Apple was put under pressure to make the free battery replacement offer by the Japanese Ministry of Economy after there was 27 complaints about the Nano overheating. A few cases of overheating had caused minor injuries.

The announcement was put on Apple’s Japanese website and in August Apple replaced over 5000 batteries for the device. Apple blamed the battery problem on an unspecified battery supplier.

Figures from the Japanese Ministry of Economy said that over 1.8 million first generation iPod Nanos were sold from September 2005 to September 2006.

They have seen a surge of people recycling old iPods since the recent launch of the iPhone 4. Co-founder of Mopay, Simon Walsh said “We believe that the iPhone 4 can do everything that the iPod can which has made the iPod surpless to requirements.”

Mopay expects to double the amount they pay out for unwanted iPods by the end of 2010.

Recycle your old iPod at Mopay here

Each mobile handset in the new system will be rated based on its overall environmental impact during its lifespan. This will include what raw materials it contains, how much packaging is used, its longevity, its energy efficiency and how easy each device is to reuse or recycle.

O2’s new eco-rating system is part of their new ‘Think Big’ programme which intends to bring sustainable products and services to their customers.

Phone makers such as Samsung, Nokia and Sony Ericsson has already joined the new scheme.

Apple have declined to comment on why they have excluded the iPhone but have highlighted that they already have environmental reporting on their own website. The company has also stated that an iPhone has twice the carbon footprint of a comparable Sony Ericsson phone.

Details of a new mini iPad to be released in time for Christmas have been recently reported in a Chinese newspaper.

If this so called iPad Mini becomes the iPad Nano of tablets then Apple could have another huge hit on their hands. The new mini verson is reported to be 200g lighter and be much smaller at just 7 inches.

According to the newspaper Apple intends to launch the smaller 7 inch iPad this Decenmber in time for the Christmas shopping season.

The original iPad sold 3 million units in just under 3 months after its release in April this year.

The information allegedly shared by Devine included products specs, details of competitors bids and sales forecasts.

Steve Dowling Spokesman for Apple said, “We have zero tolerance for dishonest behaviour inside or outside the company.”

Devine has been remanded in custody until his court case. Apple are also suing Devine in a separate civil case for the alleged kickback amount.

The AA says that people using an iPod or mobile phone whilst driving are going into a zombie like state and are so plugged into the music that they loose all concentration, rather than focusing on hazards on the road.

According to the AA its not just drivers who are at risk but also pedestrians and joggers who use iPods are oblivious to what is happening around them.

When people are on the move their brains have lots to take in and using gadgets such as iPods and mobile phones mean that they can’t concentrate on too many things at once. This is when accidents happen such as people walking into traffic.

AA President, Edmund King said “We can’t stop the march of technology but we need to halt the iPod pedestrian, cycle and driver zombies. Whether on two feet, two wheels or four, too many people are suffering from iPod oblivion.”

Some people have even been seen checking their e-mails on their mobile phones whilst passing cars.

The Japan unit of Apple have until the 4th August to explain why the iPod Nano has been overheating and show that they are taking steps to prevent it happeing again.

A spokesman for the Ministy of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan, Seiji Shimagami said there have been 27 incidents of the first gen iPod Nano overheaing in Japan including 4 cases where minor burns were caused.

If Apple cannot provide information as to why the devices have been overheating then the ministry may require that the company offer to exchange units that aren’t faulty as well as those that are.

Apple have put a statement on their website saying that the problem has been traced too a single battery supplier, they also state that safety is a high priority.

Apple’s profits for the same quarter stand at a massive $3.25 billion. These figures show that Apple devices have had a massive surge in popularity over the past year.

The main reason for the surge over the last quarter is probably due to the recent releases of the iPad and iPhone 4 which have already been bought by millions around the world.

Despite the broken antenna and despite the bad publicity that Apple has had many people in the UK and around the world are still splashing out hundreds of pounds for the iPhone 4. In its third day of sales the new iPhone had sold an impressive 1.7 million units.

In the past mobile phone contracts were only 1 year or 18 months, now many people hold mobile contracts that are as long as 2 years. Instead of keeping the same handset that they are originally given for such a long time many people are using their own initiative and trading in their phones for cash so they can go out and but the latest model, in this case many are going for the new iPhone 4.

Recycle your old mobile to get an iPhone 4 at Mobile Phone Xchange here

According to popular mobile recycling company, Mopay there has been a sharp rise in the amount of iPods being recycled over the last 2 months.

The rise is being blamed on the recent release of the iPhone 4. As the iPhone now has the ability to play music the same as the iPod, allows users to download applications and do lots more many people are using their iPhone instead of having an iPod.

Co Founder of Mopay, Simon Walsh said “As technology advances, so too does the demand for more modern gadgets. Many people do not realise that their older products have a value. Mopay is here to help people unlock that financial value in their old gadgets.”

Recycle your unwanted iPod at Mopay here