What The Tech: Why you should consider keeping your old phones and I-pads
You’ve probably got one: an old phone or tablet tossed in a drawer somewhere. The screen’s cracked, the battery’s weak, and maybe it doesn’t even work right anymore.
An old phone you no longer use? There are some reasons you should consider keeping it instead of throwing it away or recycling it.
Turn it into a dedicated music player. Load up your favorite songs for the gym or the car. No texts, no calls, no distractions. Just music, like an old school Ipod.
Old phones make great tv remotes for Roku or FireTV streamers. Connect to WiFi and the tv.
The apps are easier to use than the remotes you’re always losing in the cushions.
Old phones and tablets make great book readers, especially for kindle users. Just download the
app and add your library. It’s actually better than a real kindle for photos and graphics since
they’re in full-color. Great for cookbooks, comics, and magazines.
They’re also good as an emergency phone. As long as the phone can turn on, you can always
use it to call 9-1-1 it doesn’t even need a sim card or passcode.
And apps like Alfred and Manything turns any old phone into a security camera. Connect it to
power and your Wi-Fi, point it at a door, and you’ll get motion alerts with live video delivered to
your primary device.
As for the bent and cracked I-pad? It’s now a digital photo frame for my desk. I created a shared
album and my family adds photos remotely.
We all paid good money for these not-so-old devices. So before tossing or recycling, find a new
use and keep them out of landfills.
