Creative Uses Of Old Smartphones
Dave, an old friend and a technophile, was examining the Samsung S10, wishing he could get one. When I suggested he buy it, he shook his head. “I’ve got five phones at home”, he said, “I don’t want to throw them away, but I don’t know what to do with them.”. And that got me thinking. Once people upgrade to a new smartphone, what can they do with the old one? In this blog post, I am going to explain what you can do with your old smartphone, after getting a new one.
Creative uses of old smartphones
Car Stereo or GPS device
If you want to use the GPS app on your smartphone, you have to plug in your smartphone, turn on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Then, when you get out of the car, you have to repeat the process all over again. If it’s one day, then it’s not too bad, but how about five days a week? It gets annoying.
The best way to avoid repeating this dull routine is to use your old smartphone as a GPS device or car stereo. With your old phone, you don’t have to worry about plugging in the Bluetooth or connecting to the Wi-Fi. Just have it loaded with your favourite music, podcasts or even GPS apps and activate them when you get in the car. Having an extra phone for your car is better than relying on one phone for everything.
Baby Monitor or Security Camera
No need to spend money on an expensive baby monitor or security camera. You can use your old smartphone, instead. Some home security apps can turn your previous smartphone into a handy security system that will send notifications and alerts to your new smartphone when something goes wrong.
While your old smartphone is no substitute for a high-tech security system, it’s a relatively inexpensive way of keeping your property and family safe. Not to mention, it’s an excellent way to make use of your mobile device.
Backup Phone
Your old smartphone serves as a backup. If you have extra contacts, notes, ebooks and anything else you don’t need on your new smartphone but can’t afford to lose, then your previous smartphone can serve as a backup smartphone.
If your old and new smartphone have the same OS, then you can sync your data using the cloud system. Therefore, if anything happens to your new phone (let’s hope not!), your old phone serves as the perfect backup. You won’t have to get another new phone or post a ‘Lost my phone, numbers please’ status on Facebook.
Digital Photo Frame
Convert a smartphone into a digital frame – it’s a great way to use larger smartphones and tablets. Use it to run a slideshow of your old photos and prop it up as a display.
Several image apps can draw images from social media streams and cloud-based libraries to present a continuous stream of images. The smartphone can go from an old device to a display for your office or home desk that reminds you of good times.
Retro Game Console
Converting your old smartphone into a retro gaming console is possible but requires a bit of work.
First, you need to connect your old phone to your TV via a micro USB-to-HDMI converter cable or Chromecast. Then, download a few emulators for classic games from for old consoles. Finally, you can connect a PS3/PS4 Bluetooth controller via Bluetooth.
It’s a great way to make use of your old smartphone and there are tons of emulators of retro games for smartphones, so finding a suitable emulator will not be a problem. It’s also a great way to keep yourself entertained without spending a significant amount of money.
Here at Boxedtech, we have a special fondness for retro games, so you can bet that we will be trying this particular solution.
Gym device
Ever go to the gym? (Our correct answer is ‘yes’, but the real answer is ‘occasionally’). No matter what your actual answer is, your old smartphone can double as a workout device if you wish.
Start by reformatting the device to remove unnecessary contact information, photos, logins and anything else that might distract you during a workout. Then, upload your workout songs (Rocky theme, anyone?), podcasts and fitness-tracking apps. Staying focused and motivated at the gym will be much easier. This is perfect for getting you healthier and fitter, without paying a cent!
Key takeaways
From a retro gaming console to a digital display to a backup device, there is much you can do with your old smartphones. Many phones (old or otherwise) are exceptional pieces of technology, and there is a lot of value in them, even after you have gotten a new one. It might seem like extra effort to convert a device, but the results are well worth the effort.
Perhaps, after looking at my suggestions, Dave would make better use of his old phones, and eventually, get the S10 he wants.
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