TMCnet News
ecoATM(TM) Introduces the First Fully Automated Consumer Electronics Recycling Kiosk With Built-In Cash DispenserPALM DESERT, CA and SAN DIEGO, CA, Feb 28, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- ecoATM, the award-winning San Diego start-up known for its commitment to the environment and its innovative kiosks that buy back and recycle consumer electronics, today announced it has just introduced its next-generation, fully automated eCycling Station that has a built-in cash dispenser like an ATM and can be completely consumer self-serve. ecoATM unveiled the newest kiosk at DEMO Spring 2011, being held in Palm Desert, February 27 - March 1. "We've been successfully testing our systems over the last year and a half and are providing what consumers want: ease of use, best value, and immediate payment for their used electronics," said ecoATM Chairman and CEO, Tom Tullie. "The addition of the cash dispenser and other features to the ecoATM make it even quicker and more convenient." "ecoATM is unique because their value proposition is relevant to almost everyone and because they don't ask their customers for money, they pay money to their customers," said Matt Marshall, executive producer of DEMO. "In addition to the individual financial benefit to their customers, ecoATM has an overarching public benefit by helping save our environment from tons of eWaste." ecoATM Addresses eWaste Challenges By Incentivizing Consumers According to the Consumer Electronics Association, U.S. consumers collectively buy about 500 million new electronic gadgets each year. Upgrade cycles grow shorter every year as gadget manufacturers tempt consumers with new features. The average U.S. household now owns 26 different consumer electronic devices for a staggering total of nearly 3 billion devices in all, many of which are no longer in use. The majority of these devices are still in good working condition when consumers upgrade and retire them. Unfortunately, there are few practical options for consumers to responsibly resell or recycle these devices so the vast majority of them still enter our landfills as toxic eWaste, the fastest growing segment of our national waste stream. To solve this technology problem, ecoATM turned to technology itself and has developed the ultimate solution to this vexing problem by providing convenience, immediate financial incentive, and personal data removal for consumers. ecoATM trial locations have already collected tens of thousands of devices over the past year and paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in return for recycling. About DEMO Produced by the IDG Enterprise events group, the worldwide DEMO conferences focus on emerging technologies and new products innovations, which are hand selected from across the spectrum of the technology marketplace. The DEMO conferences have earned their reputation for consistently identifying cutting-edge technologies and helping entrepreneurs secure venture funding and establish critical business. For more information on the DEMO conferences, visit http://www.demo.com/. About ecoATM Based in San Diego, Calif., ecoATM (www.ecoatm.com) is the first company to create an automated self-serve kiosk system that uses patented, advanced machine vision, electronic diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to evaluate and buy back used electronics directly from consumers for cash or store credit. ecoATM's eCycling stations provide a convenient trade-in solution that: -- electronically and/or visually inspect virtually any consumer electronic device, -- connects consumers in real-time with a broad worldwide secondary market to ensure best pricing, and -- pays consumers immediately in cash and/or store credit, and -- automatically administers trade-in / trade-up promotions for retailers and manufacturers. In its infancy, ecoATM was supported by EvoNexus, the incubator for early-stage high-tech companies, begun by San Diego's high tech industry group, CommNexus. Since then, ecoATM has been recognized by Popular Science, CONNECT, International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo (IERCE), Green:Net, CES Innovations, and others. (www.ecoatm.com/about-awards.htm) Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1526731 Media contact: Anita Giani 650.743.0870 SOURCE: ecoATM |