ability to sell as easily as you buy.

This circular approach to product consumption truly champions sustainability. Product lifespans are increased, and when they’re beyond use, Amazon After makes sure they get recycled responsibly. Amazon After even integrates with Alexa, allowing you to say phrases like “Hey Alexa, how much will I get if I sell my TV?” or “Hey Alexa, get rid of my Chronicles of Narnia Box Set.” If your product was bought on Amazon, its date of purchase and value are immediately captured in Amazon After, for later use. Alexa can then tell you how much you could make by getting rid of stuff you don’t want or need. Amazon After goes one step further with IoT devices, by tracking their use, so if you haven’t used your coffee machine in months, it’ll remind you to consider giving it away.

Amazon After, conceptualized and developed by Scott Amron, finds a way to make minimalism and circular consumption financially beneficial. The upper right corner of the Amazon After app entices you by telling you how much you could earn by selling all your stuff, and the app itself completely simplifies the process of unloading your unnecessary impulse-buys. Sell, rent, donate, loan, or recycle your purchases… either by tapping a button on an app, or telling your smart speaker to! Simple, eh?

Designer: Scott Amron

The Amazon After service isn’t affiliated with or sponsored by Amazon. There is no existing partnership or collaboration between the service and Amazon. The Amazon trademark is owned by Amazon.
You can click here to sign up for the Amazon After Beta Test.

Instagram will support fundraisers using Story stickers

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YouTube ‘Super Chat’ comments are a new way to support livestreams

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