Imagine a world where you can simply trade in technology and be in with the times, no purchase required – VCRs for DVD players, books for Kindles or CDs for an iPod. While we don’t have that luxury with every product just yet, the latter does exist. iPodMeister is a service that allows you to trade in your old CDs or DVDs for an iPod, iPad or smartphone. Sound too good to be true? Well, from what we hear, this is the real deal.
How does it work?
From perusing the website of the service, which has been around since 2004, it looks like iPodMeister won’t try to scam you if you don’t do the same to them. They make the terms very clear of what they will and will not accept, and the rules aren’t that strict. Don’t try to get away with sending in free give-away CDs, bootlegs or burned CDs because you won’t get them back if you don’t comply with rules. You may send in cracked cases as long as the CD art is intact.
If you’ve already digitized your CDs, meaning you copied them to a computer or to your iTunes, for 199 CDs you can receive a Kindle or iPod Nano. Up the number to 749 and get an Apple iPad with WiFi. Other trade-ins include a Blackberry, Droid or external hard drive.
The Fine Print
iPodMeister gives directions on how to ship the CDs/DVDs (shipping is free within the contiguous 48 states), and all you have to pay for is a box. If you have under the amount needed for a certain device, you can send iPodMeister a check amounting to $1 per CD for up to 50 items. Shockingly, all devices are the newest models, packaged with warranties just as if they had come in stores.
What’s in it for them?
iPodMeister sells the discs to developing countries that are behind in technology. CDs worth pretty much nothing in the U.S. are generally more valuable abroad. Plus, this service is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of CDs. They can harm the environment if thrown out, and reuse is the only way to recycle them.
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For more information about iPodMeister, check out their website >>
Check out a first-hand account of the services from iPodMeister at Consumer Search >>
iPodMeister reviews are new to Viewpoints, so try out the service for youself and write a review! We can't wait to hear what you think.
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Photo by Strandell from Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons