Options for using an unnecessary tablet. What to make from an old tablet What to make from a broken tablet

Tablets, which were among the best on the market for 3-4 years, are now outdated. What to do with an old tablet that has served its purpose? How to use it if you purchased a new powerful device. Of course, you can sell it on Avito. But not everyone wants to part with their “old” friend after purchasing a new device. In this article we will tell you what you can do with an old tablet that is collecting dust on your shelf.

Navigation

Car gadget

We have already described the best applications for motorists on the pages of this site. With their help you can make a tablet GPS navigator And DVR. In addition, by connecting such a device to a stereo system, you can play audio and video files on it. And even if the battery of your old tablet no longer holds a charge, it doesn’t matter. This device can be connected to the cigarette lighter. It is enough to buy a special car charger.

Video-eye

An old tablet computer can easily be turned into a video call monitor. To do this, you need to buy an IP camera, fix it in front of the front door and display the image on your tablet. After which, the outdated device will be able to display everyone who came to your audience.

By the way, in a similar way, you can make a monitor for a video baby monitor from an old tablet. You will also need a camera. Only, unlike a video call, it needs to be installed not in front of the front door, but in the children's room.

In both cases, you need to install a video player on the tablet with the ability to play streaming video. For this purpose, you can use the Jvplayer application. And with the help of the TinyCam Monitor application, you can provide camera support. That is, record and conduct remote surveillance.

Portable media player

Of course, the small size of the tablet does not allow it to be considered 100% as a video player. But, if you don’t have a TV in the kitchen, then why not install it there in order to brighten up the time of cooking or eating food. If the built-in speakers are not enough, then the Android tablet can always be connected to external sound sources.

In addition to the kitchen, such a device can be used while taking a bath or before going to bed. The main thing is not to forget to turn on the sleep timer.

In addition to watching videos, you can use your old tablet as a radio. To do this, just download the Tuneln app and listen to one of 100,000 radio stations over Wi-Fi.

Frame

It is unlikely that anyone has ever bought such a device as a photo frame. A completely useless and unproven thing. But, if you have an old tablet, then why not make such a gadget out of it? And it is not necessary to display photographs of relatives and friends on its screen. You can choose motivational pictures or quotes from famous people. By the way, periodically changing pictures with words can be used to replenish the vocabulary of the foreign language being studied.

EBook

If your old tablet can “boast” a comfortable screen, then it will make an excellent e-reader. To do this, just install a special application, tap Cool Reader or FBReader and enjoy your favorite book. Upload your library to it or use network storage. By the way, I advise you to use the “cloud” to store your library. So, it can be protected from problems with memory cards or accidental deletion. In addition, the above applications can be synchronized with cloud file storage.

cookbook

Do you have a unique recipe database? Transfer it to your tablet. Or use cloud solutions (we wrote about them above). Better yet, install cooking applications on your tablet and place the device on a stand. Now in the kitchen you can use this device to improve your culinary skills and expand the number of dishes that you have learned to cook.

By the way, you can upload recipes to the tablet not only in text form, but also in the form of videos. You can subscribe to the channels of famous chefs and learn from their skills.

Note pad

Using an old tablet you can make a great notepad for notes that is always at hand. There are many note-taking apps available. The best of them is undoubtedly Evernote. This service stores your notes in the cloud. This means that access to them can be configured from different devices. Moreover, you can save texts, html pages, maps, YouTube videos and other important information in a couple of clicks.

By the way, the Evernote application can also be used to create your own recipe database. It is more convenient to deposit to the “cloud” from a computer. And when preparing a dish, you can use a tablet.

Experimental gadget

The Android operating system offers endless possibilities for customization. Moreover, you can go as deep into the system as your knowledge and courage allow. Moreover, you can even change Android to something more original, for example MIUI or Cyanogen. The only problem is that not all experiences can be equally safe for your device. If you don't want to take risks or want to maintain the warranty of your new device, then your old Android will serve as a great testing ground.

Smart TV

An old tablet can be a great media player for your TV. The device is connected to the TV using an HDMI cable. In order to turn off the tablet screen when synchronizing it with the TV, you need to get root rights and install the Screen Standby application.

But, this method of using an old tablet is suitable if it can work with HD video. Otherwise, it can only be used as file storage.

