Innovative Uses for Old Smartphones
Old smartphones often end up gathering dust in a drawer or worse, get thrown away. However, these devices are far too valuable to meet such fates. Packed with useful components like displays, sensors, and communication chips, smartphones can be revived and repurposed for various maker projects. The latest Make 6/24 issue delves into creative ways to breathe new life into old smartphones, particularly focusing on Android devices.
Maker Apps Development
Whether you wish to use a smartphone by itself or in combination with a microcontroller, the key to interact with hardware is through dedicated apps. If an existing app doesn’t meet your needs, programming your own might be the best solution. With user-friendly frameworks like Thunkable, Blynk, or RemoteXY, creating functional interfaces that control your project via the smartphone becomes accessible. Make 6/24 provides in-depth guidance and examples to ease you into developing such applications.
Automation Opportunities
Smartphones, paired with automation apps like Tasker, Automate, or MacroDroid, can act as control hubs. By integrating external sensors, they could monitor temperature changes and trigger alerts or perform other actions in response. This edition of Make offers an introductory guide to help newcomers explore smartphone-driven automation.
Mobile Computing and DIY Projects
For those aiming to tackle computing jobs on the go, smartphones can also double as portable workstations. Installing Linux on Android devices through the Termux app (without rooting) or switching obsolete Android systems to PostmarketOS can turn your smartphone into a powerful tool for DIY projects. Furthermore, using tools like the CAD software Onshape, mobile construction tasks become manageable. Moreover, the phyphox app unlocks your smartphone’s sensors for conducting physical experiments.
Creative Uses of Old Smartphones
The magazine also explores how authors have successfully transformed their smartphones into innovative solutions like smart controllers for vintage devices, personal music streaming setups, and cost-saving call forwarding systems. Even in the realm of microcomputing, a smartphone, teamed with an FTDI adapter, can serve as an Arduino substitute.
Availability
For those eager to explore diverse smartphone projects, Make 6/24 is available both online and at newsstands. It can be obtained through subscription or purchased as a print or PDF version from the Heise Shop. Additionally, digital versions are accessible via apps for iOS and Android.
This insightful issue promises to offer a wealth of practical ideas to jumpstart your next DIY endeavor using old smartphones.
Explore these projects in more detail by referring to the original article from Heise Online.