Apple products are the gifts that keep on giving. Right before the July 4th holiday, AppleInsider reported on how first-gen iPhone buyers can still operate their handsets as iPod Touch devices – Wi-Fi and all – if they decide to buy the new 3G iPhone. This met with some derision on the AppleInsider forum as an iPhone costs more than an iPod Touch, but the realists in the group pointed out that for year-old technology, it’s not such a bad deal.
In the meantime, the story got me thinking about the options for old iPhones and iPods. What to do when you’re ready to move on to the next-gen product?
- Sell your old iPhone or iPod on eBay. It’s an obvious choice, but one that many may be too lazy to take advantage of. For those folks, try an iSOLD It store. Drop off your old product, let them sell it for you on eBay, and reap a portion of the profits. Dave likes this method.
- Pass it down to a child or up to a parent. Again this is an obvious choice, but you can turn it into a true gift by loading your old gadget with personalized music for the recipient. Think mix tape without the romantic connotations.
- Keep a travel version. Like to work out on the road? Keep an iPod or iPhone-cum-iPod-Touch topped up with workout tunes in your travel bag. You’ll have no excuse to avoid that run around the hotel grounds.
- Raffle off for a local community group. Got a kid’s extracurricular club that’s looking for prizes to raffle? What could be better than that old iPod Mini?
- If your old iPod or iPhone is totally trashed, there’s always the recycling option. Apple has its own recycling program, and it’s completely free, including shipping. No better way to end-of-life an Apple music player.
My previous iPod (2nd gen Nano) went off to ebay via that consignment shop and Melissa gave hers (Mini) to her young niece.
When I get my next ipod my current 5g will be dedicated to my car. The interface is irrelevent and I’d be less unhappy if it was stolen.
How about a local VA hospital or something like that… if the staff wouldn’t be inclined to make off with it
I have an old ipod mini, and it is wonderful because it stil works. Except that the battery is terrible, it doesn’t stay charged for more than an hour at a time.
The last option, to just give the old iphone or ipod back to apple, for free! jeej! you don’t have to pay them! ..
WTF when you give them a ipod or iphone even when it is totally trashed, the inside is still intact most of the time, that’s worth something to them, they can re-use it. I think we should get money for the “trashed” apple products, we payed enough to get them.