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Apple Store iPod Recycling Program

sacear said:
Stingy? ...Shareholders kiss your profits good-bye.
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Yes, you read the man. Stingy. The 'discount' basically gives you the student price for the iPod. Should we be impressed?

Do we need the receipt for this as well?

So, my options are, 'spend $50 at the Apple store', hunt for a receipt I had three years ago to have my battery replaced or buy a new iPod using the student discount. That's pretty cool.

What do we want or expect? We want Steve Jobs to drunkenly dance on stage to circus music while we throw empty beer cans at him like pirates.

Or maybe, we just want our batteries replaced without needing our receipts? Now, if they need proof that I purchased it, you'd think they'd have it registered in their system, since I registered everything I've purchased from them thus far.

Either way, they've already suckered me into their iPod pyramid scheme (you know, the one where they stop updating the software for your iPod and try to convince you that you must have the new version - because, hey, it has a battery that works!). I got my 40GB 4th Gen with 'Cram and Jam' last September, which Apple so kindly refused, for reasons they legally didn't have to state - despite my having filled out the papers properly, included the UPCs and having an attorney review the document, making sure it was kosher. What a way to thank a customer for spending $2,832 on your products.

You lose some, you lose some.

Enjoy your new iPods - see you in a few years when something else pops up.
 
Well then, what I want to know is, why does Apple not just give out iPods, computers, and software to anyone who asks. Stop by an Apple Store and take home whatever we want for free.

We shouldn't even have to contact Apple, they should just hand deliver whatever I want right to my door, whether they make it our not. I want an iPod Photo with all the Griffin Technology accessories. And a Power Mac G5 with all the Griffin Technology and Kensington accessories. Oh, and a 17" PowerBook with a top of the line tote bag. There is more I want and Apple will figure it out and have it all delivered to me by an Apple employee by Monday morning.

Oh and the employee will pick-up all the old Apple gear I have, and any other old junk I have lying around, from my house and properly dispose of it somewhere, because somehow, someway that is Apple's fault. And Apple will pay me some cash for the inconvenience and disrupting my life.

Heck all that disruption will take away from my MacRumors time!
 
Yes, Apple has never done wrong and they aren't just a corporation - out to make money for their shareholders. They'd never design something to fail like most companies do - so they could get you to buy the same thing again, every two years. They care about you. Anybody that's ever had a bad experience with them is lying because they work for Dell. Thank you for serving me with you thirty second, creatively stiffled retort.

'Go back to bed America - here's American Gladiators...'
 
sacear said:
Well then, what I want to know is, why does Apple not just give out iPods, computers, and software to anyone who asks. Stop by an Apple Store and take home whatever we want for free.

We shouldn't even have to contact Apple, they should just hand deliver whatever I want right to my door, whether they make it our not. I want an iPod Photo with all the Griffin accessories. And a PowerMac G5 with all the Griffin and Kensington accessories. Oh, and a 17" PowerBook with a top of the line tote bag. There is more I want and Apple will figure it out and have it all delivered to me by an Apple employee by Monday morning.

Oh and the employee will pick-up all the old Apple gear I have, and any other old junk I have lying around, from my house and properly dispose of it somewhere, because somehow, someway that is Apple's fault. And Apple will pay me some cash for the inconvenience and disrupting my life.
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<QUOTE=Peter_Griffin>Erm.... yeah?</QUOTE> :confused:

;)
 
You all are truly blinded by your unexamined worship of Mac-dom

Man, am I the only one on in this community who is totally unimpressed with this trade-in program? I'm a big a fan of Apple products as there is (own: 12" PB, 15" PB, 17" PB, iMac 20" 2.0 GHz and two iPods) but even as a marginal ecologically-conscious person, I'm just kinda thinking "Gee, they should have just made the battery replaceable in the first place".

Those of you who think better of Apple as a result of this program should take this into consideration as well as the fact that this action was taken as the result of a class-action lawsuit, not as a voluntary measure.

