iPhone 4

After months of rumors, techies are gearing up for Wednesday's Apple event and anticipating a major reveal: the iPhone 5. If you're ready to upgrade from last year's iPhone 4S or the iPhone 4, now's the time to sell. Like, now, since with every minute closer to the press conference your current iPhone loses value. But before you post a listing on Craigslist, eBay, or Gazelle get all your ducks in a row first. To prep your gadget for resale, check off these tips and get top dollar for your efforts.

• Back up data and do a clean sweep — First thing's first — connect the iPhone to iTunes and back up all of its data. You'll be able to sync it with your new iPhone after you bring it home. And just like a computer, before you sell your old phone, wipe it clean of any sensitive information, apps, and contact lists. Erasing all of your content and settings (go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) is great, but go ahead and perform a full restore in iTunes as well.
• Polish the exterior — Cleaning your old iPhone is kind of like cleaning your LCD monitor — you don't want to use any harsh chemicals or, even more damaging, water. Using a tried-and-tested cleaner like iKlear ($30) will ensure you won't damage its sensitive bits. Use a microfiber cloth to shine that baby up.

For more tips on how to get your gadget sold quickly online, keep reading.

For a device as valuable as the iPhone, we're guilty in not treating it with the respect it deserves. A case like the Cellhelmet ($45) is exactly what we need to keep our iPhone secure from clumsy drops and accidental sidewalk spills. Available as a Kickstarter project, the team behind the Cellhelmet case guarantees the iPhone 4/4S it holds against physical damages.

Made in the US out of polyurethane, the Cellhelmet claims to protect the phone enough that you wouldn't even need to submit a repair claim. The Cellhelmet doesn't cover water damage, but should you drop, step on, or somehow break the phone they'll repair it, and if necessary, replace it. Similar to a wireless provider's phone insurance, all claims for repair or replacement on an iPhone requires a $50 handling fee. One year of coverage gets your phone as many damage claims as needed, and just one replacement per policy.

We're just days away from the iPhone 4S launch, and if you've finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade from your year-old iPhone 4, don't worry — there are ways for you to trade up without having to sell your iPhone online. These outlets are trading iPhone 4s for cash, so start planning accordingly.

• Apple — Apple is offering up gift cards in exchange for iPhone 4s in working condition. Exchange values will vary depending on scratches, battery charges, and whether you've supplied the power cord.
• Nextworth — Get cash for your iPhone 4 through this company that accepts phones via mail and sends you payment via PayPal or check.
• Target — Target is also working alongside Nextworth to offer customers trade-in values at their mobile locations or online and payment in Target gift cards, which can be used to buy the new iPhone 4S in store.
• Radio Shack — The Shack offers in-store trading in exchange for cash value, or you can choose to complete the trade-in online, which will garner you a Radio Shack gift card, which you can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone 4S.

Have any other locations to add to the list? Tell us about them in the comments!

Update: Apple's unlocked iPhones went on sale a day early than expected. You can order your own unlocked iPhone 4 now on Apple's website.

Apple fans are chomping at the bit for new iPhone news, especially since there was no mention of the device at last week's WWDC keynote presentation, where the next generation iPhone has historically been announced. It's assumed that the iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4S as some are now calling it) will be unveiled this Fall alongside the launch of iOS 5. But instead of waiting a whole three to four more months for iPhone news, Apple may be throwing mobile addicts a bone this week — rumor has it Apple will begin stocking an unlocked iPhone 4 on its shelves this Wednesday.

Coming in white or black, and in 16GB and 32GB flavors, this may sound enticing to the average consumer (since you can take the phone to any carrier you want), there are some downsides. First, you'll be paying a huge up-front fee. Since you won't have to sign up for a contract with Verizon or AT&T, you can buy the phone outright, which will likely cost you several Benjamins (starting at $599 to be exact). Second, you don't really have that many choices. The only device Apple is rumored to be releasing unlocked is a GSM-compatible model, which gives you a choice of AT&T or T-Mobile for service.

There is an upside though. Find out what it is when you read more.