There comes a point in every gadget’s life where it’s time to move on to the better, shinier and faster product. If the older device is broken, there’s always the opportunity to bring it in for one of our various data recovery services, regardless of if it’s a laptop, mobile device, or other device that stores data. However, if you don’t need our services, there are still a few steps you should take in order to properly dispose of the device.
As Dan Tynan wrote in an article for Yahoo! Tech, backing it up should always be the first thing you should do before you recycle your device, just in case you need something from it at some point down the road. After all, when the device is gone, you won’t have another chance to pull out anything you may have forgotten it contained.
Once the data has been extracted, it’s always a good idea to wipe the device back to factory settings (or destroy it if you are unable to), since you never know who’s hands it may end up in. Plus, the process to do so, regardless of device, is usually fairly simple.
Finally, when it is ready to be sent off for good, the last step is to properly dispose of your device. If you choose not to try to sell it, finding a way to recycle your device is the most eco-friendly way to go as most gadgets have a variety of components that are harmful to the environment.