Those of you willing to give blind kudos to Apple for instituting this program should maybe think about being a bit more willing to chastise them instead. Maybe then we could get them to do the right thing in the FIRST place. Now THAT would be the hallmark of good design.
 
Ironic, isn't it?

Does anyone else find it a bit ironic that the current iPod ads feature the song "Technologic" by Daft Punk?

(buy it, charge it, break it, upgrade it...) :D
 
I don't think Apple is being stingy with owners OR shareholders in giving the 10%. It's a nice gesture that helps some buyers and the environment--and it's a calculated smart business move too.

An incentive to recycle is a great program for moral reasons, and great PR. Yet it also serves like ANY promotion: as an incentive to buy when you might not have. They're not taking a loss on each new iPod with this, just making less. That's still profit. Would the same people have upgraded anyway and paid more? Some of them. Offsetting that, others will upgrade just because of the incentive. And by offering the discount only in retail stores they drive traffic and other purchases of Apple products.

This is no bad thing for shareholders.

And it's certainly not bad for owners--Apple is going an extra step here, offering this incentive. Take it or leave it, but if I get 10% back on my old and broken down iPod Photo--when that day comes ;) I won't be complaining! And if that 10% doesn't go very far because iPods have gotten so cheap... I certainly won't be complaining! :) And if there's a better discount and I can't combine the two, then I'll accept that Apple's not going to take a loss. Meanwhile, more iPods will end being recycled instead of ending up in baby food :)
 
Yvan256 said:
Does anyone else find it a bit ironic that the current iPod ads feature the song "Technologic" by Daft Punk?

(buy it, charge it, break it, upgrade it...) :D
Click to expand...

Yes :D I couldn't make out all the words but I did think that was funny. I definitely heard break, upgrade, and erase in there.

Break/Upgrade It could be the slogan for the recycling program :)
 
crachoar said:
Yes, Apple has never done wrong and they aren't just a corporation - out to make money for their shareholders. They'd never design something to fail like most companies do - so they could get you to buy the same thing again, every two years. They care about you. Anybody that's ever had a bad experience with them is lying because they work for Dell. Thank you for serving me with you thirty second, creatively stiffled retort.

'Go back to bed America - here's American Gladiators...'
Click to expand...
Umm, Apple has often done wrong, remember the '80s and '90s? Apple is a corporation, and indeed must make money for its shareholders. Yet Apple is more than just a corporation out to make money for its shareholders. Many of Apple's shareholders are those environmentalists asking for better responsibility. Many of the shareholders want Apple to be a better, more socially conscious company. About Apple design, name one product that fails every two years. Apple's reputation is much better than any other computer manufacture's in that regard. I have PCs that didn't last a year, yet my original Macintosh (128k) is still running strong, and it has gone around the world several times. In fact, every Apple product I have ever owned still works today.

So for me Apple has a great track record and was money well spent. As was my Cannondale bicycle (1991), my Toyota pickup (1993), my Honda motorcycle (1994), my Wells Cargo trailer (1994), and my Chevy Astro (1995). All of those still run great as they were designed and intended, yet no one is screaming and crying that any of those companies owe them money and need to be more environmentally and socially conscious.

What gripes me is people's attitude that any company, in this case Apple, owes them something.

I have had bad experiences with some companies as well (Suzuki, Hyundai, Sony, Nextel, Sprint, Cellular One, United Airlines, Amtrack, Microsoft, Symantec, etc) yet I don't moan and cry that they cheated me and owe me restitution. I simply will not buy their products nor use their services again.
 
hose this! said:
I'm just kinda thinking "Gee, they should have just made the battery replaceable in the first place".

Those of you who think better of Apple as a result of this program should take this into consideration as well as the fact that this action was taken as the result of a class-action lawsuit, not as a voluntary measure.

Those of you willing to give blind kudos to Apple for instituting this program should maybe think about being a bit more willing to chastise them instead. Maybe then we could get them to do the right thing in the FIRST place. Now THAT would be the hallmark of good design.
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I most certainly agree that the battery ought to be replaceable in the first place, such as with regular alkaline cells. Yet the type of battery Apple chose to use can be very dangerous when handled irresponsibly or stupidly. Then Apple would have had a different type of lawsuit. That is why we cannot change the cells in laptop batteries, any laptop, not just Apple. Apple chose a similar type battery cell for the iPod. These types of cells are not user serviceable and need to be handled with extreme care and caution.

