So you have just received a new Android phone as a present and now you are wondering what you should do with your now “old” device? Your previous phone likely still packs enough power to perform simple tasks, run games and the usual apps.
Now what do you want to do with the old Android device, except for selling it? Here are some ideas that might help you to figure out how to put your old Android phone to good use.
IP Security cam
Old Android phones can come in very handy when it comes to your own security. There are quite a lot of apps out there that allow you to use your Android device as a remote security cam.
IP Webcam is a very simple app that does exactly what it’s called. You don’t need to run a server on your computer, just download the app, start it and enter the IP address (shown on-screen) into any browser and see what your phone is seeing. With IP Webcam you can stream and record both audio and video.
Android Baby monitor
If you have a very young child and a spare Android phone on your hands, you don’t need to buy a baby monitor to check on your new family member. Numerous Baby Monitor apps will ensure that you hear everything that your baby is doing in another room.
Besides standard baby monitor features, this app can also play your baby a recording of your voice, track the times at which your baby can’t sleep and many other really useful things.
Smart TV remote
Old Android devices are great for controlling media around your house. A multi-functional TV remote with a touchscreen so to say.
My favourite combo is a Chromecast hooked up to my TV, Plex and Netflix. If your phone has an IR blaster built-in, you can also completely ditch your crappy TV remote if you download one of these apps right here (depending on your TV). Since I don’t watch cable at all, I, basically, have all the media on the tip of my fingers with this combo.
Kid’s device
With the release of Android 4.3, Google introduced so-called restricted profiles, that allow you to set certain limits for a user profile. These can include content filters, app download restrictions and many other things. These profiles are perfect to set-up for your kid.
Simply add a restricted user profile to your Android device, load it up with fun and educational games and give it to your kid to enjoy!
You can also add another layer of security to the device by enabling location tracking and reporting using Cerberus. This app allows you to track the location of the phone, take pictures and record video remotely, lock the phone and many other features, right through your browser.
Experiment!
An old Android phone can be an amazing playground for you! There are so many different things you can do with your phone, now that you don’t need to worry about losing all your data or destroying it completely…
You can start off by trying out the best Android launchers out there and see which one you’d like to use as your daily driver, root it and install various extensions with Xposed Framework or even completely disassemble it to learn how smartphones work. The latter can also be a great project for you and your kid! Just get yourself a smartphone repair kit for a few bucks and follow detailedguides from iFixit to disassemble (or even repair) your old Android phone.
Prepare for the zombie apocalypse
What if tomorrow we will experience the worst thing that could happen to the planet? We need to be prepared!
Use your old Android phone to supercharge it with everything you need (except for food, shelter, water and medicine) to survive the zombie apocalypse!
- Download Wikipedia on your device (2 million articles, only 3.6GB)
- Flashlight app
- Outdoor survival guide
- Cache offline maps with Google maps
- Buy a shock- and waterproof case for your device
- Get a portable solar charger
- Download some fun multiplayer games to make the ride smoother
Help researchers cure diseases
Nowadays quite a lot of scientific advancements come from analyzing enormous amounts of data. And you know what? You can help researchers find a cure for diseases and even help to understand global warming.
Data analysis requires a lot of computing power! With BOINC you can share the unused computing power of your old Android devices’ processor with the researchers from all over the world. The only thing you need to do is download the app and you’re good to go.
