8 new uses for your old smartphone

The urge to get a new phone is often met with remorse. Often, this is not the case Really Wrong in the old phone (unless there was – a beaded battery or Vimu a screen always looks bad). If it was a breakup, the conversation with the old phone would start, “You’re awesome. It’s not you. This is me. I just want a new model. “

Shame on you? Don’t stay. No need to stick an old phone in a drawer or use it as a doorstop or furniture shim. There are many ways you can get your old phone working. After all, most older smartphones still have plenty of horsepower. Think of it as your connected device that no longer has a SIM card. Here are some suggestions on what to look for and tactics to help ease the way.

(These are all assumptions that you’re not recycling or reselling your old Android or iOS device – two great options to consider.)

Keep a spare phone

I’m a belt-and-suspenders type person, especially when it comes to gear I trust like my phone. I always have a spare phone in my travel pack (assuming things get easier someday and I can get back on the road). Nothing hinders the journey like a broken, lost or stolen smartphone. If you miss your main ride while away from home, picking up a SIM card from a vending machine or tobacco shop and pinging it in the spare can be a literal life cycle – and much cheaper, faster and less complicated. Buying a new phone in a strange city or country.

An extra remote

It was too late for me to find out if the smartphone makes a dandy remote control for TVs or streaming devices. Apple Pull TV has a great remote control app for iOS and the Google Home app will control Chromecast devices on iOS and Android. The Roku app for Android and iOS mimics its iconic remote. Other remote control apps include the Amazon Fire TV app for Android and iOS, and the Tivo app for Android and iOS.

In a way, phone apps are better than the real thing: they have keypads, which make entering titles faster than scrolling around the device’s screen non-screen keyboards.

Game Platform

You can use your old phone as a gaming device. Gamers are inventive; There are many gadgets like Moga Mobile Gaming Clip for Xbox Wireless Controllers that allow you to clamp your phone to Xbox or PlayStation controllers to play gameplay. If you’ve got the switch jealous, Razor Kishi gives iPhone and Android owners something to hang on to. But be warned: compatibility on platforms or with all games is not universal, and some controllers offer more insight into certain types of games. The puzzle player will have different needs than the person choosing the first person shooters. Think about how and what you will play before buying this game.

Set up a webcam

We’ve run some articles about this (see below), and you should check it out. Webcams are really useful for both security and zoom meetings, but their demand is high and can still be hard to find these days. If Amazon requires you to wait three weeks for an expensive webcam, try using an older phone instead.

Old-school media device

At one point, before the iPhone, you had to have two devices: a cellphone and a separate music player, whether it was an iPod or not. (Ed Note: Tell us another story about the Old Times, Dad.) Your old phone can still serve as a standalone media storage device, for backing up your library or for actual use. Because Wi-Fi is still working (if it’s still in the operating state), you can also use your old phone as a streaming platform – assuming your account is licensed for multiple devices. This can be a great way to entertain a toddler.

His first phone call

Speaking of young children, your old phone makes a great starter device (yes, we really got to that point). You can put allowed games and apps on the phone, enable parental controls and you’re all set. If the device is broken or lost, tears may come from the baby, but from you? Not more

Donate in charity

There are organizations that take old working phones, renew them and put them to good use. There are many places to check out for Cell Phones for Soldiers, which provides free communication for soldiers and their families, and Medical Mobile, which recycles old phones to fund new phones for health workers in Asia, Latin America and Africa. There are others – but before donating to any organization you don’t know, always check them out through a charity navigator or guidestar.

Take it apart

For some, it’s a basic pleasure to keep things separate and see them tick. Your old phone has been a part of your life for years; Not keen to see what’s inside you? Sites like Ifixit have detailed teardowns. Successful rehabilitation is an advanced course. With patience, luck and skill – and perhaps some unusual tools that can be found online, you will probably be able to reassemble with just a few extra parts left.