What can be done from an old mobile? What can be made from an old mobile phone: a couple of original ideas What can be made from a broken cell phone

Articles and Lifehacks

The modern consumer changes mobile devices so often that sometimes instead of the problem of repair, he is faced with the question of disposing of an outdated device.

Our article will tell you about what can be done from a broken phone - provided that it has not completely failed.

The easiest ways to use

• If the user has at least basic knowledge in the field of microelectronics, he will be able to make many useful devices from an old phone that will be turned on by a remote signal.
• For example, a video surveillance device can be made from an old phone, as well as an ordinary “bug”.
• In addition, he will be able to make an alarm (both simple and anti-theft), a GPS navigator or a DVR for a car, or a barcode scanner.
• In most cases, it is required that the built-in camera and speaker remain in working order. In addition, additional software may be required.

  You can find a suitable program online. All this will give the old phone a second life.

• It is noteworthy that you can even make a charger out of a mobile device, which will be used as a means of recharging the battery of another smartphone.
• If we want to make a video surveillance device, a working camera of 3-16 megapixels is a must. In this case, you will also need a large memory card.
• A suitable program is downloaded from the Internet and installed on a PC, after which the phone with the recorded video is connected to the computer via a USB cable and the recording is viewed.
• Similarly, you can use your mobile device as a webcam, which is also quite convenient. If we need a long USB cable for any purpose, it can be ordered online with a designation such as high-speed.

Our verdict

• Using additional equipment, we will be able to make no less useful devices from our apparatus. For example, a metal detector can be made from a radio and a telephone.
• The principle of its operation is that the mobile phone will create the desired wave by acting on the radio, and the metal will distort the frequency sounds. No less useful is the idea of ​​turning the phone into an anti-theft tool.
• So, our mobile device can become a remote control, a battery, a tracking device, an additional part for assembling a flashlight, and much more.
• If desired, it can even be used to emulate old game consoles. In other words, if we have patience, we will surely find a worthy use for our old phone.

It happens that you get a new smartphone before the old one is broken. The reasons may be different - technomania, an increase in work, “I have long wanted a good camera”, “dad, it's my birthday” ... The question is different: where to put the old one? Submit for recycling? Sell? Gift to someone?

Let's say right away that in any case you should not throw away the phone: take pity on the environment, the insides of the mobile phone and the plastic for it. We bring you a list of tech, fun and weird ideas on how to put your old smartphone to good use.

game console

It's easy to connect your Android phone to your TV using the Chromecast streaming service or a USB to HDMI cable. Download an emulator with a selection of your favorite classic console games and enjoy! Apps exist for everything from Super Nitendo to Sega Genesis. As a joystick, any one that works via Bluetooth, for example, from PS3, is suitable.

For training

You can keep using your old smartphone at the gym or jogging. Remove all unnecessary applications, or rather, roll back to the factory settings and install the ones you need again. Pull out the SIM card and in no case log in through Facebook or Vkontakte - and no one will distract you. Download good workout programs and audio player, download your favorite music. And go for a run.

Desktop computer

Why not? Modern smartphones that are sold in Ukraine, for example, on y.ua, are significantly more productive than computers ten or fifteen years ago. In fact, the filling is not particularly different. You can install an operating system from the Linux family on your smartphone, connect a monitor, keyboard and mouse (via Bluetooth or a USB hub), and your computer is ready. Give it to your grandmother, give it to a child to be torn to pieces, or simply put it as a backup - it's up to you.

Navigator

And here's a way to save money: you don't have to buy a GPS navigator if you have an old smartphone. Just install a suitable application or several - MAPS.ME for offline maps, Yandex.Maps - for cases when there is Internet ... At the same time, such a navigator can function as a car radio.

The virtual reality

Have you heard of Google Cardboard? These are virtual reality glasses that are designed to be used with a smartphone as a screen and cost only $20. Well, or half an hour of fuss with an unnecessary cardboard box. Of course, most virtual reality applications are still in their infancy. But it's still very interesting. And you will definitely outrun most of your friends in the "technology race"!

A small note: for applications to work correctly, you need a good gyroscope. Or at least some kind of gyroscope. Before you slaughter your favorite laptop box, make sure your old phone has one.

Alarm

Seriously, who else uses an analog clock these days? And for smartphones, there are an almost endless number of applications with a variety of clocks and alarms. Just add a cheap docking station.

WIFI repeater

Is the signal from the router in the room not reaching the kitchen? Use your old phone as a repeater. You will need to install a special application, for example, fqrouter2 and root rights.

CCTV

A smartphone is not only a SIM card slot, but also a camera! How about a custom home security system? You will need WIFI, some patience and an appropriate application. By the way, the second application is equipped with a motion detector and can, upon noticing a suspicious movement, send you photos to email.

