A few months ago I decided that it was about time to upgrade my second-hand, iMac G5 desktop (2005), 2.0 GHz, single-core PowerPC, 1GB Ram, 200GB hard drive, 17” display. The computer had spent about a year suffering through problems booting and subsequent bouts of kernel panic. I probably could have reinstalled OS X but there would be little to gain from it. As configured this aging desktop was stuck with OS X Tiger (10.4), with an additional 1GB of memory it would have met the minimum system requirements for a Leopard (10.5) upgrade, but that would be the end of the line. There was no Snow Leopard or Lion in this computer’s future. This machine had a PowerPC processor, so its days were numbered.
I went to the Apple website to start looking into the newer models (I eventually decided to get a MacBook Air) and came across information on the Apple Recycling Program. I wandered through the recycling wizard offered on the webpage and gave Apple the information about my iMac. At the end of the wizard, the recycling program offered me a trade in value of a $132 via an Apple Store gift card. I decided to accept the offer and provided my mailing address. The Apple Recycling Program then passed me along to the PowerON company so that they could handle the process of acquiring my recycled computer.
The folks at PowerON sent me an email with a link to a custom webpage with the status of my order and then on June 7, 2011 they sent me a large, postage-paid box to ship them the iMac desktop. The box contain a form-fit foam cushion, instructions for packing up the iMac and shipping instructions. I dragged my heels for a couple of weeks, before packaging up the iMac and shipping it back to them on June 25, 2011 via a FedEx home drop-off counter at my local OfficeMax store.
Next came the part that I normally despise when it comes to “rebate” programs, the waiting. During the waiting I experience a situation where an extraordinary period of time goes by, then I have to follow up with the rebate company and eventually figure out that there is some issue that results in my either never receiving the rebate or having to start the process over from scratch.
This was NOT the case with PowerON.
Using PowerON to Recycle my old iMac
PowerON had provided me with access to a status page, so I could follow along with the iMac’s progress. I could see that they received the iMac on July 1, 2011 (about a week after I sent it.) PowerON then processed the iMac, audited it over the course of the next five days and then issued my rebate on July 7, 2011. The iMac had to travel all the way across the US to get from my house in Massachusetts to the PowerON facility in Roseville, CA and still only 12 days elapsed before they had the rebate gift card in the mail to me. When I got my new MacBook Air, I was able to use the gift card to acquire a nice protective case for the Air and a copy of VMWare Fusion 3.
PowerON far exceeded my expectations. These folks did a fantastic job with the fulfillment of my order. As a whole, I was very impressed with Apple Recycling Program and would recommend it to others looking to shed an older Mac.
