Apple Piloting Loaner iPads for Retail Employees, Donating 9,000 Used iPads to Teachers

Seems a fairly cheap attempt at charity from Apple here, I mean asking people to donate their iPads? Apple are in a better position than anyone to be donating iPads, and its not like they can't afford it either.

It’s OK for Apple to support “small" efforts AND do other things as well. Why should this effort be subtracted, if it helps people do some good?

If you’re assuming this is the ONLY charitable thing Apple does, you’re mistaken.

P.S. Finding homes for unwanted iPads, when users upgrade to a new model, is a secondary benefit that helps prevent them from going to waste or collecting dust. Most people have a family member or friend to give it to, or they can sell it on their own if they want to bother—but giving it to a good cause is also a great option; an option I’d love to have when it comes time to retire my iPad! If Apple helps give me that option, I won’t complain.

I'm just glad apple is doing something to help, regardless of how big or small.

Seems a fairly cheap attempt at charity from Apple here, I mean asking people to donate their iPads? Apple are in a better position than anyone to be donating iPads, and its not like they can't afford it either.

Looks a fairly successful attempt to me. And leaving 9,000 people with the good feeling of having donated to a good cause. And according to the article, these iPads have been turned into "refurbished iPads", so they are as new, and have all the personal data of the previous owner removed. Add to this that distribution was handled by Apple, and I think we can say without Apple most of the 9,000 teachers wouldn't have an iPad today. That's the most effective way to do charity; to handle the organisational part that individuals can't handle.

[url=https://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image (https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/22/apple-piloting-loaner-ipads-for-retail-employees-donating-9000-used-ipads-to-teachers/)[/url]


CNET reports (http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20109852-248/apple-pilot-program-loans-ipads-to-retail-employees/) that Apple is piloting a new program at its San Francisco flagship retail store, allowing store employees to check out loaner iPads for up to a week. The program is an additional perk to satisfy its employees and provides them with more hands-on time with the device to help them better assist customers.Meanwhile, Fortune reports (http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/20/apple-finds-a-use-for-some-of-those-first-generation-ipads/) that Apple has wrapped up a drive to allow users to donate their used iPads to the Teach for America (http://www.teachforamerica.org/) program. Launched earlier this year with the debut of the iPad 2, the program allowed Apple to provide each of the over 9,000 members of the Teach for America program with a free first-generation iPad.

Image (https://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2011/09/ipad_teach_for_america_window.jpg)


Teach for America window display at Apple retail store (Source: SME Branding (http://www.smebranding.com/content/improving-our-nations-schools-one-ipad-time))
The report notes that Steve Jobs' wife, Laurene Powell, is on the board of directors of Teach for America, offering a personal connection to the initiative. Apple has also promoted the iPad and Teach for America in its retail stores with large window displays.

Article Link: Apple Piloting Loaner iPads for Retail Employees, Donating 9,000 Used iPads to Teachers (https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/22/apple-piloting-loaner-ipads-for-retail-employees-donating-9000-used-ipads-to-teachers/)

Seems a fairly cheap attempt at charity from Apple here, I mean asking people to donate their iPads? Apple are in a better position than anyone to be donating iPads, and its not like they can't afford it either.

Seems a fairly cheap attempt at charity from Apple here, I mean asking people to donate their iPads? Apple are in a better position than anyone to be donating iPads, and its not like they can't afford it either.

No good deed goes unpunished...