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Ask Slashdot: Best Use For an Old Smartphone?

Posted by samzenpus on from the what's-old-is-new dept.

zaba writes "The original iPhone was a dream come true for me. Phone, camera, mp3 player and data all in one device. It had more cpu and memory than my first computer! Several generations of smartphones later, my wife and I have some random smartphones (some iPhone, some Android) lying around. Between privacy concerns, bad batteries, etc. these phones are not worthy of donation. So, I ask you, Slashdot readers, have you done anything fun with an old smartphone? Any suggestions/ideas?"

15 of 301 comments (clear)

  1. Use it as a server by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For Android phones, use it as a Web/FTP/DNLA/DNS/Email/Proxy server.

    1. Re:Use it as a server by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Informative

      This package actually does a few more things as well ( DLNA, DNS, Dynamic DNS, Email, FTP(S), Proxy, SMS Gateway, Time, HTTP(S), (secure) WebDAV), and the performance seems pretty impressive for what it is. Of course, the power consumption is really low as well. I'm pretty damn impressed by the app in general.

  2. wireless video intercom/cctv by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    With a couple of phones that have user-facing cameras, you could set up a sweet touchscreen video intercom at your frontdoor. If you're worried about them being thieved, you could conceal all but the camera lense and make it a one-way experience only.

    For that matter you could use them as wireless CCTV security and potentially check in on them from home, the office, while on holiday.

  3. Remote Controls by Falc0n · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I use old phones over wifi to control my XBMC media boxes. When I build my new house in a few years, I'll probably incorporate them into home automation since I'll have around 10 lying around. Most phones in airplane mode with wifi will last at least a week, and it lets me have chargers around the house to keep them (or my current phone) plugged in most of the time.

  4. Re:Replace the batteries by jimmydevice · · Score: 5, Funny

    I suspect AC throws away his TV when the remote batteries die.

  5. IP Video Camera by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Plug the phone into a wall outlet and install one of the numerous free Android apps that turns the phone into a wi-fi IP video camera. Mount it on your front porch and see who stops by when you're not home. Integrate the camera into an external Zoneminder server if you want motion detection, alarms, and recording.

  6. I would go with... by arsemonkey · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ebay it and buy a bottle of wine. Then drink the wine with a friend....

  7. Re:Donate it by Macrat · · Score: 5, Funny

    to underpriviled inner city orphans in a homeless shelter.

    No one underprivileged would be able to afford the AT&T iPhone plan.

  8. Re:Burn them by ozmanjusri · · Score: 5, Informative

    Burn the mother fuckers already, and get on with your life.

    Yeah, but those of us who don't have a life can use half-dead Android phones as Arduino controllers.

      Or we could use them with AndroUAV to control our own drones.

    http://www.amarino-toolkit.net/

    http://developer.android.com/tools/adk/index.html

    http://www.instructables.com/id/Androino-Talk-with-an-Arduino-from-your-Android-d/

    http://code.google.com/p/androuav/

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  9. Re:Replace the batteries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Intelligent people don't even HAVE a TV.

    Intelligent people have a TV but don't watch what you watch. You're confusing the device for the content.

  10. Re:Burn them by enickel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I believe this is what you're looking for:

    http://slashdot.org/story/12/08/20/0216225/finland-hosts-mobile-phone-throwing-championships

  11. Re:Donate To Elderly by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is Slashdot. Load malware of some sort onto it, then leave it on the bus.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  12. Re:Throw them ... for distance and glory! by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 5, Funny

    I throw them at the kids on my lawn. But the lil' bastards just keep coming back for more, so I keep the .410 with rock salt loads handy.

    The cell phones are rich in rare Chinese vitamins and minerals, and eventually get buried beneath all the beer cans, and other trash. So I am effectively building a rare earth heavy metal mineral mine for my great-great-great-grandchildren.

    I am also hoping that some of the kids might port Openwrt to the phones that they pick up.

    Sometimes Da Ranch gets visitors from foreign countries, who ask if they can borrow a phone that works with the bands in the area. I just tell them pick one up of their liking off the front lawn.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  13. Re:I wonder what a beowulf cluster of these would by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Something like the MIT junkyard jumbotron then?
    http://jumbotron.media.mit.edu/

  14. They don't need a plan by opentunings · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Lots of organizations donate old cell phones to the underprivileged. The point is that the telcos are required to accept calls from cellphones dialing 911, regardless of whether they have a plan or not. As long as the old cell phone has a charge and a signal, it provides security to folks who might have (say) a problem with spousal abuse, or...