The Google Play app store

The Google Play store is the official app store for Android smartphones and tablets. As of 2013, there are more than 1,000,000 apps available to download, many of which are free. With so many apps to choose from, the store is broken down into many different categories, as well as a search option. The Google Play store is a great place to find tons of apps and other software for your smartphone.

Emergency 911 calls with your old smartphone

Ever want to carry a cell phone with you just for emergencies. Did you know that all cell phones are required by law to allow you to dial 911, even if your phone doesn't have a cell phone plan? Well that is correct. The FCC’s basic 911 rules require wireless service providers to transmit all 911 calls to a PSAP, regardless of whether the caller subscribes to the provider’s service or not. This is a great reason to hang on to that old smartphone, or any old cell phone that you have laying around. The ability to dial 911 from anywhere is one of the main reasons why people own a cell phone, and over 70% of 911 calls are from wireless phones.

Note: If you use a VoIP service over an internet network, you will not have the ability to dial 911. Instead use the phones main dial pad to accomplish this task.

Use a smartphone for simple everyday tasks

Smartphones come in handy for many different things. Some things use your phone as an advanced piece of technology, but some are just super simple and have been around for years. In this article I'm going to show you some apps that you can use on a daily basis for the simplest of tasks.

Flashlight
The first thing worth mentioning is a flashlight app. There are many available, just type flashlight in the Google Play store and there will be many to choose from. These apps use the camera flash or the light from screen to make a flashlight. It comes in handy when you just need a little extra light.

Calculator
Another good app is the calculator app. It should come pre-installed in your phone, otherwise there are many others available. This app is very useful when you need to do some quick mathematical calculations.

Alarm clock
The alarm clock app is another great tool. This app comes already installed, or you can try others on the app store. This app allows you to set multiple alarms and many other options, so you never have to over sleep again. This app allows offers a timer and a stop watch.

Calendar
With the calender app you can see all the features of a standard paper calendar right in your pocket. You can even add events of whats going on during a certain day. This app comes standard with your phone.

Bubble Level
Bubble level is another great app available on the Google Play store. No need to search through your toolbox to find that level. Now its always available right in your pocket when you need it.

Weather
Check the latest weather right on your phone. You'll need internet access for this one, but it can come in handy. There are many options available. There's AccuWeather widgets available that can tell you the current temperature. Weather apps that can tell you current, hourly, and ten day forecasts. As well as radar apps, such as RadarNow that will show you live animated radar for your area. You can also visit weather.com from your favorite web browser.

Your old smartphone can come in very handy for many different things. These are some great uses that you can take with you every day. There are even more apps available, leave a comment telling us what your favorite simple application is.

Use your old smartphone as a GPS

Looking to get a new GPS unit? Did you know that old smartphone in the drawer can offer you GPS services. Even without a cell phone plan you can still take advantage of the phone's GPS capabilities. There are many apps available, and you won't even need to have internet to use them. Just make sure the GPS is turned on and you're ready to go. The first app worth mentioning is the standard Google Maps. With Google Maps you can now use the maps offline. Just download the portion of the map you need before your trip and you can use it without internet access. There are some draw backs though, as on a long trip you might have to stop at a Wi-Fi hotspot and download another portion of the map. Another app available for free is call Navfree. Here's the description from the app itself

Unlike many other "free" satnavs we offer you fully featured, non-timelimited turn-by-turn navigation. No hidden payments: after map download you can use it forever for free and update it from time to time, also for free.

There are also other GPS related apps that may come in handy. One is called DigiHUD and will tell you your current speed while driving. Another is called Get Altitude and like the name says, allows you to get the Altitude of a particular location. There are also apps available for running.