By installing applications such as SPB TV, Torrent Stream Controller, PeersTV, Bizon TV, Crystal TV and others into the tablet, the tablet connected to the TV can expand the capabilities of the TV through online television.

Retro gaming console

Do you like to play retro games? An old tablet is great for this. Yes, its power is no longer enough for modern games, but the old ones will handle it just fine. And if you’ve gone completely back in time, you can install an emulator application and play “Mario” or “Contra” on an old Android tablet.

Universal remote control

There are several applications on the Play Market that turn an old tablet or smartphone into a universal remote control. And if you don’t want to make the remote control universal (it’s no secret that it’s not always possible to control several devices at once), you can download an application to control a specific TV. It is especially interesting to control a TV with a Smart TV function from a tablet.

Virtual keyboard

If your keyboard fails, do not rush to run to the nearest computer store for a new one. From an old tablet you can make a keyboard that will be many times more convenient than the old push-button one. You can connect your tablet to your PC via Bluetooth. After which you will be able to type text in Word or another office program without leaving the couch.

A table clock

A watch is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about what to make from an old tablet. If it doesn’t hold a charge, buy a simple docking station on Aliexpress or Ebay for 250 rubles and put your tablet there.

As for watches, there are a lot of applications with which you can turn your smartphone into one. Such applications can also be used as an alarm clock. And the most advanced of them can show the weather. At the same time, visually it all looks very beautiful.

Of course, this is not a complete list of what can be made from an old tablet. There are other ways to breathe new life into an old mobile device. What did you make from a disused OLD device?

Video. Tablet with broken screen + old monitor = Smart TV

New Android devices appear with enviable regularity. The old ones slow down and can no longer cope with modern games and resource-intensive applications. It would be a shame to give them away or throw them away, but no one would want to buy them.

It's time to dust off those old tablets. Using the Nexus 7 tablet as an example, I will show you what to do from an old tablet. How can you use an old tablet in a non-standard way in various scenarios? In this article we will not dwell on banal readers and cookbooks, but will move to a higher level.

Additional monitor

It is unlikely that a small tablet will be very convenient as an additional monitor, but it can be used to display important information. The market has an iDisplay application that allows you to solve this problem. It costs as much as $17.99, but you can always find a broken version on a well-known site (of course, only in order to familiarize yourself with all the functions and decide whether the program is needed or not).

iDisplay works in cooperation with the server part for the computer: getidisplay.com. After installing both applications, connect the device to the same Wi-Fi network (in the future, the developers promise support for connecting via USB), and you are ready to start.

The tablet can be configured both as a second display and as a mirror of the main one, while the remaining battery charge is displayed in the corner. There is full touchscreen support (press to click, hold to simulate a right-click). Pinch-to-zoom also works, with a kind of mini-map appearing in the upper right corner, from which you can understand the current position of the approximate area and move it. From the menu you can call up the keyboard or launch an application. The screen resolution and the ability to display Windows system sounds are adjusted (it is worth noting that the application was originally developed for connection with Mac and, accordingly, has clients for iOS). In general, the solution is unlikely to be suitable for viewing serious content, but to display additional information/menu/window when the main screen is busy, it is quite suitable.

Monitor from an old tablet. iDisplay Settings and Operation

Machine information panel

All that is needed for this is to choose the most convenient holder for the tablet in the car (personally, I prefer the mount in the CD slot, no one uses it anyway) and install a program of your choice on the tablet. Again, the choice is quite large.

It's worth trying Android Auto, the same one that comes pre-installed on various cars. It is intended for phones only, but the latest installation file can always be found on apkmirror.com. Important notifications, navigation tips, and music controls appear on the main screen. And at the bottom there will always be shortcuts available to launch Google Maps, phone and Google Play Music.

Information panel for the car from an old tablet. Home screen and navigation in Android Auto

You can also find AutoMate and Car dashdroid in the market. The first shows nearby places, weather forecast and speed limits, has voice control, as well as integration with Torque, which will allow you to view data from car sensors using an additional device that works via OBDII.

The second has support for audio players (Spotify, Play Music, Pandora, Poweramp and others), voice control and a customizable home screen.

