If you haven’t heard by now, the launch of the next-gen iPad , nee iPad3, has happened. So, if you’re already salivating at the thought of the big upgrade, here are three ways to recycle and make money off that old iPad or tablet first. More about the iFuss about the iPad 3 Later!
Photo: Apple Inc.1. Make extra cash
If your iPad or tablet is still in working condition, you could make some serious cash by recycling it. Apple pays customers for their unwanted but usable iPads in Apple gift cards – meaning you can help foot the bill for your upgrade by recycling your current model.
To calculate your iPad’s value, you’ll need to answer a few questions about its condition: Does the battery fully charge, or has the device ever been water damaged? The estimated value of an iPad 2 in very good condition is $227, while an undamaged first-gen iPad will earn you around $117. As a reference, NEW iPad 2 Wi-Fi and 3G models continues to sell for a discounted $400!
Another option for usable tablets – no matter what the brand – is electronics buy-back companies like NextWorth, YouRenew, BuyMyTronics and Gazelle, which pay you in cash instead of gift cards. Best Buy, has a Buy Back program that offers a gift card for in store credit
Like the Apple program, you’ll need to answer a few quick questions about the age and condition of your gadget first. Then, simply send your device in via prepaid postage, and you’ll usually receive payment for the full market value in less than two weeks.
eBay and Craigslist: Yes, they’re the obvious places, but in contrast to the ease and convenience eBay and Craigslist require a lot of effort. However, in exchange for that effort, you can sell a good-shape iPad 2 for a higher price. The going rate for an iPad 2 with 64GB and both Wi-Fi and 3G one Bay is $425. The 16GB, with just Wi-Fi, is going for $250.
READ: Apple Buys Back E-waste for Gift Cards
2. The “Do Gooder” Option Support charitable causes
Sure, you could make a few extra dollars by recycling your old iPad or tablet. But if you want to help your gadget give back, why not try using it to support charitable causes?
Devices like iPads are emerging as important educational tools, from teaching aids in low-income classrooms to communication assistance for special needs children. Plenty of causes can benefit from your old gadget.
Through a program started last year, Apple allows customers to donate their old iPads to the Teach for America Corps program, which places recent college graduates in teaching positions at low-income public schools.
Other organizations like Computers with Causes and iOS developer Steve Glinberg’s iPad Recycling Programwill also take your old device and find it a home in an underfunded school. The HollyRod Foundation accepts donated iPads and gives them to special needs children and their families to help them communicate better.
For a wider selection of nonprofits, head to Recycling for Charities – a Web-based take-back program that accepts and recycles all forms of electronics and gives a value donation to your charity of choice. Causes include animal shelters, environmental initiatives and community groups.
READ: Apple Donates iPads to Teach for America
3. Recover those resources
Some buy-back and charity programs will accept your iPad or tablet if it’s broken. But most shy away from non-working models. However, even the most banged-up devices are chock full of usable resources that are readily recoverable through recycling.
Apple’s recycling program accepts broken or unusable iPads (they just don’t pay you for them). Most electronics stores, including Best Buy, Staples and Radio Shack, also offer free take-back recycling programs for iPads and tablets.
Don’t landfill it: The worst option you have is to open up the trash bin and dump it. That means, not only are you wasting precious materials that could have been recycled, but the chemicals from the battery and electronics will sit in the landfill and leach into the ground. Also, you’re wasting money.
Don’t sit on it: The second-to-worst option you have is to put it in the back of a drawer and let it sit there for years. Then you’re not taking advantage of the money you can get from reselling it, and the odds that you will actually recycle it drop over time.
Lastly…So your iPad 2 is a brick: If your iPad 2 is totally broken and not functioning, there are still some decent options for you. For example, Gazelle will still buy a 64GB version with 3G and Wi-Fi for $125. But perhaps a better option for you is recycling: Apple will take back old broken iPads. Big retailers like Best Buy, RadioShack and Staples often have free recycling drop-off boxes at their stores — call your closest one to find out if they have that option.
Contact AWS if you are in Interested in e-waste recycling programs, for you home or office, Contact AWS and we can find a solution for you.
READ: Best Buy Eliminates E-waste Recycling Fee
VIDEO| Whats all the iFuss about…
It’s not an iPad 3. It’s “The new iPad
- The Pin-Sharp Retina display
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Quad-core graphics
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The New iPad starting at $630 supports Personal Hotspot with ULTRA FAST4G LTE on both Verizon and AT&T!
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Battery life: 10 hours
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5MP iSight Camera
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New iPad, same price
How to get it
Apple has already opened pre-orders for the new iPad, which you can find by visiting apple.com/ipad/. Your new iPad will ship on March 16. (Be warned, the purchasing site seems to be going up and down. The site is likely being bombarded with hundreds of thousands of pre-orders.)