Source: www.komando.com – by Kim Komando
Q. I just bought a brand new iPhone and I love it. But this means my old iPhone is just sitting in my junk drawer. I hate to think that it’s going to waste. Is there something else I can do with it? -Sean, from Minneapolis, MN, listens to my weekly radio show on KTCN 1130 AM.
A. This is a great question, Sean. Thanks to two-year cellular contracts and tons of new phones on the market, many people are piling up older, unused smartphones.
Most of these are still perfectly usable even without a cellular connection. In fact, they’re basically portable computers.
All you need is the right apps and hardware and you can do quite a bit with them.
One of the most obvious uses for an old smartphone is a media player. Just load up some music or movies and you’re ready to go. Some phones even have expandable microSD storage so you can add more capacity.
An old smartphone makes a great portable gaming device, too. It might not have the same titles as a Nintendo DS, but new mobile games are released all the time! You can download any game in your phone’s app store over Wi-Fi.
Both of these are great options for entertaining kids on long car rides.
Speaking of the car, do you need a basic GPS unit? Some apps, like CoPilot, allow you to download maps for offline use. You won’t have turn-by-turn navigation, but you can still look up where you are.
Plus, the phone will be good in an emergency. Phones that don’t have service can still call 911 as long as the battery works.
If you have a GSM-based smartphone, you can buy a prepaid SIM card for cellular access. Then give the smartphone to a younger kid. They get a smartphone and you can control how much time they spend talking.
Closer to home, you can turn your old smartphone into a free Wi-Fi home phone. You can also use most video chat apps as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection.
Tired of mixing up home theater remotes? Turn your smartphone into a dedicated universal remote.
Many people prefer to keep an older phone as a backup. If you lose or break your new iPhone, for example, you’ll want that old iPhone hanging around.
If none of this appeals to you, you can make a few bucks selling your old phone. If you don’t find a price worth the effort, you can always recycle or donate it to charity.
Smartphones are great, but they can empty your wallet fast if you aren’t careful. Save some money with these helpful hints.
- Streaming movies or media is fun, but going over your data limit is costly. Keep track of your data usage with overage alerts.
- Texting is a great way to stay in touch, but frequent texting costs major bucks. Send free texts with this nifty app.
- You might be able to save some money by switching carriers. Compare carriers to find the best plan for your budget.
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