Use old smartphones sensibly - the 5 best tips
If you have an old smartphone but do not know how to use it, then read this practical tip. Here are the five tips to get the most out of your old smartphone.
1. Use the old smartphone as a second cell phone
Use your old smartphone as a replacement cell phone. If your new smartphone is too good for a canoe trip or a visit to the beach, the old can fully exploit its potential. Because if the old device should get broken or lost, the loss is not that bad. You can also make phone calls, write messages and take photos with older smartphones.
2. Experiment with your smartphone
If you bought a new smartphone, you can now experiment with your old device. Try out the popular custom ROM "CyanogenMod" on your old android. IOS users will also get their money's worth: A "jailbreak" gives you full access to the file system of your smartphone. In the case of new smartphones in particular, inexperienced users are unsure whether they should dare to do this, because deep intervention in the cellphone software can void the device's guarantee.
- If you have installed a Custom-Rom on your old smartphone, in the next step you can try to use all the advantages of CyanogenMod on your new smartphone.
3. Do something good - recycle your smartphone
If you no longer use your old smartphone, do something for the environment and recycle it. This is positive in many ways:
- They do something for the environment and thus reduce the consumption of raw materials. The smartphone contains many parts that can be recycled through your initiative.
- Most acceptance points of old smartphones, such as church parishes, not only pass the cell phone on to recycling organizations, but also donate a small amount of money to sick and needy people.
- Many telecommunications companies motivate their customers to recycle: companies like "O2" support the animal protection organization "WWF" and "Telekom" donates money to "Deutsche Umwelthilfe". Simply ask your contractual partner what they are doing.
- Tip for the next smartphone purchase: A very special smartphone is the so-called "Fairphone". It is environmentally friendly and has been produced from renewable raw materials under fair conditions.
4. Multifunction smartphone
You can use your old mobile device as a multi-function tool just as well. If you now have a new smartphone, use your old device for a variety of purposes, such as:
- Old smartphone as a navigation device: So you always get to your destination and you don't need to buy a new navigation system. Free services such as "Google Maps" have one of the best navigation systems.
- The mobile alarm system: If you sleep next to your new smartphone at night, the old smartphone can play your personal guardian. Apps like "Mobile Alarm System" use the cell phone sensors to warn you of burglars. This could prove useful, especially on vacation.
- Radio on your smartphone: Plug your old device into the music system and stream radio stations from apps like "TuneIn Radio". This means that you will no longer be disturbed while listening to music when you receive incoming messages or phone calls.
5. Sell your smartphone
Well-preserved cell phones often have an astonishingly high residual value. So if you don't need a second cell phone, you can sell it online for good money. These pages are particularly suitable for this:
- www.ebay.de; also as an app
- The "reBuy" mobile app or the "Wirkaufens" website
- Also search "Facebook" for groups that allow you to sell your old stuff. A sales offer on your Facebook wall is often worthwhile.
If you want to keep your smartphone and use it as a second cell phone, for example, we will show you in this practical tip how you can improve your cell phone reception.