But, in my opinion, a tablet running Car Launcher AG fits most harmoniously into the interior. Customizable buttons for radio, music player, navigation, browser. Shows speed and parking time. Displays weather, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth status, current music control and brightness settings.

Information panel for the car from an old tablet. Car Launcher AG interface

Of course, there are more serious options for using a tablet in a car. On thematic forums there are many projects for full integration with a car media system, in addition to the standard radio as a head unit, ensuring the operation of buttons on the steering wheel. But that's a completely different story.

Mini TV for the kitchen

There are many applications for watching television on the market, everyone will find something to their liking. They have the same operating principle: essentially it is a shell that can be used to feed IPTV playlists from your provider or those found in open sources (usually in the form of M3U or XSPF).

An example is IPTV, which also supports multicast streams via a UDP proxy, has channel categories, playlist history, and TV programs in XMLTV and JTV formats. Also popular is the LAZY IPTV client, which has a little more features: it supports vk-video/YouTube links; playback of Internet radio playlists through the built-in player; auto-update playlist; export playlists and favorites to a file in various formats; reminders about TV programs; search for channels across all playlists; parental control system.

TV from an old tablet. List of IPTV channels

Another technology for watching programs is the Torrent Stream Controller program, which works in peer-to-peer mode. After the first launch, it will offer to download and install Ace Stream Engine, which is necessary for operation. At the time of writing, it contains 929 channels, divided into categories. The application also allows you to launch any torrent file and start watching without waiting for it to fully download.

Budget video surveillance system

There may be several scenarios for using video surveillance, but we will focus on the “video baby monitor” option in a local Wi-Fi network. The tablet can be used on both sides: as a monitor with a network or IP camera (for example, hang it above the front door or monitor the car from a window or balcony) or it can act as such a camera. I don’t have a separate IP camera, so I’ll show you how the tablet works in conjunction with the Nexus 5.

Image reception

Let's install an IP Webcam on your phone. It can send video to the network in different formats, supports viewing through a browser, and allows you to configure it to turn on and record when motion is detected. After starting, we point the smartphone’s camera to the desired location, lock the screen and connect the smartphone to the charger.

Video surveillance from an old tablet. IP Webcam Settings

We will receive images on the tablet via tinyCam Monitor. After installation, call up the menu by swiping on the left and find the “Scan network” item. After scanning the cameras available on the network, and there may be several of them, add the one you need by clicking the corresponding icon in the corner. Then go to the “View” tab, wait for the connection and watch the picture from the phone.

Tablet as a camera

Everything is very simple here: we swap applications and see what is happening on the phone. If you need to complicate the task and watch the stream outside the home, it is easier to use a special service, for example Ivideon. After a simple registration, it will give access to connected cameras through a browser. The IP Webcam described above has integration with Ivideon (enabled in the settings).

Ivideon has a convenient application that allows you to connect to cameras from anywhere in the world. One of the notable features of the program is push notifications when movement is detected in the camera's field of view. In this case, you can watch a ten-second video taken when motion is detected. With a paid subscription, recording of the entire stream from cameras to the cloud is activated. To be able to transmit a stream from a regular webcam, you must additionally install an Ivideon server.
Viewing a video stream via a mobile network and Ivideon push notifications

A solution for true geeks. We install the server part on the computer, the Remote System Monitor program on the tablet, come up with a password on the computer, connect from the tablet and look at the full information about the computer’s hardware, including:

• temperature (processor, video accelerator, hard drives, etc.);
• CPU and GPU load;
• use of RAM, video memory and swap file;
• voltage display;
• complete information about hard drives, including write/read speed;
• fan rotation speeds and the ability to control them (if provided);
• network data transfer speed.

Photo frame from an old tablet

The tablet can easily be turned into a photo frame to display the desired photos or albums. There are enough programs in the market for this. For example, Photo Slides is a simple photo frame, many settings, support in beta. Among the settings are the duration of photo display, update speed, effects, the choice of displaying only photos that match the current orientation, a clock over the photo, and launching only when an external power source is connected. In the paid version, you can additionally select a moving panorama and set up a scheduled launch.

For those who want to see photos, including from social networks, there is the Dayframe (Photos & Slideshow) application. It can show photos from Facebook, Dropbox, Flickr, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, 500px, Google+ and Google Photo.