Digital photo frame

To turn your smartphone into a self-scrolling photo album, install an app such as Dayframe and place it anywhere you like. Does not work well on smartphones with small screens. We strongly do not recommend nailing such a photo frame with nails.

Brain for a robot

The fact that every smartphone is a computer in the soul, we have already decided. And the "brain" of the robot is also a computer! So if you were a fan of Asimov as a child, or you are haunted by the laurels of crazy inventors from YouTube, you have great scope for experimentation. By the way, ready-made sets are also sold, but it's not so interesting!

baby monitor

By the way, with the help of an old smartphone, you can watch not only the house during your absence, but also a small child. There are, again, a lot of baby monitor programs. Baby Monitor, for example, can broadcast video and audio, and contains instructions for using the baby. The only problem is that unlike regular baby monitors, the baby monitor is not shockproof and does not tolerate chewing on it, so secure the phone so that the child does not reach it.

Just in case

Get some SIM card with a “calls only” tariff, put fifty hryvnias in it and put the phone with a spare battery in the glove compartment and forget about it. Recharge the battery periodically. A great backup means of communication in case something went wrong or gas ran out at the same time as the money on the main phone.

Donate to Charities

In any city there are organizations that collect clothes and other useful things for children from orphanages. Smartphones in Ukraine fall into the category of "useful things" quite well.

First of all, do not rush to make something unique out of an old mobile phone. Perhaps you will be able to sell it more or less profitably. To do this, you can contact a store that sells used devices, or place an advertisement for the sale of the phone in a local newspaper / Internet.

You can also use your old mobile phone for a second SIM card or give it to your grandmother. It will not be difficult for her to learn how to use it if it is not equipped with a large number of functions.

What can be done from an old mobile phone if its case is damaged

In this case, it will be very useful to come up with an exclusive design for an old mobile phone from improvised means. For example, you can make an original case from a pack of cigarettes, knit or sew and decorate with beads.

As a result, you will get a unique thing that you are not ashamed to show off to your friends. In addition, you can try to make a car alarm or a usb camera for network communication from an old mobile phone.

Don't want to put in extra effort? In this case, just give yourself a relaxing self-massage. Turn on the vibration mode on your phone and enjoy the pleasant sensations.

What can be done from an old mobile phone if its display is damaged

This part of the mobile phone breaks down very often. Once the device falls to the ground one or more times, at best, an unaesthetic scratch will appear, and at worst, the display will stop showing anything at all. If this is your situation, don't fret.

A damaged display can be replaced with another one. The cost of such repairs for older devices is relatively low. In addition, you can use the unit as an independent mobile device for listening to uplifting music.

The only thing you need to worry about is the speakers. If the model is very old, you will need an adapter for the connector on the outdated device.

What can be done from an old mobile phone if it does not turn on at all

If the old device is completely out of order and in general, you can arrange a competition with friends in throwing mobile phones. Surely you have a few friends who also do not know what can be done from an old mobile phone when nothing works in it.

So you can have a pretty fun time, and at the same time meet your friends whom you have not seen for a long time. So, in an open area, put an empty box at a certain distance (for example, 5-7 meters) and start holding a competition for accuracy. Alternatively, you can bet which of you will throw your cell phone the farthest. Fun and!

If this option does not suit you, make a puzzle. Take apart an old cell phone piece by piece and then try to put it back together when you don't know what else to do.

In the event that you do not want to break or disassemble your favorite thing, start collecting from old mobile phones. Perhaps in some 10-20 years they will already become a rarity.

Finally, one more idea that may come in handy: leaving the cover from an old mobile phone, make a cigarette case.

More recently, some 5-6 years ago, a smart phone was available only to a small number of technically advanced and, importantly, wealthy users. Then the prices of smartphones began to decline rapidly, and the possibilities to increase, so that today they can be seen in the hands of both pioneers and retirees. And many of us managed to change several models during this time, so the issue of recycling old devices is becoming more and more acute. Previously, it was easy to sell a used model or give it away to relatives in need. Today, more and more often, completely working devices find their last refuge somewhere in the far corner of the desk drawer.

In this article, you will find some tips on how to give these devices a second life and put them to good use. So, we take out our favorites, blow off the dust and fight again!

room alarm clock

What, people buy more alarm clocks? Yes!

And some of them - with flexible settings, weather forecasting, task scheduling and so on - cost a fair amount of money. However, any smartphone can handle it without any effort. And if you install one of the programs described in on your device, then not a single ordinary alarm clock can be compared with yours. Or maybe you do not need additional functionality, but just need unearthly beauty? Then Timely is your choice.

MP3 player

If you're a serious music lover and spend most of your day wearing headphones, you should no doubt already be thinking about purchasing a dedicated device for this. After all, if you use your main phone, then by the evening you can be left without communication.

