Making Better Use (and Money) of Your Idle Devices
Old devices like smartphones, Kindles, or PCs might be just collecting dust at your home. Yet, with some inspiration and a few instructions from the DIY veterans, you can turn them into convenient assistants. Besides repurposing old gadgets, you can also have some resources worth sharing or selling to earn some additional income.
Repurposing smartphones
With the tendency to change smartphones every 3-5 years, it is common for your home to have a few unused gadgets. However, if they are still operational, we can suggest multiple options for using them beyond their original purpose:
- You can turn an old smartphone into a webcam for your PC if you don’t have one. Certain software apps let you do this, and DroidCam is one example. Then it will work like any webcam for Zoom or Google Meet. Just consider how to properly mount it on your display to get the most flattering angle.
- Dedicated device for playing music and connecting to your speakers at home. When guests arrive, you are bound to entertain them with music. Instead of using your personal device, have your old smartphone serve this purpose. Then, you won’t have to worry about someone seeing your private messages or using it inappropriately.
- Turn it into a home security camera by installing apps like AlfredCamera. Then, find an appropriate place in your home and keep it plugged in for charging.
Sell idle internet connectivity
One overlooked asset in your home is your internet connection. The bills are usually rather hefty, and you may or may not use it to its full capacity. Besides negotiating better deals after learning how much speed/bandwidth you need, you have other options. Specifically, you can sell internet data and earn money. Honeygain is one of the top contenders to facilitate this sharing of unused internet bandwidth. All you need is to turn on the activity in its app, and your connectivity is already generating additional income.
Ideas for using old PCs or laptops
You can always upgrade PCs with new items to make them more efficient. However, if you’re already set on a brand-new setup, your old one could serve as a home server. With it, you can control home assistant software and use it to host game servers. You could even host websites for various personal use cases, such as tracking meals or other statistics.
Give Kindle a second life
Kindle might seem like a one-trick pony, but it can be utilized for other purposes besides reading books. For example, you can mount it on a wall and use it to display your home assistant dashboard. It won’t work as the control center, but it will fetch data and showcase it so you always know the temperature and other conditions around your home.
When in doubt, donate
If you’re not interested in repurposing the device yourself, donate gadgets to others. That could include family members or certain centers that accept and give away old devices. Then, people in need of such devices can buy them at much lower prices or for free. Additionally, older devices can be an excellent learning environment for children. You can set strict child protections and control how they use them, and you won’t have to do the same for your personal devices.
Final thoughts
Keeping unused devices collecting dust in your garage or storage is not the most practical idea. Look for ways to repurpose them, and, surprisingly, even limited devices can have multiple use cases. Of course, PCs and smartphones have the most repurposing options. If you’re not that into DIY projects, remember to donate or sell them at a reasonable price.
