ecoATM recycles mobile devices for cash

Seen in action this week at the CTIA Wireless conference in San Diego is a new kiosk that could change the way people recycle their mobile electronic devices, like phones and MP3 players.

The new kiosk, dubbed the ecoATM is an incredible piece of technology in itself, that scans and processes the model type and its condition, and then pays back the owner in cash based on its calculated worth. The ecoATM means e-cycling on the go, and without any hassle.

How the ecoATM Works

The ecoATM works like this:

1. You place your phone into the kiosk and the machine identifies the phone or MP3 player as best it can by appearance, out of a database of around 4,000 devices
2. ecoATM scans the device for any damage, and presents a compatible cable to plug the device into in order to see if it still works (while guaranteeing it won’t take any of your data)
3. ecoATM makes an offer for cash based on the device and its condition
4. You can either accept the offer and take the cash, or reject the offer and take your phone back

Check out the video from TechCrunch to see how the ecoATM works – you really have to see it in action to believe it:

The ecoATM is currently set up at 23 locations in Southern California, but it is easy to imagine these devices will catch on very quickly – especially because the business is owned by CoinStar, the same kiosks set up in grocery stores that take handfuls of your pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, and spit out real dollars.

Keep your eye out for more of these popping up in the near future, and hopefully we will begin to see fewer electronic devices ending up in the trash!