The recycling program was not a result of the class action lawsuit. There is no factual basis to that.

Now, I wish Apple would do the same for recycling 'Book batteries.
 
crachoar said:
I got my 40GB 4th Gen with 'Cram and Jam' last September, which Apple so kindly refused, for reasons they legally didn't have to state - despite my having filled out the papers properly, included the UPCs and having an attorney review the document, making sure it was kosher.
Click to expand...
Why did you have an attorney review the document? Were you trying to pull a fast one?
 
dontmatter said:
what kind of a telephone pole up your ass do you have to have to vote negative on a recycling program!
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Okay, I give up. What kind of telephone pole do you have to have up your ass to vote negative on a recyclying program? :D
 
sw1tcher said:
Okay, I give up. What kind of telephone pole do you have to have up your ass to vote negative on a recyclying program? :D
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It was rhetorical-I'm just aghast that this could be voted negative and battered in this thread. However, if you want an answer-

Any kind, so long as it is huge and hard.


Anyway, nevermind the trolls. I'm just trying to say that, bottom line is, apple has given (whatever their reasons, so be it) an incentive for people to recycle their ipods instead of throwing them away, and putting some pretty nasty chemicals into the water supply. Maybe it would have been better if they had given cash, instead of trying to get people apple hooked, or if they gave a bigger discound. But look- people are going to recycle their ipods on account of this, and that is good. And apple will cover the costs by keeping the money buying ipods and gear, so everybody wins. Good for the shareholders, good for the world.
 
dontmatter said:
what kind of a telephone pole up your ass do you have to have to vote negative on a recycling program!
Click to expand...
Some people are just very cynical about everything that's actually good for them.
 
MontyZ said:
Some people are just very cynical about everything that's actually good for them.
Click to expand...

I just think that some of our members like to play devils advocate. All of the discussion makes for interesting commentary.

Now if Apple would just extend the trade in program to the Mac itself.
 
The only way I'd find this useful as a means for upgrading is if my older iPod (if I had one) were busted, broken screen, failed hard drive and the like, otherwise it'd be more worth your while to just sell it prior to an upgrade. So from this perspective I say good on Apple, although I'd prefer the batteries were self serviceable and this 10% back recycle program also covered the replacement of the batteries themselves.
 
I hate these re-chargeable products that prevent you from replacing the battery. Braun electric toothbrushes are the same. They just stop working one day, and that's it. You have to throw the whole thing away.

It's obviously done on purpose to force people to buy a replacement item at full cost rather than just buying a less-expensive new replacement battery. As iPods are not cheap, it's unreasonable for Apple to expect people to just buy a new iPod when the battery is shot. At least they've made changes to rectify that initial stupid decision.
 
sacear said:
The recycling program was not a result of the class action lawsuit. There is no factual basis to that.
Click to expand...

Get your own facts straight.

Apple offers $50 credit in iPod suit settlement -- AP (AAPL) By Carolyn Pritchard
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) is offering consumers who had battery problems with older versions of their popular iPod digital music player $50 vouchers and extended service warranties under a tentative settlement of a class-action lawsuit, the Associated Press reported Thursday. Lawyers representing consumers in the California state court case against Apple told the AP that the settlement could affect as many as 2 million people nationwide who purchased first-, second- and third-generation iPods through May 2004. Apple confirmed the settlement to AP but reportedly declined to comment further. The suit, which was filed in the fall of 2003, alleged that the iPod failed to live up to claims that the rechargeable battery would last the product's lifetime and play music continuously for up to 10 hours, according to the AP. The settlement received initial approval last month, the AP said, and a judge will hold another hearing for final approval on Aug. 25.
 
nagromme said:
I don't think Apple is being stingy with owners OR shareholders in giving the 10%. It's a nice gesture that helps some buyers and the environment--and it's a calculated smart business move too.

