Turn An Old Smartphone Into A Mini TV
February 17, 2020Smartphone technology is advancing at a rapid pace. What was once considered as cutting edge tech a year ago, is now a standard feature on most devices. This however, is most apparent on the Android side of the smartphone market than that of the iOS one.
In addition to this, due to manufacturer planned obsolescence, most Android phones have a 2-year lifespan. And as a result, you now have an older smartphone lying around the house, incapable of accomplishing much, but too valuable to throw away.
Well, now such phones have a renewed purpose – turn them into mini TVs or Android game consoles. Using a relatively cheap magnifier contraption, your smartphone’s screen can be magnified to nearly twice that of its original size.
This doohickey is a plastic container with a magnifying film attached at one end, and at the other, there’s a slot to seat a smartphone. Once placed inside said box, access to the smartphone’s touchscreen is limited. So, you will need a mini keyboard+mouse combo to connect to the smartphone in order to use its UI effectively.
Here’s what you need to make the experience possible:
1. Screen Magnifier Box (Available on most e-merchant sites)
2. Old Smartphone
3. Micro USB/USB-C HUB (Not applicable if using Bluetooth Keyboard/mouse)
4. Mini Keyboard+Mouse Combo
That’s it! Now, you have perfectly running mini PC/TV/Game Console. From here, you can watch YouTube videos, play games or even accomplish basic office tasks. That said, there are two minor caveats.
The first one is screen quality. It’s a relatively cheap piece of film that doesn’t do a great job at magnification – but it works. The second problem is the keyboard. Your gaming experience will vary depending on the keyboard controls used.
Overall, this is a good way to put your older smartphones to good use. Instead of investing in expensive tablets for counter-top entertainment, a simple screen magnifier can get the job done at a fraction of the cost.
