In the first program of its kind, Apple will now recycle your old laptop or desktop PC for free. And you might net a few bucks toward your next device.
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Do you have a few old, dusty beige-box computers kicking around that you’d like to turn into money? Or perhaps you’d just like to get rid of them, but you lack the means to dispose of them properly? Well, if you’re in the US you’re in luck: Apple will now recycle your old laptop or desktop PC and its monitor for free — and if it’s worth anything, you’ll even get an Apple Gift Card in return. In addition, your old iPhone or iPad can now be returned for an Apple Gift Gard, too.
I’ll admit this idea sounds good on paper, but what it comes down to me is Apple trying to euthanize the old over the new. Their are some amazing old computer relics that amazingly still exist and it seems more than a little unjust that Apple would try to destroy these antiques for something as common as a gift card. Nonetheless this is so far the best option available for getting rid of old useless computers, I just fear that old software won’t exist anymore if this recycle option is still available in the future.
I’ll admit Apple has a great idea here. I see it as a marketing ploy rather than a true recycling effort. I went through the process of how one would trade something in, and the money they were offering wasn’t worth the product. There’s plenty of other places to sell electronics, or recycle them. Best Buy has had an electronics recycling program for a while now. HP has a recycling program and a trade-in program.