Smartphones are usually expensive when they first hit the market. However, they are usually considered outdated within one or two years. New models come out constantly, so you are often tempted to replace your current phone. Even if you don’t want to, smartphone technology often progresses so far that you are forced to dump your old phone. It could even be because some of their parts start failing.
However, some of these phones just need a bit of refurbishing and they can be back in good condition. There are many places that can refurbish used phones in Utah and other areas, so this could be a good option for your old phones. However, what can you do with them? Here are a few ideas of what you can do:
Spare Emergency Phone
Most refurbished or recycled phones can still function as phones. Having a spare phone around in your car or home can be a good idea. This is also a great thing to have, especially if you store it with an emergency battery. You can even keep it turned off until you have the need for it, so you won’t waste a charge for it. It may seem too much, but there are situations where an emergency phone not tied to your main number is a good idea. Just buy an emergency SIM so that you can start calling.
eReader
eBooks are a popular way to read books nowadays. However, an Amazon Kindle or a similar reader can be a bit too expensive for just reading books. Fortunately, there are many Android-based e-reading programs. Just install them into your refurbished smartphone and it can be your primary book reading device. An SD card can be loaded down with thousands of books so you’ll be reading for hundreds of hours. Your main phone will be reserved for calls and messaging, so nothing will be disturbing you while reading.
Children’s Device
Children are more tech-savvy nowadays, which means they would be using devices much earlier. They can keep themselves entertained with tablets and laptops. However, why spend extra money on those when you already have a refurbished smartphone. They can watch movies on it, stream videos, and even play games. You need to be careful though and put in some parental controls to ensure their safety.
Universal Remote
Smartphones are essentially palmtop computers and they can be pretty powerful in their own right. Why not take advantage of its flexibility? With a bit of messing around with your smartphone, you can activate IR functionality and have it control a wide variety of appliances. Everything from your TV to your heating can soon be controlled from a single control unit and you don’t need to spend anything extra.
You paid good money for your smartphone. In the past, when people bought something, they could expect decades of use out of it. Though it may not be possible with more fragile smartphones, the above ideas can ensure that you get a few more years out of your device. Keep the ideas above in mind so that you can fully get your money’s worth from your smartphone and look around for other potential uses.
