Apple's iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program now live in Canada

Apple products and iPhones in particular are known to retain great market value even in second hand markets. Apple now offers a way for Canadian users to trade in older iPhones for up to $275 off a new iPhone purchase. 

"iPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores in Canada arelaunching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling," said an Apple spokesperson. "In addition to helping support the environment, customers will be able to receive a credit for their returned phone that they can use toward the purchase of a new iPhone.”

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Neil Young's PonoPlayer aims for the mobile hi-fi player market

The MP3 player market may be long dead at the iPod's feet and while the iPod itself is facing declining sales quarter after quarter, rockstar icon Neil Young's PonoPlayer is aiming for audiophiles who want to take their Hi-Fi mobile. Still in its conceptual stage and being shown off at SXSW before heading over to Kickstarter.

The $399 player will come with 128GB of storage and will offer the ability to play high-quality uncompressed audio. Judging from the renders above the PonoPlayer doesn't look particularly pocket friendly. There will be an accompanying music service called PonoMusic which will provide the high-quality audio files for sale.

“It’s about the music, real music,” Young says in a press release. “We want to move digital music into the 21st century and PonoMusic does that.”

Source: Cult of Mac

iTunes Festival channel added to Apple TV

The iTunes Festival, which is taking place in the US for the first time and will take place at SXSW in Austin, Texas from March 11-15, will be accessible through an iTunes Festival channel on Apple TV as well as through an iOS app. iTunes Festival is free to watch through these channels and will feature Kendrick Lamar, Pitbull, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Keith Urban and Willie Nelson and Soundgarden. Apple TV owners, can go check it out starting now.

SlatePro's Personal TechDesk is designed for Apple and iOS devices

The Personal TechDesk is a Kickstarter project and a serious Apple loyalist's accessory. Not only is it made of the familiar blonde wood we see at various Apple Retail Stores, it is designed with built-in slots for iPhones and iPads plus has some vented areas to keep MacBooks nice and cool. The SlatePro will sell for US for $698 later this year which isn't bad for a specialized desk that's handmade. If that's too expensive, consider the $ 98 slate, which is a desk for notebook users that uses the same materials.