Latest news with #Staples
CNET
4 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
You Can Recycle Your Old Computers and Printers for Free. Here's Where
Summer is almost here, but it's not too late to get that last bit of spring cleaning done. And though it can be difficult to get rid of that old laptop, desktop or printer you've got sitting around -- even when it's been over a decade since you last plugged it in or switched it on -- recycling old tech is important, and it can free up a lot of space in your home. A recent CNET survey found that 31% of US adults are still holding onto unused old devices, including laptops, because they're unsure of what to do with them. The survey also found that 19% of respondents just toss old devices in the trash -- which is actually illegal in many states and can draw hefty fines -- while 29% use a recycling service to dispose of old tech. But there are easy and sustainable ways to clear out all that ancient tech. Recycling computers and printers can be as easy as bringing them to major retailers such as Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples. Some stores will even give you credit for offloading your old devices, as hard as it might be to let go of them. Here's what you need to know about recycling your old tech. For more, learn how to recycle your old phones. What to do before recycling your old computer Wherever you choose to take or mail in your items to be recycled, you'll want to protect your data by removing it as best you can. One way to do this is to perform a factory reset on your computer. Our guide walks you through the process. Where to recycle computers and printers Some retail stores will accept computers and printers for recycling, but it's not always a free service. Policies vary by company. Apple Store You can recycle your old Apple computers, monitors and peripherals, such as printers, for free at an Apple store, but there's a costly catch. According to the Apple Free Recycling program, you must also purchase a qualifying Apple computer or monitor to receive this service. Need another option? A third-party company called Gazelle buys old MacBooks to recycle them. After accepting Gazelle's offer, you print a prepaid label or request a prepaid box and ship the machine to them. Read more: Phone and Laptop Repair Goes Mainstream With Push From iFixit Best Buy stores Best Buy generally accepts up to three household items per household per day to be recycled for free, including desktop computers and printers, as well as other items ranging from e-readers to vacuum cleaners. While three is the limit for most items, there's a higher standard for laptops -- Best Buy will take five of those per household per day. Note that rules for dropping off monitors vary by state, and it's not always free to do so. Best Buy also offers a mail-in recycling service for select items, but that's also not free. A small box that holds up to 6 pounds costs $23, while a large box (up to 15 pounds) costs $30. Office Depot stores Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailers offer a tech trade-in program both in-store and online where you may be able to get a store gift card in exchange for your old computers and printers. If the device has no trade-in value, the company will recycle it for free. Office Depot also sells its own tech recycling boxes that you can fill with electronics to be recycled and then drop off at the stores, but they aren't free. The small boxes cost $8.39 and hold up to 20 pounds, the medium ones cost $18.29 and hold up to 40 pounds, and the large boxes cost $28 and hold up to 60 pounds. Staples stores You can bring your old desktop computers, laptops, printers and more to the Staples checkout counter to be recycled for free, even if they weren't purchased there. The retailer also has a free at-home battery recycling box which, according to a Staples rep, has led customers to recycle thousands of batteries per week, up from an earlier average of 50 per week. Here's a list of everything that can be recycled at Staples. Read more: How to Factory Reset a MacBook, Windows Laptop or Chromebook How to find an electronics recycling center If you don't live near a major retailer or would rather take your computers and printers to a recycling center, you can locate places near you by using search tools provided by Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association. Earth911 recycling center Use the recycling center search function on Earth911 to find recycling centers near your ZIP code that accept laptops, desktops and printers. Note that the results may also turn up places that accept mobile phones and not computers or printers, so you may have to do a little filtering. Greener Gadgets recycling center Consult the Consumer Technology Association's Greener Gadgets Recycle Locator to find local recycling centers in your area that will take old items. The search function also allows you to filter the results to separately hunt for places that take computers versus printers.