If not all tablet models have support for SIM cards, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in everywhere. Therefore, we download music to the tablet or, for variety, we simply install one of the many streaming services such as TuneIn Radio, SoundCloud or Spotify Music. Then it’s a matter of technology: either via Bluetooth to a speaker, or via a mini-jack to any device with an audio input or speakers.

Voice assistant from an old tablet

It's easy to turn a tablet into a "poor man's Amazon Alexa." Just put it on the charger, deactivate the screen off and ask questions via Ok, Google. You can also use Russian assistants - assistant Dusya or Yandex's Alice. If Google is suitable mainly for simply searching for information on the Internet and voicing it, then the last two programs support a much wider range of commands.

Dusya can make reminders, translate text, read news, count, control a smart home and home theater, set timers and alarms, search for public transport routes, has access to VKontakte and integration with Tasker. Well, with the help of scripts (they can be installed through the application itself) you can significantly expand the built-in capabilities of the assistant. For example, play cities with a bot, find and play music from VK, write a message on WhatsApp and Viber, call a taxi, listen to a random joke or riddle, and so on. Well, one of the most useful functions will be the voice recognition of notifications from other programs.

Alice has a smaller set of features, but there are useful ones among them: launching music, games, searching for information, and also managing the computer.
List of functions and directory of Dusi scripts

Do you want to always be up to date with events? Nothing could be simpler. Install any weather forecast and news feed you like, add widgets to the screen and don’t forget to enable the “Keep the screen on while charging” option in the developer settings (let me remind you that they will become available if you tap seven times on the number in the “About tablet” menu assembly).

Retro console

And finally, a little nostalgia. If tablets and phones that are old by today's standards can't handle modern games, they can still serve as a tool for returning to the nineties. There are many different emulators on the market for NES (we are better known for its Dendy clone), SEGA, GameBoy, PS and others.

Most emulators already contain games; others require you to first download game files or archives. Well, for a more comfortable game, you can use the Sixaxis Controller, which allows you to use Sixaxis and Dual Shock 3/4 joysticks. By the way, the Chinese clone I bought on eBay worked great.

One problem with tablets is that they become obsolete quickly. This mainly applies to Android devices, but the iPad is also affected by this problem. Until recently, you used your tablet to its fullest, and now you suddenly found out that the manufacturer does not intend to release a new version of the OS for it. Old programs stop updating, the device starts to slow down, clearly hinting that it’s time to go to the store for a replacement.

At the same time, sometimes a paradoxical situation arises: your tablet is still powerful enough for new versions of Android, but there are no updates for it. At the same time, cheaper and less productive new devices work with the latest versions of Android.

Of course, owners of Android tablets can try installing custom firmware. Provided that enthusiasts have ported LineageOS or AOSP to your device. If a miracle does not happen, buying a new tablet cannot be avoided.

But what to do with the old one? If you're sad to throw away your working iPad or Android tablet, here are some ways to put it to good use.

1. Media center

There are many applications for streaming music and videos for Android and iOS. In addition, many Android tablets, even quite old ones, are equipped with HDMI connectors for connecting to a TV and a mini-jack for audio transmission. Put it all together and you get a good media center for those who haven't got a SmartTV.

Connect the tablet to the TV, turn on YouTube, any streaming service and listen to music, watch videos even on a TV that does not have an Internet connection.

2. Torrent client

Why not? There are many for Android and iOS. In addition, some Android devices allow you to connect external drives via an OTG adapter. Set up several torrents for downloading, after connecting the tablet to the power supply, and here you have a ready-made torrent client. Make sure to turn off the battery saver feature, which turns off the Internet connection when the screen goes dark in some versions of Android.

3. Remote control

Many smart TVs, media centers like Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or media servers like Kodi or Plex allow you to control them through Android or iOS apps. Just install the appropriate app and make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. That's it, now you don't need a remote control.

In addition, there are many applications for remote control of your computer through commands from Android or iOS. So you can control not only your TV and media center, but also your desktop computer via Wi-Fi.

