Give your old Android a new lease of life
THESE APPS CAN TRANSFORM YOUR OLD ANDROID PHONE FROM DUST-GATHERER TO INVALUABLE GADGET.
MOST OF US have our last phone languishing in a drawer, just in case something goes wrong and we need a backup. The more economically conscious might have sold their old device, but there are loads of ways you can put it to work. It doesn’t need to be that recent a phone either — most of the options below work fine on Android smartphones from the past five years.
THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL REMOTE
With a few apps, you can control an impressive array of devices around the home. Ideally, keep the phone in a charging cradle or on a wireless charger to make sure it’s always ready to go. Using a Chromecast, or TV or media player supportive of casting, plus the app from your streaming service of choice (Netflix, Stan and so on), your phone becomes a touchscreen TV remote. For phones with an IR transmitter, the app Anymote ( www.anymote.io) allows you to also control the TV itself. Unified remote ( www.unifiedremote.com) makes it easy to control an HTPC, and software such as Kodi has a smartphone remote app called Kore ( www.kodi.tv). You can also control a PC using a smartphone with a range of apps, such as TeamViewer ( www.teamviewer.com), Splashtop Remote Desktop ( www.splashtop. com) or Chrome Remote Desktop ( goo.gl/
wco7h6). Loads of smart home features, such as Philips Hue Lights and Belkin WeMo switches can be controlled via apps. Don’t forget to check what other appliances have apps, such as being able to control your air conditioner.
DIY IP CAMERA
With built-in camera, Wi-Fi, beefy processor, onboard storage and a backup battery, old smartphones make excellent IP cameras. You do need to connect permanent power, but USB chargers and long cables are cheap on eBay.com.au. For a security camera, IP Webcam ( www.ip-webcam.appspot.com) is a great choice, with all sorts of in-depth options, such as movement and sound detection, alerts, data logging and more. It can also record locally, over a network, directly to cloud storage or, for remote locations, be accessible via 3G. IP Webcam also has a two-way video chat, so can be used to create a DIY video doorbell. The old smartphone also makes an excellent baby monitor — especially if placed in a mini tripod or mount, so it can be moved around. A great app to get started is Wi-Fi Baby Monitor — NannyCam ( alfred.camera), which offers motion detection, live video chat, remote flashlight activation, alerts and the ability to record with both cameras.
3G MODEM
When the internet goes down, it’s easy to share a connection from your smartphone over Wi-Fi. But what about wired devices, such as a desktop PC? It’s actually possible to tether your phone and share the internet connection over USB. Plug it in, then make sure it’s set to share data, not just charge. The exact menu location varies, but head to ‘Settings > More > Tethering & portable hotspot’ and select ‘USB Tethering’. It’s a good idea to set a data limit,
and watch for Windows updates or other programs that could use a lot of data. Check your router — some models with USB can also share the internet connection directly.
CAR UPGRADES
With a simcard fitted, that old smartphone can becomes a very handy vehicle tracker. You can do this simply with Google’s inbuilt tracking tools — Find My Device ( www.google.com) if you don’t have it already. It’s important to make sure the phone is hidden, has a power connection that does not go off with the ignition. It also needs to be somewhere it can receive GPS and phone signals. Alternatively, mounting it to the dash, and using an app such as AutoGuard Dash Cam ( goo.gl/
S5kCQ), also allows video recording, but is easy to spot and disable. For those who want more information when driving (or even on a bike), apps such as Speedometer GPS ( www.gpxscan.com) turn your phone into a display that can show and record speed and track or be used for GPS navigation with offline maps. You can also link in other devices, such as an OBDII Bluetooth adaptor, for monitoring fuel use, and checking engine error codes.
Even without a simcard, an old phone can be used to make emergency calls. For an extra dose of self-reliance, load it up with survival guide, first aid apps such as First AidAustralian Red Cross ( www.redcross.org.au) or even download the entire Wikipedia database ( wikimediafoundation.org).
VR VIEWER
An Android phone from the last generation or two is quite capable of being used to experiment with virtual reality. Ideally, you want a large, high-resolution screen, but it’s surprisingly effective with even a basic phone. There are loads of 360° videos to watch on YouTube, and Facebook supports 360° photos and video. You need a VR headset — ideally with focal and pupillary distance adjustment, and a Bluetooth controller. High-end options such as the Samsung Gear VR cost up to $200 with a controller, while at the low end, the excellent VR Box 2.0 (with controller) is available for $15 (delivered) from eBay.