Your Old CD Collection = A Brand-New Apple iPad?

This is not a joke. Or a scam. Or some weird list that we've put together to try and trick you. The truth is that your CD collection actually is worth something right now, even if you haven't dug into that thing since you got your hands on a first-generation iPod. As the New York Times reported recently, a company called iPodMeister can help you turn your old CDs into a brand-new Apple iPad. In the past, they've made the same deal using iPods and iPhones. All you need to do is package up your CDs and send them to the company (they even pay for the shipping) and they send you an iPad in return. It breaks down like this:

iPad with Wi-Fi (16GB): 600 CDs

iPad with Wi-Fi (32GB): 700 CDs

iPad with Wi-Fi (64GB): 800 CDs

iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G (16GB): 950 CDs

iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G (32GB): 1050 CDs

iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G (64GB): 1150 CDs

The only catch? Each CD does need to include the original art work and the original jewel case. The CDs also can't be promotional CDs. Essentially, this works out for iPodMeister because CDs aren't worth much in the U.S. right now (Universal just announced that they're slashing new CD prices to less than $10 a pop) but the format is still viable in other countries. So iPodMeister takes your CD collection, hands you an iPad and then flips your collection for a profit overseas. They're also offering a similar deal for DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. For an extra fee (70 to 250 CDs), they'll even digitize your entire collection, so you won't actually be losing your collection during the trade. Sounds like a win/win for anyone trying to grab an iPad next month and clean out their attic in the process. —Chris Yuscavage