What do y'all do with used personal electronics?

[Guest]

Due to the personal nature of computers, tablets, and phones, if it's something old I've often just put them in a drawer when I upgrade. I'd like to finally get rid of this stuff.

At this point, much of it is so outdated that it's of no use to anyone, so donating isn't really an option. As well, who knows what stuff I have left on there. Is there a place that has an industrial shredder for disposing of it in a secure way? 

What do y'all do with that laptop from 2008 or that phone from 2012?

[pantone159 719]

For computers, I remove all disk drives, and at least try to destroy them, mainly by removing all the screws so I can open up the drive and see the nice shiny (and sharp!) platters inside. Maybe I will try and break the platters. At that point, I figure that reading any data is beyond anybody who really cares and has special equipment, and then the drive goes in the trash. The rest of the computer goes in the trash.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

I factory reset and trade in phones. I factory reset and pass on tablets to some low tech person I know who needs one. 

For computers, I zero fill the drives and stack them in my garage until I get annoyed enough to take them to the dump. 

[gyroprotagonist 2595]

obligatory

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 22030]

Staples will recycle that stuff for free

[conVINCEd 21474]

Phones and tablets go in a drawer.  When one of the nieces or nephews inevitably breaks their current device, Uncle conVINCEd to the rescue.

[hornbri 1464]

I take them to the Austin reuse and recycling center. Along with all the other random electric devices that break.

[Jerry Callo 8828]

I still have the IBM laptop I bought in 1996.

[Not that Bob 739]

I tossed about a dozen hard drives from the office into a cardboard box and drizzled a gallon of Elmers over the whole pile. 

[immamac 43554]

A lot of retailers will recycle stuff for free. Depending on how old this stuff is you can repurpose a lot of it now as long as it's 2015+ with fairly incredible results. Old stuff is just ewaste at this point though. 

[52-80 19277]

just delete all your shit before you shut them down.  or take a hammer to them (with batteries removed).

my office has e-waste disposal we can use for personal purposes.  all of the large retail stores and especially electronic ones have to accept them, too.  not great to just drop it off at the regular dump because theres lots of valuable and/or toxic material still on them.

[RPM 26426]

Ever do any target practice? I can hit a Blackberry at 50 yards.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10439]

[Kennythetiger 9496]

20 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

I still have the IBM laptop I bought in 1996.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10439]

My 1st PC... still working... keyboard is "new"... Hunt The Wumpus game still rocks... cassette drive not so much...

[Gene Parmesan 4022]

With your information probably out there 10 times over online is anyone still dumpster diving to steal identities?

[CooterBrown 18089]

Phones and tablets go in a drawer.  When one of the nieces or nephews inevitably breaks their current device, Uncle conVINCEd to the rescue.

I’m sure they appreciate your 10 year old Jitterbug.

[conVINCEd 21474]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I’m sure they appreciate your 10 year old Jitterbug.

I’m old, I ain’t that old.  I’ve probably given them 4 or 5 over the years.  As long as they hold a charge they can use them for watching YouTube videos during their allotted screen time.

[msbesq 388]

Best Buy recycles old electronics other than tvs.

[luke duke 6420]

My 1st PC... still working... keyboard is "new"... Hunt The Wumpus game still rocks... cassette drive not so much...

You’d better keep that bad boy a secret or you’ll have to hire an assistant to help you fight off all the ladies.

[Armybrat 40987]

On 7/27/2023 at 2:27 PM, Jerry Callo said:

I still have the IBM laptop I bought in 1996.

 

[SizzleChest 8291]

[elfenix 34385]

hard drives you can used dban to erase.  SSDs should have a secure erase mode.  phones/tablets do a factory reset.  amazon often gives coupons for trading their old stuff back (20% + $20 off a kindle scribe for trading in an old fire tablet recently).  lots of stores recycle electronics, as do various governmental/ngo types. 

Edited July 29, 2023 by elfenix

[Francisco 2.0 32432]

My name is Francisco, and I'm a tech collector hoarder.

I still have my first computer from 1994.  At this moment, I probably have in the house somewhere around 75-100 computers and laptops.  I've not seen many of them in years, as they are in the attic, or stored in a spare bedroom closet.  iPads? Probably around 15-20 or so between me, my wife and kids.  I still have Blackberrys (hell, I have two Blackberry Storms, for those of you who know what a piece of shit those were) around from the 2005-10 time range.   

Why?  Honestly, I have no idea. I'm not using all of this stuff, yet I can't part with it.  In the den, there are two laptops (the one I'm typing on and my wife's).  In the office upstairs, there's a 2019 Mac Pro and an iMac, and that's it for computers that are visibly on display, being used daily, etc.    The kids each have an Ipad, so they don't have a lot of stuff out.  I've handed down older phones, watches, tablets and laptops to other family members, so I've done that before.

Lotta words to explain that yeah, I need to start culling.  

[NeverMarryAStripper 22030]

So you’re saying that they made an episode of hoarders about you?

[baboso 6057]

I throw them in the golf course pond by my house.