4. Desktop news source

Do you often minimize the windows on your computer in the middle of the working day in order to once again look at your feeds on social networks or the news? Forget about it. Set up your tablet to show you Gmail, RSS feeds, Twitter feeds, or Facebook feeds all the time. Turn off screen dimming, place your tablet vertically on a table using a docking station or mount, and look at it whenever you wonder what's happening on the Internet.

A tablet becomes especially useful if you need to watch something, but you cannot minimize the open window. Some hardcore gamers customize their tablets to show them the system temperature using an app.

5. External monitor

An old tablet will come in handy if you want to get an external monitor, but don’t want to pay for it. Just install the Android or iOS app and connect your tablet via Wi-Fi or directly via USB to charge it at the same time. Now part of your desktop (albeit not very large) will be displayed on the tablet. Cheap and cheerful.

6. Guest device

When guests ask to connect to your Wi-Fi, this is all well and good, but what if they want to connect to the Internet and have forgotten all their gadgets? You don't have to give them your personal devices - save an old tablet for guests. He certainly won't feel sorry for him. Additionally, most versions of Android and iOS have a “guest mode” specifically for this purpose.

7. Webcam

Unless you need a fancy camera that recognizes faces and facial expressions, you can get by with a tablet camera. For monitoring the apartment while you are not at home, or for video communication, this is the best thing. Connect the device to a video server on your computer, for example, using this application and record the image from the camera. Feel like Sam Fisher.

You can also turn your old tablet into a video communication device by installing Skype or one of its . This thing may be useful to your retired parents if they don’t want to buy a full-fledged laptop, but want to be in touch.

8. Home weather station

Do you live in a private house outside the city? Of course, you can spend money on all sorts of smart gadgets like a thermostat or barometer with Wi-Fi connection, but why if an old tablet can show you the weather, temperature, barometric pressure and moon phases?

Hang the gadget on the wall, connect the charger, turn off the display dimming and expand some widget to full screen. Fortunately, there are so many of them on Google Play and the App Store that there is nowhere to put them.

At the same time, set up your “weather station” to signal if it’s going to rain - this way you’ll have time to bring home things left outside. And in addition, it can be used as an alarm clock.

9. Game console

Even the oldest and low-power Android tablets and iPads are still tens of times more powerful than older consoles. So why not take advantage of this? Install any emulator of your choice and play the hits of your childhood.

And if you find a compatible gamepad for your tablet and connect the gadget to your TV, you can lose your life for several hours.

10. Car navigator

On your way to work, you probably dock your smartphone in your car to listen to music or check which streets are best to avoid traffic jams. You can use an old tablet for the same purpose, and you won't have to worry about leaving it in the car overnight. Tablets with a small screen diagonal, such as the Nexus 7, are best suited for this.

Just don't watch TV shows while you're driving. Please.

11. Alternative to a smart speaker

Your old tablet can do almost the same thing as a smart speaker. You can install Alice from Yandex or any other voice assistant of your choice and get a budget replacement for acoustics. Yes, the tablet, unlike the speaker, does not have a 360-degree speaker or advanced microphones. But such a device costs less, because you already have it.

There's not much to be said here. We watch the video and thank the author for the idea. I would just develop this idea and try to add radio, player and alarm functions. Although you can’t watch, you can listen to it. You can also use the tablet’s front camera to monitor the room remotely. We need to look for similar software.

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For the Galaxy S4 and S4 mini, Samsung developers came up with a special feature: these phones are equipped with an infrared port.

Using the included WatchOn app (or the next-gen Peel Smart Remote app), your Galaxy smartphone can be turned into a powerful remote control system, even if the phone has already been replaced by a next-gen model. Additionally, older phones that are capable of controlling other devices via infrared also include the HTC One, LG G2, and LG G Flex.

Labor intensity: small; costs: no

2 The second life of a smartphone as a webcam

Thanks to CCTV cameras with remote access capabilities, it is no longer a problem to see what is happening at home, even when you are away.

However, it is not at all necessary to rely on expensive special solutions: an old smartphone that can be used as a network-controlled camera is enough. To do this, you only need the appropriate application, a large number of which are available on the market. Using the example of a free IP WebCam for Android, we will show how it works.

1. Download the application from Google Play Market and launch it on your smartphone. In the Video Settings section, first enable medium resolution and quality settings. Additionally, you can choose front or rear camera, and landscape or portrait aspect ratio. It is also possible to control power consumption, smartphone microphones and enable camera sensors that detect movement and noise.

