Using a smartphone without a service provider

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Hey everyone, I just want to show you some uses for an old smartphone that you might have laying around somewhere. The phone is still very useful and can do many things even without a service provider. This phone I have right here does not currently have a carrier attached to it, but can still do a number of things, as long as I have the Wi-Fi available. The first great thing I can do is browse the web. It is always nice to have a portable web browser available. I can pretty much go to any website, do a Google search, whatever I wanna do. There is also an app available where I can make calls and texts just like a regular phone. I use an app called Mo+ and this app basically connects to a Google Talk account and it works just like a real phone but its over the internet, and Google will even give you a real number and everything. There's some limitations because I need the Wi-Fi available, but it doesn't cost $100 a month either, like a regular phone would. Another great thing I can do is play games. The Google Play store literally has thousands of games that I can choose from, many of which are free, and a lot of them you don't even need internet connection to play them once they're downloaded. I also have a Netflix app so I can watch Netflix videos, you could do Hulu Plus, YouTube, whatever and this phone actually has an HDMI port so I can hook it straight up to the TV. There is also something you can buy called a Chromecast dongle where you can stream videos directly to your TV from your phone, its like $35. I could download apps to listen to music like Pandora or iHeartRadio, a lot of local radio stations will have apps available to download, you can even download MP3s straight to your phone and listen to them. Another great feature for smartphones is camera app. Its always great to have a camera available when you're on the go. You never know when you're going to need it. Camcorder as well, it's all included. There's literally like a million apps available to download, some that you might you everyday like the Alarm clock, calendar, calculator, flashlight. A lot of apps that are great to have whenever you need them. So basically if you have an old phone laying around, its not worthless, and it can be handy for a lot of things. Yeah there's some limitations because you need Wi-Fi available but it is great to have. So don't throw your old phone away, it is still useful. Thanks everyone.

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.