10 ways to evaluate your old phone or tablet

When buying a new phone, some of us say “bring the old phone and buy a new one” etc. While taking advantage of the campaigns, some of us prefer to buy second hand cheaper. Some of us can’t bear to sell the device that they are looking at carefully. Even if old phones or tablets can’t do everything your new device can do, they can still work for you. Here are 10 ways to evaluate your old phone or tablet:

1. Your old phone can be an excellent webcam

Phone cameras have evolved so much that we no longer need cameras that are incredibly expensive and not very easy to carry. Not just the newest phones, even a phone from 5 years ago can take great pictures. Your phone’s camera may even be better than your current laptop’s webcam. You can use your iPhone or Android device as your computer’s webcam.

There are programs that enable web camera support for smartphones; some also work with tablets. Depending on how old your tablet is, you can use your tablet as a special imaging search tool. You can install popular video calling applications such as Zoom, Teams, Skype, or you can use pre-installed applications such as FaceTime, Duo.

2. Turn it into a budget-friendly dash cam

Dash cameras are lifesavers in the event of a car accident, assault, harassment, or other disaster that may happen to you, but they are not cheap. Placing your old phone on the dashboard of your car can be a viable solution to the problem. You can even download companion apps that let you use your smartphone as a dedicated dashcam. However, additional features such as cloud storage support for unlimited video recording, potential collision warnings require purchase.

As a completely free option, you can use your phone’s own video recorder. You can save space by reducing the video quality to 1080p or even 720p. Now when someone interrupts you and claims you’re wrong, you’ll have video proof to prove otherwise.

3. Use as private Netflix, Disney+ / streaming device

Tablets are great media consumption devices; it doesn’t change when they get old either. As long as the digital service continues to support your device, you can enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies on your tablet even if there are no software updates.

Even if popular streaming services stop supporting your device in the future, you can still watch movies purchased from stores like iTunes or the Play Store. Open source video players like VLC are a great solution for your videos from other sources.

4. Smart photo frame

Instead of buying one of the usually slow user interface and randomly changing digital photo frames, you can use your phone’s high-quality screen to keep your favorite photos in front of you. The Photos app is far better than the software you’ll find on a smart photo frame, with customization and easy photo management, even if your device is old.

5. Smart home controller that anyone can use

If your smart home products are connected to the smart speaker, you can provide voice control but what if you don’t have a smart speaker or don’t want to talk through every action? An old phone or tablet can act as a dedicated smart home remote.

Place the phone or tablet in your home where everyone can access and control smart devices.

6. Universal remote control

You can set up your phone or tablet as a universal remote for your TV, set-top box, game systems, anything you include in your home entertainment setup.

There are many options to choose from, both on the iOS and Android platform, to turn your device into a universal remote control. If you have an Apple TV, you can access the remote control from the control center on your iPhone, control your PlayStation with Sony PS Remote Play, or download the remote control application designed for your TV and change the channels, sound, etc. you can manage.

7. CarPlay and Android Auto in your old car

Your car may not have any multimedia display such as Apple CarPlay, Google Android Auto. You can use it for GPS, music and hands-free communication by placing your device in the wireless charging phone holder and connecting it via Bluetooth.

The same goes for the tablet. You can use your old tablet as a big screen solution. You can take a tablet holder and enjoy the Google Maps experience on the big screen.

8. Non-harmful digital babysitter for children

An old smartphone or tablet can be an excellent safe device for kids. Most smartphones and tablets have parental controls; You can install the device with restrictions appropriate for your children. An old phone or tablet can be the perfect media consumption device for you, or it can be a great solution for your child when they want to watch their favorite shows or play games instead of giving away your own device.

9. Monitor your pets

Even when smartphones and tablets are old, they can turn into a great webcam or dash cam, or even a security camera for your home. You can use downloadable apps for both iOS and Android, such as AlfredCamera, to establish a connection between your new phone and your old phone. Place your old phone on some kind of stand; You have access to 24/7 camera streaming. You can place it to keep an eye on your pets or for any reason in any part of your home.

10. Make a tester

If your phone or tablet is not too old, you can use it as a private beta tester. Beta versions are not installed on main devices because they do not work stable and cause various problems, such as the device not opening. Since you no longer use your old phone or tablet in daily life, you can easily join the beta program and try out the new features of the operating system.