You'll pay only for whatever mobile data the device uses in any given month, at the same flat rate associated with your regular Fi plan, so it's essentially just an extension of your primary phone. That opens up plenty of interesting possibilities : You could use your old device as a ready-to-go backup phone in case your regular one is ever missing, broken, or low on battery; you could use it as a dedicated hotspot to beam out mobile data access without draining your primary phone's battery; or you could use it as an always-connected on-the-go slate for your kids hello, airport video-streaming without having to pay for an extra line of service.
You can even use it to make and receive phone calls — utilizing either your regular phone number or an alternate number — if you get a little creative with your thinking.
Don't have the greatest view from your desk? Let your old Android phone or tablet be your window to wild and exciting locales. It'll give you one-touch access to an impressive list of live streaming cameras around the world, from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans' famous Bourbon Street to the swooshing serenity of Niagara Falls.
Pull up any view you like, then tap the icon to go full-screen and gaze the day away. EarthCam lets you gaze down Niagara Falls — or a slew of other webcams around the world — for a break from the mundane. You can find quite a few mobile-friendly live cameras on the web as well: Pull up your device's browser and try out the San Diego Zoo's assorted animal cams — including a penguin cam, koala cam and tiger cam, among other exotic views — or the Monterey Bay Aquarium's extensive underwater cams for even more "aww"-inducing options.
Ah, memories. Snag an inexpensive stand, plug your device into its charger, and turn it into a cloud-connected photo frame for your home or office.
If you use Google Photos, just open up the app, tap on any photo in your main library or within a specific album and then tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and select "Slideshow.
Want a distraction-free reading environment for your next business trip or public transit commute? Load up your old Android device with only the apps you need for reading — Google Play Books , Amazon Kindle , Nook , or whatever tickles your text-ingesting fancy.
You can even borrow books from your local library: Check with your nearest branch for information on how to do it or download the free OverDrive app, which is used by a variety of libraries, schools, and institutions.
Be sure to disable notifications from Gmail and other noisy apps — heck, even switch the device into airplane mode once you've downloaded the content you need — and you've got the equivalent of a dedicated e-reader without all the usual phone or tablet temptations.
Dock your old device on your desk and put it to work as your personal calendar. Google's own Calendar app can get the job done with plenty of productivity-oriented elements, or the free DigiCal Calendar Agenda app will give you an even more graphical and customizable interface that's perfectly suited for this purpose.
Save yourself the hassle of futzing around with your current phone in your car by turning your old device into an always-available in-car command center. Find a decent car dock and mount the device somewhere safe. Be sure to plug it into your car's power port and connect it to the stereo via Bluetooth or a 3.
Then, either use your primary phone as a hotspot to keep it online or go the economical route and download any necessary music and directions before you hit the road, while you're still connected to Wi-Fi. Grab the Android Auto app for a simplified interface with large buttons and extra voice commands, and that's it: Your newly repurposed companion is ready to roll.
Note that Google is planning to replace the standalone Android Auto app experience with a new Google Assistant driving mode at some point in the foreseeable future, but it's not currently clear when exactly that changeover will occur. Until that happens, the Android Auto app remains the best way to interact with your phone while driving. Here are the latest Insider stories. More Insider Sign Out. Sign In Register. Sign Out Sign In Register.
Latest Insider. Check out the latest Insider stories here. More from the IDG Network. As a phone ages, the battery capacity goes down with it. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that your phone would be able to cope up with the performance if the battery is not good. A similar case was seen with Apple iPhones slowing down with older batteries in order to give more run-time as opposed to performance.
While it is highly unlikely that your Android phone will slow down because of an older battery, it will certainly give you a lot less talk-time in return.
In case of conventional phones, changing a battery is as easy as popping the back cover and replacing the old battery with a new one. However, with a uni-body device, you might have to take it to a service center to get the battery replaced. An app launcher or the device's user interface can mean a world of difference to your phone. Sometimes, default launchers tend to be a bit heavy on the resources.
In such cases, it is always better to choose a tried and tested third-party launcher to be on the safe side. For me, both Nova and Apex launchers are my go-to solutions. However, feel free to choose the one that suits you the best. There are several benefits of a third-party launcher. First, they are much lighter on resources as compared to the default app launchers. Secondly they offer much more freedom and features to the users. Basically, if you are looking at changing the way your device feels, changing the launcher is pretty much right there on the top.
Now that we have taken care of a number of problems on your phone, it's time to pay attention to the apps that you install on it. Recently, developers have started releasing "lite" version of their apps. These apps offer almost similar functionality as compared to the full version apps but have a much smaller installation footprint and consume fewer resources.
Skype is a popular Android app that has its own lite version, along with the original full version. Another big problem that I faced after deciding to resurrect my phone was its low internal storage. While most phones today offer 64GB or more internal storage, my old Android phone had a measly 16GB, out of which close to 11GB was available to me. In case of budget phones, this figure can even go as low as 8GB and that would surely be a problem. However, one simple workaround is there, which involves offloading as much storage to the cloud as possible.
Switch to your native keyboard, insert an emoticon or Moji, send files, photos, take a new photo, record a video message, or share your location. Choose if you want to send messages via Skype or as an SMS text message. There are a few advanced settings which can be found in the Android Skype app. Then select contacts only.
Below that you might want to set your settings to allow calls from only contacts too. We have lots of guides available for you to look at whether you are a PC or iPhone user. Guides covering some tips and techniques for providing remote support to learners, an increasingly important service in times of social isolation. Could your workplace do with developing its digital skills? With funded membership opportunities currently available, now is the perfect time for organisations to join our Digital Champions Network.
Copyright Digital Unite. Our clients News and views Guides Get in touch. How to download and use Skype for Android phones. Step 2: Open the Skype app on your Android mobile device Once you have downloaded Skype onto your device you can now start using it. Step 3: Signing into the Skype app To start making calls to family and friends you need to sign in to your Skype account. Step 4: Start using the Skype app When you sign into your Skype account you will see a pop up notification that asks whether you want to allow the app to make and manage phone calls.
Step 5: Making a skype-to-skype call to a friend or family member Now that you have the Skype app open we are going to try and make a call to someone you know. To make Skype-to-landline calls on Skype using your android phone you will need Skype credit. To add Skype credit to your account, click on the Skype credit link.
Purchase your credit and you are done! We are now ready for the next step. Step 7: Call home with Skype Now that you have bought some Skype credit you can start calling landline numbers or mobile phones. Step Protecting your privacy on Skype for Android There are a few advanced settings which can be found in the Android Skype app. Further resources: For more information on Skype rates visit the Skype website.
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