Using smartphone as a camera/video camera

Wouldn't it be nice to have a camera with you where ever you go. Having a camera on your smartphone makes this a reality and is super convenient. Camera phones are no longer the blurry, two megapixel things they were just a few years ago. With the latest technology you can take good pictures of day to day life where ever you go. The great thing is, even if you don't have a cell phone service plan, you can still use your old smart phone as a camera or video camera. Knowing this can save you hundreds of dollars compared to buying a new camera, especially that all they can do is take pictures. Just beware that some smart phones will require you to have a micro SD card installed in order to use the camera function. Taking pictures is another great thing to utilize that old smart phone.

Play music with an old smartphone

Music on the go has become very popular in recent years, and that old smartphone you have laying around can be an MP3 player. Your old phone has the ability to store and play music. But your phone can do even better than a standard MP3 player. There are apps available that can stream music with a Wi-Fi connection. Pandora is one the most popular choices. Pandora plays music based on what the user prefers, as well as the ability to purchase the songs you like. IHeartRadio is another popular app that allows users to access over 800 live radio stations streaming online as well as services similar to Pandora. An smartphone is a great way to keep up with your latest music.

Streaming Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and Crackle

Netflix and other streaming video sites are growing in popularity at quick rate. YouTube is currently the third most popular website in the world. Third party streaming media players such as Roku are becoming a very popular medium for using these services., but you can also watch the same services with old smartphone. The apps for many streaming video sites are available right on the Google Play store and some don't even require a subscription. Simply connect to Wi-Fi and your ready to go. There are also a few ways to watch that content right on your TV. Some phones come with a micro-HDMI port that you can connect directly to your HDTV with the proper cord or you can purchase the $35 Chromecast dongle. An old smartphone is a great way to catch up on your favorite TV shows, movies, and videos.

Video game apps on an old smartphone

There are a ton of video game apps available on the Google Play app store, and games are a great way to utilize an old smartphone. We actually gave our son one for this purpose alone. Simply connect to Wi-Fi and download any of the games you want. The Play Store even has a whole category just for video games. Best of all, once you download a game, many of them don't require an internet connection to play. Playing games is also a good way to waste some time if you need to.

Use old Android phone for VoIP

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VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, which is basically a phone that works through the internet. A VoIP service is not as good as a cellular service, but despite this, there are many VoIP services that are free or cheap over a Wi-Fi network. The service I am the most familiar with is called Mo+ and is available on the Google Play Store. Mo+ works through Google Voice and allows you to make voice calls and texts using a real phone number. Simply set up and Google Voice account and download the Mo+ app and your ready to go. Similar apps are Talkatone and GrooVe IP. These services are also great for making calls and texts on an actual cell phone plan if you have limited minutes or texts. Another service worth mentioning is called Magic Jack. The only downside to this service is that you won't get your own real phone number, but making calls is great. There are many other apps available that work over Wi-Fi.

Browsing the web with an old smartphone

Turn that old smartphone into a portable web browser. All you need to do is enable your phones Wi-Fi and connect to a hotspot and your ready to go. Browsing the web using the Wi-Fi can be done even without a cell phone data plan or subscription at all. Best of all, you can pick up wireless signals all over town now days, so you can bring it with you when your on the go. No need to lug that laptop around, just keep the phone in your pocket and your ready for that next Google search.

Smartphone uses without subscription service

Smartphones are seen everywhere now days and can do a multitude of different things. But what you might not know is you don't even need cell phone service to take advantage of their features. If you have an old smartphone laying around the house somewhere, it is still useful and great to keep around. Here is a list of things you can still do with that old smartphone. (Note: With this list I will be focusing on the Android operating system, because that is what I have the most experience in using. Most of these functions will be available with the iPhone as well.)

1. Browsing the web
2. Make calls and texts with VoIP
3. Video game apps
4. Streaming video such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and YouTube
5. MP3 player and music apps
6. Camera/Video camera
7. GPS functions
8. Simple everyday tasks (e.g. flashlight, calculator, alarm clock/timer, calendar, bubble level) 
9. Emergency 911 calls
10. Enjoying the other thousands of useful apps in the App store