If you are a user of high-end tech devices, then you know how exciting it is to upgrade into a newer device with better functions. If you are upgrading and wondering what to do with your old phone or tablet, then here are some tips for you. If you don't want to sell it, then there are many ways you can make use of it. Most of these ideas involve turning your phone or tablet into a dedicated, single-purpose device with the help of an app or two.
1. Home Security Camera
As you don't carry your old smart phone or tablet with you anymore, you can fix it on a window or in a corner and use it as a home surveillance device. Many apps are available to cover the software side of the equation like iCamSpy , Presence and Manything are all powerful options that enable you to keep an eye on your property or your kids from somewhere else.
2. Remote Controller
There are several options for controlling devices with your smart phone or tablet. With a kit from Logitech, you can use an old device as a remote for your media centre. Apple has its own remote app and if you're a Chromecaster then everything works automatically.
3. Mp3 Player
In the past, when MP3 players were very good at playing music; we all carried around portable MP3 players to listen to music on the go. Your old smart phone or tablet can still store a pile of audio tracks and play them back on your stereo or in your car, focus on local files and turn off the connectivity options if you want to maximise battery life. You won't have to worry about phone calls cutting off the music either.
4. Digital Photo Frame
If there is a way of keeping your old smart phone or tablet hooked up to a power-supply and you can disable the screen dimming and lock features, then you can use it as a digital photo frame. Dayframe for Android can plug into a host of social networks to bring you updated pictures from your circles while Picmatic does the same job on iOS. There are plenty of other apps to choose from depending on what you need.
5. E-reader
Phone and tablet screens aren't quite as easy on the eye as e-ink, but they're fine for a quick bout of reading on the go. And iBooks and Play Books you can use the official Kindle or Kobo apps to sync your reading with a separate e-reader and across multiple devices. You could also use your old phone or tablet exclusively for catching up on your online reading, Instapaper or Pocket are two apps that can help here.
6. Alarm Clock
Particularly suitable if you have an old charging dock as well as an old phone, there are dozens of apps that will let you use the device as an always-on alarm clock that can wake you out of your slumber. And the alarm function built into the phone's software, you can go for less conventional alternatives such as Wake, Timely and Walk Me Up, which only shuts off the alarm after you've taken a certain number of steps.
7. Kid’s Toy
If you have children in the house then giving one of them, your ageing smart phone or tablet is an obvious choice, partly because there is a stack of great educational apps and games around. If you don't have to worry about sharing the device with your offspring then you can tighten up the relevant parental controls and leave them to get on with it, keeping all of your important apps and documents on your brand new device.
8. Dedicated Word Processor
Now that Office is free for iOS and Android, and, of course, available on Windows devices, you can install Word, stick with a native tool or use one of the many alternatives to turn your out-dated tablet into a dedicated word processor that isn't cluttered up with gaming apps or social media distractions. It's a particularly good option if you already have a tablet stand and Bluetooth keyboard.
