Do you have a lot of spare technology lying around your home that you do not use too much? You could be putting it to good use instead of throwing it out. Throwing away functioning technology is bad for the environment and is a waste of potentially valuable materials. Technology is very versatile these days and can be used for a variety of other things. Common old technology includes old watches, old iPad, old laptops, old speakers and many more. A lot of time people forget the wonders of technology and how easily convertible it is. Today we are going to go through a list of some of the best uses for old technology.
Turn Old Screens Into A Live Picture Frame
If you have an old iPad laying around, turning it into a live picture frame is a great way to make good use of it. The great thing about this is, it is just like a picture, but you can change the content on it. So really you can have anything you desire on it! You can get specialised frames with chargers built into them, so you do not need to worry about it running out of battery life anytime soon. You can also do this with old TVs. It is quite a common sight to find an old TV with a fireplace video displayed on it now-a-days.
DIY Security System
If you have old devices that have a built-in camera, then you can use them as a makeshift camera system that runs throughout your home. There is a lot of software that you can put onto devices that make the device operate as a security camera. This can be useful in many ways if you want to make sure that you have evidence if your house gets broken into or if something happens to any deliveries that you might receive. On some phones, you can get a motion tracker that will send you a text message if there is someone on your property line. However, if security is a large concern for you, then consider getting a proper security system. Click here to talk to a professional regarding the security system.
Use an old phone as a dash camera
People get away with damaging other’s vehicles a lot of the time due to the lack of evidence. A dash camera is a perfect solution to this issue as it allows you to have evidence of a crash. There have been many cases where, if there was not a dash camera, nothing could be done by the authorities. However, if you have a spare phone lying around, you can turn it into a dash camera. There are apps on the Appstore and Google Play store that allow you to convert your phone into a dash camera. These apps even have the capabilities to track the speed of your car whilst you are moving. This is by far one of the best uses for old technology due to their practicality.
Recycle an old computer into a retro gaming system
If you have an old computer that was made within the past 10 years, it would be great to turn it into a retro arcade machine where you can experience tons of nostalgia and play tons of games. Now-a-days, it is possible to emulate many different machines on one computer. Emulation is the act of replicating a hardware-based machine through software. It’s essentially a coded computer within a computer. Some of the best systems that you can emulate are the Wii, Game Cube, Atari, and virtually any old system. Some great games that you can play on emulated systems include Super Mario Galaxy, and Spider-Man 2.
Convert An Old Speaker Into A Smart Speaker
You can make any old speaker into a smart speaker through the utilisation of a Raspberry Pi. These are small systems that allow you to put code on them. You can make use of some open-source software that allows you to get a voice assistant on your device free of charge. All you have to do is simply plug it into the speaker and the software will work its magic.
In Conclusion
These are some of the best uses for old technology. Hopefully, we made you consider not throwing away your old tech as, in some cases, it can serve a good purpose. If you enjoyed this article on tech, keep an eye out for more articles by us regarding technology as we are always thinking of new ideas and ways to write about it. Thanks for reading.