The holidays are over , and the memories of folk reunify with friend and category , rust good food , and most likely opening a present tense or two , will linger . It ’s a dependable bet many of those gifts were design in Cupertino .
That ’s in addition to all the young e - readers , digital tv camera , and other electronic devices unwrapped this season , and that mean many masses probably receive rising slope to pitch they already had . If you ’re one of them , you ’ve not only got a shiny new appliance to toy with , you ’ve got to decide what to do with your old gimmick . You could always betray it on eBay or Craigslist , but there are other options that can do even more beneficial in your residential area .
Pass it on
We ’ve all been given worn - out sweaters or an fresh appliance , but not all hand - me - down are created equal . Your old computer hardware could be a freehanded deal to the young or old user in your life who might be much more than a coevals behind the latest technology .
gadget that can inspire a new hobby , or enhance an old one , can make peculiarly meaningful giving . Your old digital tv camera might become a gateway into photography , for illustration , and that first - generation Kindle can bring out a lector to a whole new way to have intercourse book . Even take your natural endowment ’s recipient aside to excuse how the gadget works can become a fresh fashion to spend quality time .
Before passing on your old machine , you ’ll want to scavenge it and any of its accessories , so they look as close to brand - Modern as possible . If your twist has build - in storehouse , like a Mac ’s hard private road or a camera or iOS gadget ’s wink memory , channel any files you may want to your independent Mac , then rub out the old datum . Ourtips for develop Macs for salecome in handy here , and for information aboutwiping your data from an iOS gimmick , visit Apple ’s link .
Give Securely: Before passing on your Mac, be sure to wipe its hard drive.
Give Securely: Before passing on your Mac, be sure to wipe its hard drive.Reuse and repurpose
There ’s nothing incorrect with hanging on to honest-to-goodness gear , if you may happen a new use for it . The idiot box that now seems a little diminished for the living room might be just correct for the bedroom . Or that old iPod nano , rather than your firebrand - new iPod touch , can be your go - to jogging partner . Reusing these and other simple devices is square , but a spare Mac or iOS gimmick can have far more public-service corporation in a wider range of fate .
An extra Mac can make a sinewy file server , or , with an app like Printopia , an AirPrint host for your iOS devices . A Mac run iTunes can be a medium server for your Apple telecasting , and an iMac can even be a plain TV itself with a USB telecasting piano tuner or a Netflix subscription . If you have children , a novel computer is a great excuse to make the old car a prep place . Do n’t forget to visit System Preferences->Parental Controls to set up a Thomas Kyd - safe user account .
Your old iOS equipment can be just as utilitarian as a Mac , possibly in even more situations . Since music and movies purchase from the iTunes Store will trifle on sr. machine , they can become a kid ’s ( or an grownup ’s ) medium player during long tripper . Spare iOS devices also make peachy kitchen computing machine , letting you put all your formula — even the foodstuff leaning — in one spot so you’re able to keep that new iPad looking glazed . Thanks to the App Store ’s vast catalog , the opening are almost endless .
Decisions, Decisions: With so many apps available, it’s easy to find a new purpose for your old iOS device.
Decisions , Decisions : With so many apps available , it ’s promiscuous to find a fresh aim for your old iOS machine .
Make a donation
If you ca n’t find a use for your former appurtenance , a shoal or charity almost certainly will . That go not only for Macs and other computers , but iOS devices as well . They can run a wide range of traditional educational apps , and they ’re increasingly used as communications devices for scholar with handicap . To do the most honorable with the smallest carbon footprint , expect for organisation try donation in your region , and have intercourse what they necessitate before usher up with a trunk full of equipment .
Earth.911offers a list of organizations that can help you get start . If a school or Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae ca n’t accept your honest-to-goodness hardware , a local 2d - script store might . If your donation is revenue enhancement - deductible , be certain to get a reception notice its time value and when it was made .
Think Green: Resources like Earth.911 can help find a new home for your devices.Recycle it
When your geartrain ’s age or experimental condition makes giving it aside impossible , it ’s time to send it to the recycling bin . There ’s plenty of room for advance , but recycling has become much easier than it used to be as companies recognize the job of e - waste matter . In summation to your local recycling center , stores likeStaples , Target , Best Buy , and others accept electronics and computer peripheral like printing machine ink cartridges even if you did n’t bribe them at the stock ( eligible items will change by state , however ) .
Apple ’s recycling programslet you recycle Mac batteries and iPods in its Apple Stores ( the latter for ten percent off a new theoretical account ) , or you could mail iPods and any mobile phone to Apple for recycling . you could also send them your old iPhone , iPad or any model reckoner in substitution for an Apple Store giving wit for the estimated value of your machine .
Recycling Aluminum : Apple can turn your old equipment into store quotation .
Think Green: Resources like Earth.911 can help find a new home for your devices.
Whatever you decide to do with your old hardware , do n’t put it off for long . The holidays can make it all too easy to forget your unused machine and let them languish in a drawer or press where they wo n’t do anyone any good . The earlier you put them to a novel purpose or get them out of your theatre , the sooner they can be useful to someone else .
[ Adam Berenstain is a freelance writer in upstate New York and a frequent contributor to Macworld . ]
iPod shuffle, second-generation 1GB
Amazon Kindle Fire Tablet Computer
Kindle With Special Offers (4th generation)
iPhone 16GB
iPod nano, second generation (2G) 8GB
Apple MacBook Pro Notebook
iPod classic (6G iPod) 160GB
Recycling Aluminum: Apple can turn your old devices into store credit.
