What to do with my old Android phone
Discussion
Hello all, I have just given my old iPhone SE (replaced with an XR) to my sister and she gave me back the Oneplus 3T that I gave her a few years ago. I am trying to decide what to do with it.
Selling it or keeping it as a backup are a couple of ideas but I’d rather tinker with it and make it do...something.
I’ve read the usual articles on what to do with old Android phones and there’s nothing that really grabs my attention. Couple of ideas I’ve had:
...and that’s all I could come up with. Would appreciate some more ideas/feedback on the above.
Selling it or keeping it as a backup are a couple of ideas but I’d rather tinker with it and make it do...something.
I’ve read the usual articles on what to do with old Android phones and there’s nothing that really grabs my attention. Couple of ideas I’ve had:
- Install Linux on it and hook it up to the TV. We don’t have a computer at all, and just use an iPad Pro mainly for watching YouTube, light browsing and photo editing, but it could be handy to have a desktop OS just in case, and I’ve always wanted to play with Linux
- Replace the headunit in my car with it. This one is a touch more ambitious. I have a 2004 Volvo V70 with the Dolby PL CD headunit, but all my music is on Spotify and I use Waze for navigation etc, so am currently using a cheap FM transmitter for music, which is ok but the quality isn’t great. Bluetooth/USB adapters for the car seem to be silly money, as are replacement headunits because of all the Dolby gubbins. I was just wondering if it’s even possible to replace the headunit with the phone so I can do Spotify, navigation etc and tinker with it to power on/off with the ignition and whatnot
...and that’s all I could come up with. Would appreciate some more ideas/feedback on the above.
If you have any home automation going on then a remote for that sort of stuff is one usage. I’ve seen people mount them in their hallways on the wall as a permanent backup or alternative to voice control. Some of the automation servers like HASS have nice apps that work well on a phone screen.
Back in the car, if you have kids then a media player for the back seats could be an option?
Back in the car, if you have kids then a media player for the back seats could be an option?
I have my Galaxy S2 permanently sitting in a stand, plugged in and connected via bluetooth to a soundbar speaker. I use it as an internet radio alarm clock, general music in the bedroom and sometimes I like to go to sleep listening to a story, podcast or hypnosis recording. Youtube is useful for those.
I use an app called Radio Alarm Clock++ which has thousands of internet radio stations and you can set it to slowly increase the volume of the radio until it wakes you up, which is much more pleasant than a wakeup at full volume.
I could use my regular phone for this, but it's just nicer to have it always mounted and in the same place. I was planning on having the screen always on to display a full screen clock, but decided it was unnecessary.
I hear some people have mounted old phones or tablets on mounts that slide out or drop down from underneath their kitchen units. They can be used as fold away televisions, radios or cookbooks.
You could install emulators for retro systems such as an Amiga, Megadrive etc. Connect it to the TV via an HDMI adaptor and use a bluetooth gamepad.
I use an app called Radio Alarm Clock++ which has thousands of internet radio stations and you can set it to slowly increase the volume of the radio until it wakes you up, which is much more pleasant than a wakeup at full volume.
I could use my regular phone for this, but it's just nicer to have it always mounted and in the same place. I was planning on having the screen always on to display a full screen clock, but decided it was unnecessary.
I hear some people have mounted old phones or tablets on mounts that slide out or drop down from underneath their kitchen units. They can be used as fold away televisions, radios or cookbooks.
You could install emulators for retro systems such as an Amiga, Megadrive etc. Connect it to the TV via an HDMI adaptor and use a bluetooth gamepad.
Some good suggestions, thanks guys. I set it up earlier ready to have a play over the weekend.
As a side note: I must say, as much as I appreciate what Android is about, it felt so much clunkier to use than even my old iPhone SE. Can’t quite place my finger on why, perhaps I’ve just gotten really used to iOS over the last couple of years.
Despite that feeling, it’s definitely still stupidly fast. Would make a brilliant daily driver for someone on a tight budget.
As a side note: I must say, as much as I appreciate what Android is about, it felt so much clunkier to use than even my old iPhone SE. Can’t quite place my finger on why, perhaps I’ve just gotten really used to iOS over the last couple of years.
Despite that feeling, it’s definitely still stupidly fast. Would make a brilliant daily driver for someone on a tight budget.
I had an old, slow ipad. Got a charging station, and used it as a weather station for a bit - got a nice app and left it permanently on. Then used it for a while as a wall mounted vintage flip clock (in a period case I made up for it from an old picture frame). Just turn the volume down, and all notifications off.
If it has the means to run a single app, there is loads you could do; in the kitchen permanently connected to a front door webcam; clock; weather station; earthquake alert; tide predictor; electricity usage; spotify 'head unit' bluetoothed to your speakers is a good one, that way friend can 'add to playlist' and keep the music going like a pub jukebox etc. Just need a wall mount and a power source.
If it has the means to run a single app, there is loads you could do; in the kitchen permanently connected to a front door webcam; clock; weather station; earthquake alert; tide predictor; electricity usage; spotify 'head unit' bluetoothed to your speakers is a good one, that way friend can 'add to playlist' and keep the music going like a pub jukebox etc. Just need a wall mount and a power source.
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