An incentive to recycle is a great program for moral reasons, and great PR. Yet it also serves like ANY promotion: as an incentive to buy when you might not have. They're not taking a loss on each new iPod with this, just making less. That's still profit. Would the same people have upgraded anyway and paid more? Some of them. Offsetting that, others will upgrade just because of the incentive. And by offering the discount only in retail stores they drive traffic and other purchases of Apple products.

This is no bad thing for shareholders.

And it's certainly not bad for owners--Apple is going an extra step here, offering this incentive. Take it or leave it, but if I get 10% back on my old and broken down iPod Photo--when that day comes ;) I won't be complaining! And if that 10% doesn't go very far because iPods have gotten so cheap... I certainly won't be complaining! :) And if there's a better discount and I can't combine the two, then I'll accept that Apple's not going to take a loss. Meanwhile, more iPods will end being recycled instead of ending up in baby food :)
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Exactly! That's what I've been saying. At least one other person gets it.
 
Braun batteries are replaceable

MontyZ said:
I hate these re-chargeable products that prevent you from replacing the battery. Braun electric toothbrushes are the same. They just stop working one day, and that's it. You have to throw the whole thing away.

It's obviously done on purpose to force people to buy a replacement item at full cost rather than just buying a less-expensive new replacement battery. As iPods are not cheap, it's unreasonable for Apple to expect people to just buy a new iPod when the battery is shot. At least they've made changes to rectify that initial stupid decision.
Click to expand...
Actually, Braun's batteries are replaceable by a Braun service center, not by the user. So you don't have to throw the item away. I've had the same Braun electric razor for about seven years. It was their top of the line at the time and they haven't made one since that comes close. The battery seems to last about three to five years. When the battery in mine died, it was slow and gradual, over a year until it finally completely quit charging. I went shopping for a new one and the guy at the shop told me to bring my old one in and he'd replace the battery. So I did and he did, so I had a new version of my old razor. I was stoked. And it was about one-fourth the price of buying a new Braun razor. I don't think Braun owes me anything because the battery in their product wore out and died.

The battery cells in iPods (and other products that use similar cells) are highly dangerous, that is why they do not want users handling them. Keeping people (especially kids) out of emergency rooms due to iPod battery burns is very smart and reasonable.
 
Where's the recycllng?

hose this! said:
Get your own facts straight.

Apple offers $50 credit in iPod suit settlement -- AP (AAPL) By Carolyn Pritchard
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) is offering consumers who had battery problems with older versions of their popular iPod digital music player $50 vouchers and extended service warranties under a tentative settlement of a class-action lawsuit, the Associated Press reported Thursday. Lawyers representing consumers in the California state court case against Apple told the AP that the settlement could affect as many as 2 million people nationwide who purchased first-, second- and third-generation iPods through May 2004. Apple confirmed the settlement to AP but reportedly declined to comment further. The suit, which was filed in the fall of 2003, alleged that the iPod failed to live up to claims that the rechargeable battery would last the product's lifetime and play music continuously for up to 10 hours, according to the AP. The settlement received initial approval last month, the AP said, and a judge will hold another hearing for final approval on Aug. 25.
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Do you even know or realize what you are talking about or what you posted?

Have you even read the "iPod Battery Replacement" lawsuit settlement agreement statement? I've read the whole statement. Where does it say anything about recycling? Oh, that's right... it doesn't.

Even in the quote you posted I see no mention of recycling, do you? What are you trying to prove with that quote? That Apple is offering $50 vouchers and extended service warranties? Yes, that is stated and we all know that. Recycling? No. There is no statement of that.

The recycling program was not a result of the class action lawsuit. There is no factual basis to that.

The lawsuit settlement is not even official yet, so there are no results of that lawsuit as of now.

I suspect the recycling program idea was born separate from any lawsuit. The lawsuit though may have spurred its "timely" implementation.
 
So no one thinks that Apple should extend the recycle and upgrade program to the Mac?
 
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