Therefore, take out your old smartphone, install a larger memory card there and use it as a specialized music player. There is plenty of software for this, for example, try the programs from this. And if you are a fan of online radio, then you definitely won’t find anything better.

tracking station

The need to monitor what is happening in the house in your absence can arise for several reasons. Perhaps you are afraid of thieves, or maybe you want to know what your cat is doing when you are sure that no one sees him. Well, let's not forget about small children, for the control of which they came up with a whole class of special devices called "baby monitors". In the latter case, pay attention to the Dormi app.

In addition, you can use your old smartphone or tablet not only to capture and transmit pictures, but also as a receiving device. To collect information from several webcams located around the house or in different rooms, the IP Cam Viewer Lite program will help.

Experimental Gadget

The Android operating system offers endless possibilities for customization. And you can get as deep into the system as your knowledge and courage allows you. Moreover, you can generally change Android to something more original, for example or. The only problem is that not all experiences may be equally safe for your device. If you're risk-averse or want to keep your new device's warranty, then your old Android will serve as a great testing ground.

cookbook

What should a smart gadget do in the kitchen?

Of course, help cook! In the app store you will find more than one or two collections of culinary recipes. There are those that represent dishes of a certain cuisine, there are those with a selection of recipes by product, there are some with pictures and videos. In general, for every taste in the literal sense of the word.

And if you go to YouTube, you will find a lot of step-by-step instructions that clearly demonstrate the preparation of dishes. You will find the best of them in, and even better, subscribe to our channel- so don't miss out on anything. Here is an example from the last one.

So feel free to place your old smartphone or tablet in the kitchen if you want to eat tasty and healthy. Moreover, it is better to keep your new expensive gadget away from boiling oil and greasy hands.

digital frame

Yes, I agree with you that paying money for digital frames is one of the signs of insanity. But why not use an old gadget for this, which is still lying around idle. Let it stand on the bedside table and please the eye with your photos or the work of the best professionals. There are many special programs for such an application, at least the one described by us or, for example, Photo Slides.

game console

Most likely, your old Android will no longer be able to handle modern games with cool graphics. But it can be used to emulate old gaming devices and run classic games. Many of them, as you know, can give odds to modern blockbusters. Preparing your device for such an application is not at all difficult, especially if you use.

car gadget

Equally useful is your Android in the car. A device specially dedicated for travel will allow you not to waste the charge of your main phone and not to suffer every time with fixing it in the car. Such an auto-Android is able to serve as a DVR or even, when connected to an audio system, as a media center. Such use of smartphones can even bring certain bonuses in the form of new interesting features that are not typical of conventional devices. For example, Sygic can display your route directly on your windshield without obstructing your view of the road.

Of course, these are not all ways to use end-of-life smart gadgets. You can use them to control a quadcopter and other tech toys, as a media server, to control and manage home automation systems - the list goes on. In a word, a real geek will definitely come up with a worthy application for his favorite gadget. And be sure to share your experience with us!

Today you will learn how to make a homemade gsm alarm from a cell phone. Such a security system can guard your cottage, garage or car.

This article has been planned for a long time, it is a "mobile GSM add-on" to . After reading the article to the end, you will learn how to make a cellular alarm out of any existing alarm system, but more on that later ..

This add-on implements the notification function on a cell phone and allows the owner to control the situation about the "integrity" of the protected object anywhere in the world using mobile communications. Such an alarm system is the cheapest option and requires only an old cell phone, a battery + a few parts, solder and free time from the investment.

Materials and tools required for the manufacture of GSM alarms:

• Nokia 1100 cell phone (or any other mobile phone with a quick call function that !Attention! implemented by a single button pressed and held in this position).
• headset (earphone with microphone) is used for audio control of the room
• soldering iron
• solder
• the wire
• reed switch (or push-button sensor for opening the door)
• 12 Volt acid-gel battery (the larger the capacity, the longer the “autonomy” in case of a 220V power outage)
• battery charger

The principle of operation of homemade mobile signaling based on cellular

Ways to connect a cell phone to the alarm:

The methods described above to establish the interaction of a security alarm and a cell phone are valid for any alarm. Thus, you can “attach” the GSM notification to any alarm you have (for example, to a regular car alarm). All that is required of her is to close the relay contacts, or apply 12 volts during the “operation” (for example, you can take 12 volts from the terminals of the car siren only then you will need to set up the “quiet mode” so that when arming and disarming the alarm does not “ quacked "based on what option you have - choose the appropriate scheme.

How to organize an uninterrupted power supply for GSM alarms.

We figured out how the alarm system interacts with a mobile phone, it remains to solve one more question - to provide power to the phone in an uninterrupted mode 24 * 7, several options are possible here:

In the future, I plan to write a series of articles on the topic of security systems: how to make a security complex from a video recorder with internet notification and an article about the types of sensors for which will help make the protection of your apartments, garages, summer cottages more complete and reliable.

I wish you success in creating an alarm, as well as the safety of your property!