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.