Briefly: SquareTrade iPad warranty, eBay iPad trade-in promo
updated 11:35 am EST, Fri March 9, 2012
eBay offers guaranteed trade-in value
Following the iPad keynote on Wednesday, SquareTrade has announced that it will be offering an $89 Accident Protection Plan for the latest generation iPad. The 2-year iPad service, which provides coverage against iPad drops, spills and general accidents, includes free express shipping to and from SquareTrade's depots, with most repairs taking less than 48 hours. Users also have the choice of taking their device to a local Apple Genius Bar, with SquareTrade reimbursing the repair costs.
eBay Instant iPad trade-in promotion
eBay is currently offering a limited-time trade-in offer that allows customers to receive up to $475 for a working iPad 2. The program will run until March 10, but doesn't require customers to ship their current device with the provided shipping label until March 20. Trade-in values are determined by the device model and whether it is in either working or non-working condition. A non-working 16GB first-generation iPad starts at $75, while a fully functionally 64GB iPad 2 (WiFi + 3G) sells for $475.
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Note on Square Trade warranty
Just like Apple, Square Trade will assess a $49 service fee for each accidental incident. Apple limits 2 accidental services for life of AppleCare warranty, while Square Trade does not specify a limit.
So in all, it seems to be a $10 savings over AppleCare's iPad warranty as the only real benefit.