WIRED
a day ago
- Business
- WIRED
This Staples Standing Desk Isn't Flashy but It's Reliable for the Money
The desk height ranges from 25.5 to 51.1 inches, and the dual motors glide effortlessly up and down, and they're not too loud. You'll want to be careful when lowering it—there's collision detection, and it successfully stopped the desk from crushing a stool after I put it underneath, but it seems to depend on where the object under the desk is. I rolled my seat in so that the arms of my chair were directly under the desktop, and when I pressed the lower height preset, the desk kept going and would have probably broken my chair arms (or toppled forward) had I not forced it to stop. Maybe had I not stopped it, the sensor would have paused the operation automatically, but it was a little too close to my liking. I haven't noticed much wobbling when the desk goes up and down, though if you put pressure on the front of the desk (maybe you're leaning forward with your elbows on the surface), there's a slight forward shift. This didn't cause any problems. Staples offers a seven-year warranty for the motor and legs, along with a few other parts, but the control box, cables, control panel, and desktop are only covered for five years. That's about the same as what you'll find on a Flexispot, though short of desks like the Branch Duo that don't cost that much more. The nice thing about buying from Staples is that returns are always free, and you can drop it off at a nearby retail store (though you'll still have to disassemble it). Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The middle button on the control panel turns on Micro Movement mode, and at first, I thought it didn't work, but that was because I didn't realize how micro the movements are. Once turned on, the desk will move up 2.36 inches within five minutes, stop for two minutes, then move down the same amount in another five-minute increment. This will repeat after 48 minutes and cycle four times throughout four hours. Staples says this will help reduce fatigue and encourage movement—subtle shifts in posture and muscle engagement—but the only reason I started noticing it was because my arms felt pinched. I set the desk up perfectly to my height and seat—my elbows sat level with the desktop without touching the surface. But for a few minutes with this feature turned on, my elbows suddenly were resting on the edge of the table, and it wasn't pleasant. It works a little better when you're standing, though you'll still feel your arms resting on the table as the desk creeps upward. I didn't find the Micro Movements feature helpful. I didn't feel like it encouraged movement, and I'm still fatigued from, well, everything. The best part of a standing desk is that it enables you to stand up, which will hopefully then induce some actual movement throughout your workday. The Micro Movements feel akin to the active seating hype, which has never felt particularly effective. Thankfully, it's an optional feature, and you can ignore it. And you probably should if budget is on your mind, because Staples has other dual-motor 55-inch desks without this feature, but they're not cheaper. You can size down to the 48-inch standing desk, but it only has a single motor. This Union & Scale is a solid desk for the money, with easy assembly, simple configuration, and a dual-motor system that operates smoothly. That said, Flexispot's desks have more desktop customization options, sizes, colors, and accessories you can add on, and they cost roughly the same, if not less. I've had more trouble with Flexispot's assembly process in the past, though, if that's worth something.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Desperate for a Switch 2? You Might Want to Camp Out at Staples Next Week
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. If you want to buy a Switch 2 on launch day, don't forget to check out your local office supplies store. Staples plans on carrying the console on June 5 at hundreds of locations across the US. Staples tells us this is "a rare second chance" for consumers to nab a Switch 2 after preorders sold out weeks earlier. Participating locations will offer "1 console per customer per day, while supplies last,' it says. Check out this web page to see if your local store will carry the Switch 2. Importantly, Staples is only selling the console in-store, meaning you'll need to wait in line, possibly overnight, to have a chance at scoring a Switch 2. 'Availability is first-come, first-served, and the [online] list does not show real-time inventory,' the retailer adds. The stores will offer the standalone Switch 2 for $449 and the Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World for $500. Staples notes that it "has also leveled up its gaming accessories, with in-store finds like ergonomic gaming chairs, keyboards, and immersive headsets.' "The Switch 2 will be offered at normal store hours (no midnight drop)," a spokesperson for Staples added. The retailer made the announcement after a Reddit user leaked Staples' memo to employees about the in-store sales. That Staples notification also mentioned offering the Switch 2 in 349 stores, which has since been confirmed in the company's official announcement. Other retailers, including GameStop and Best Buy, also plan to carry the console on launch day, and sales will start at midnight on June 5.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
