For you Mom - my old cellphone

Your first smartphone doesn't necessarily have to be the most expensive one on the market.

Your first smartphone doesn't necessarily have to be the most expensive one on the market.

Published Dec 27, 2012

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London - It’s a festive phenomenon that saves youngsters money and keeps Mom and Dad in the technological loop.

This Christmas saw the rise of the “hand-me-up” gift – when children pass on the still-desirable, hi-tech gadgets they don’t want any more to their parents.

A survey found over a quarter of us gave second-hand technology to our mothers and fathers.

The trend was even more apparent among young adults, with nearly half of those aged 18-24 passing on used gadgets such as smartphones, cameras, iPods and Kindle e-readers.

Of the 2,000 people questioned, the most common reason for giving a hand-me-up was that old gadgets were outdated (and newer ones might be sitting in Christmas stockings), while a third said they gave such gifts because cash was tight.

One in ten gave old smartphones to parents so they could log on to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Women buyers were more likely to pass on an old phone to a parent, while men were more likely to give the hand-me-ups to a friend instead.

Young adults largely chose to give their cast-offs to their mothers. About 44 percent of moms received old gadgets, compared to 28 percent of dads.

Grandparents, however, opened more conventional presents on Christmas Day, with just four percent of grandchildren giving hand-me-ups to that generation.

Sylvia Chind, from mobile operator Three, which carried out the survey, said the “hand-me-ups” would “save time and money”, and expose older generations to more up-to-date technology.

She said: “This research has found that Brits are making the most of their older technology and connecting mom and dad, siblings and friends to the mobile internet.” - Daily Mail

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