Here's how to recycle your old smartphone instead of throwing it away, this will also save you money on buying new electronic accessories
You've just bought a new smartphone or you've been given one that just came out. What to do with the old phone? You don't have to throw it away. Old mobile devices can be reused in a variety of ways. Let's see together the most imaginative ways to recycle an old smartphone.
The first useful thing to do with an outdated smartphone is to turn it into a universal remote control. If there is an object, in fact, that is easy to lose this is the remote control. Under the sofa, between the pillows or has the dog taken it? No problem from today when you do not find the remote control you can use the old smartphone. How? Simple, most old Android devices have the IR blaster or the connection to connect to the TV. In the case of some smartphones, such as Huawei or HTC, you can also find the application already installed by default on the phone.
Apps for universal remotes
To make the remote truly universal we can also use free applications from the Play Store, these will be compatible not only with televisions but also with stereos and other devices. The problem usually with these free apps is that there are many ads to disturb the graphic interface. If we have a smartphone without an IR blaster or an iPhone instead we'll have to buy hardware to make the device do this task.
Security Camera
An old smartphone can also be turned into a security camera. This is thanks to the popular Perch app. Still the app is in beta stage but it allows you to use your smartphone without spending a euro to buy surveillance cameras. It also allows the use of certain functions, such as motion alerts and unison or separate use of the front or rear camera. You can also connect it to lights so that they come on if someone walks by. If you have an old iPhone, the app to use is Manythings, which among other things allows you to record live videos to post on social networks like Facebook. It's a free app for video while you pay to record files in the cloud and to use multiple cameras at the same time.
Baby Monitor
An old smartphone can also be transformed into a baby monitor, to control your child's games or sleep from a distance. To do this, we can use apps. There are several both free and paid. Most of them send notifications with audio for any noise such as crying or moaning that comes from the baby's room. Many of these apps also allow the use of the camera on command to better monitor the situation. Plus, all of these apps work with Wi-Fi so you won't need anything more than a home connection. Some paid apps also allow you to record a lullaby to be played when the baby is about to fall asleep remotely.
Wi-Fi Router
An old Android smartphone can also act as a Wi-Fi router. In this case we will also need a SIM card with an internet connection and a fully functional charger. Tethering or Hotspot is enough to use the connection. In this way we can connect with tablets and notebooks directly to the phone line even if we don't have Internet connection inside our house
Sell it
If DIY is not your thing you could always think about selling your old smartphone. The most used site is surely eBay, even if in Italy is used a lot also Subito.it. We can check its value on some sites that compare prices. And we avoid putting it online if it is too defective or too broken. It would just be a waste of time.