May 28, 2025 at 11:33 AM EDT
Staples wants a piece of the Switch 2 launch action. Staples is a place you might go if you need office supplies without waiting for a (likely cheaper) online delivery. Unexpectedly, it's also where you might just be able to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 on launch day, June 5th. The company has shared a list of participating stores across the US offering the console on a first come, first served basis, and it'll limit customers to one per day. What other brick-and-mortar retailer selling the Switch 2 can let you scoop up both a console and a roll of bubble wrap at once?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Staples Brings Back the Iconic Easy Button for its 20th Anniversary
Redefining What "Easy" Means for the Modern Consumer and Workplace FRAMINGHAM, Mass., May 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of the Easy Button's 20th anniversary, Staples is bringing back the beloved icon — a move that transcends nostalgia. First introduced in 2005, the Easy Button and its unforgettable catchphrase, "That was easy," quickly became a pop culture hit, with millions of buttons sold and a lasting place in offices, classrooms, and internet memes alike. Now, it returns as a symbol of how Staples has evolved to meet the needs of today's customers and the realities of modern life. Because, let's face it, life isn't easy. From juggling new ways of working to navigating the growing demands at home and on the job, educators, parents, and businesses of every size are balancing more than ever. That's why "easy" still matters and why Staples is more committed than ever to simplifying life for its customers. "The Easy Button stood for more than convenience. It represented how Staples took the stress out of getting things done," said Marshall Warkentin, President, Staples U.S. Retail. "Twenty years later, that promise still holds true — just in more meaningful ways. We now support customers with a breadth of services and solutions, from print and marketing to tech support, shipping, travel, returns, and more." "We are thrilled to bring back the Easy Button as a reflection of everything Staples and Staples Business stands for, from supporting school districts, to serving the nation's leading healthcare systems, and partnering with Fortune 500 companies," added Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Business. "Our expertise extends far beyond office supplies – from janitorial products and breakroom snacks to technology accessories and waiting room furniture." The Easy Button returns with a new advertising campaign designed to shift perceptions around the breadth of Staples' and Staples Business' expertise. The work features bold creative across out-of-home, digital, social, radio, and streaming platforms, quite literally opening the iconic red button to reveal how far the brand has evolved. At the center of it all, the Easy Button, aka E.B., is stepping out of the store aisles and into your social feeds, bringing a fresh, witty voice to today's conversations about work. From productivity tips to sharp takes on LinkedIn, E.B. offers a playful perspective on the realities of modern work. "This campaign is more than a cultural comeback, it's a bold reintroduction of the Easy Button and what it represents for consumers and businesses in 2025," said Amy Steel Vanden-Eykel, Chief Marketing Officer, Staples. "Staples has evolved as a business and as a brand, and we're excited to share how our team of experts today is making work and life easier than ever before. Through this clever, humorous campaign, we're personifying "E.B." the Easy Button and putting him back into the spotlight in fresh, relevant ways that will resonate with today's customers." Looking for an E.B. of your own? Staples is offering an exclusive promotion: get a FREE Staples Easy Button with any $50 purchase in-store or online (offer valid May 28–June 7, 2025, while supplies last¹). Learn more: About StaplesFor nearly 40 years, Staples has been a trusted leader in delivering end-to-end workplace solutions for consumers and businesses of all sizes across a broad range of industries. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of products, strategic solutions, and services including print and marketing, shipping, technology, and travel. Its specialized assortment includes high-quality office supplies, janitorial products, technology, furniture, and breakroom essentials, all supported by best-in-class supply chain capabilities and a dedicated team of experts committed to making the workday easier. Headquartered near Boston, Massachusetts, Staples operates throughout North America via direct B2B sales, e-commerce, and more than 900 retail stores. To learn more, visit your local U.S. Staples store, download the Staples app, explore or or follow @Staples on social media. 1This offer is available both in retail locations and online. Expires 6/7/25. Valid on item no. 606396 only. Must have Staples® app to redeem in store or add coupon to cart to redeem online. Limit 1. Exclusions apply. While supplies last. See Staples® app for details. View source version on Contacts publicrelations@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
