What You Can Do With Your Old Tech

There comes a time in the life of every device when it’s time to dump it in favor of a newer model. After several years and generations of devices, this can leave you with quite a few older devices that you don’t really know what to do with. Instead of throwing your devices away or tossing them in a junk drawer, here are a few ways that you can repurpose your old devices. 

Household hacks: 

There are several ways that you can utilize old electronics for use around your home. 

Family hacks: If you’re looking for a fuss-free baby monitor, you can set your old device up on a stand facing the crib or playpen, then connect with a different device using Skype or Facetime. Need something to keep your kids entertained? An old tablet also makes an excellent first tablet for kids. Put a fun and easy to grip case on it, set your parental controls, and hand it over without worrying that they’ll break it. 

Work from home hacks: If you’re working from home, an old tablet works great as a second monitor for your computer. An app called Air Display, connects your tablet to your computer using WiFi and turns your tablet into a second monitor but with an added bonus of being touchscreen. There’s also an app called Actions that turns your tablet into a command center for your computer. You can use it to launch applications, open new windows, open the search bar, and a variety of other commands. 

Get a repair and save them for nostalgia: 

Some older devices hold special meaning like your first cell phone or an iPod that holds all your cringey middle school playlists. If you’re reluctant to get rid of these devices, there is always the option of saving them.

With the help of a repair technician and a few new parts (like a battery replacement or a new screen), you can get your favorite devices from the past back in working order. Connect your old iPod to a speaker and have a throwback dance party. Check Ebay for your favorite childhood Game Boy or Playstation 1 games and relive the excitement of playing them. Power on your first cell phone and remember how it felt to use T9 to send texts.

If your device is way beyond the point of powering on again, you can get creative if you’d still like to save it. Tie a string or wire around your first phone or iPod, use a marker to write the year you got it on the screen, and hang it up on your Christmas tree to commemorate that year. You could also remove the old battery (to avoid any corrosion) and store it away to show to future generations someday. 

Do something good: 

If you’re definitely ready to part with some of your older devices, there are several ways that you can do so responsibly. 

Recycle them: Electronics should never be thrown away in the regular trash. The inner components of electronics contain chemicals that are bad for the environment when added to landfills. There are a wide variety of companies that will recycle your electronics responsibly or help you find somewhere to donate them. You should also check your local government website for local organizations that help with electronics recycling. 

Donate them: If your old electronics are still in good shape, a great option would be to donate them to a local organization or charity. Schools are always in need of tablets, computers, and even sometimes phones. Local women’s and homeless shelters are great places to check as well. These are all very worthy causes and you can feel good that your old electronics will find new purpose. Here is a resource for locating your local recycling organizations. 

 

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