2. In the “Connection Settings” item, you can optionally set a login and password, and also change the data transfer port. 3. Data transfer begins with the “Start” command. The phone now displays the IP address, using which you can monitor the data flow in the browser and control the camera. If you want to use your webcam outside your home network, you will need a free account on the Ivideon cloud storage service.

Labor intensity: average; costs: no

3 Smartphone as an access point

The smartphone can transmit its 4G or 3G connection wirelessly to a tablet or laptop.

The relatively inexpensive tariffs offered by providers are exceptionally suitable for organizing a backup Internet connection.

Even abroad, you can enjoy inexpensive Internet using the services of local providers. Just activate the “Modem mode”, “Access point” or “Internet sharing” item in your smartphone settings.

4 More security in banking transactions

Online banking through mobile applications can be insecure under certain circumstances, especially when using older Android smartphones and using one-time passwords in SMS messages (mTAN codes).

Thus, it is highly undesirable to receive SMS with transaction numbers on the same device on which the banking application is running. To do this, you don’t even need a smartphone, since even a used mobile phone can provide the necessary services. To do this, simply install a prepaid SIM card in your phone and use it exclusively to receive mTAN codes.

Labor intensity: small; costs: only payment for activating the prepaid card

5 Free AirPlay upgrade

AirPlay technology provides the ability to wirelessly transmit audio and video signals on a home network and is built into many devices in the Apple world. Even a decommissioned Android smartphone instantly turns into an AirPlay receiver to which you can send music from compatible devices.

Any stereo device can be made AirPlay-compatible by simply connecting your smartphone to it using a Mini-Jack plug and selecting the AUX or Line-in input. For software you will need the AirBubble application, available in the Play Store (60 rubles).

If you want to stream music wirelessly via iTunes or an iOS smartphone to your stereo, simply select your Android smartphone from the list of devices.

Labor intensity: average; costs: 60 rub.

6 The first iPad as a media player

The first iPad, released in 2010, was a product that Apple's inflexible update policy rendered useless. Due to the small amount of RAM, the latest version of iOS for the tablet was version 5.1.1.

However, you can still use the "vintage" iPad as a media player. To do this, download images, music and video files to your tablet using iTunes. Standard Apple applications are sufficient to play these files.

Labor intensity: low, costs: no

7 Proper phone storage for emergency calls

Those who want to be on the safe side keep a spare phone just in case. A very unpleasant surprise in such a case would be a discharged battery of the backup device. After all, as you know, batteries “age” not only with each charge - they also lose charge when idle.

Our advice: charge your mobile phone battery to about 80% and store it separately from the smartphone in the refrigerator, protected from condensation. At a temperature of 4–10 °C, self-discharge slows down. Infrequently used batteries, such as those for a digital camera or AA or AAA batteries, can also be stored in this way.

Labor intensity: low, costs: no

8 The tablet becomes a second TV

Even if your old tablet can't match the performance or storage capacity of the new devices, you can still use it as a second TV. To do this, you will need to install one of the free applications on it that plays TV programs.

However, such applications show short advertisements from time to time. Without advertising and even without an Internet connection, you can enjoy watching TV programs using a DVB-T2 TV tuner (about 2,500 rubles), which connects to the USB port of the tablet. Of course, the choice of programs via a DVB-T2 tuner is much smaller and universal reception is not guaranteed.

Labor intensity: average; costs: no

9 New tasks for a mobile phone in a car

With a securely mounted second smartphone, you can bring useful features into your car and purposefully add efficiency to your main gadget. Universal mounts for installation in the windshield area are available at a price starting from 400 rubles. The best models allow you to use the phone in horizontal and vertical formats.

> Navigation: Online navigation apps such as Google Maps only make sense if the mobile flat rate includes sufficient data. Microsoft and Nokia smartphones already offer functional and detailed navigation apps out of the box (for example, Here), and offline alternatives are also available for Android and iOS. For example, the free applications Yandex.Navigator, Yandex.Maps and 2GIS offer excellent maps of Russia.

> Free applications, such as DailyRoads Voyager, record traffic data and save it to the smartphone's memory.

Photo: manufacturing companies